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Tanya Plibersek

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Anyone heard of this before ?

The daughter of migrants from Slovenia, she married Michael Coutts-Trotter, who had previously been sentenced to nine years jail for selling heroin. He served two years and nine months.

Tanya’s Labour mates appointed this man ‘Director-General of the New South Wales Department of Education and Training’, overseeing almost 100,000 people!

His only formal qualification was a journalism degree! How’s that for jobs for the boys?
 
Re: Tanya Plebersyk

Anyone heard of this before ?
A simple Google would have found the correct spelling: Tanya Plibersek
A little more objective research would also have found this:
In 1986, at the age of 21, he was imprisoned for less than three years of a nine-year sentence for conspiracy to import narcotics. At the time he was a heroin user. He recovered from his addiction through a Salvation Army program. He told the media in April 2007 that his criminal past made him more determined to do a good job.
[...]
He was director-general of the NSW Department of Commerce from 2004 to 2007, and chief of staff to the New South Wales Treasurer from 1998 to 2004.
 
Re: Tanya Plebersyk

Isn't that an amazing recovery ? We can be very quick to demonise drug users so seeing someone make such a spectacular return to grace is great.

(And by the way I would have said exactly the same thing if the person was a partner to any high flying politician.)
 
Re: Tanya Plebersyk

A simple Google would have found the correct spelling: Tanya Plibersek
A little more objective research would also have found this:

I was copied from an email I didn't check it at all.

Still who else would have got that job with a criminal record.
 
Re: Tanya Plebersyk

I was copied from an email I didn't check it at all.

Still who else would have got that job with a criminal record.

While not a fan of Tanya Plibersek or her key policies, I'm curious why you focus on the criminal conviction and offer no praise for an apparent rehabilitation from heroin.

As for jobs for the boys... struth, talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Are you the pot or kettle!
 
Re: Tanya Plebersyk

Are you the pot or kettle!

Burns is both.

Starts off a thread (big shot), about the deputy leader of the opposition, can't even show her the respect to spell her name correctly and the only comment is to attack her spouse.

Pathetic, Burns.
 
Re: Tanya Plebersyk

Like Billy boy, young Tanya needs to keep a close eye on that cryogenic freeze.
 
I know nothing of Plibersek's husband, if he did not deserve his present positions, I am quite sure the media would have outed him by now.

Recovery from addiction to heroin is very difficult, and good on him if he has achieved it.

She seems a quite able politician, and a good look for the ALP, intelligent, articulate and presentable.

It is a shame she is not a Liberal, she has many Liberal thoughts and beliefs, as she will find it difficult in the boys own club that is the Union dominated ALP to advance.

gg
 
Maybe its part of the quota, Mr Burns.

I agree, it annoys me that they bring in their family members and friends on the payroll, just as Rudd and his children, Julia and her friend, Shorten put in his mate over a lady in one of the Vic seats.
They just seem to recycle the same.
 
Re: Tanya Plebersyk

Burns is both.
Starts off a thread (big shot), about the deputy leader of the opposition, can't even show her the respect to spell her name correctly and the only comment is to attack her spouse.
Pathetic, Burns.

I show her the same respect I show you, the respect you deserve........ZERO.
 
Yes it's wonderful that he recovered from an addiction and served his time in the slammer but I don't think that qualifies him for a highly paid position at our expense, though I agree with gg that the media would have been all over it if that was all there was to it.
 
Yes it's wonderful that he recovered from an addiction and served his time in the slammer but I don't think that qualifies him for a highly paid position at our expense, though I agree with gg that the media would have been all over it if that was all there was to it.

Don't worry Mr Burns. If/when Tanya proves to be a significant Labour asset we can be certain that the appropriate media will be trashing Michael Coutts-Trotter for all he is worth.

Clearly the email you kicked off this forum with is the opening shot.

As sure as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West.:D
 
If/when Tanya proves to be a significant Labour asset we can be certain that the appropriate media will be trashing Michael Coutts-Trotter for all he is worth.

I don't think so.

Mr Coutts-Trotter, despite the obvious Labor connections, has managed to survive, and arguably even prosper, under the change of government in NSW.

He went from being a staffer with former Labor treasurer Michael Egan to running the $14 billion-a-year Education Department, attracting criticism as a Labor political appointee.

He survived the change of government in 2011, running the Department of Finance and Services before being shifted across to Family and Community Services to help the embattled minister. At the time of his appointment, Mr O'Farrell held a special press conference to shower praise on Mr Coutts-Trotter and make it clear it was not a demotion.

- See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...y-fn59niix-1226739919106#sthash.UQhhvbQ8.dpuf
 
I saw that as well Calliope. It certainly appears as if Michael is a very competent and effective Public Servant.

However I don't believe (on all past experience) that would be sufficient to stop a political attack on Tanya if/when it is deemed necessary. The various active websites that still trash Michael speak for themselves.

What would be interesting would be for Tony Abbott to go out of his way to commend Michael Coutts-Trotter for his personal recovery and in effect publicly neutralise any possibility of opening an attack on Tanya Plibersek in the future.

Be a pretty gracious action wouldn't it ? :2twocents
 
He has a degree in journalism and that's it, does that qualify him to be Director-General of the Department of Finance and Services ?

Plenty of well qualified people out there for that job that would be infinitely more deserving I imagine.

Coutts-Trotter matriculated from Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview and the University of Technology, Sydney, with a degree in journalism.[1]

Coutts-Trotter was appointed Director-General of the New South Wales Department of Education and Training in April 2007. He was director-general of the NSW Department of Commerce from 2004 to 2007, and chief of staff to the New South Wales Treasurer from 1998 to 2004. His appointment to lead the Department of Education and Training was criticised by opposition members of Parliament, the NSW Teachers Federation and the Public Principals Forum for his lack of experience in teaching and education.[2] The Teachers Federation also questioned his criminal background;[1] with the Federation's president, Maree O'Halloran, saying that a teacher with his background would be unable to continue teaching.

Appointing him as Director-General of the Department of Finance and Services in April 2011, the NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell said that Coutts-Trotter's skills would allow this new department to deliver on its results.[3] It was reported in July 2013, upon his appointment to lead the Department of Family and Community Services, that Coutts-Trotter's new role was a demotion.[4] Following the report the NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell held a media conference to reject the suggestion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Coutts-Trotter
 
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