2010 Election Campaign Day 17 - Wot's on Abbott's mind

Wordle of Abbott's speech to the Sydney Institute 27th July this year

Once more around the park with Tony Abbott as he channels John Howard and George Pell.

"Laurie Oakes: They say people change their minds, but you change yours a lot for someone who wants to be Prime Minister. I mean, now, you're talking about changing the paid parental leave scheme again and you haven't held that position through you the election campaign?
Tony Abbott: Labor can't have it both ways. On the one hand, they can't say that I'm an old-fashioned ogre, and on the other hand, say that I change my mind too much.
Oakes: Do we want a Prime Minister who changes his mind all the time? And you can't believe what he says because he's a weather vain?
Abbott: As I said, I'll leave all of this to the public to judge. I mean, on the one hand, you've got the Labor Party saying that I'm desperately old-fashioned and reactionary and on the other hand you've got the Labor Party saying that I change my mind all the time so I think the Labor Party needs to...
Oakes: It's not the Labor Party saying it, I'm saying it.
Abbott: I think that Labor needs to get its story straight, Laurie.
Oakes: You know that I'm not spouting Labor Party lines. This is fact, I'm quoting you, not the Labor Party." {Televised interview Channel 9 Aug 1st, 2020}

"I want to caution people against expecting enormous dollars" {Jul 29th, 2010 Sydney Morning Herald speaking about Coalition's aged care policy}

"I certainly get women, but obviously I've got some marketing to do." {Jul 27th, 2010 swissinfo.ch}

"Ladies and gentlemen, my life is full of strong women. I have a wife, Margie, who is an independently minded career woman. I have three sisters. I have three powerful young women - they are my daughters...."{Jul 24th, 2010 Sydney Morning Herald}

"The immigration program should focus on immigrants who will make a contribution to our country and who are likely to be proud of their new nationality."{Jul 24th, 2010 Sydney Morning Herald}

“We'll stop the boats.” {Jul 20th, 2010 http://www.tonyabbott.com.au/}

"I say that interest rates will always be lower under a coalition government because spending will always be less under a coalition government." {Jul 19th, 2010 Sydney Morning Herald}

"I can't give an absolute guarantee about every single aspect of workplace relations. Obviously I can't say that there will never ever ever for 100 or 1000 years time be any change..." {Jul 18th, 2010 NEWS.com.au}

"We are ready to govern." {Jul 16th, 2010 Vancouver Sun}

"Don't forget that I'm a 52-year-old bloke from a fairly traditional background." {Jul 5th, 2010 Melbourne Community Voice}

"I probably feel a bit threatened" {March 8th, 2010 news.com.au reply when asked about his view of homosexuality}

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has confirmed that the Coalition is considering a scheme which could deny the dole to people under 30. {April 21st, 2010 ABC News}

"it is the greatest gift that you can give someone, the ultimate gift of giving and don’t give it to someone lightly, that is what I would say.” {Jan 27th, 2020 Australian Women's Weekly on the subject of virginity}

''Many pensioners are doing it tough, but $35 a week increase is an enormous hit on the revenue. We're talking here about possibly $6 billion a year. The economic circumstances of Australia are much different now than they were 12 months ago.'' {Feb 19th, 2009 ABC "PM"}

"religious faith is not some kind of contaminant to be driven out of our public life" {Feb 15th, 2006 House of Representatives in Open Australia}

''Mr. Speaker, we have a bizarre double standard in this country where someone who kills a pregnant woman's baby is guilty of murder but a woman who aborts an unborn baby is simply exercising choice'' {Feb 15th, 2006 House of Representativesin Open Australia}

Oops, fly's undone!

Came back from fishing to find that one of my drafts has sneaked its way into today's posts.
Now removed. Sorry all!

Incontinent Victorians and other southerners brown off one Northern Rivers cane farmer

From The Daily Examiner letters to the editor on 27 July 2010:

