Now the NSW Speaker becomes involved in Cansdell-gate

 

Rumours have been circulating on the NSW North Coast that there are more revelations to come in the matter of the O’Farrell Government, North Coast Nationals and disgraced former state government MP Steve Cansdell - this media report would seem to be the first of these.

 

The Sydney Morning Herald 18 October 2012:

ALLEGATIONS that the former NSW MP Steve Cansdell rorted a staff allowance to benefit a Nationals colleague were referred by corruption authorities to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly a year ago but not investigated.

The allegations, similar to those over which the former Labor MP Karyn Paluzzano was convicted last month, were made to the Independent Commission Against Corruption by Mr Cansdell's former staff member Kath Palmer.

Ms Palmer alleged Mr Cansdell, who was the member for Clarence and parliamentary secretary for police, abused a staff allowance by requiring her to work on the 2010 federal election campaign of the Nationals candidate for Page, Kevin Hogan…..

Ms Palmer also said Mr Cansdell submitted claims for the allowance that differed from the days she worked.

The ICAC referred the allegations to the Speaker, Shelley Hancock, Ms Palmer's employer, last November. But Ms Hancock, who is also the Liberal MP for South Coast, did not pursue the matter.

''I considered material conveyed to me from ICAC, noting that they had not taken any action in respect of the allegations,'' Ms Hancock told the Herald. ''On the basis of the nature of the material, it was concluded at the time that it was not appropriate for this matter to be pursued since verification of the material would be difficult.''

Following inquiries by the Herald, Ms Hancock has asked parliamentary officers to review the material, which is understood to include Ms Palmer's work diaries and claim forms.

The decision to review the material could pose difficulties for Mr Hogan, who has been preselected to contest Page for the Nationals at next year's federal election.

The revelation adds to questions surrounding the handling of allegations against Mr Cansdell, who resigned from state Parliament in September last year after admitting to falsifying a statutory declaration to keep his driver's licence.

Mr Cansdell admitted to falsifying a statutory declaration to say Ms Palmer was driving his car when it was caught speeding in 2005……

Mitt 'n' Tony sitting in a tree....

The Political Bobbsy Twins- America's Romney & Australia's Tony Abbott

Sound familiar?

“It has dawned on Mitt Romney that he has a problem with female voters. He just has no idea what to do about it, since it is the result of his positions on abortion, contraception, health services and many other issues. On Tuesday night, he bumbled his way through a cringe-inducing attempt to graft what he thinks should be 2012 talking points onto his 1952 sensibility.” {New York Times 17^th October 2012}

Alan Jones to be retrained and his radio broadcasts monitored and fact-checked by 2GB

The Australian Communications and Media Authority media release, 18 October 2012:

2GB acts to fix accuracy and present significant viewpoints

Harbour Radio Pty Ltd, the licensee of Sydney radio station 2GB, has agreed to overhaul its processes to ensure reasonable efforts are made to verify facts and present significant viewpoints in its current affairs programs.
2GB conducted a review of its compliance processes following ACMA investigations which found breaches of the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice. The breaches occurred during segments of programs presented by Alan Jones broadcast on 15 March 2011 [2597, 2614 & 2636 - PDF 565 kb] (accuracy) and on 8 and 11 February 2010 [2540 - DOC 1.1 mb] (accuracy and presentation of significant viewpoints).
The review found that 2GB had some fact-checking and verification procedures in place. However, it also highlighted shortcomings in programs hosted by Alan Jones, namely:

• Additional confirmation of accuracy and attribution may be required where the production team (and Alan Jones) source factual material from third parties or other non-media sources.
• The editorial pieces, the subject of the ACMA investigations, did not involve the wider production team.
• There are occasions when a controversial issue of public importance will be the subject of editorial and opinion comment on programs hosted by Alan Jones without any presentation of other significant viewpoints on any other 2GB current affairs program.

To address these issues, 2GB has proposed a series of measures which the ACMA has accepted. A summary of those measures is set out below.
2GB has also improved its electronic complaints system and recently appointed a new program director to oversee its processes following complaints-handling breaches in programs broadcast on 29 and 30 June 2011 and 6, 11 and 12 July 2011 [2674 & 2717 - PDF 205 kb].

