The Albanese government

[IFocus]

The Qantas upgrades controversy is a window into an 'alternate universe' our politicians enjoy​

When it comes to the Register of Members' Interests — the vast file that the House of Representatives keeps of declarations from every one of its 151 elected MPs — there are two broad personality types.

Let's call them the Haves and the Have-Nots.


Declarations from the Haves can be opaque and hard to follow. They bristle with multiple properties, boats and complex family trust arrangements with awkward names that usually turn out to be the collated initials of their children.

The Have-Nots also file declarations that are detailed. But they're detailed in a different way. The declaration of a Have-Not will typically include a mortgaged family home, and then pages and pages outlining every single piece of valueless bumf they've ever been handed at an electorate function. From the disclosure of "handmade key ring from Year 6 tech class, Moral Highground Public School", or "Tie Dyed T-Shirt, received in thanks for a day's volunteering alongside the Little Battlers River Cleanup Gang", the reader infers much about the MP's fastidious dedication to openness, not to mention their humble devotion to duty.

Analysis: PM's relationship with Alan Joyce more than just pollie perks​

Just months out from an election where the cost of living is likely to dominate the campaign, a new book is starting to really test Anthony Albanese's image as a working-class PM.

Anthony Albanese — who has been in the parliament for nearly 30 years — has always been a Have-Not, and this is how he would define himself to this day, changes in his personal circumstances notwithstanding.

A glance at his register confirms scrupulous reportage of items well below the prescribed $300 threshold (Item: A copy of Scott Morrison's memoir Plans for Your Good, the windfall of which treasure was reported to the Clerk this year with saintly promptness).

The registers of interest reveal two types of politicians. One of them explains Albanese's rage over Qantas

It is possible to understand and empathise with the PM's indignation over the Qantas flights controversy while simultaneously disagreeing with his diagnosis that it's a non-story.

www.abc.net.au

He is — one assumes — surprised to be accused of crony capitalism by a man who accepts transport and hospitality from Australia's richest woman and who has taken private jets when cheaper options were available.

And surprised to be chipped for chummy interventionism by Peter Dutton, who — as immigration minister — hopped in personally to liberate the au pairs of two friends, in a quirky reinvention of the "nanny state".

The PM was around when public money was sprayed around on commuter car parks, when billion-dollar contracts to run offshore detention centres were awarded without open tender, and when a bunch of senior government figures provisionally accepted Rolexes from a Chinese pot-noodle billionaire's plastic bag.

To be heckled for failing the pub test by an opposition that — in government — tended to be generous on the pour with our corporate citizens (JobKeeper) while mandating extreme-to-unreasonable abstemiousness from welfare recipients (Robodebt) would no doubt reasonably induce a liverish state in any first-term prime minister.

For good measure, Clive Palmer popped up yesterday to declare that the Chairman's Lounge should be outlawed permanently, describing it as a "disgraceful perk used to reward or punish politicians".​

A low-risk demand, presumably, seeing as Clive last flew commercial in about 1967.

And like many of the dishes on offer in this debate, this menu item's feature protein was Ancient Beef — Mr Palmer was dis-invited from the Chairman's Lounge 10 years ago when he used his Senate vote to block a bill lifting Qantas's foreign ownership restrictions.

There is nothing more understandably galling in public life than the hypocrisy of one's enemies.

 

[Garpal Gumnut]

The problem with the Qantas Chairman's Lounge is that it panders to the average person's greed. I have never been in it, nor invited in to it. Nor likely ever to be. I am strongly in favour of abolishing it. However if I had access I would be against its abolishment. It does not take much to make me change my mind on matters of principle versus comfort.

I would not however trade membership for advancing Qantas bottom line as Albanese has done.

He is a wretch. He deserves to be put on trial and jailed for a long time for this failure of governance as a minister and PM.

F**k him. May he damned.

gg

 

[SirRumpole]

I would not however trade membership for advancing Qantas bottom line as Albanese has done.

