Victorian Politics

[wayneL]

And so it has come to pass that the "Liberal" party has expelled one of their own.
Not because she was guilty of corruption , branch stacking, lying to parliament, knifing colleagues in the back or any of the multitude of sins that have been committed by others.
No , its because she objected to being accused of being a Nazi by her leader.
The pundits said Pesutto had smarts, integrity charisma and was going to transform the libs into a powerhouse opposition to Labour.
What a failure. Looks like a standard weak limp lettuce kowtowing to the political correct centre left who will not countenence any divergence of views whatsoever.
Just looks like a labour lite.
Dan Andrews must be continually pinching himself to if all this is just a wonderful dream to keep in power.
If I was ten years younger, I would repeat the exercise of the 1990's and leave Victoria for greener pastures.
Mick

The Vic Libs have just committed political seppuku.

Pesutto and his cronies are #$_&ing morons.

 

[UMike]

And so it has come to pass that the "Liberal" party has expelled one of their own.
Not because she was guilty of corruption , branch stacking, lying to parliament, knifing colleagues in the back or any of the multitude of sins that have been committed by others.
No , its because she objected to being accused of being a Nazi by her leader.
The pundits said Pesutto had smarts, integrity charisma and was going to transform the libs into a powerhouse opposition to Labour.
What a failure. Looks like a standard weak limp lettuce kowtowing to the political correct centre left who will not countenence any divergence of views whatsoever.
Just looks like a labour lite.
Dan Andrews must be continually pinching himself to if all this is just a wonderful dream to keep in power.
If I was ten years younger, I would repeat the exercise of the 1990's and leave Victoria for greener pastures.
Mick

Yea... I have no idea why I am still here.

 

[mullokintyre]

The Victorian Liberal party continues their tunnel vision led march to irrelevance.
The latest important issue for them is Dan tehan cll to ban the NAZI salute.
From Evil Murdoch press

Opposition frontbencher and Victorian MP Dan Tehan has called on state and territory governments to ban the Nazi salute after a neo-Nazi protest in Melbourne over the weekend.

“Abhorrent – there’s no place for it in Australia,” he told Sky News. “There’s no place for Nazi salutes.”

“The sooner state governments act and ban this, the better. They’ve been talking about it but it’s time they actually acted.

“I think we need to [ban it across the country].

“Dan Andrews seems to have just sat on his hands. A lot of talking, no action.”

Mr Tehan also repeated concern over housing supply amidst the government’s intention to raise immigration levels.

So how will they define what a NAZI salute is going to be.?
Do arms have to be raised above a certain angle? Do the fingers need to be straight? and palm facing downwards?
Its stupid irrelevant crap.
The last sentence sums it up.
If Teahan had just concentrated on an issue that causes real problems such as lack of housing, social or otherwise, plus the increase in immigration levels, then he could claim some relevance.
But then the media are half the problem.
Why do the media even give these so called NAZIs the oxygen?
If everyone ignored them and did not splash their photographs on the front page, no one would need to even consider banning it.
Mick

 

[Smurf1976]

The Victorian Liberal party continues their tunnel vision led march to irrelevance.
The latest important issue for them is Dan tehan cll to ban the NAZI salute.

I can think of a pretty long list of problems far more likely to impact the average person than this one.

Everything from housing to hospitals, education to the cost of registering a car would be of more concern to the average person.

 

[wayneL]

I can think of a pretty long list of problems far more likely to impact the average person than this one.

Everything from housing to hospitals, education to the cost of registering a car would be of more concern to the average person.

Yeah.... but the it's narrative bruh

 

[mullokintyre]

The Moira Deeming story will not go away it seems, and neither will the problems for the Victorian Liberal party.
In her first interview after her banishment from the party, she made made a rather valid point.

Expelled Liberal MP Moira Deeming says the party needs to make clear “exactly what kind of women are allowed” in the Liberal Party after leader John Pesutto defended the party room's decision to rid of her and said they were committed to getting more women into Parliament.

“I think it needs to be made far more clear exactly what kind of women are allowed,” Ms Deeming told Sky News’ Peta Credlin when asked about the Liberal Party connecting to women.

I expect the answer is any woman as long as its not Deeming.
I don't usually with tony Abott, but he nailed it when he said

" I’m utterly dismayed that a mainstream political party would sack a member of parliament for defending women’s rights, and to the extent the Liberal party has a women's problem it must have got much, much worse by the expulsion of this brave smart woman from its own ranks."

mick

 

[Smurf1976]

I don't usually with tony Abott, but he nailed it when he said

" I’m utterly dismayed that a mainstream political party would sack a member of parliament for defending women’s rights, and to the extent the Liberal party has a women's problem it must have got much, much worse by the expulsion of this brave smart woman from its own ranks."

That it's too far in that direction even for Tony Abbott speaks volumes in itself.

I think the harsh reality is the sort of woman the Liberal party wants is one who keeps her mouth shut and toes the party line without question. A submissive sycophant.

 

[moXJO]

Victoria is currently the most propaganda run state I've seen. I think they managed to get a pathetic 20 nazis to a rally. And it somehow warrants being made into a feverish non-stop political point.