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Emma Rossi, Media Manager, (02) 9334 7719 and 0434 652 063 or media@acma.gov.au.

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Attachment

Summary of 2GB agreed measures–accuracy and presentation of significant viewpoints

New measures applying to programs hosted by Alan Jones Pre-broadcast fact-checking by the program’s executive producer of any material provided by non-media sources or third parties which may require additional confirmation and attribution. Creation and retention (for at least six weeks) of records of the verification material sourced by the executive producer for the facts contained in the editorial piece. Identification by the executive producer of controversial issues of public importance that are not covered by other 2GB current affairs programs. Communication of these exceptions to 2GB’s program director who will then be responsible to ensure that another current affairs program presents an alternative, significant viewpoint to that presented in the program hosted by Alan Jones so that 2GB can discharge its obligations under the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice. Creation and retention of records by the program director for the above steps.

New measures applying to all news and current affairs programs The program director will conduct random checks of daily broadcasts for each of the programs and will record the details of the controversial issues of public importance canvassed in the program. The program director will also record the reasonable efforts made/opportunities that have been given by the relevant programs to present significant alternative viewpoints. Training will be conducted (including with Alan Jones) focussing on the ACMA’s findings concerning factual accuracy and significant viewpoints. The training will be completed by the end of November 2012.

"The Northern Rivers has once again cemented its reputation as the heartland of the anti-coal seam gas movement in Australia"

 

'well, it's going to happen anyway'
NSW Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, and Minister Assisting the Premier on Infrastructure 

October 2012

 

How the media saw NSW North Coast concerns in the face of a relentless O’Farrell Government push to mine our land…

 

The Daily Examiner 10 October 2012:

 

Clarence Valley Mayor Richie Williamson said yesterday that his position on Coal Seam Gas has not changed since he voted to pass a moratorium saying he will not support the Coal Seam gas industry until some key issues are cleared up.

"Until there are clear land use policies and the water aquifer policy is adopted Clarence Valley Council will not support the CSG industry," he said.

"We have also asked that any CSG activity on Council land or any application for CSG on Council land be reported and Council be able to consider it."

 

Northern Rivers Echo 11 October 2012:

 

LISMORE City Council approved a motion presented by Cr Simon Clough to request the NSW State Government to revoke all licences for exploration and production from the Lismore City Local Government area.

The motion was for Council to send a letter to the NSW Premier, NSW Minister for Planning, NSW Minister for Local Government and the North Coast, Page MP Janelle Saffin, and Lismore MLA Thomas George to express "its deep concern over the recently introduced Strategic Regional Land Use package"….

 

ABC North Coast NSW 13 October 2012:

 

The Northern Rivers has once again cemented its reputation as the heartland of the anti-coal seam gas movement in Australia.

Organisers of a rally and concert today say about 4000 people marched through the streets of Murwillumbah in opposition to coal seam gas.

 

My Daily News 13 October 2012:

 

Murwillumbah CSG protest stops town in its tracks

 

 

The Northern Star 15 October 2012:

 

ORGANISERS of the Rock the Gate rally, march and concert on Saturday got the 3000-plus they wanted out against coal seam gas and to mark the start of a Lock the Gate Alliance national week of action against the industry.

They had come from all parts of the Northern Rivers and beyond to the Murwillumbah Showground in solidarity and song, in a show of people power which included another blocks-long march through the central business district of a Northern Rivers centre.

You are cordially invited to a local government lynching on October 16 at 4pm. Dress casual. No RSVP required.

 

The Daily Examiner 17 October 2012:

 

THERE were tears and hugs in the public gallery at 7pm last night when Clarence Valley councillor Karen Toms was cleared of breaching the council's code of conduct.

It took councillors three hours, one of which was spent in private, to finally put an end to accusations the elected representative had acted wrongly in her dealings with a party that had held a contract for local swimming pools.

Two parties, the names of which were not revealed, complained Cr Toms breached the code of conduct by contacting a contractor….

