Fair Work - Crook Deck: High Stakes Poker

[drsmith]

Today's developments.

3.35pm: Craig Thomson seeks the call and indicates he is planning to make a "comprehensive" statement to Parliament on the Fair Work Australia report during the next sitting week. Here's how Annabel Crabb sees it:


@CrabbTwitsard: So the Independents have been talked out of insurrection - they're staying put to vote with Govt. They have been talked down with the promise of a full statement from Thomson next sitting week.

3.32pm: As Anthony Albanese speaks against the motion to suspend standing orders, Annabel Crabb has been watching movements in the House closely and reports:


@CrabbTwitsard: This is looking as though it might be interesting. Independents are not keen on siding with Thomson.

3.09pm: Question Time moves on from the budget and back to the matters which dominated yesterday's session, as the manager of Opposition business, Chrisopher Pyne, moves a motion to compel the Member for Dobell, Craig Thomson, to make a statement to the House about matters arising from Fair Work Australia's investigation into the Health Services Union. Leave is not granted, and Mr Pyne moves on to request standing orders be suspended.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-09/budget-blog-wednesday-morning/3999714?WT.svl=news0

 

[Miss Hale]

Yes, did you watch Little Britain where the politician would come out with his wife and kids and start admitting to the most horrendous behaviour! Very funny because its true.

Yes, that's exactly what it's like (only on this occasion I'm not laughing )

On the subject of the independents I have no doubt they will side with the government. I heard Windsor waffling on again today about how he hadn't made up his mind, serious allegations etc. He always does this; pretends he's not sure, that he is weighing things up, but he always sides with the government in the end. I believe he never has any intention of doing otherwise.

 

[drsmith]

I suspect that one or more of the Labor alligned independents have pushed Labor into insisting that Craig Thompson make a statement to parliament. His day of reckoning is May 21.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-...arliament-on-hsu-scandal/4001288?WT.svl=news0

How is he even going to be able to front the house that day with a straight face ?

 

[Julia]

How is he even going to be able to front the house that day with a straight face ?

Maybe he has reached the stage of self deception which allows him to believe his own lies.
I can't help feeling very sorry for his wife. The humiliation must be dreadful.

 

[StumpyPhantom]

Maybe he has reached the stage of self deception which allows him to believe his own lies.
I can't help feeling very sorry for his wife. The humiliation must be dreadful.

Can't really see him doing anything BUT issuing denials. Don't expect there will be any 'explanation' and he's already trotted out the 'Let's not ask me anything that a Court might use against me later'.

Will Gillard Labor be pinned to their seats listening, or will the chamber only be half full? All the Coalition will be there, surely Labor need to be there to make noise to drown out the guffaws!

"You got that pretty blonde to do WHAT? She doesn't know anything about world peace!"

 

[drsmith]

Can't really see him doing anything BUT issuing denials. Don't expect there will be any 'explanation' and he's already trotted out the 'Let's not ask me anything that a Court might use against me later'.

Will Gillard Labor be pinned to their seats listening, or will the chamber only be half full? All the Coalition will be there, surely Labor need to be there to make noise to drown out the guffaws!

"You got that pretty blonde to do WHAT? She doesn't know anything about world peace!"

At this point, it's hard to see repeated denials cutting the mustard, but our parliament has become a strange place.

I watched Christopher Pyne dish it out to Craig Thompson and the ALP. While the TV camera was focused on Christopher, there was indeed a bit going on in the background.

With 19 questions done, Gillard sat poised to bring an end to question time, but Pyne beat her to the punch.
He moved a motion to suspend standing orders (that's 52 times this year), to try and get Thomson to explain himself to the House.

Gillard left the chamber as is her usual practice, but it soon became clear this was no usual motion.

Independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott had words with Thomson, who was sitting nearby. Then Thomson made the long march over to government whip Joel Fitzgibbon and had a further chat, before leaving the chamber for several minutes.

The ensuring flurry inside the House - Stephen Smith conferencing with the independents, Oakeshott talking to the clerks - made it clear that something was up.

