Just how many unfortunate nicknames can one bloke have?

 LUKE AQUINAS FOLEY MLC giving evidence before ICAC last Tuesday morning and revealing to the world knowledge of obscure nicknames:

“Well, one of Ian Macdonald’s nicknames was bestowed by Bob Carr that he was Della’s pet crocodile, another nickname was that he was Obeid’s left testicle.”

Cansdellgate continues

Northern NSW newspapers, including The Northern Star and The Daily Examiner, are carrying reports about the latest 'happening' associated with disgraced former Member for Clarence Steve Cansdell.

Smith won't pressure DPP to charge MP Steve Cansdell 

Attorney-General Greg Smith has told NSW Parliament he will not call on the Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue criminal charges against disgraced Clarence MP Steve Cansdell until "otherwise advised".

Despite lying about not being behind the wheel of his car when it was snapped by a speed camera in 2005, the former police secretary escaped criminal punishment when the staffer he claimed was driving refused to make a statement.

The Government's handling of the investigation has been subject to debate since retired QC Bruce James suggested in February that Mr Cansdell could still have been prosecuted for lying under oath.

He questioned whether the DPP had properly investigated the charges that could have been laid.

Earlier this month Mr Smith told parliament Mr James's concerns were a matter for the DPP.

But in a letter sent to shadow Attorney-General Paul Lynch last week, the DPP advised that Mr James's recommendations must be referred by Mr Smith's office.

Yesterday, Mr Lynch again asked Mr Smith if he would use his power to ask the DPP to consider the senior barrister's advice.

Mr Smith said while he had "great respect" for Mr James, he was willing to "stand by" other well-respected lawyers who did not agree with the advice until "otherwise advised".

Mr Lynch he would not give up, the questions raised must be pursued and instead of "sitting on his hands", Mr Smith needed to ensure the DPP "has another look".

Mr Cansdell quit shortly after the 2011 election following revelations he had told police his staffer Kath Palmer was driving at the time of the offence to avoid being stripped of his licence.

Source: The Northern Star and The Daily Examiner.

Have you accepted The Out Of Order Coke Challenge?

The Out Of Order Coke Challenge

'Sticking it to Coke' for suing the Northern Territory over their 'cash for cans' scheme and standing up for our wildlife!

Abbott the hypocrite par excellence

A yet to be Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott writing to BA Santamaria when he was considering entering politics and Santamaria was advising him to join the Liberals:

To join either existing party involves holding ones nose.

The Liberal Pary is without soul, direction or inspiring leadership.

Abbott during Question Time on 21 March 2013:

I have seen enough of good people on both sides of this chamber to have some respect for the Labor Party…..

Abbott in an Address to the Victoria Liberal Party State Council on 28 April 2012:

And we, my fellow Liberals, are fundamentally a party of values and of principles.

Tony Abbott photograph from Google Images

The difference between Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott

During the National Apology for Forced Adoptions held in the Great Hall at Parliament House in Canberra, the difference between the world views of Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott was graphically demonstrated.

There were tears and applause for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard:

http://youtu.be/aZ5gE_8TRzM

Full speech transcript

The first moment when approval of the Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott  turned to anger, interjection and shouting:

http://youtu.be/OAZywwaLR-o

Full speech transcript
Note: transcript appears to have been amended by author since first publication

A perspective from one of the many in the Great Hall that day:

Yesterday I stood proudly alongside my biological mother -- who I now call mum -- in Canberra to hear the historic national apology. It was a monumental occasion to be sitting next to my mother listening to Prime Minister Julia Gillard give an authentic and informed apology. Mum and I were both impressed, and you could tell by the response of other people affected by forced adoption that they were elated when she actually acknowledged the harm by talking about the loss of lives to suicide.
The emotions in the room were palpable. Gillard used the word illegal, which we were hoping for. Mum desperately needed to hear that word... 


When Abbott started speaking, immediately the tone of the room and the elated atmosphere disintegrated rapidly. Abbott obviously had not consulted with anyone. He didn’t understand the findings of the Senate inquiry and didn’t understand that language is so important when we’re talking about forced adoption. He spoke about "relinquishment" not "forced adoption". We were there for a national apology on forced adoption, not relinquishment. My mother did not relinquish me, I was taken.
He also used the term "birth mothers". For the majority, the mothers and fathers consider themselves parents, period. That’s when the heckling occurred, when he used the term birth parents. For my mother, it echoed the judgemental and insensitive practices of the past.
Everything that Gillard achieved in terms of validating all the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters was completely eroded by Abbott’s speech. One of the recommendations was to bring broader public awareness around the coercive and illegal practices that occurred. If our Opposition Leader couldn’t even understand what happened and use the appropriate words, then what hope do we have of the broader community understanding?

The ugly face of any future Abbott Government?

Hon. Christopher Pyne

Federal Liberal Member for Sturt and Manager of Opposition Business in the House of Representatives

19 March 2013

House of Representatives Hansard Tuesday 19 March 2013:

Mr Pyne: Madam Speaker, on a point of order, the  Leader of the Opposition asked a perfectly valid question. The Prime Minister answered the question and then she as an aside said for some unknown reason, 'Misogynist Tony is back'. I would ask her to  withdraw it because it is a slur on the Leader of the Opposition and a desperate play from a desperate Prime Minister!

The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business will leave the chamber under standing order 94(a).

Opposition members: Why?

The SPEAKER: Why? If anybody needs to ask that they might all just leave the chamber.

The member for Sturt then left the chamber.

A pinch of perspective for the Australian media and political commentators in March 2013

A little historical perspective for the Australian media and assorted journalists still hyperventilating over the third week of March 2013.

The Universe when it was only into the 380,000 year of its estimated 14 billion years of age to date.

Planck CMB, 21/03/2013 12:00 pm 

ESA and the Planck Collaboration 

Description 
The anisotropies of the Cosmic microwave background (CMB) as observed by Planck. The CMB is a snapshot of the oldest light in our Universe, imprinted on the sky when the Universe was just 380 000 years old. It shows tiny temperature fluctuations that correspond to regions of slightly different densities, representing the seeds of all future structure: the stars and galaxies of today