Don't own Qantas shares?

 

[sptrawler]

Very few on either side of politics can claim the moral high ground IMO, it has been a very, very long time since a politician has stood by his or her morals and principles, when it would cost them money and nothing looks like changing in the current crop IMO.
Alan Carpenter would be the last one I can remember, but to try and defend the obvious jobs for mates and perks for friends, just tries to make excuse by claiming one has less morals than the other.
It is a sad indictment of the standard of politics today, when we basically say they all bad, but my lot are less bad than your lot.

 

[JohnDe]

Very few on either side of politics can claim the moral high ground IMO, it has been a very, very long time since a politician has stood by his or her morals and principles.........It is a sad indictment of the standard of politics today, when we basically say they all bad, but my lot are less bad than your lot.

That can be said for society in general, these days. The politicians are not pre-programed robots, they are people like us, and most are good at heart, but they are following societies norms.

In the 1970's we didn't lock the back door at night, dad parked his car in the drive and left the key in the ignition, we knew almost all the people on the street, shop owners and managers by name, stood up for our elders, politicians debated and showed respect for each other.

And then the 'greed is good' philosophy came out in the late 80's. Politicians on both sides insulted each other, the public laughed at the bulling by the likes of Keating and co, we allowed our Christian beliefs to be belittled and shamed those that stood by its values, doors opened for mass immigration without care of religious differences or clashes, and assimilation to Australian culture changed to multicultural values that allowed preaching of centuries old hatreds to continue.

We are a damaged and traumatised society.

Multicultural, multiverse, multi everything has created a fear to offend. We allowed blame to be used as self defence for bad behavior, and it has touched every level of society.

We need to find a way back to understanding, consideration, civility and belief in ourselves as a good nation and people.

The referendum result was a positive, the majority understand that creating division and splitting the nation is further damage to the nation. The current debate on immigration is a good start in addressing what sort of lifestyle we want for future generations. The protests and violence we are seeing in our streets in regard to cultural wars in other countries and the climate battles has opened our eyes to the radicalisation of our children. These have woken us up from our belief that we can let our elites do what they want and all will be good, some of those elites are wolfs in sheep clothing.

Change is coming but the damage is done. Just look the USA presidential candidates and how they speak, it is horrendous and has damaged the political system.

Albanese is a decent person, but he has been groomed by unions to be a political animal. And recent history shows that unions and labor will do anything to win.

 

[SirRumpole]

And recent history shows that unions and labor will do anything to win.

As opposed to everyone else of course.

 

[JohnDe]

I'm not sure what you are referring to. Do you know of a group of businesses that have people threatened with violence, and are involved in criminal acts?

The Unions created the Labor party, the unions give political donations to only the Labor Party and some Green and Independant's that align with the Labor party. They offer no donations to the Liberal / National Party's.

Most large businesses and corporations donate to both major political parties, because they are covering all bases.

Criminal elements still influential in CFMEU construction division, report finds

In short:​

A preliminary investigation into the CFMEU's construction division has found it is still influenced by bikies and attempts to remove criminal elements were "inadequate".​

​

The investigation by Geoffrey Watson SC found the union was "caught up in a cycle of lawlessness".​

​

What's next? ​

Mr Watson recommended the CFMEU work with police to root out criminal elements.​

Ambulance union defends $400k election spend

The paramedics union says the $400,000 it spent highlighting the ramping and response time issues which played a key part of Labor’s state election campaign was “wholly justified”. Not mentioning the slogans posted on all the Ambulances, which have disappeared while ramping has increased under labor.​

Trade Union Governance and Corruption

The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption was established on 13 March 2014 by the former Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Her Excellency the Hon Quentin Bryce AC CVO.​

​

The Commissioner provided his Final Report to the Governor-General on 28 December 2015. The Final Report was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 30 December 2015.​

​

Any business the size of the CFMEU and conducting criminal acts and threats of violence like the CFMEU is probably a form of Mafia.

