JOHN Howard has exchanged letters five times with the Exclusive Brethren since 2003, but after 14 months of stalling on a simple freedom-of-information request, his office will not release the correspondence until well after election day.
The Age was informed last week that it was authorised to receive edited copies of four letters from members of the secretive sect to the Prime Minister, and one from the Prime Minister to the Brethren sent as recently as September last year.
But the release was delayed by another 30 days to give the Brethren a chance to appeal against the decision, taking the earliest date of receipt of the correspondence to December 13 ”” three weeks after voters decide if Mr Howard will remain Prime Minister.
It is the first time the Prime Minister's office has acknowledged any correspondence with the religious sect with which the Prime Minister has had very close contact over many years. Mr Howard was embarrassed in August when The Age revealed he had met Brethren world leader, Bruce Hales, and at least one sect member who is under police investigation over his role in funding pro-Liberal campaign advertisements in the 2004 election.
Greens leader Bob Brown said the Government had once again manipulated the FoI Act to hide information. Mr Brown was told by the Prime Minister's department, in response to his own FoI request in 2005, that "no records of correspondence with persons identifying as representatives of the Exclusive Brethren … were located". The response to The Age reveals that three relevant documents existed.
"I was lied to. That's clear. Straight deception," Senator Brown said. "But I'm used to it with the Government."
.
.
.
I'm surprised too but not the same way as you are. Howard should be ahead by a long way with an ASF audience who are interested in investing for profit. If he doesn't have a clear mandate here he will not get it out in the REAL world.I'm voting Liberal but I've got to say that I'm surprised at the poll result so far! Liberals are killing it!: considering the Galexy polls etc I'm Cheers
Hello Rob,Julia
Labor sent its key policies in for costing, and began on 26 October.
The Charter only allows Finance/Treasury to cost policies after the PM puts government into caretaker mode.
There is no capacity for the Opposition to have Treasury/Finance cost their policies without the government's consent, and the PM's once caretaker mode is invoked.
My earlier posted link can provide all the info you need on this issue.
It's a great con job that you and others seemed to have been sucked into if you believe Labor has dodged "costings", and who exactly has been perpetuating it?
Not another scare tactic from the Libs, surely?
PM accuses Rudd of getting cocky
PRIME Minister John Howard has kicked off his final campaign week by accusing Kevin Rudd of acting as if he had already won the election.
Asked what he planned to be doing next Sunday, Mr Howard replied: "Preparing for our fifth term in government. I will be talking to the treasurer and the deputy prime minister about that, and receiving some briefings from the head of my department about that, that is my plan.
good work Mark...
I acutually think the poll should be only
Labor
Libs
Other with Pref to Labor
Other with Pref to Libs
Thats really all that matters as far as the lower house goes, with the preferential form of voting, plus it keeps things simple and to what really matter, i.e. which party do you want to form government?
There is the all important question here "Will Kevin Rudd ruin the Australian Mining boom?" - click on video.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22539854-11949,00.html
JuliaHello Rob,
Could "key" policies be similar to "core" promises, perhaps?
i.e. they can choose which ones Treasury are to have a look at?
So, just to be clear, are you saying that absolutely all that Labor has promised has been submitted for verification of their costings and thus we may be completely confident that none of their promises will fail to come to fruition should they form the government?
Only question I have is how much more boom will Rudd add to Mining !!
After all he is fluent mandarin and the Chinese President has already invited Rudd as his guest at the Beijing olympics. I didnt see Liberals get an invite as Presidental guests ...
Resource bulls will surely want to vote Rudd !
You believe the reason the Chinese are buying our natural resources is because of who is in Government?
I'm still waiting to hear from Rudd as to how Labor will "control" interest rates and the union driven wages and conditions explosion, which eventually the consumer (you) will have to pay for.
I'm with you Mint Man. When you see the ASF poll the Libs 44.03% to Lab 38.06%I'm voting Liberal but I've got to say that I'm surprised at the poll result so far! Liberals are killing it!: considering the Galexy polls etc I'm
I just don't see any substance in what Rudd says. We need someone who leads from the front, not sit back and see what the other 'mob' does then use that as a rule of thumb or straight out copy it.
Too much copy cating for mine
Cheers
You believe the reason the Chinese are buying our natural resources is because of who is in Government?
So here's a hypothetical .. (long odds this one) ...
John Howard loses Bennalong, but Libs still win overall. (he is the 15th seat to fall, and Labor need 16 etc )
Then one of his underlings resigns to permit him to stand in a bi-election, and resume his prime-ministerialship.
- let's say for sake of argument that Ruddock resigns from Berowra. (northern suburbs of Sydney). Johnny is then member for Berowra.
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=0J4
Then does Johnny have to move from Kirribilli. ? (I don't even know where Johnny's real home is lol - probably up near Gordon somewhere?)
I mean Maxine had to sell up and move to Bennalong to be given the chance to challenge him. That's a big call (and a lot of inconvenience) on her part.
(just a jest - and thousand to one - don't sweat over this one - call it a "riddle" - then again , stranger things have happened).
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?