Australian Politics General...

[sptrawler]

I saw this one the other day, thought it was inappropriate, but maybe not.
That's the down side about satire, not everyone finds it funny.
The good thing from my point is, I get to read the papers, send a photo of the soduko to the wife, have a cup of coffee and get a walk in.
What a great way to start the day, dollar cost averaging. Lol

 

[sptrawler]

Like I always say Rumpy, you have to have Labor in occasionally, to clean out the mess the other side can't.
The Royal Commission into unions, under the coalition was a witch hunt, under Labor it is big game hunting, because it would reflect badly on Labor corruption.
It is the great thing about our democracy, a fine balance is found IMO, the media keep the coalition honest and Labor makes the great policies with poor implementation, which the coalition clean up, but then go over the top and Labor get back in.
Rinse, wash, repeat.

The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption was a Royal Commission established by the Australian government to inquire into alleged financial irregularities associated with the affairs of trade unions.[1] The Australian Workers Union, Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, Electrical Trades Union, Health Services Union and the Transport Workers Union were named in the terms of reference.[2] The Royal Commission inquired into the activities relating to slush funds and other similar funds and entities established by, or related to, the affairs of these organisations.[3]

The Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the Royal Commission on 10 February 2014 and nominated that the Commission be overseen by a sole Royal Commissioner, The Honourable Dyson Heydon, AC QC, a former High Court judge. Letters Patent were issued on 13 March 2014. The Commissioner submitted an Interim Report[4] in December 2014, which found cases of "wilful defiance of the law" and recommended criminal charges against certain unionists. Allegations of illegality against nine unions had been uncovered, with over 50 potential breaches of criminal and civil law identified.[5]

Following an extension, the Commissioner presented his final report to the Governor-General in December 2015, finding "widespread and deep-seated" misconduct by union officials in Australia. More than 40 people and organisations were referred to authorities, including police, Directors of Public Prosecutions, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the Fair Work Commission, and a recommendation for the establishment of an independent body to investigate union records and finances was made.[6]

Only one conviction ever resulted from the entire process, while five other union officials have either had their charges dropped, or were found not guilty.[7]

The Australian Council of Trade Unions labelled the Royal Commission as a politicised stitch-up intended solely to advance the Union busting ideological & partisan agenda of the Liberal Party of Australia. The Labor Party of Australia through their employment spokesman, Brendan O’Connor labelled the Royal Commission as modern-day McCarthyism and an outrageous intrusion into the personal affairs of Union members.[8][9]

Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

TWU investigating allegations against Victorian secretary

The Transport Workers Union has revealed it is looking into allegations against its Victorian state secretary Mem Suleyman.

www.theage.com.au

Workplace minister prepares law to force CFMEU into administration

The escalation comes after a series of revelations about the CFMEU’s ties to organised crime, but the union is yet to agree to an independent administrator.

www.theage.com.au

There is no way the Coalition would get away with this, a direct attack on unions and the fabric of Australia.

 

[sptrawler]

I think this idea should be embraced by both sides of politics, they have to make it more attractive for families to live in regional areas, the cost of living is higher, the amenities and services are less, yet that in a lot of cases is where the export industries are.
Australia has to develop regional industrial areas and large communities, FIFO can't be the goto forever, the emissions alone preclude that.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-09/dutton-to-consider-lower-taxes-for-regions/104206440

 

[wayneL]

I think this idea should be embraced by both sides of politics, they have to make it more attractive for families to live in regional areas, the cost of living is higher, the amenities and services are less, yet that in a lot of cases is where the export industries are.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-09/dutton-to-consider-lower-taxes-for-regions/104206440

I seem to recall a lower tax rate for workers North of a certain latitude back in the old days, so not unprecedented.

 

[sptrawler]

I seem to recall a lower tax rate for workers North of a certain latitude back in the old days, so not unprecedented.

It needs to be a lot more proactive than that IMO.
The mining towns are dying and FIFO is the goto answer, but that isn't going to build Australia, just fund the capital city ponzi schemes, while raping the resources and polluting the skies.
Go figure, not a peep from the self righteous, weird.

 

[wayneL]

It needs to be a lot more proactive than that IMO.
The mining towns are dying and FIFO is the goto answer, but that isn't going to build Australia, just fund the capital city ponzi schemes, while raping the resources and polluting the skies.
Go figure, not a peep from the self righteous, weird.

Agree, but the basic idea has precedence, and agree it must be more nuanced than simply a certain latitude

 

[sptrawler]

Agree, but the basic idea has precedence, and agree it must be more nuanced than simply a certain latitude

Absolutely, back in the 1960's when minerals were discovered, a caveat was put on the mining companies that value adding industries had to be built and they were.
But then the idea came out, that it was more efficient to send the value adding to low labour cost countries and that happened.
Then it was decided that workers who lived in mining company outback towns, were getting low cost housing, so a fringe benefit tax was applied to the mining companies and they sold the house and started FIFO.
As I've said on numerous occasions, Australia needs to take a deep breath and start and think the long game, what we are doing isn't a sustainable lifestyle, it is band aid Government to keep applying fixes to a broken economy.
By throwing red herring issues up, to keep the plebs fed, while the house burns down.
Our generation is fine, our grandkids are stuffed IMO.