 

[SirRumpole]

I'm not sure what you are referring to. Do you know of a group of businesses that have people threatened with violence, and are involved in criminal acts?

​

Any business the size of the CFMEU and conducting criminal acts and threats of violence like the CFMEU is probably a form of Mafia.

It may have escaped your attention that the CFMEU is in the process of being wound up by the Albanese government.

Why didn't the Coalition do this in their nine years in power?

 

[SirRumpole]

Some Liberal members are 'suddenly remembering' flight upgrades that they forgot to declare.

Liberal MP adds several undisclosed flight upgrades as politicians begin combing through old flight records

Liberal MP Jenny Ware adds three previously undisclosed flight upgrades she received, while Shadow Transport Minister Bridget McKenzie asks airlines to check her history for any missing declarations.

www.abc.net.au

 

[JohnDe]

It may have escaped your attention that the CFMEU is in the process of being wound up by the Albanese government.

Why didn't the Coalition do this in their nine years in power?

That is incorrect.

The Coalition introduced the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) to enforce the law.

The regulator that, until 6 February 2023, was charged with the oversight of building industry participants under the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Act 2016 (Cth) (BCIIPA 2016).​

The head of the ABCC was the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner, with Mr Stephen McBurney serving as the last person appointed to this role. ​

The Labor Party shut it down within months of winning the election. And recently the Victorian branch of the CFMEU attempted cause harm to Stephen McBurney for doing his job.

“The current federal government says that the ABCC, which was abolished twice by Labor governments, is not needed because former union boss John Setka flourished when the ABCC was in operation,” Mr Hadgkiss said in his speech.​

​

“Surely that is akin to suggesting that state and federal police forces are not needed because former crime figures Chopper Read and Roger Rogerson flourished for decades when the police forces were in operation.”​

Labor’s claimed ignorance of CFMEU thuggery ‘outlandish’: ex-ABCC boss

The former head of the building industry watchdog has mocked Labor government claims that it was unaware of the CFMEU’s underworld connections, saying he repeatedly alerted parliament to union links with bikies and organised crime over two decades.

The ex-commissioner of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, Nigel Hadgkiss, called for the return of an industry watchdog, with new punitive powers against unions to tackle an underworld takeover of the construction industry.

Former ABCC chief Nigel Hadgkiss said no more “expensive” royal commissions into the CFMEU and the construction industry were necessary. Simon Schluter

Mr Hadgkiss made the comments on Friday at a conference of the HR Nicholls Society – a right-wing industrial relations group – as the Albanese government refuses calls to restore a specialist watchdog on the basis that alleged intimidation and criminal links reported by Nine newspapers’ Building Bad investigation also occurred under the ABCC.

“The current federal government says that the ABCC, which was abolished twice by Labor governments, is not needed because former union boss John Setka flourished when the ABCC was in operation,” Mr Hadgkiss said in his speech.

“Surely that is akin to suggesting that state and federal police forces are not needed because former crime figures Chopper Read and Roger Rogerson flourished for decades when the police forces were in operation.”

Mr Hadgkiss was national director of intelligence at the Australian Crime Commission before he served as director of the Howard government’s building industry taskforce in 2004.

He was appointed deputy commissioner of the ABCC when it started in 2005 and then commissioner on its re-establishment in 2016.

“Claims by the current federal and Victorian labor governments that they were unaware of CFMEU thuggery are simply outlandish,” he said.

“One could simply paraphrase Monty Python and say that the CFMEU is nothing more than just a bunch of very naughty boys.”

In 2004, as incoming head of the building taskforce, he said he reported to parliament that the task force “is aware of information which clearly indicates that the services of underworld figures, including notorious criminals and outlaw motorcycle gangs, are engaged by some industry participants to advance their industrial objectives”.

