Hartsuyker lets the cat out of the bag on higher mobile phone costs if the Coalition wins on 7 September 2013

On 13 August 2013 Opposition Leader Tony Abbott announced that: If elected, a Coalition government will partner with local communities, state governments and telecommunications companies to ensure that the total new investment in black spots is far greater than our $100 million commitment.

This policy will provide $80 million for a Mobile Network Expansion Programme that will improve mobile phone coverage along major transport routes, in small communities and in locations prone to experiencing natural disasters. 

The Mobile Network Expansion Programme is expected to generate at least an additional $80 million investment from the major mobile phone carriers. 

The Coalition will also provide $20 million for a Mobile Black Spot Programme to address unique mobile coverage problems – such as locations with high seasonal demand – and deliver a targeted response.

The next day the Australian Financial Review reported that the Shadow Minister for Regional Communications and Nationals Member for Cowper here on the NSW North Coast, Luke Hartsuyker, stated that he expects major mobile phone carriers and regional communities to stump up over $100 million to build the towers.

Which would inevitably translate into higher mobile phone costs across regional and rural Australia, as state/local governments and telcos passed these costs on to consumers.

Something Opposition Leader Tony Abbott neglected to mention in his media announcement.

Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott suffers a bout of dangerous stupidity

This was Opposition Leader Tony Abbott during the 11 August 2013 televised and transcribed Leaders Debate:

Well, I accept that it was quite a detailed set of changes and it was largely based on a report by the Productivity Commission. I thought that the Productivity Commission report was a good report, as did my Shadow Minister, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells. On this issue there isn't an enormous difference between the Coalition and the Government but we do need to try to ensure that the providers, that the nurses, that the other workers in these aged care centres who do such a terrific job, such a terrific job, and are so helpful to very vulnerable Australians, don't have to spend as much time on paperwork as they currently do under a paper-based accountability system. [my red bolding]

Perhaps Mr. Abbott might like to explain what paperwork he would eliminate?

Would it be daily observation charts, case notes, individual treatment plans, outcomes of multidisciplinary case management conferences, filling in accident/incident registers, or more simple tasks like placing patients/residents on lists for podiatry treatment and filling in weekly menus for those who can no longer do such tasks for themselves etc?

Or would it be paperwork proving staffing levels, that all staff were suitably qualified for the positions they hold and that emergency medical equipment is tested/serviced regularly?

A paper based accountability system is there for a reason – to protect the wellbeing and rights of older Australians living their final years in nursing home care.

Tony Abbott’s slick promise to cut-the-red-tape, which he frequently throws into press conferences on all manner of subjects, is dangerously stupid.

Leaders Debate 11 August 2013: Did Fairfax media massage the facts with not one but two dodgy montages?

Here are two photographs attributed to Andrew Meares and published by Fairfax media outlets which purport to show Opposition Leader Tony Abbott discovering  that Australian Prime Minister Rudd had notes on his lectern at the National Press Club on 11 August 2013.

Here is a third photograph of Rudd and Abbott shaking hands on the night.

Who else is somewhat suspicious of the similarities in Abbott’s posture and his position on the stage in all three images.

Could it possibly be that the first two photographs are in fact montages created for dramatic effect?

This is the man who is using his media empire in support of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's bid to become Australian Prime Minister..... Part 2

Rupert Murdoch Executive Chairman of News Corporation

The Independent 17 August 2013:

Scotland Yard is investigating News International as a “corporate suspect” over hacking and bribing offences, it can be revealed.

The Independent has learnt the Metropolitan Police has opened an “active investigation” into the corporate liabilities of the UK newspaper group – recently rebranded News UK – which could have serious implications for the ability of its parent company News Corp to operate in the United States. One of Rupert Murdoch’s most senior lawyers has been interviewed under caution on behalf of the company and two other very senior figures have been officially cautioned for corporate offences. John Turnbull, who works on News Corp’s Management and Standards Committee (MSC) which co-ordinates the company’s interactions with the Metropolitan Police, answered formal questions from detectives earlier this year.