Browned off

IF you'll excuse my language, I write to say that I am sick of the s**t and the p*ss. No, I don't refer to the election.
I refer to the travellers through our region - almost exclusively Victorians in my observation - who think it reasonable to come onto my property to take a pee and a poop. I am sick of the toilet paper along the side of the road, the disposable nappies and the doggie doo.
I am sick of people pulling onto a cane pad 150 metres off the highway, down a gravel country road, hidden behind large cane, within sight of a single farmhouse, without a public notice anywhere evident, who think it is reasonable to say: "Oh, we didn't realise this was private property."
Apparently you and your dogs can take a crap on any piece of public property in Victoria.
Ferry Park, Maclean, is five minutes one way from my place and within half-an-hour drive in the other direction you will have come through Grafton, South Grafton, Ulmarra, Brushgrove and Tyndale village.
I believe there is a website now which lists public conveniences all over the country.
Is there an epidemic of incontinence from Victoria?
Then of course there are the decent people who call in to ask if they might have a closer look at a piece of sugar cane - mostly southern New South Welshmen,South Australians and Tasmanians.
Happy to oblige and put on a bit of an act with the old fashioned cane knife.
I get four or five a year, but I imagine there are more who just pull up somewhere out of sight and steal a bit.
Because, yes, it is theft, and it is trespass, and it is public indecency.
My front paddock is no more open to public utility than their balcony or driveway at home - unless it could be considered an invitation, a mutual exchange of convenience when next we travel south - is the garden state facing a compost shortage?
So I have started a log, if you'll again pardon the pun, of the rego numbers of the dumpers and slashers, the overnighters and the light-fingered.

JAMES MOLONEY
Tyndale

Are whaling nations slaughtering cetacean friends?

Young Humpack Whale in waters off the Clarence Coast July 2010

Photograph in the Clarence Valley Review

It is known that Japan's whaling fleet kills lactating female whales and their young in the Southern Ocean, but is this slaughter doing even more damage to cetacean social bonds?

Humpback whales form lasting bonds, the first baleen whales known to do so.

Individual female humpbacks reunite each summer to feed and swim alongside one another in the Gulf of St Lawrence, off Canada, scientists have found.

Toothed whales, such as sperm whales, associate with one another, but larger baleen whales, which filter their food, have been thought less social.

The finding raises the possibility that commercial whaling may have broken apart social groups of whales.....

The longest recorded friendships lasted six years, and always occurred between similar-aged females, and never between females and males. (BBC NEWS )

Mayne gets down and dirty in Senate seat fight

Senate hopeful Stephen Mayne was emailing this about last Tuesday:

"The gaming watchdog will investigate the presence of two teens on the gaming floor of an Altona North hotel part-owned by Liberal Senator Julia McGauran, after a complaint by rival Senate candidate Stephen Mayne.

Mr Mayne, an independent, said that two 15-year old girls in the gaming area at The Millers Inn last week. Senator McGauran is a part-owner of the pub, at which punters lost more than $12 million last financial year.

A spokesman for anti-gambling independent Senator Nick Xenophon, cited as a witness, said the girls were on the gaming floor for 10 minutes. Senator McGauran said it was 2.5 minutes."

2010 Election Campaign Day 16 - Political advertising

Can you find any legible authorisation on this official National Party campaign pic gracing candidate Kevin Hogan's Facebook page?
























Nup, didn't think so.

Details of all NSW North Coast candidates in the 2010 Federal Election

NSW North Coast Federal Electorates - the candidates, their details and positions on ballot papers.

RICHMOND

1	van LIESHOUT, Joan	Liberal	Local Councillor	Phone (work): 07 5599 2385 Email: joan.vanlieshout@nsw.liberal.org.au
2	ELLIOT, Justine [incumbent]	Labor	Member of Parliament	Phone (work): 07 5523 4371 Email: justine.elliot.mp@aph.gov.au
3	HARTLEY, Matthew	Independent	Film Maker	Email: mattharcla@gmail.com
4	ROBINSON, David	Australian Democrats	Poultry Farmer	PO Box 16 ALSTONVILLE NSW 2477 Phone (home): 0412 458 477 Phone (work): 0412 458 477 Mobile: 0412 458 477 Email: me@drobinson.com.au
5	FAULKNER, Nic	Independent	Research Consultant	39 Fingal St BRUNSWICK HEADS NSW 2483 Mobile: 0488 404 882 Email: nicolas.faulkner@bigpond.com
6	HUNTER, Alan	The Nationals	Company Director	PO Box 1856 KINGSCLIFF NSW 2487 Phone (work): 13 0005 7200 Mobile: 0488 158 978 Email: alan.hunter@nationals.org.au
7	BOYD, Julie	Independent	Educational Consultant	PO Box 66 HASTINGS POINT NSW 2489 Phone (home): 0414 868 854 Mobile: 0414 868 854 Email: jboydelection@gmail.com
8	EBONO, Joe	The Greens	Manager	Phone (work): 02 6684 2416 Email: richmond@greens.org.au
9	HEGEDUS, Stephen M	Independent	Lawyer	PO Box 2253 BYRON BAY NSW 2481 Phone (work): 0428 665 955 Mobile: 0428 665 955 Email: smhegedus@gmail.com

