Hon. Malcolm B. Turnbull, Member for Wentworth,
Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Monday, 22 June 2009
Possum creates an Ozcar timeline and the House of Representatives censures Malcolm Turnbull
Possum Comitatus writing at Pollytics has created a primary political timeline for the OzCar furore engaging the attention of political tragics nationwide and nostalgic Coalition members of the Australian Parliament.
You'd have to be a lead poisoned crackhead to believe this.
This afternoon the House of Representatives has voted to pass a censure motion against the Federal Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull citing his reliance on that now notorious alleged email which pointed a finger at the probity of the Australian Prime Minister.
The Sydney Morning Herald has live coverage of Ute-Gate here.
Brave young Maree Jay takes on the ugly face of Australian journalism at The Daily Examiner
Hot on the heels of The Daily Examiner office at Yamba being broken into and what sounds like an amount of petty cash stolen, that newspaper attempted to run a crime wave scare concerning people of aboriginal appearance and allegedly low police numbers [The Daily Examiner, 11 June 2009].
Something that Grafton Police Chief Inspector Darren Spooner flatly denied as he happens to live in Yamba [The Daily Examiner, 13 June 2009,p5].
By 12 June 2009 this inchoate media beatup had quickly morphed into a generalised attack on the indigenous community of Yamba.
Now 22 year-old Maree Jay of Grafton has taken the newspaper's boastfully unrepentant editor to task for his judgmental, one-eyed, hearsay-ridden view of the Yaegl community.
Once again, Peter Chapman has added an editor's comment which reflects his inability to recognise his own journalistic shortcomings.
Ngaru Village
THIS is a formal complaint written to the people involved in the production and publishing of the story 'Yamba's Mission' (DEX, June 13).
This article is an example of social segregation and disinclusion. These are two words identified by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commissioner 2003 as contributors to a) the history of oppression of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait lslander people and b) the continuation of such abuse.
By publishing this story you are actively continuing that cycle. The 'Yamba community' is spoken to as if they are white, and the 'Aboriginal people'are not spoken to, they are spoken about.
It is 2009, I am 22 years old and the printing of this story made me feel sick in the bottom of my stomach.
I wonder how a story with the same stereotyping, ignorance, opportunism and the lack of factual research seen in stories published when my grandmother was 22 years old can be so destructively distributed throughout our community.
Did you ask anyone in the Aboriginal community anything about their life? No. You snuck in at 6.15 in the morning to rely on photos that give an out-of-context, sensationalised impression.
lf you were a Koori person, would you want to go into town with this story in the press?
Maree Jay,
GRAFTON.
EDITOR'S COMMENT; The response from Maree Jay reflects indignation that someone would dare criticise Yamba's Ngaru Village.
Like us, you know that our story is based on fact, not on rumours.
Key details of what is happening at the village have been known to this paper for many months.
Rather than attack us, the question I put back to you is: As a concerned 22-year-old what have you done in the past few years to assist Ngaru Village and to help improve the living standards of the children who call the village home?
It would have been easy for this paper to have ignored Ngaru Village. We knew we would generate howls of protests like yours.
I don't apologise for taking the stance we have, in fact l would have been embarrassed if we
hadn't.
As the editor has not yet made one constructive suggestion or concrete offer of help, it is the height of hypocrisy on his part to suggest that another should be doing so.
Peter Chapman may not be embarrassed, but I wouldn't mind betting that there are a few reputable journalists who would be embarrassed by his amateurish existence.
FACT OR SQUEAKTGATE JOURNALISM?
** Transcript of a letter to the editor hand delivered to The Daily Examiner on 19 June 2009.
Sir,
FACT OR SQUEAKTGATE JOURNALISM?
Your arrogant response to 22 year old Maree Jay's letter "Ngaru Village" 18-6-09 claiming that your "story was based on fact" is as fictional as your sensationalistic journalism unable to distinguish between fact, opinion or hearsay in blind pursuit of profit.