About an hour later, Cr Margaret McKenna's recommendation that the council determine Cr Toms made no breach of the code of conduct and that the council review the report and procedures was supported by Crs Toms, Simmons, Challacombe and Baker with Crs Williamson, Howe, Hughes and Kingsley voting against….

 

What this newspaper report does not say is that more than a few local residents had a strong impression that a number of Clarence Valley shire councillors and senior council management thought that they had come together at the ordinary monthly meeting on 16 October 2012 to conduct a quick public lynching.

 

Three hours later this little noose party was in disarray and those watching from the ‘public gallery’ had heard concerns raised about the reliability of the contents of a 132 page confidential report for council's eyes only, due process, natural justice and a possible conflict of interest existing for some of those involved in consideration of Item 13.180/12 Conduct Review Committee.

 

All in all – a painful three hours for Cr. Toms and her family and a testing time for the newly-elected council.

NSW Police accused of lying about Cansdell case

The Sydney Morning Herald 13 October 2012:

THE lawyer for the woman who blew the whistle on the disgraced former MP Steve Cansdell for falsifying a statutory declaration has accused police of threatening her and then lying about their reasons for not pursuing charges against him.

He is also calling for an independent inquiry into the way police have handled the case.

Mr Cansdell, who was parliamentary secretary for police, resigned from State Parliament in September last year after admitting to signing a false statutory declaration that an aide, Kath Palmer, was driving when he was caught speeding in 2005.

On Wednesday NSW police issued a statement saying they would not pursue charges as the Commonwealth director of public prosecutions said there were not reasonable prospects of a conviction for a federal offence. It noted that Ms Palmer ''declined to be interviewed by officers''.

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But Ms Palmer's solicitor, Mark Spagnolo, said yesterday the statement was ''a lie''. In an email to police on October 19 last year, seen by the Herald, Mr Spagnolo said while Ms Palmer declined to be formally interviewed she would make an ''induced statement'' which would protect her from prosecution.

Mr Spagnolo said this was because the investigator, Detective Peter O'Reilly, had earlier told him police were considering charging Ms Palmer with ''perverting the course of justice'' for her part in the false statutory declaration.

Mr Spagnolo said Detective O'Reilly rejected the offer of an induced statement.

According to a file note made by Mr Spagnolo, Detective O'Reilly said ''he did not have to go down that path as Mr Cansdell was going to, using his words, throw his hands up to the matter and therefore as Kath made it public in the newspapers the police will be investigating charges of her''.

Yesterday Mr Spagnolo said Ms Palmer felt ''completely wronged'' and called for an independent investigation.

''After having the courage to blow the whistle on a member of Parliament who was also a parliamentary secretary for the police, my client was threatened by the police with charges of perverting the course of justice,'' he said. ''She was devastated by the fact that going public to report on a politician who was prepared to swear a false statutory declaration and lie to save his driver's licence led her to face the threat of criminal charges''.

Mr Spagnolo said that ''the message from the police is, put in a politician linked to the police by his office for falsifying documents and we will charge you.''

A police spokesman said Ms Palmer was offered a formal interview under caution ''but this was declined''…..

The Australian Parliament is about to live in even more interesting times

The Australian Parliament is about to live in even more interesting times and the new Speaker's mettle will be repeatedly tested, as Abbott & Co. inevitably seek to take a wrecking ball to parliamentary practice in their pursuit of the Gillard Government now that the Independent Member for Dobell is before the court.

The Sydney Morning Herald 15^th October 2012:

“ Fair Work Australia has begun court proceedings against federal MP Craig Thomson over his alleged use of union credit cards to pay for prostitutes.

The national industrial umpire today lodged its claims against the former Labor MP turned independent in the Federal Court.

Mr Thomson faces civil action over a range of offences. As well as the unauthorised use of union credit cards to pay for prostitutes, the claim covers cash advances totalling more than $102,337.45.

FWA is seeking to fine Mr Thomson for these alleged misdeamenours and others, and the repayment of the funds…….”
Statement of Claim in FWA v Thomson here.