PAGE

1	JOHNSON, Jeff	The Greens	Renewable energy consultant	Phone (work): 0438 677 202 Mobile: 0438 677 202 Email: page@greens.org.au
2	SAFFIN, Janelle [incumbent]	Labor	Member of Parliament	PO Box 139 LISMORE NSW 2480 Phone (home): 0418 664 001 Phone (work): 02 6621 9909 Mobile: 0418 664 001 Email: Janelle.Saffin.MP@aph.gov.au
3	HOGAN, Kevin	The Nationals	Consultant	PO Box 50 LISMORE NSW 2480 Phone (work): 02 6622 4562 Email: kevin@kevinhogan.com.au
4	SUMMERVILLE, Merle Desley	Independent	Client Service Officer	"Hiddenvale" 157 Beech Tree Rd SEXTONVILLE NSW 2470 Phone (home): 02 6667 1131 Mobile: 0427 671 131 Email: nmsummer@harbourdat.com.au
5	MELLAND, Julia	Australian Democrats	Bookkeeper	163 High St LISMORE HEIGHTS NSW 2480 Mobile: 0431 357 585 Email: julia.melland@democrats.org.au
6	BEHN, Doug	Independent	Motor Mechanic	12 Flame St EVANS HEAD NSW 2473 Phone (home): 0412 123 421 Phone (work): 02 6682 5399 Mobile: 0412 123 421 Email: dbehn@nnsw.quik.com.au

COWPER

1	SEKFY, Paul	Labor	Community Worker	Phone (work): 0419 440 065 Mobile: 0419 440 065 Email: paul.sekfy@alp.com.au
2	KING, Dominic	The Greens	Teacher
3	ARKAN, John Singh	Independent	Coffs Harbour City Councillor	Phone (home): 02 6654 7673 Phone (work): 02 6654 7673 Mobile: 0418 465 930 Email: john.arkan@gmail.com
4	LIONS, Deborah A J	Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group)	Mngr house emergency acc.& stdnt	Mobile: 0431 603 848
5	HARTSUYKER, Luke [incumbent]	The Nationals	Member of Parliament	PO Box 2056 COFFS HARBOUR NSW 2450 Phone (work): 02 6652 6233 Email: luke.hartsuyker.mp@aph.gov.au

LYNE

1	OAKESHOTT, Robert [incumbent]	Independent	Member of Parliament	PO Box 330 TAREE NSW 2430 Phone (work): 02 6552 4780 Email: robert.oakeshott.mp@aph.gov.au
2	LIPS, Frederik	Labor	Medical Practitioner	Phone (work): 02 6584 5988 Email: Frederik.Lips@alp.com.au
3	GILLESPIE, David	The Nationals	Specialist Physician	PO Box 2011 PORT MACQUARIE NSW 2444 Mobile: 0488 628 701 Email: david@davidgillespie.com.au
4	WRIGHT, Barry	Independent	Retired
5	OXENFORD, Ian	The Greens	Retired	9 Loganvale Pl LOGANS CROSSING NSW 2439 Phone (home): 02 6559 4834 Phone (work): 02 6559 4834 Mobile: 0409 594 834 Email: lyne@greens.org.au

All Australian electorate details here.

Betting odds for political candidates on the NSW North Coast - then and now

Whether you believe that where the money goes indicates voter intentions or not, it is interesting to note that betting on Day 14 of the 2010 federal election campaign on 30 July 2010 was going Labor's way on the NSW North Coast in much the same way as it was going Labor's way on Day 39 of the 2007 federal election campaign on 21 November 2007.

Even in Cowper and Lyne (which did not fall to Labor in 2007) recent betting is running along the lines of the final result in the last federal election. #

THEN:

Sportingbet at 3.23pm 21 November 2007 (from North Coast Voices archives).

PAGE
Janelle Saffin (ALP) $1.53
Chris Gulaptis (NATS) $2.35

RICHMOND
Justine Elliot (ALP) $1.80
Sue Page (NATS) $6.00

COWPER
Not found but Centrebet has Luke Hartsuyker at 1.41 and Paul Sekfy at 2.70

NOW:

Sportingbet at 9.30am 30 July 2010.

PAGE
Janelle Saffin (ALP) 1.45 [Sportsbet 1.35] [Centrebet 1.42] [BetFair 1.26]
Kevin Hogan (NATS) 2.55 [Sportsbet 2.55] [Centrebet 2.63] [Betfair 1.11]

Any Other Party not listed [Sportsbet 26.00] [Centrebet 81.00] [Betfair 2.00]

Greens not listed [Centrebet 21.00]

RICHMOND
Justine Elliott (ALP) not listed [Sportsbet 1.02]
Alan Hunter/Joan van Lieshout (NATS/LIB) not listed [Sportsbet 5.50]
Any Other Party not listed [Sportsbet 101.00]