 

[IFocus]

Like I always say Rumpy, you have to have Labor in occasionally, to clean out the mess the other side can't.
The Royal Commission into unions, under the coalition was a witch hunt, under Labor it is big game hunting, because it would reflect badly on Labor corruption.

When Abbott ran the witch hunt which was to corner Gillard and Shorten involving unions everyone and his / her dog knew the real issue of corruption was higher up the food chain (still is) and was concerning very large sums of money unlike the pilfering from union organisers.

Shorten was from the AWU a union whose organisers always had their hand in the till (personal experience) so I was surprised little was found.

 

[IFocus]

It needs to be a lot more proactive than that IMO.
The mining towns are dying and FIFO is the goto answer, but that isn't going to build Australia, just fund the capital city ponzi schemes, while raping the resources and polluting the skies.
Go figure, not a peep from the self righteous, weird.

Mining towns died decades ago, as a lifestyle they sucked (some liked it but not many) late 70's as a young bloke I hated with a passion Newman, Tom Price, Karratha and Dampier (Dampier being the pick) the tax break (above the 26th parallel) at the time was a pittance really no compensation for the hardship.

 

[sptrawler]

Mining towns died decades ago, as a lifestyle they sucked (some liked it but not many) late 70's as a young bloke I hated with a passion Newman, Tom Price, Karratha and Dampier (Dampier being the pick) the tax break (above the 26th parallel) at the time was a pittance really no compensation for the hardship.

That's true, i was in Dampier in 1967, 1st year high school by correspondence, then dad got a job in Kambalda in late 1969 when it opened up.
I lived in mining towns most of my younger years , it was hard but they were amazingly strong communities, they were destroyed by FIFO.

But we have to realise that you can't improve your productivity unless you value add and you can't value add efficiently with our input costs, unless you do it at the point of extraction.

Our problem is exactly what you are pointing out, we want our cake and eat it, we want to live the high life in the city and be flown out to work for as short a period as possible.

But it is coming home to roost that we can't.

 

[sptrawler]

When Abbott ran the witch hunt which was to corner Gillard and Shorten involving unions everyone and his / her dog knew the real issue of corruption was higher up the food chain (still is) and was concerning very large sums of money unlike the pilfering from union organisers.

Shorten was from the AWU a union whose organisers always had their hand in the till (personal experience) so I was surprised little was found.

I don't think either side can claim the moral high ground.
This goes back to the 1970's and the push to make our industries efficient, or close them down, but when you are competing with third world countries the outcome was obvious.
Big business drove this and it has finally caught up with them, well nearly caught up with them, the last chapter has to be written yet.
It will either be a good ending for us, or a bad one, but we will know in the next 20-30 years IMO.

 

[Smurf1976]

Agree, but the basic idea has precedence, and agree it must be more nuanced than simply a certain latitude

Indeed - there are remote and regional areas on the southern coastline after all.

 

[Smurf1976]

Mining towns died decades ago, as a lifestyle they sucked (some liked it but not many) late 70's as a young bloke I hated with a passion Newman, Tom Price, Karratha and Dampier (Dampier being the pick) the tax break (above the 26th parallel) at the time was a pittance really no compensation for the hardship.

Trouble is, FIFO also causes a lot of problems of its own.

Lack of towns and broader development of any sort is one.

Overcrowding in the capital cities is another.

Energy use and emissions from all that flying.

Impact on personal relationships is another and that's a big one in itself.

And so on. It comes at a price definitely.

 

[sptrawler]

Trouble is, FIFO also causes a lot of problems of its own.

Lack of towns and broader development of any sort is one.

Overcrowding in the capital cities is another.

Energy use and emissions from all that flying.

Impact on personal relationships is another and that's a big one in itself.

And so on. It comes at a price definitely.

It's quite funny, mining Towns were started as a State Government requirement to develop the Country and build communities.
The jobs were made more attractive, by the companies offering subsidised housing and amenities to attract workers and made it possible for families to relocate there.
AsI said I grew up in towns when they first started and it was amazing the way the communities got together and with the company assistance, football clubs, soccer clubs, basketball and speedway and motocross clubs formed, I had my first MX bike at 13 years old.
They were terrific places to grow up in.
Then all of a sudden the Federal Government said, hang on a minute, someone should be paying tax on this, it is either the wage earner has to put it down as a bonus, or the company has to put it down as a fringe benefit, but someone has to pay tax on it.
So the companies sold off the houses and built single persons camps, then flew workers in and out and the towns became $hit heaps.
There was no longer a reasonable sized fixed population, so the clubs folded, the water and services was not provided by the companies and it became user pays, so that all went down the toilet.
And the tax that was going to be gained, obviously went down the toilet also.