The development has caused pandemonium at the upper echelons of the Murdoch media empire. Shortly afterwards, executives in America ordered that the company dramatically scale back its co-operation with the Metropolitan Police.

A News Corp analysis of the effects of a corporate charge, produced in New York, said the consequences could “kill the corporation and 46,000 jobs would be in jeopardy”…..

Reuters 16 August 2013:

However, the source familiar with the matter told Reuters detectives and prosecutors also were actively considering taking action against News Corp as a corporation.

More than a year ago, Sue Akers, the officer who was then leading the police inquiry, sent a letter to MSC Chairman Lord Grabiner to advise him of this, the source said….

PUP's candidate in the Richmond electorate 'Doctor Phil' has a public relations problem......

This is a snapshot of the banner at the top of the campaign website of Palmer United Party candidate, Dr. Charles Philip Fitzsimonds Allen, an orthopaedic surgeon standing in the Richmond electorate at the 7 September 2013 Australian Federal Election.

These are the website registration details found at Whois.com on 17 August 2013:

Domain Name: DRPHIL4RICHMOND.COM
Registrar URL: http://www.godaddy.com
Updated Date: 2013-06-02 23:05:39
Creation Date: 2013-06-02 23:05:39
Registrar Expiration Date: 2014-06-02 23:05:39
Registrar: GoDaddy.com, LLC
Registrant Name: Gordon Walker
Registrant Organization:
Registrant Street: SE 283
Registrant Street: 15 Albert Ave
Registrant City: Broadbeach
Registrant State/Province: Queensland
Registrant Postal Code: 4218
Registrant Country: Australia
Admin Name: Gordon Walker
Admin Organization:
Admin Street: SE 283
+Admin Street: 15 Albert Ave
Admin City: Broadbeach
Admin State/Province: Queensland
Admin Postal Code: 4218
Admin Country: Australia
Admin Phone: 0420969872
Admin Fax:
Admin Email: 
Tech Name: Gordon Walker
Tech Organization:
Tech Street: SE 283
Tech Street: 15 Albert Ave
Tech City: Broadbeach
Tech State/Province: Queensland
Tech Postal Code: 4218
Tech Country: Australia
Tech Phone: 0420969872
Tech Fax:
Tech Email: 
Name Server: NS71.DOMAINCONTROL.COM
Name Server: NS72.DOMAINCONTROL.COM

Server Type:

Apache

IP Address:

203.124.119.1

The problem for Dr. Phil is that ‘his’ Gordon Walker appears to share the same registrant address as the individuals mentioned in the links below who also employed a Gordon Walker:

http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/attention-aussie-isps-whos-laying-bets.html

http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/saturdays-adult-lol.html

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/porn-link-tipped-in-net-piracy-case-20111017-1ltex.html

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/playing-dirty-20111017-1ltam.html

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/10/18/movie_rights_group_nasty_history/

Federal Election 2013: A noble promise freely given - or is it?

On 11 August 2013 ABC News reported that; He [Tony Abbott] made a first-term commitment to recognise Indigenous Australians in the Constitution, saying the nation's "soul would not be whole" until that happened.

I’m sure that Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott meant that statement made on the federal election campaign trail.

However, like many of his utterances it only tells half the story.

What Abbott does not say is that an act of Parliament passed during Julia Gillard’s’ term as Prime Minister obliges the House of Representatives by 12 November 2014 to begin consideration of the question of whether to call a national referendum on recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian Constitution and, that this question is then be debated and put to the vote in both the House and the Senate.

As the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013 had bi-partisan support when it was passed, it is highly likely that a referendum will be called no matter who wins government on 7 September this year.

Whether the Yes vote wins such a national referendum is of course up to the Australian people and hopefully acceptance will prevail that there is a need to legally embed in the Constitution a recognition of the traditional owners of the land past and present and their cultures.