COWPER
Luke Hartsuyker (NATS) not listed [Sportsbet 1.50] [Centrebet 1.38]
Paul Sekfy (ALP) not listed [Sportsbet 2.00] [Centrebet 2.78]
Any Other Party [Sportsbet 34.00]

Greens not listed [Centrebet 31.00]

LYNE

Any Other Party not listed [Sportsbet 1.50] [Centrebet 101.00]

Australian Labor Party not listed [Sportingbet 7.50] [Centrebet 21.00]

Coalition not listed [Sportsbet 13.00] [Centrebet 11.00]

Independent Oakeshott not listed [Centrebet 1.01]

# As not all online betting websites have all electorates posted yet it is not possible to do a direct comparison.

Classic Abbott or How to tie yourself in knots on the campaign trail

Part of a 26th July 2010 7.30 Report interview over at Aunty ABC on the subject of Australia's immigration policy:

KERRY O'BRIEN: Now let's talk about immigration, which you've put further on the map in this campaign at the weekend and where you've been accused of being tricky. Isn't it true that the peak immigration figure of 300,000 in 2008, the calendar year 2008, the first year of the Rudd Government, that you've described as unsustainable, was actually achieved under the immigration policy of the Howard Government?

TONY ABBOTT: But the government that was in charge was the Rudd-Gillard Government, and the following year, 2009, we had 277,000 people come in, and what I'm proposing is that the immigration intake has to be sustainable, that's why I've proposed a maximum of 170,000. And I'm being honest and upfront about this, Kerry. Julia Gillard tried to have a population discussion last week without being fair dinkum with us. She tried to pretend that you could discuss population without also discussing immigration. She wouldn't tell us what she wanted to do with immigration, and I challenge her to specify a figure.

KERRY O'BRIEN: Well, you said last Saturday that immigration in the last year of the Howard Government was actually 200,000, - was about, I think you said, 200,000.

TONY ABBOTT: In the last seven quarters of the Howard Government.

KERRY O'BRIEN: The last seven quarters was 200,000?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, I think it was about 210,000 in the last seven quarters of the Howard Government.

KERRY O'BRIEN: Well according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it was actually 244,000 for the calendar year in 2007 and rising. Correct? And the Howard Government was in office for 11 of those 12 months.

TONY ABBOTT: I'm not disputing your figures, Kerry, but circumstances have changed. Australia's cities are choking on their own traffic. We were booming in the Howard years. We have gone through a global financial crisis. There has been an economic slowdown since then. The public no longer support immigration the way they did under the Howard Government. We've got to rebuild support for the immigration program, as happened under John Howard. The Australian Government has gotta be in charge and the program has got to be in Australia's national interest and the public have gotta perceive it that way.

KERRY O'BRIEN: But isn't it also true that the immigration figures have already come down sharply from that peak of 300,000, a peak of 300,000 under Howard policies and will keep falling sharply in the next couple of years, probably below 150,000, no matter who is running the government?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, I don't know what's gonna happen under Julia Gillard's policy because she hasn't told us what her policy is. I've told you what my position is. It will come down to under 170,000 in the first term of a Coalition government.

KERRY O'BRIEN: But let's just nail this down, because even if Julia Gillard doesn't change her policy one iota, and they have already changed the policy with regard to intakes of students coming in, they've tightened up rorts that first developed under the Howard Government - and again, I'm sure you'll be honest enough to acknowledge that; they've tightened up rorts so there will be fewer students coming in, looking and assuming that they will get permanent residency. But even if she does absolutely nothing more, isn't it true that immigration will continue to come down sharply in the next two years?

TONY ABBOTT: Well there's a private sector forecast out, but there's no government forecast out, there are no government figures out and that same private sector forecast says it will be back to 250,000 in 2015 under the policies of the current government.

KERRY O'BRIEN: That's five years from now. But according to Immigration Department, net migration into Australia for the financial year just ended, is down to be between 230,000 and 250,000 from that 300,000 figure. According to the BIS Shrapnel report that you've just referred to, net migration down to 175,000 by June next year, 145,000 the following year. So it seems your new migration policy is already - is going to happen anyway, no matter who's in government?

TONY ABBOTT: Well if that's the case, why didn't Julia Gillard tell us this last week when she tried to have a conversation about population, but dishonestly pretended that population had nothing to do with immigration, even though two-thirds of our population increase is via immigration?

KERRY O'BRIEN: But are you prepared to acknowledge that these figures make clear that your policy will make no difference to the figures coming down over the next two years?

TONY ABBOTT: Well, last time I looked, Kerry, BIS Shrapnel don't set immigration policy. It's the Government that should set immigration policy. Under any government that I lead, the Government will clearly be in charge. The numbers'll be set firmly in Australia's national interest, it will be sustainable and there'll be a maximum of 170,000 in the first term of a Coalition government.