An unidentified pilot who claimed to be able to see through the roofs of most of the homes is not fact but hearsay.
A photograph of a disused house cited for demolition is nothing more than a disused house cited for demolition.
Claims made by a former unidentified ambulance driver is not fact but hearsay.
Your claim of unidentified "young people running around the streets staging break and enters and smashing property --- on a daily basis" is not fact but your opinion that goes very close to defamation.
It does not appear to be corroborated by Chief Inspector Spooner nor does it link the residents of Ngaru Village with such alleged crimes.
And the report that a Queensland teenager has been charged with 11 offences including break and enter is not evidence that the elders of Ngaru Village are involved in such crimes.
"Where do these youths come from and who is guiding then through life----" is not a fact but a question that should have been answered by you as the investigative journalist.
Having read your squeakygate news report the only crime the elders of Ngaru Village seem to have committed is the crime of being poor.
Your uncorroborated sensationalism targeting the elders of Ngaru Village appears to be designed to sell newspapers and make a profit for yourself rather than help the elders of Ngaru Village.
In doing so you have made yourself vulnerable to a claim of defamation.
As the editor of the only daily news publication in the Clarence Valley, surely you have an obligation to provide a responsible news serve, accurate, impartial and with the utmost integrity.
RAY HUNT
Yamba
Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.
Sir,
FACT OR SQUEAKTGATE JOURNALISM?
Your arrogant response to 22 year old Maree Jay's letter "Ngaru Village" 18-6-09 claiming that your "story was based on fact" is as fictional as your sensationalistic journalism unable to distinguish between fact, opinion or hearsay in blind pursuit of profit.
An unidentified pilot who claimed to be able to see through the roofs of most of the homes is not fact but hearsay.
A photograph of a disused house cited for demolition is nothing more than a disused house cited for demolition.
Claims made by a former unidentified ambulance driver is not fact but hearsay.
Your claim of unidentified "young people running around the streets staging break and enters and smashing property --- on a daily basis" is not fact but your opinion that goes very close to defamation.
It does not appear to be corroborated by Chief Inspector Spooner nor does it link the residents of Ngaru Village with such alleged crimes.
And the report that a Queensland teenager has been charged with 11 offences including break and enter is not evidence that the elders of Ngaru Village are involved in such crimes.
"Where do these youths come from and who is guiding then through life----" is not a fact but a question that should have been answered by you as the investigative journalist.
Having read your squeakygate news report the only crime the elders of Ngaru Village seem to have committed is the crime of being poor.
Your uncorroborated sensationalism targeting the elders of Ngaru Village appears to be designed to sell newspapers and make a profit for yourself rather than help the elders of Ngaru Village.
In doing so you have made yourself vulnerable to a claim of defamation.
As the editor of the only daily news publication in the Clarence Valley, surely you have an obligation to provide a responsible news serve, accurate, impartial and with the utmost integrity.
RAY HUNT
Yamba
Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.
North Coast Voices will be revealed for its ignorance according to the mainstream media!
This year The Daily Examiner of Grafton (which is the only local daily newspaper covering the Clarence Valley) marks 150 years of journalism and news reporting, so it is sad that the once proud newspaper was reduced to this last Saturday when the editor was criticized by James Patterson of Ramornie in a letter to the editor.
In part this is what Mr. Patterson said:
You deserve to come under attack for your articles on the Yamba village because, in your rush to get the story out, you delivered a piece low on research and fact and high on emotive journalism.
Your key story ran for a week to mainly justify your position.
A raised voice at 6.15am, a photo of a rundown building and a quote from a politician are not cold, hard facts that will convince people.
Peter Chapman's reply induced some mirth here at North Coast Voices when in part it stated:
EDITOR'S COMMENT: To every story there is a start and an end.
We have only just scratched the surface of the Ngaru Village story.
I refute your comments that it wasn't based on any hard facts.