I'd be more worried about all the chromosome missing communists down there.

 

[mullokintyre]

Those that argue that inflation is the fault of big business making massive profits might just need to have a look at what governments are doing to help things along.
Because of massive blowouts in the states Workcover system, they are going to increase workers comp premiums by 42% adn tighten the eligibility rules.
From The Evil Murdoch Press

The Andrews government will hike WorkCover premiums by 42 per cent and toughen the eligibility requirements for injured Victorian workers receiving payments in a bid to fix the state’s “fundamentally broken” workers’ compensation scheme.
In a move announced ahead of Tuesday’s state budget, that has angered both business and union groups, Daniel Andrews on Friday revealed premiums would rise from 1.27 per cent to 1.8 per cent on July 1, with a “whole person impairment test” of greater than 20 per cent introduced for injured workers receiving payments for more than 130 weeks.

Stress and burnout claims will no longer qualify for weekly benefits, and a new “Return to Work” agency will be established to assist Victorians experiencing work-related mental illness to return to work.
The government conceded in March that WorkCover was “fundamentally broken”, revealing the annual premium deficit had blown out to $1.1bn — a figure WorkSafe Minister Danny Pearson on Friday revealed has now reached $1.3bn.

They new about the problems for two years, but sat on the report for two years before releasing it on New Yeas eve in the hope it would be forgotten.

The reform comes after the government chose New Year’s Eve to release an alarming consultants’ report it had kept secret for two years, which found WorkSafe was “at a tipping point in its history and is facing both internal and external threats to its financial stability”, with increases in mental health claims, government raids on dividends and unstable financial markets to blame.

Its such a pity that Victoria has a weak and dysfunctional opposition, as despite all its screwups, massive debt increases, project cost overruns, IBAC censures etc, the Andrews government, with or without him, are likely to be returned next election
Mick

 

[mullokintyre]

The penchant for internal blood letting in Politics has now overtaken the Victoria Liberals.
At the weekends State Conference in the thriving metropolis o Bendigo, the state leader, John Pesutto was booed by sections of the attendees, and a contingent walked out before he spoke.
Not a good look for a "liberal" org methinks.
Are Vic libs going to go through another leader?
FromABC News

When Mr Pesutto took the podium to address the crowd, a small group of around a dozen people stood up in the audience chanting "shame", as others walked out.

One member held up a sign saying "Pesutto deemed a bully".

"Friends, I am of this party," Mr Pesutto told the crowd during his speech.

"Rubbish!" someone shouted back.

Among those interrupting Mr Pesutto's speech was former Liberal candidate Peter Killin, who quit the federal election race in 2019 after it was revealed he had encouraged conservative Christians to "infiltrate" the party and prevent gay people from being elected to office and party positions.
Mr Pesutto's address split the crowd, with some giving the embattled leader a standing ovation, while others audibly scoffed as he urged the party to be inclusive and welcoming.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Pesutto said he was "very moved by the two standing ovations that occurred during my speech".

It seems that the irony of a bloke calling the party to be "inclusive and welcoming" after kicking out a female member who did not feel welcomed and included, was totally lost on Pesutto.

"If there were people that had different views, that's a matter for them," he said.

You can have different views, as long as they coincide with his.

The opposition had hoped to focus attention on Victoria's upcoming budget, which is expected to be filled with serious spending cuts in a bid to pay down state debt.

Mr Pesutto said a Coalition government would hold a comprehensive tax review in Victoria in a bid to shore up revenue and review payroll tax and stamp duty.

Well if you want to focus attention on the upcoming budget, providng the media as well as the government with distractions is not the smartest thing to do.
Mick

 

[sptrawler]

Sounds like Victoria's debt problems is the RBA's fault too, at least its no longer the Federal Governments fault. ?

 

[sptrawler]

Apologies forgot to post the link, too many things on the go.

Victorians slapped with COVID debt repayment bill

The Andrews government will detail a $31.5 billion “COVID-19 Debt Repayment Plan” as part of Tuesday’s state budget, to repay emergency funds borrowed as part of Victoria’s protracted pandemic response.

www.theage.com.au

Victorians will be handed the bill from the state’s protracted pandemic response in Tuesday’s state budget, with the Andrews government to detail a $31.5 billion “COVID-19 Debt Repayment Plan” to repay emergency funds borrowed at the height of the global crisis.

The COVID repayment plan, which is likely to include both savings and new revenue measures, will be pitched at the centre of Treasurer Tim Pallas’ ninth and most difficult budget, as higher than predicted interest rates start to bite.

The government hopes it will also provide assurances to credit rating agencies closely watching this year’s budget for signs that it is serious about repairing its finances and stopping debt from reaching unmanageable levels.

It has also been attempting to redirect blame for the size and cost of its debt to the Reserve Bank, which has increased the official cash rate 11 times over the past 12 months.

S&P rate analyst Anthony Walker said Victoria’s budget was “very weak” compared to other Australian states. He said Victoria’s debt was expected to reach 210 per cent of operating revenues in 2025, which would be the highest among Australian states and triple the level Victoria had at the start of the pandemic.