2010 Election Campaign Day 15 - And it wouldn't be fun without Ned the Bear

He's cranky. He's orange. He's a cartoon bear.

Er, Ned the Bear? Where are you mate? Come on out 'n' play! I've gotta honey sanger and a beer.......

What's going on at the Herald? This pair have already had their 15 minutes of fame

A sure sign that it's a slow news day is The Sydney Morning Herald's decision to give two codgers whose names resemble those of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition another run in today's paper.

Honestly, they add nothing new to the Herald's election coverage, so why were they given another appearance?


C'mon, Granny Herald, readers deserve better than having to sit down to a second serving of tripe.

Readers are not so desperate that they need this type of rubbish to fill any vacuums in their lives!

Are we looking at Laurie Oakes' leaker here?

While all the world and his dog is accusing Kevin Rudd (or MPs allegedly still loyal to him) of leaking details of Cabinet meetings to journalist Laurie ‘I would talk to the devil himself to get a story’ Oakes, I'm more inclined to believe that these leaks have little to do with tensions remaining from the recent leadership change but are aimed squarely at Labor's electoral chances and have the Grech-like flavour of older motives with an anti-Labor bias.

Remember this The Daily Telegraph report from June 2008 when Rudd was Australian Prime Minister?

On May 28, Oakes revealed Cabinet documents which showed four frontline economic departments had warned the Government its FuelWatch program could increase petrol prices. The next day the head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Terry Moran, called in the AFP to find the source.

Or this from Dr Anne Tiernan at the Centre for Governance & Public Policy (Griffith University) also in 2008.

Veteran journalist Laurie Oakes admitted he received the Cabinet documents from a public servant. He said the leak 'reflected bureaucratic anger at the non-stop nature of Rudd and his failure to follow their advice'.

Ministerial deliberations are not held in a vacuum. They generate paper records which are written up by second and third parties. Given that the current leaked information does not appear to be derived from more recent Cabinet meetings, one has to wonder about the role of the public service or possibly disgruntled former or present political staffers in this affair.

Yamba cousins selected for Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October

Cousins Cameron Pilley and Donna Urquhart have been selected in the Australian squash team that will compete at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Pilley, aged 27, and Urquhart, aged 23, are local products who started their squash experiences at the Yamba Squash Centre.

According to Squash Info Pilley's current ranking in world men's squash is 16th whilst Urquhart's ranking in women's squash is 18th.

Other members of the 2010 Australian Commonwealth Games squash team are:

Stewart Boswell 31 ACT
Ryan Cuskelly 22 NSW
Aaron Frankcomb 25 Tas
David Palmer 34 NSW
Kasey Brown 24 NSW
Lisa Camilleri 27 Qld
Melody Francis 21 Vic
Amelia Pittock 27 Vic

To further emphasise the success of squash on the NSW north coast it should be noted that Ryan Cuskelly is from Evans Head and Kasey Brown is from Taree.

Keeping track of all those election campaign leaflets in 2010

Citizens Electoral Council leaflet understood to have been authorized

by R. Barwick on behalf of Craig Isherwood

At last! Somewhere to go to check out those 2010 federal election campaign leaflets.
You can even upload images of those examples that are beginning to litter your own letterbox.
ElectionLeaflets.org.au

Browse at your leisure and spot those breaches of the Commonwealth Electoral Act as they are posted online.

NASA turns poet

 

Rumbles without sound

Auroras rain down
Magnetic fields shake
Beware the spacequake

Vortices swirl
plasma a'twirl
Richter predicts
a magnitude six

This month NASA decided to explain spacequakes

with information, graphs and 

a little poetry. 

Go Gillie!

I'm more than a tad tired of all that nonsense about Oz Prime Minister Julia Gillard being an unmarried, childless and godless sheila, so I was glad when Crikey's Bernard Keane took a scalpel to the mainstream media:

"The growing media obsession with both Julia Gillard's physical appearance and her marital status could be dismissed as indicative of both the essential inanity of the press and its casual sexism. That's certainly enough as it is. The media subjects female politicians to a blatant double standard, requiring them to conform to standards on physical presentation and lifestyle choices that are never applied to men. Moreover, it's not as if the media perpetuates a single stereotype to which female politicians must conform. Instead, it's a constantly changing set of requirements that means there's always something to criticise and the media always wins. Look too good, you're condemned as vacuous, or reliant on your appearance. Don't look good enough, you're disparaged as unattractive. Don't have a family, you're deliberately barren. Have a family, you're a career-obsessed harridan neglecting your kids. But it's more than that. The Australian yesterday launched a series of personal attacks on the Prime Minister, with the clear aim of ridiculing her and delegitimising her as a political figure. It complements an effort by Liberal Party figures to attack Gillard over her childlessness and her de facto marital status."