“Equally alarming to the task force are reports received about threats and intimidation, including assaults on people and property, being used as a means of advancing industrial agendas by parties in the industry.”


Eight years later, while head of the ABCC, he reported to parliament that “I still hold grave concerns of industry figures and their criminal associates who threaten and intimidate workers”.

Mr Hadgkiss conceded the ABCC, which had no jurisdiction to prosecute criminal cases, was “unable to address all prevailing unlawful activity”.

However, he cited anecdotal feedback from builders and workers that when the ABCC operated, “life on building sites was less threatening and intimidating at the hands of CFMEU thugs, bikies and colourful underworld figures”.

Despite the ABCC’s success in the courts, he admitted “we were having little effect on changing the unlawful culture” as the agency kept on prosecuting the same officials.

“This demonstrated that the repercussions for breaches of the law were falling far short of those required to bring about change in the industry,” he said.

Mr Hadgkiss backed stronger laws to disqualify union officials from holding office when they were not “fit and proper”, which the Coalition proposed in 2019 but Labor and the Greens voted down.


The Heydon royal commission of 2014 recommended the laws and Mr Hadgkiss urged “no more expensive royal commissions, no more inquiries headed by retired or serving bureaucrats” due to four other royal commissions’ findings and recommendations.

Mr Hadgkiss resigned as head of the ABCC in controversy in 2017 after he admitted he had recklessly misrepresented union rights of entry to employers for two years by canning his team’s corrections to ABCC legal information.

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt said: “I am not surprised Mr Hadgkiss maintains the same, hyper-partisan attitudes he held prior to resigning as head of the ABCC after breaching the Fair Work Act”.

“The failures of the ABCC to bring about change to the construction sector were plain to see and any revisionist retelling of history doesn’t change that fact,” he said.

“In 2016 when the Coalition restored the ABCC, Michaelia Cash promised it would ’restore law and order to Australia’s building and construction industry. The Building Bad series clearly showed it failed to do that.”

Senator Watt has previously confirmed that the Australian Federal Police already have industry taskforces that are investigating corruption claims in the industry.


Mr Hadgkiss said it was essential that police work with a strong regulator to drive organised crime from the industry, but he complained that “at the moment, there is no one poking a stick at these characters ... they’re getting away with it”.

The Master Builders Association has backed an industry watchdog but one that would also have a dedicated police taskforce within it to tackle criminal behaviour.

While the MBA opposes a royal commission, the Civil Contractors Federation backs one as the only way to “find out just how far the rot goes” and compel bikies to give evidence.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has promised to deregister the CFMEU and restore the ABCC if elected next year.

 

[SirRumpole]

That is incorrect.

The fact is that Labor is shutting down the CFMEU, while the Coalition or their lackey the ABCC never did.

 

[JohnDe]

The fact is that Labor is shutting down the CFMEU, while the Coalition or their lackey the ABCC never did.

Incorrect again.

The government is not shutting down the CFMEU.

Government strikes deal to pass CFMEU administration laws

The CFMEU will be forced to accept an administrator, as the federal government has struck a deal with the Coalition to pass laws to take control of the troubled construction union.​

What is administration?

Administration is a process in which an independent person takes control of a company, investigates, and then makes recommendations on how to proceed.​

The ABCC had no power to "Shut down the CFMEU".

As for the Coalition, can you imagine the mass strike action of the all the unions, with the backing of Labor, if the Coalition government attempted to shut down a powerful union? Besides the legality of it without evidence collected from a regulator like the ABCC.

The best that the Coalition could do was to have a regulator (law enforcer) to police the industry and take action via the courts.

I know someone quite well that worked for the ABCC until it was closed, the stories I have been told are shocking. Witnesses threatened with violence, business owners and managers finding threatening material at their homes, being followed by strangers. Reports and evidence collected and followed up by state Police, shown as evidence in court and to MPs.

Please check your facts a bit more.