It is unfortunate that many people in the community know about what is happening in the village yet very few if any, are prepared to put their name to the story.
Our information comes from impeccable sources and when the story is finished people who have criticised our stance will be revealed for their ignorance.
On Saturday The Daily Examiner also ran this story which, rumour has it, is a change of tone and emphasis brought on by the thought that ABC TV's Media Watch may be aware of Peter Chapman's recent over the top reporting on Ngaru Village.
A case of twice bitten, third time shy?
Clearing up a little Utilities Allowance confusion created by the Nationals
It seems that Nationals Senator for NSW Fiona Nash has been stirring the possum a bit according to Labor MP for Page Janelle Saffin in The Far North Coaster last Friday.
Apparently young Fi has been telling pensioners that their Centrelink Utilities Allowance has been scrapped.
Just to set the record straight here's Labor Senator Kim Carr informing the Senate of the new arrangements during the 17th June 2009 second reading of the bill which will increase pension payments:
"New pension and seniors supplements
The range of supplementary payments and allowances currently paid to pensioners will be simplified and made more flexible through the introduction of a new Pension Supplement.
This will help make pension payments easier to understand. Following the reforms, pensioners will receive two main payments: the base pension and the Pension Supplement.
This new Pension Supplement incorporates the value of the existing GST Supplement, Pharmaceutical Allowance, Utilities Allowance and Telephone Allowance (at the higher internet rate). Increases of $2.49 a week for singles and $10.14 a week for couples combined will be paid on top of the value of existing allowances.
The Pension Supplement will be indexed in March and September each year in line with increases in the Consumer Price Index. It will be available only to people resident in Australia or temporarily overseas.
The Pension Supplement for a single pensioner will be around two-thirds, 66.33 per cent, of the Pension Supplement for a couple combined. This mirrors the new single to couple ratio established for pension rates.
At 20 September 2009, it is estimated the Pension Supplement will be worth up to $1,462.70 a year for singles (or $28.13 a week) and $2,199.60 a year for couples (or $42.30 a week). This is an estimate as the actual indexation increase is not yet known.
The Pension Supplement will be included in the pension payment rate and subject to income and assets testing. This means that, once the base pension rate is reduced to nil, the Pension Supplement will decrease until it reaches a minimum payment of an estimated $790.40 a year for singles (or $15.20 a week) and $1,190.80 a year for couples (or $22.90 a week). The payment a person receives will not fall below the minimum amount of the Pension Supplement until the person’s income or assets reach a level that would otherwise reduce their payment to nil.
The new Pension Supplement will provide pensioners with more flexibility in managing their own budgets.
From 20 September 2009, the Pension Supplement will be paid fortnightly, along with the base pension. From July 2010, pensioners will have the choice of receiving around half of the Pension Supplement in quarterly instalments. This flexible part of the Pension Supplement will be equal to the minimum payment of Pension Supplement.
Self-funded retirees will also benefit from these reforms. A new Seniors Supplement for holders of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card will be introduced from 20 September 2009. The Seniors Supplement will replace the Seniors Concession Allowance and Telephone Allowance (at the higher internet rate) for eligible recipients. The Seniors Supplement will continue to be available as a quarterly payment and will be paid at the same rate as the minimum amount of the Pension Supplement. The Seniors Supplement for a single person will be 66.33 per cent of the Seniors Supplement for a couple combined. In September 2009, the Seniors Supplement will be an estimated $790.40 a year for singles and $1,190.80 a year for couples.
Increases in the Pension Supplement minimum amount for couples combined and for singles will flow through to increases in the Seniors Supplement. This will mean pensioners cannot receive less supplement than eligible self-funded retirees."
The complete explanation can be found here.
Either Senator Nash was not in the Chamber at this time, was not listening if she was or she is taking a leaf out of Luke Hartsuyker's Little Book of Lies to Tell the Electorate.
Apparently young Fi has been telling pensioners that their Centrelink Utilities Allowance has been scrapped.