Go read the rest (with links to Albrechtsen, Stewart & Legge's sly nastiness) here.

2010 Election Campaign Day 14 - it wouldn't be real without the Interpretive Dance Bandicoot

First Dog on the Moon dun these at Crikey

Political Bad Taste Awards July 2010

And the Winner is.......

Click on images to enlarge

"I vote for freedom of worship if the worship is of Jesus Christ or The Jewish God anyone else well they are worshipping a false god anyway so who cares."
"Voting should only be voluntary for Liberal and National voters the rest can not bother since with every vote they bring the nation closer to the brink of disaster and closer to the hands of a (sic)muslim country."
"I am going to win this seat. I claim it as mine and when I get in I will give my votes all of them to God who is on the side of the Liberal Right" Liberal candidate for Chifley David Barker on now deleted Facebook page news.com.au 25 July 2010

Second place.......

"Wayne Swan is to surpluses what Paris Hilton is to celibacy they remember it once existed but they'll never see it again" Sitting Liberal MP and ex-SNAG Joe Hockey The Australian 20 July 2010

Third place.......

Mr Schonfelder lashed out at Mr Abbott's "very strong religious views and views on abortion ... sex before marriage ... all very conservative and not necessary", telling the Western Port News they were "influencing people to take their own lives".
Labor candidate for Flinders Adrian Schonfelder reported in The Sun-Herald 20 July 2010

Runners up.......

"The whole range of religions have made contact with my office to say they are very concerned about the stance of the Prime Minister, basically being anti-God. They don't like the fact we have got a godless Prime Minister." Sitting Liberal MP Don Randall The West 26 July 2010 [For those who can't believe their eyes the audio of these statements is at http://j.mp/arPfVh]

"In probably a year's time, just what a holocaust this will be.''Federal Liberal candidate for Ballarat Mark Banwell using a WWII genocide term to describe Labor's school building program 21 July 2010

"I quite like the Julia Gillard accent"
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott remarking on the accent of a contestant who was dressed like a hillbilly on the television show Hey Hey It's Saturday on 21 July 2010

Historical bad taste......

"about as much use as Linda Lovelace with her mouth closed’’ Tony Abbott speaking about Prince Charles in 1982 The Age 25 July 2010

Black Ops bad taste......

Those members of Tony Abbott's personal campaign team who appear to be playing the Gillard gender & lifestyle card 'off the record' with journalists, while their leader publicly condemns this type of comment.

And this is the man that thinks everyone on welfare is a bludger?

The Liberal Party's Tony Abbott has long thought that the average Australian receiving welfare payments is either someone who can't handle money or who is a bit of a bludger on the state (which is part of the reason he is so keen to transform Centrelink cash transfers into digital food stamps and force young people away from family in search of jobs) and currently is trying to paint Federal Labor as careless with the public purse, so it was interesting to see the media disclose the Leader of the Opposition's willingness to do a bit of bludging on the public purse himself:

FEDERAL Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is being investigated by the Federal Government after admitting he used taxpayer-funded travel for a Liberal Party fundraiser where he also promoted and sold his new book.

Mr Abbott, who was due to be in Perth today, confirmed to The Sunday Times on Friday that he used both a Government car and a Government-funded flight to travel from a Liberal event in Beaufort in regional Victoria in September. [Perth Now 20 December 2009]

Department of finance documents raise the serious and politically damaging possibility that Abbott used taxpayer money to promote his 2009 book, Battlelines.
The revelation follows an investigation by The Drum in which the dates of Abbott's national book promotion tour have been matched to his travel expenses claims. The dates of his promotional tour were provided by his publisher, Melbourne University Press.

Abbott's home base is Sydney where Sarah Murdoch launched Battlelines on Tuesday, July 28. Two days later, the then-Opposition frontbencher flew to Canberra, to quote MUP, "address the National Press Club (NPC) to discuss Battlelines". There was also a book signing coinciding with the event.......

All in all the taxpayer coughed up $6,651.96 in Battlelines-related travel. [ABC The Drum 28 July 2010]

These are the reported 2009 Battlelines travel accounts submitted by Abbott as Shadow Minister - Official Business:

Tuesday, July 30 - $504.29 Flight to Canberra and return
August 3 to 4 - $930.95 Flight to Melbourne and return

August 6 to 7 - $465.47 x 2 Flight to Melbourne and return

August 11 - $861.95 Flight to Brisbane and return with Canberra overnight stopover

August 14 to 15 - Flight Perth and return $2,461.23

Commonwealth cars and drivers - $962.60

Dept of Finance and Deregulation Parliamentarians Report - Tony Abbott MP

Photograph of Abbott from Google Images

2010 Election Campaign Day 13 - the things you overhear

Overheard some of the gentle gender at a local coffee shop:

"Tony Abbott loves strong women ? Yeah, when they're wearing leather, stiletto boots and carrying a whip!"