 

[SirRumpole]

told are shocking. Witnesses threatened with violence, business owners and managers finding threatening material at their homes, being followed by strangers. Reports and evidence collected and followed up by state Police, shown as evidence in court and to MPs.

So what action did the ABCC take against the CFMEU in the 9 years of Coalition government?

 

[JohnDe]

So what action did the ABCC take against the CFMEU in the 9 years of Coalition government?

They took action on cases that they had the evidence and the witnesses for and they went to the courts. Unions and individuals found in breach of the law were fined by the courts under the regulations at the time. While having one armed tied behind their back by limited powers that the parliament had given them, and also having to close or limit cases because complainants and/or witnesses changed their minds because of intimidation from unknown thugs.

Building watchdog racks up 100th win as Labor vows to ...​

27 June 2022 — The ABCC has won 102 out of 109 of the cases it has taken to court since it was re-established in December 2016, according to the latest data.​

 

[SirRumpole]

As for the Coalition, can you imagine the mass strike action of the all the unions, with the backing of Labor, if the Coalition government attempted to shut down a powerful union? Besides the legality of it without evidence collected from a regulator like the ABCC.

The best that the Coalition could do was to have a regulator (law enforcer) to police the industry and take action via the courts.

That just says the Coalition is gutless. Labor has done more in 3 years that the Coalition did in 9.

 

[JohnDe]

That just says the Coalition is gutless. Labor has done more in 3 years that the Coalition did in 9.

If you say so.

It’s a strange way that you show support for the Labor Party, creating a thread that indicates their leadership demise while fighting tooth and nail for them.

Though I suppose that’s how it goes, just like Kevin Rudd’s demise as OM the first time.

 

[SirRumpole]

If you say so.

It’s a strange way that you show support for the Labor Party, creating a thread that indicates their leadership demise while fighting tooth and nail for them.

Though I suppose that’s how it goes, just like Kevin Rudd’s demise as OM the first time.

Just being objective

 

[Smurf1976]

That can be said for society in general, these days. The politicians are not pre-programed robots, they are people like us, and most are good at heart, but they are following societies norms.

In the 1970's we didn't lock the back door at night, dad parked his car in the drive and left the key in the ignition, we knew almost all the people on the street, shop owners and managers by name, stood up for our elders, politicians debated and showed respect for each other.

And then the 'greed is good' philosophy came out in the late 80's. Politicians on both sides insulted each other, the public laughed at the bulling by the likes of Keating and co, we allowed our Christian beliefs to be belittled and shamed those that stood by its values, doors opened for mass immigration without care of religious differences or clashes, and assimilation to Australian culture changed to multicultural values that allowed preaching of centuries old hatreds to continue.

We are a damaged and traumatised society.

Multicultural, multiverse, multi everything has created a fear to offend. We allowed blame to be used as self defence for bad behavior, and it has touched every level of society.

We need to find a way back to understanding, consideration, civility and belief in ourselves as a good nation and people.

Fully agree.

Put yourself in the shoes of an ordinary unremarkable person who just wants a job, to marry someone, to buy a house, raise a family and for their kids to have a future. That is, the majority of the working and middle classes who aren't aspiring to become an executive or politician. They might've agreed with each of the parties on specific issues but overall what they see around them is a broken, fractured society that's not what was promised. Among other things:

They agreed with the conservation of remarkable places. They didn't expect that to turn into an argument that pretty much nowhere ought be developed.

They agreed with the "consenting adults" argument that government should keep out of the lives of individuals where it's a private matter between consenting adults with no broader implications, most notably in the context of homosexuality. They didn't expect that to end up with adult men being able to decide they're actually underage girls and demanding to be treated as such.

They agree with the idea of a welfare system to support those who, for whatever reason, find themselves in trouble. Because it beats having people on the streets and it just seems like the right thing to do, help those who are down. They didn't expect that to end up with half the country receiving a payment, meanwhile people with full time jobs are literally homeless.

