The Gillard Government

[Julia]

From Calliope's link to Paul Sheehan's article:

Of 148 decisions handed down by the Federal Court this year, 43 of them, almost one in three, were immigration cases.

The Federal Court has so far heard 157 cases involving the Minister for Immigration this year, by far the largest category.

The Refugee Review Tribunal has heard 737 cases this year, and counting.

Most immigration litigation is being funded by the taxpayer, either directly via legal aid or circuitously via other subsidies.

This is something I suspect many Australians are unaware of, having swallowed the line that lawyers are all acting pro bono and therefore incurring no cost to the taxpayer. It would be good to see the actual dollar figure that e.g. this most recent appeal to the High Court has racked up.

It looks pretty clear that the government and the opposition have between them sufficient motivation to significantly alter the Migration Act, to a point which will remove the validity of further Court challenges. I hope they can both hold their tempers enough to achieve this.

It will be well worth their trouble, if for no better reason than the fury it will engender within the Greens and their supporters.

 

[joea]

Having watched a little of Q & A and watching Greg Combet attempting to answer a question, leads me to a question.

Is there one Labor politican that can answer a simple question without having to recite words given to him or her?

The more you see of these labor MP's the more I shudder that they are attempting to run Austalia.
joea

 

[sptrawler]

Nothing like hanging out the "dirty washing" I wonder if this is the tip of the iceberg?
This could encourage more whistle blowers to come forward.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/systemic-organised-fraud-20110909-1k21d.html

Also Gillard and Brown had better add the S.M.H to their investigation on biased reporting. Actually they may as well investigate all the papers, they all seem to be bagging the government.

 

[Julia]

It's a bit of a turn around for the SMH.

Interesting article but it's a bit hard to see from that where any fraud occurred, as the police seemed to conclude with the Thomson card.

Obviously there has been a gross misuse of union members' contributions but maybe that doesn't constitute a criminal offence? I don't know.

 

[Calliope]

It's a bit of a turn around for the SMH.

Interesting article but it's a bit hard to see from that where any fraud occurred, as the police seemed to conclude with the Thomson card.

Obviously there has been a gross misuse of union members' contributions but maybe that doesn't constitute a criminal offence? I don't know.

It's just normal behavior for a union executive. Ask Bill Ludwig.

He said union officials lost their private identity when they took on the job of union representation.

"Any attack on them becomes an attack on the union," he said. "That is why their costs are covered."

I like the bit about losing their private identity. Under this rationale Thomson was doing his brothel crawl on behalf of his union.

 

[sptrawler]

Obviously commentators are starting to ask the Government what are the new jobs that will be created by the 'clean energy and N.B.N.
They are never very specific, because they know there will be a net loss of jobs.
Also they don't have a clue if any new jobs will be created, as can be seen by this article.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/bus...forum-in-october/story-e6frg90f-1226134005712

I don't know why business representitives would get involved. The Government didn't want to hear from them when they drafted their stupid ideas. Now they are in manure they want people with brains to pull them out. LOL

 

[Logique]

True sptrawler,
ask Smurf how many jobs have been created in Tasmania by Green policies. Globally, I think the ratio of green jobs created to real jobs lost, runs at around 1:3 or 4

 

[sptrawler]

It's a bit of a shame Cate Blanchett and Hugh Jackman can't be there, they could have added some real depth to the future jobs forum. Luckily they made it to the Australia future 2020 forum in 2008.
Maybe one forum was enough for them, or maybe Julia doesn't have the pulling power Kev had.

 

[bellenuit]

There has been a lot of speculation over the last few days regarding Rudd replacing Gillard. Were that to happen, what do you think Gillard would do.....?

Would Rudd give her a ministerial position? If not, would Gillard go quietly to the back benches? If she is really miffed by the whole thing and feels she has been badly done by, she could resign from parliament, forcing a by-election that would possibly see the end of the Labor government. Would her loyalty to the party be greater than her desire for revenge?