"I don't know - perhaps he is likeable. I like watching his bald spot grow bigger and bigger each day. It's sort of like watching Pinocchio's nose."

A conversation between two older women overheard on the local bus:

"Tony Abbott is just a lair.... He's a sneaky b@stard."

"The man hates women."

Repeated to me over coffee:

"A female friend refers to Abbott as 'Volkswagon' because his ears remind her of a small car with both doors open."

Barnaby Joyce does not impress local media

In The Daily Examiner on 27 July 2020:

Famous for shooting from the hip, Senator Joyce spoke to local media outside Grafton Fast Photos in his usual vitriolic manner, but didn't give any definitive answers as to how the Coalition would soften the financial pressure on families and small business.

Yet another Nationals candidate who lives outside the electorate

In 2007 Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis did not live in (and therefore could not vote in) the Page electorate he was contesting.

In 2010 it seems the party has not learned from past mistakes - Nationals candidate Kevin Hogan also does not live in (and therefore cannot vote in) the Page electorate he is contesting.

Interestingly both have blamed redistribution for this state of affairs - on shaky ground there.

2010 Election Campaign Day 12: Hustled by Christian Louboutin?

Maud up the Street (who enjoys public access to Teh Netz at her local library) alerted me to the oamimb website which is offering a very odd service:
"This is an example of a WordPress page, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many pages like this one or sub-pages as you like and manage all of your content inside of WordPress."

Click on image to enlarge

What Australia's population growth really looks like when the political hype is stripped away (Country, States and NSW North Coast)

The current debate concerning Australia's population appears to have degenerated into an argument about asylum seekers, general immigration levels and skilled migration policy filtered though the lens of political opportunism in a federal election campaign.

When the real issues for this country are whether:
a) we can afford to steadily expand our population numbers by birth/immigration and still retain our present excessive levels of both community and individual consumption;

b) we can sustainably resolve tensions between urban, industry and agricultural competition for natural resources; and

c) the state can ensure adequate public expenditure on both social needs and necessary infrastructure when average life expectancy has increased significantly and less children are being born than the natural increase required to create a robust tax base into the future.

While Gillard waffles and Abbott dog whistles, here are graphs based on Australian Bureau of Statistics and Dept. of Immigration and Citizenship data showing where we've been and where we're heading in relation to population numbers:

Australia's immigration levels of nearly 300,000 in 2008-09 and 230,000 in 2009-10 were inflated by expats returning home because of the global financial crisis and more New Zealanders coming over looking for work according to demographer Bernard Salt.

BIS Shrapnel states that 2008-09 to 2009-10 immigration levels were also inflated by an unusually large rise in long-stay visa holders such as foreign students and 457workers....
The increase was greatest in 2008-09 when the net population gain from long-term visitors accounted for 74 per cent of the national net overseas migration gain of 298,000 persons.

Population projections based on a notional overall total population increase of one person born or permanently migrating into Australia every 1 minute:
BIS Shrapnel population projections for 2010-12 taking into account economic growth still inhibited by the global financial crisis, as well as the impact of 2007-10 revised visa eligibility requirements and reduced overall permanent migration intake on population movement:

Click on images to enlarge

Graphs displayed here, here, here and here.

Go back, you are going the wrong way! One Yamba-ite tells McDonald's Australia

It is always nice to feel wanted as you begin to implement plans to enter a small coastal town business community.

The text of an email sent by one Yamba resident to the McDonald's licensee who will operate the new McDonald's eat-in and drive-through fast food outlet in Yamba at the mouth of the Clarence River on the NSW North Coast:

Hello Mr. Campbell,

I'm writing to you as I wonder why you would be PRing yourself saying you have had a great response from the Yamba people. The only ones you would get 'great response' from would be:

* Those who believe they will get full time work and be able to get off the dole. I've crunched your numbers and very few would have the benefit of full time work from your Yamba store.

* The sports groups who believe they will get all sorts of financial assistance from you.

* Those who think that they all will move up the ladder in your store - I guess all 75-100 people you say you'll employ think they'll do that.

As for the majority of us in Yamba (population around 6,000 as opposed to 40,000 in Ballina) - no amount of PR fools us into thinking you are actually wanted in town. Go on the highway - tell your bosses to enlarge their world-wide property portfolio in another town.

You based your Yamba store numbers on your Ballina store! You admitted it!