 

[sptrawler]

One has to wonder if a growing city, isn't getting confused with a growing ego and growing megalomania IMO.

‘Borrowing to build’: Daniel Andrews fires up over Victoria’s growing debt

The state has the largest debt of 17 similar states around the world. But the premier says quality of life would be “fundamentally compromised” if government spending were slashed.

www.theage.com.au

Premier Daniel Andrews has defended the state’s growing debt, arguing his government is investing in the infrastructure Melbourne needs as it prepares to cement its title as Australia’s largest city.

Net debt will grow from $135.4 billion next year to $171.4 billion by 2027, according to Treasury’s predictions. That’s despite Tuesday’s state budget imposing billions of dollars in new taxes, delays to major infrastructure projects and cuts to the public service.

Victoria’s debt burden is higher than any other local state or territory, as well as 10 sub-sovereign states in Canada and Germany, the two countries economists say are most similar to Australia.

But Andrews hit back at his critics on Thursday, accusing them of arguing that the state’s economy should shrink instead of grow.

 

[Smurf1976]

Victoria’s debt burden is higher than any other local state or territory

With the added issue that taxpayers are the only real source of funds with which to repay it.

It's not like, in particular, Queensland and Tasmania which own an assortment of businesses some of which are profitable as such and the others can at least cover their own debts. In Victoria it's taxpayers on the hook.

Sunwater, QIC, Powerlink, CleanCo, Stanwell Corporation, CS Energy, Aurora Energy, TasRail, Metro Tasmania, TasNetworks, Tasmanian Irrigation, TasPorts, TT-Line, Hydro Tasmania, MAIB and others. Between them Qld and Tas own quite a bit that's generating at least enough income to repay its share of state debt. Versus Victoria where it's largely down to taxpayers to repay it.

Looked at from that perspective Victoria's situation is somewhat more concerning.

 

[sptrawler]

With the added issue that taxpayers are the only real source of funds with which to repay it.

Looked at from that perspective Victoria's situation is somewhat more concerning.

It wasn't long ago Victoria smugly paid out $1billion contract break fees, to tear up a East West link road, that Dan didn't like. ?

Victoria always gives off a smug superior vibe, I guess it's because that's where the AFL came from, which brings us to another simmering bottomless hole of compensation.

 

[mullokintyre]

Just when you think things cannot get any worse for the Victorian Liberal Part, the shock resignation of the 16 year veteran Chris Smith from the outer eastern suburbs electorate of warrandyte, has forced a byelection Pesutto did not need or want.
From the Evil Murdoch press

Embattled Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto is facing a by-election in the outer eastern Melbourne seat of Warrandyte, following the shock resignation of MP Ryan Smith after 16 years in state parliament.

The Australian understands the Liberal leader was not forewarned of Mr Smith's decision until shortly before the MP released a statement to the media early on Wednesday morning.

Taking in suburbs including Doncaster East, Donvale, Ringwood North, Warrandyte, Park Orchards, Warranwood, Wonga Park and Chirnside Park, the electorate of Warrandyte is located just north of the federal seat of Aston, which was won by Labor in an April by-election sparked by the resignation of former cabinet minister Alan Tudge.

Both Mr Smith and Labor candidate Naomi Oakley suffered first preference swings against them at the November state election (of 2.8 and 2.3 per cent respectively), resulting in a 0.4 per cent swing to Mr Smith two-party-preferred, and seeing him hold Warrandyte with a 4.2 per cent majority.

The sometime leadership hopeful was among the 11 MPs who opposed Mr Pesutto's push to expel upper house MP Moira Deeming earlier this month.

When you don't have a lot of MP's on your books, you kick one out, and lose another who supported the one kicked out, does not look good on the CV.
Hear rumblings of discontent fro Lib headquarters.
Will the fed liberal party intervene?
Lets wait for the next boring episode.
Mick

 

[Knobby22]

Just when you think things cannot get any worse for the Victorian Liberal Part, the shock resignation of the 16 year veteran Chris Smith from the outer eastern suburbs electorate of warrandyte, has forced a byelection Pesutto did not need or want.
From the Evil Murdoch press

When you don't have a lot of MP's on your books, you kick one out, and lose another who supported the one kicked out, does not look good on the CV.
Hear rumblings of discontent fro Lib headquarters.
Will the fed liberal party intervene?
Lets wait for the next boring episode.
Mick

Hope they pick someone good.

 

[mullokintyre]

Was thinking of nominating.
Can't do any worse.
Mick

 

[Knobby22]

Was thinking of nominating.
Can't do any worse.
Mick

Tim Smith is interested. Probably the only guy who could lose it. Will swing Liberal after latest state budget. Safe.

 

[frugal.rock]

Dictator Dan in action

The 'inappropriate' personalised number plate which VicRoads wants recalled

A man’s car registration is in jeopardy, after his personalised number plate “DANOUT” was deemed “inappropriate” by VicRoads. Caller Peter spoke to Tom Elliott on how he appealed the decision to have the number plate recalled, but was told his registration would be suspended and then cancelled...

www.3aw.com.au