Unintended consequences, yet again

 

[wayneL]

The attitude of "someone had to pay tax on this" is the single reason this country has lost so many opportunities and ranks near the bottom of the economic complexity scale. It's socialism done dumb.

 

[sptrawler]

It is all going to end badly IMO, the only advantage we have is to build our own batteries and that isn't even on the radar.

So we are going to have Chinese supplied grid batteries, that can be interrogated by China, t sort out problems.

Yet we are spending a half a trillion dollars to buy subs because we are worried about China, something doesn't add up.

Probably rope a dope as usual.

 

[basilio]

Just loved this from The Shovel. High quality political commentary masquerading as satire

New Hotline to Help Television Networks Addicted to Gambling Revenue​

Television networks who struggle to get through the day without showing hundreds of gambling commercials will now have access to a confidential support hotline.

Gambling welfare advocate Josie Richards said many television networks in Australia were totally dependent on gambling revenue and needed help to quit.

“It’s incredibly addictive. I’ve talked to television executives who say they start the day telling themselves they are just going to show one Sportsbet ad during a Friday night football broadcast, but then they get caught up in the excitement and end up showing two hundred. That’s how quickly things can escalate”.

She said many networks were now so reliant on gambling advertising that they couldn’t concentrate on anything else. “They tell themselves – ‘Just one more gambling ad, and then I’ll stop’. But then all of a sudden it’s two in the morning and they’re still placing gambling ads”.

Richards said gambling advertising had widespread consequences for the networks. “It has the potentially to tear programming apart, and totally destroy broadcasts. Some shows have become totally unwatchable. It’s very sad”.

The hotline will be promoted using a variety of different messages, including: “Is the financial viability of your organisation totally reliant on gambling advertising?”, “How many lives are you destroying by showing these relentless focking ads?” And “Really? Another gambling ad? You literally just showed one”.

 

[SirRumpole]

Just loved this from The Shovel. High quality political commentary masquerading as satire

New Hotline to Help Television Networks Addicted to Gambling Revenue​

View attachment 182669


Television networks who struggle to get through the day without showing hundreds of gambling commercials will now have access to a confidential support hotline.

Gambling welfare advocate Josie Richards said many television networks in Australia were totally dependent on gambling revenue and needed help to quit.

“It’s incredibly addictive. I’ve talked to television executives who say they start the day telling themselves they are just going to show one Sportsbet ad during a Friday night football broadcast, but then they get caught up in the excitement and end up showing two hundred. That’s how quickly things can escalate”.

She said many networks were now so reliant on gambling advertising that they couldn’t concentrate on anything else. “They tell themselves – ‘Just one more gambling ad, and then I’ll stop’. But then all of a sudden it’s two in the morning and they’re still placing gambling ads”.

View attachment 182670
Richards said gambling advertising had widespread consequences for the networks. “It has the potentially to tear programming apart, and totally destroy broadcasts. Some shows have become totally unwatchable. It’s very sad”.

The hotline will be promoted using a variety of different messages, including: “Is the financial viability of your organisation totally reliant on gambling advertising?”, “How many lives are you destroying by showing these relentless focking ads?” And “Really? Another gambling ad? You literally just showed one”.

Fairly pathetic excuses from the TV companies imo.

They have got by without smoking ads, and if they can't show gambling ads then maybe they can do dog food or washing powder.

 

[macca]

Fairly pathetic excuses from the TV companies imo.

They have got by without smoking ads, and if they can't show gambling ads then maybe they can do dog food or washing powder.

I have been a gambler all my life, had my own roulette wheel when I was 12

I see no reason for a lot of ads, smoking, gambling, alcohol, junk food and quite a few other things and I feel we need to limit these ads to adult hours.

Nothing unhealthy until 8.30, adults are going to suit themselves anyway, ad or no ad

 

[Smurf1976]

Fairly pathetic excuses from the TV companies imo.

They have got by without smoking ads, and if they can't show gambling ads then maybe they can do dog food or washing powder.

I see both sides of this one.

On one hand I'm not keen on gambling ads. It ruins many lives.

On the other hand broadcast TV is already a clearly struggling industry well past its glory days. To the point that I'll pose a question:

When does one of the three commercial networks pull the pin and cease operations entirely? The entire industry's contracting indeed it already is a shadow of what it once was in terms of physical resources and facilities. Just about all of them have moved from their historic studio locations to somewhere much smaller and cheaper.

All that's left is to close outright - indeed in the regions that's starting to happen it seems, 10 is now gone in Mildura for example. Gone, kaput, no such thing anymore.

So whilst I'm not keen on gambling ads, I do see some definite counterarguments with this one.