You PR yourself in the papers now saying you are 'considering' moving here. Would that be in response to the fact we publicised you live in Byron (a place that doesn't want your type of business) and operate a Ballina store?

We are not fooled by the 'saviour' complex you and MacDonalds blab at each opportunity in regard to you moving into townships. Yamba doesn't need you nor want you. A small percentage are fooled and if you find that a 'great response' wait till you get here!

Stay where you are. I guess you haven't wanted a MacDonalds in the town you live in. It does cheapen the place doesn't it!

2010 Election Campaign Day 11 - Is the fix already in?

Can our poor benighted Oz pollies go home until polling day on 21 August 2010?
Maybe not. But yesterday's Essential Report seems to suggest that those contesting 'safe' seats can at least go home early each day, because a great many of us have probably firmly made up our minds about which party we will favour with our votes:
51% of respondents said they had already decided which party to vote for and a further 32% said they would decide before election day – 10% will make their decision on election day.
61% of Labor voters and 65% of Liberal voters say they have already decided compared to 53% of Greens voters.
Younger voters are less likely to have decided which party to vote for – only 38% of under 35’s have already decided, 36% will decide before election day, 10% on election day and 16% do not know when they will decide.



Click table to enlarge

Who's letter writer Simon Kinny - it pays to read between the lines

Simon Kinny of Lismore had a letter to the editor in Saturday's Daily Examiner.

Funnily enough, Kinny forgot to mention that he's Dr Simon Kinny and he just happens to be the Nationals' Page Electorate Council Chairman and features on National Kevin Hogan's web page

Kinny can be contacted at St Vincents Hospital in Lismore at Suite 11, Level 3, St. Vincent's Specialist Medical Centre,
20 Dalley, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia
Ph: (61 2) 66 21 4177
Fax: (61 2) 66 21 4186

Kinny can also be contacted via his email address at ski66335@bigpond.net.au

And for those who need Kinny to reply to their concerns very promptly, his mobile number is 0407 065 566

Nationals Kevin Hogan - Haunted by the Ghost of Election Past

I really shouldn't laugh, but the sight of former Nationals candidate Chris Gulaptis' photo posted on Sportingbet Decider in 2010 instead of current Nationals candidate, Kevin Hogan, was unexpected to say the least.

Australia 2010: When the welcome mat is never put out for you

SANE Australia has released the findings of a recent survey in Research Bulletin 12 Social inclusion and mental illness - hopefully in time to assist with mental health policy responses from the major parties contesting the Australian Federal Election on 21 August 2010:

"The survey was conducted in March-April 2010 using a convenience sample of 559 people who completed an anonymous questionnaire.

The most common diagnoses reported were depression (40%), bipolar disorder (22%), anxiety (13%), and schizophrenia (12%)........

Over 50% of respondents to the survey, however, reported that mental illness had cut short their education, and they had not been offered support to continue this later.....

Most respondents (75%) were Centrelink clients. Of these, two-thirds (66%) were dissatisfied with the help provided by Centrelink and the disability employment services to which they referred people. Centrelink staff often did not understand the impact of mental illness, it was reported.

Many employment service staff also had difficulty understanding the needs of clients with mental illness, or had unrealistic expectations of them.......

Over half of the respondents (52%) reported that they did not feel part of their local community. Many reported that they had been treated disrespectfully at some time because of their mental illness (42%).

A 'digital divide' was also identified. While 72% of the general population use the Internet from home to engage with others, only 47% of respondents reported being able to do this.......

In summary

Many people with a mental illness experience disruption of their education, and receive no support to resume this.

Centrelink and employment service staff are inadequately supported and trained to help people with a mental illness find work.

People with a mental illness often feel they are not part of their local community, and are not welcome there. They are also far less likely to be connected to others because of a lack of Internet access.

Most people with a mental illness do not know where to go for help regarding discrimination, or find the process unhelpful. While other groups in society are protected from vilification (on grounds of religion or culture, for example), this protection is unavailable to people with a disability.

2010 Election Campaign Day 10 - Into the Twilight Zone

It all started on the second day of the Federal Election campaign. I woke to find the world bathed in a strange half light and eerie music playing tinnily in my ear.

Then those emails started:

"Caller Lorraine says Julia Gillard was featured in the Launceston weekend paper doing a Nazi salute and that this is not the first time she has done this". {Quote from Crikey news email on 19th July 2010}

"She's a secret NAZI. When she thinks nobody will notice she heils." {Chain email 18th July 2010}

{Picture of Julia

supposedly 'saluting'

doing the email rounds

on 18th July 2010}

Jules draws our confusion over citizens' assemblies

Jules Faber in The Daily Examiner 0n 24 July 2010

Citizens' Assembly 101