 

[sptrawler]

There is a better chance of the crack in my ===== healing up than them putting Rudd back in.
Instead of the public thinking they are d!%k heads, the labor party would be walking around with neon signs on their heads saying "we are a bunch of d!%k heads"
They are stupid but they couldn't be that stupid.
However it would be magic if they did it, world wide laughing stock.
Newsheadlines " You know how we reported a year ago that the Australian Government threw out it's Prime Minister.
Well now they have put him back in again, apparently it was a big mistake and the idiot they put in was sillier than the one they threw out"

 

[wayneL]

However it would be magic if they did it, world wide laughing stock.
Newsheadlines " You know how we reported a year ago that the Australian Government threw out it's Prime Minister.
Well now they have put him back in again, apparently it was a big mistake and the idiot they put in was sillier than the one they threw out"

Sounds like the plebs are just as silly http://www.news.com.au/national/lab...udd-returns-poll/story-e6frfkvr-1226134379464

 

[noco]

Sounds like the plebs are just as silly http://www.news.com.au/national/lab...udd-returns-poll/story-e6frfkvr-1226134379464

Is it possible to change the spots on a LEOPARD?

 

[Logique]

There has been a lot of speculation over the last few days regarding Rudd replacing Gillard. Were that to happen, what do you think Gillard would do.....?

Firstly I don't think it would be Rudd.

Julia Gillard is a child of the movement, unions/Labor, so I doubt there'd be any sabotage.

She is no policy wonk, so make no mistake, there to be the leader. If she's to depart the Lodge, it will be kicking and screaming. Afterwards, who knows, perhaps a period on the backbench, and at the next election, resign to go and head up a quango of some sort.

 

[sptrawler]

Just another example of inept fiscal management. They are going to raid the future fund for money. How anybody can take these fools seriously is completely beyond me.
They should write a book "Budgeting for dummies"

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...t-budget-surplus/story-fn59niix-1226134325846

 

[Julia]

Sounds like the plebs are just as silly http://www.news.com.au/national/lab...udd-returns-poll/story-e6frfkvr-1226134379464

I can't believe this! Are people allowing sympathy for the way Kevin Rudd was despatched by his colleagues, plus maybe his recent health concerns, to obscure their memory of how utterly awful he was?

Moreover, Rudd is so despised by his colleagues (with very few exceptions) that surely the government would fall apart completely if they all had to attempt to work with him again>

Yet, Ms Gillard continues to lose the confidence of at least those polled. It's a hideous situation for the government all round.

Might be good, however, for Tony Abbott to take note of the finding by this poll that if K. Rudd were to be returned as PM, he'd beat Mr Abbott in an election!

 

[Knobby22]

Might be good, however, for Tony Abbott to take note of the finding by this poll that if K. Rudd were to be returned as PM, he'd beat Mr Abbott in an election!

It's ridiculous isn't it!
Has Australia ever had such poor choices?

 

[Calliope]

It's ridiculous isn't it!
Has Australia ever had such poor choices?

We are indeed a lucky country to be able to survive such second-rate politicians. The day is approaching when we will reach the tipping point.

 

[joea]

Just another example of inept fiscal management. They are going to raid the future fund for money. How anybody can take these fools seriously is completely beyond me.
They should write a book "Budgeting for dummies"

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...t-budget-surplus/story-fn59niix-1226134325846

Peter Costello said they would, leading up to the 2007 election.
He also said there was a " world financial tsunami" coming, but his liberal mates would not back him.
Its Australia's, and our loss.
Time for a beer!!!!
joea

 

[sptrawler]

Nothing like hanging out the "dirty washing" I wonder if this is the tip of the iceberg?
This could encourage more whistle blowers to come forward.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/systemic-organised-fraud-20110909-1k21d.html

It looks as though our guess might prove correct.
The proverbial could really hit the fan. If it is proven there is systemic corruption, it could lead to all unions being investigated. Now that would prove a real hoot.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/bigs...trike-force-investigation-20110912-1k636.html

 

[startrader]

Add this to the list of failed schemes and money wasted by this inept, incompetent, pathetic government:

Well Being Green, a business that acted as a type of intermediary for solar installers to trade renewable energy certificates, has collapsed into administration, owing more than $7 million to about 200 creditors.

A Government-recommended Solar Heating Rebate Agent company has absconded with $7 million rebate money, owed to small business and tradesmen – despite the Federal Government having been warned of the company’s dodgy practices by tradesmen and the Opposition. The Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet has disowned the issue.