They agreed that smoking should be prohibited anywhere that exposes others and that drink driving laws are justified in the interests of road safety and protecting the innocent. They didn't expect that to end with organised crime making a fortune and the use of illicit drugs becoming almost normalised.

They agree with the basic concept of equality. They didn't expect that to end up with people being hired based on race and gender, undermining the credibility of actually capable women and Black people who now find themselves suspected of being diversity hires.

They agreed that building a casino in Tasmania seemed like a not too bad idea that might lift the island state's economy via tourism and it was, after all, intentionally placed in the wealthiest part of Hobart with a formal dress code for entry in an effort to discourage casual visits by those who couldn't afford it. They didn't expect that'd soon end up with pokies in every suburb of every state except WA and that local live music would be almost wiped out.

They agree with the basic concept of feminism. They didn't expect that to turn into a toxic battle of the sexes that's undermined the very foundation of society.

They agreed it would be a good idea to lift the Third World out of poverty. They didn't expect that to involve the now total demise of entire industries, and major ones at that, in their own country. Nobody would've believed it if someone 50 years ago had said that in 2024 Australia won't manufacture cars, fridges or even office paper, that it'd have declined to the point of actual extinction.

And so on. They're fed up with modern politics doing the equivalent of watering the flowers with a fire hose, taking everything to an extreme such that what started out as a good idea becomes a destructive monster.

Therein lies the reason for the support for conservative politics from people, blue collar workers in particular, who traditionally would never have considered it. Because when progress keeps turning to disaster, conservatism starts to look like a better option. Not going forward at least beats going backwards.

 

[SirRumpole]

Therein lies the reason for the support for conservative politics from people, blue collar workers in particular, who traditionally would never have considered it. Because they're fed up with progressive politics that starts with a seemingly reasonable idea then rapidly escalates it to the point of destruction, then walks away from the mess.

Yes and then they put in a Conservative government who supposedly back "hard working Australians" only to find that supression of their wages is an essential part of Conservative policy, and "Workchoices" is no choice at all for blue collar workers.

"They agreed it would be a good idea to lift the Third World out of poverty. They didn't expect that to involve the now total demise of entire industries, and major ones at that, in their own country. Nobody would've believed it if someone 50 years ago had said that in 2024 Australia won't manufacture cars, fridges or even office paper, that it'd have declined to the point of actual extinction."

I doubt if you can blame this all on "progressives". Yes, Hawke and Keating cut tariffs but the others didn't put them back again.

 

[IFocus]

The Unions created the Labor party

Not really organised labour was in its infancy, note how long the Australian Labor party has been around easily the most stable and reliable political movement ever in the history of Australia that's always acted for the betterment of middle to lower classes of Australians (the vast majority).

"The ALP was not founded as a federal party until after the first sitting of the Australian parliament in 1901. It is regarded as descended from labour parties founded in the various Australian colonies by the emerging labour movement in Australia, formally beginning in 1891. Colonial labour parties contested seats from 1891, and federal seats following Federation at the 1901 federal election. The ALP formed the world's first labour party government and the world's first democratic socialist or social democratic government at a national level.[6] At the 1910 federal election, Labor was the first party in Australia to win a majority in either house of the Australian parliament. In every election since 1910 Labor has either served as the governing party or the opposition. There have been 13 Labor prime ministers and 10 periods of federal Labor governments.

The Labor party is often called the party of unions due to its close ties to the labour movement in Australia, with the majority of trade unions being affiliated with the Labor party. The party is equally controlled by unions and rank-and-file party members through affiliated unions being granted 50% of delegates at each state and national conference.[7]

At the federal and state/colony level, the Australian Labor Party predates both the British Labour Party and the New Zealand Labour Party in party formation, government, and policy implementation.[8] Internationally, the ALP is a member of the Progressive Alliance, a network of progressive and social democratic parties,[9] having previously been a member of the Socialist International."

Australian Labor Party - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org