Just to set the record straight here's Labor Senator Kim Carr informing the Senate of the new arrangements during the 17th June 2009 second reading of the bill which will increase pension payments:
"New pension and seniors supplements
The range of supplementary payments and allowances currently paid to pensioners will be simplified and made more flexible through the introduction of a new Pension Supplement.
This will help make pension payments easier to understand. Following the reforms, pensioners will receive two main payments: the base pension and the Pension Supplement.
This new Pension Supplement incorporates the value of the existing GST Supplement, Pharmaceutical Allowance, Utilities Allowance and Telephone Allowance (at the higher internet rate). Increases of $2.49 a week for singles and $10.14 a week for couples combined will be paid on top of the value of existing allowances.
The Pension Supplement will be indexed in March and September each year in line with increases in the Consumer Price Index. It will be available only to people resident in Australia or temporarily overseas.
The Pension Supplement for a single pensioner will be around two-thirds, 66.33 per cent, of the Pension Supplement for a couple combined. This mirrors the new single to couple ratio established for pension rates.
At 20 September 2009, it is estimated the Pension Supplement will be worth up to $1,462.70 a year for singles (or $28.13 a week) and $2,199.60 a year for couples (or $42.30 a week). This is an estimate as the actual indexation increase is not yet known.
The Pension Supplement will be included in the pension payment rate and subject to income and assets testing. This means that, once the base pension rate is reduced to nil, the Pension Supplement will decrease until it reaches a minimum payment of an estimated $790.40 a year for singles (or $15.20 a week) and $1,190.80 a year for couples (or $22.90 a week). The payment a person receives will not fall below the minimum amount of the Pension Supplement until the person’s income or assets reach a level that would otherwise reduce their payment to nil.
The new Pension Supplement will provide pensioners with more flexibility in managing their own budgets.
From 20 September 2009, the Pension Supplement will be paid fortnightly, along with the base pension. From July 2010, pensioners will have the choice of receiving around half of the Pension Supplement in quarterly instalments. This flexible part of the Pension Supplement will be equal to the minimum payment of Pension Supplement.
Self-funded retirees will also benefit from these reforms. A new Seniors Supplement for holders of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card will be introduced from 20 September 2009. The Seniors Supplement will replace the Seniors Concession Allowance and Telephone Allowance (at the higher internet rate) for eligible recipients. The Seniors Supplement will continue to be available as a quarterly payment and will be paid at the same rate as the minimum amount of the Pension Supplement. The Seniors Supplement for a single person will be 66.33 per cent of the Seniors Supplement for a couple combined. In September 2009, the Seniors Supplement will be an estimated $790.40 a year for singles and $1,190.80 a year for couples.
Increases in the Pension Supplement minimum amount for couples combined and for singles will flow through to increases in the Seniors Supplement. This will mean pensioners cannot receive less supplement than eligible self-funded retirees."
The complete explanation can be found here.
Either Senator Nash was not in the Chamber at this time, was not listening if she was or she is taking a leaf out of Luke Hartsuyker's Little Book of Lies to Tell the Electorate.
Sunday, 21 June 2009
While Turnbull wouldn't reveal the exact content of that alleged email Rudd apparently wasn't so coy
Click image to enlargeIt has been extremely interesting watching the case of the alleged Ozcar email develop.
What has been a real eye opener is Leader of the Opposition Malcolm Turnbull's admission that he didn't have a copy of and indeed hadn't seen this email on which he based his call for the Prime Minister to resign.
According to journalist Glenn Milne writing in The Daily Telegraph today:
Mr Turnbull now says he has been relying on Mr Lewis's reports for his resignation calls on Mr Rudd and Mr Swan. He denied anyone in the Opposition wrote the email or sent it to Mr Lewis.
Presumably Rudd's staffers released the copy of a News Ltd email used by Bernard Keane in his Twitpic to put us out of our misery as to the exact wording of that phantom email.
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