When Pyne had finished lambasting the Thomson affair as ''one of the most tawdry episodes to ever besmirch the parliament'' and Anthony Albanese's five minutes of reply (the member for Dobell is innocent until proven guilty) were over, the House breathed in.

In the gap, Thomson was on his feet, on indulgence.

The embattled independent MP - who once was Labor - said that he would say something. But not right now because it was budget week. He promised to give a statement when parliament next sits (the week after next) and with that, resumed his seat.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/blogs...ashing-back-down-to-earth-20120509-1ycr8.html

 

[joea]

Anger in Dobell.

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational...yong-councillors-want-thomson-to-quit/4001538

We wait in anticipation !

joea

 

[joea]

Action in WA.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...-to-disaffiliate/story-e6freuyi-1226351857852

This should open!
joea

 

[Julia]

This should open!
joea

It did indeed. Thanks, joe.

 

[joea]

It did indeed. Thanks, joe.

Good oh. Julia you are and angel!

Here is something you may like to read.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-10/hsu-official-sacked-for-speaking-up/4003674

joea

 

[Julia]

Thanks, joe. There's probably way more that's going on that doesn't hit the media also.

 

[joea]

Correct!
I have been wondering what was in the bag sized in the raid of the HSU.
Sure enough we have more problems.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/polit...s-a-legal-case-of-its-own-20120509-1yd7p.html

joea

 

[joea]

Go Kathy!

http://www.afr.com/p/national/hsu_jackson_to_address_hr_nicholls_Z6Bub2RwF1Av4ziGxUu9HL

joea

 

[joea]

This will be interesting!

http://afr.com/p/national/legal_fees_thomson_issue_in_the_vluy7AdkY9AZbrzigqos8M

joea

 

[drsmith]

This will be interesting!

http://afr.com/p/national/legal_fees_thomson_issue_in_the_vluy7AdkY9AZbrzigqos8M

joea

Were they the declrations that were made "slightly late" ?

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

Thanks, joe. There's probably way more that's going on that doesn't hit the media also.

You ain't seen nothin' yet Julia.

This, when it finally spins out, will outdo the Khemlani Affair in the pantheon of ALP stuffups.

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

gg

 

[Julia]

Can someone remind me what the issue was with Mal Colstoun? I didn't take much notice at the time, but have heard it raised recently as apparently an example of how a Liberal member was allowed to remain in the parliament when accused of some wrongdoing.

Or do I have it completely wrong?

 

[StumpyPhantom]

Can someone remind me what the issue was with Mal Colstoun? I didn't take much notice at the time, but have heard it raised recently as apparently an example of how a Liberal member was allowed to remain in the parliament when accused of some wrongdoing.

Or do I have it completely wrong?

I was confused by it too, blending my own memory with patches going on in the media. Gary Hardgrave (former Howard minister) on PM Live tonight also gave his own recollection.

First - my own. Mal Colston was a Labor Party rat who climbed into the President's chair in the Senate, to pump-prime his retirement during his last term in Parliament. I remember the massive (impressive) Robert Ray bellowing at the top of his voice in that chamber 'Quisling Quasimodo from Queensland'

I'm sure Howard must have had a 'numbers' reason for doing that. As it turned out, the Labor Party got its rat back and the DPP was in possession of evidence of criminal wrongdoing (allowances) but never prosecuted because his doctors said he was terminal. I was sceptical of that, but then he died a few months later. I remember the sight of Colston's sons pushing the media around - and heard later that the young Colston qualified as a lawyer but could not get a job anywhere.

Hardgrave relates the story of a Liberal senator - Noel Crichton-Browne - who was under some cloud, and Howard chose to pair off his vote in the Senate. How that relates to Colston I have no idea.

Sorry for confusing you even more!

 

[sails]

This on Mal Colston from Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mal_Colston

and this from the Age at the time of Colston's death: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/25/1061663734930.html

 

[StumpyPhantom]

This brings back memories:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go1877/is_2_44/ai_n28722368/