1. Jason Chatfield's Ginger Meggs at gocomics
2. Ginger Meggs at today's Daily Examiner (and, presumably, at other APN productions)
Is APN getting a discount rate for its Ginger? It should be!
Saturday 19 October 2013
Today's Spot the Difference
1. Jason Chatfield's Ginger Meggs at gocomics
2. Ginger Meggs at today's Daily Examiner (and, presumably, at other APN productions)
Is APN getting a discount rate for its Ginger? It should be!
Australian Electoral Commission issues a gentle reminder to come clean
All political parties need to list every donation, dot every i and cross every t - because ordinary voters are watching and they are not happy.....
Updated: 17 October 2013
The AEC today reminded all registered political parties and associated entities that annual disclosure returns for the 2012-13 financial year must be lodged by 20 October 2013.
More than 50 political parties and 100 associated entities have yet to lodge their disclosure returns.
Annual disclosure returns must be lodged within 16 weeks after the end of the financial year.
Registered political parties and associated entities are required to disclose total receipts, total payments, total debts and details of receipts and debts greater than the disclosure threshold for the financial year.
Section 315 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 provides for penalties for failure to lodge returns within the required timeframe.
Political parties and their associated entities can prepare and lodge their returns online via the eReturns portal.
Lodging returns online is quick, secure, environmentally friendly, and allows for the importing/exporting of files, which eliminates transcription errors.
Annual disclosure returns are made available for public inspection on the AEC’s website on the first working day in February every year. 2012-13 financial year disclosure returns will be made public on Monday 3 February 2014.
To assist political parties and associated entities with completing their return online, the eReturns Political Party Quick Reference Guide and eReturns Associated Entity Quick Reference Guide are available.
National media contact:
Phil Diak | Director Media
AEC, Canberra
02 6271 4415
0413 452 539 media@aec.gov.au
AEC, Canberra
02 6271 4415
0413 452 539 media@aec.gov.au
Quote of the Week - from north of the Rio Tweed
The Courier Mail on the subject of the Newman LNP Government, 15 October 2013:
Queenslanders should be concerned about a brazen gang, emboldened by a pack mentality and flexing power without concern for others. We might also be concerned about the bikies.
Friday 18 October 2013
Metgasco CEO Henderson's 4.3 million bonus share allocation was a step too far
After threatening to quit if he didn’t get his own way, Metgasco Limited’s 18th largest shareholder, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Peter Henderson, has now been forced to reject the proposed 4.3 million bonus shares allocation in his favour in the face of a determined shareholder revolt.
'Letter from a Terrorist' sent to APN News and Media Chairman Peter Cosgrove
According to Independent Australia posting on 14 October 2013, this letter set out below was sent over a fortnight ago.
Given the relentless cost cutting that APN News and Media has undertaken in recent years, I am inclined to believe that part of this 27 year-old former journalist's complaint concerned with hours being routinely worked by staff on regional newspapers and lack of work-life balance.
This is supported by a comment under the post from another former APN employee living in the Northern Rivers region; I can testify my workplace at an APN regional newspaper was full of weary, broken down people who did a tremendous job under an uncontrollable workload that got heavier with each absence or resignation. The ones my age were counting the days to retirement. The young often returned to the office ashen-faced after being sent to a gruesome car accident or similar. Everyone’s dreams wilted.
While another remarked; Entirely validating – I want to buy former fellow employee #133,332 a beer, if he’d email me.
As for the allegations concerning company spying, I leave that for readers to evaluate.
This is supported by a comment under the post from another former APN employee living in the Northern Rivers region; I can testify my workplace at an APN regional newspaper was full of weary, broken down people who did a tremendous job under an uncontrollable workload that got heavier with each absence or resignation. The ones my age were counting the days to retirement. The young often returned to the office ashen-faced after being sent to a gruesome car accident or similar. Everyone’s dreams wilted.
While another remarked; Entirely validating – I want to buy former fellow employee #133,332 a beer, if he’d email me.
As for the allegations concerning company spying, I leave that for readers to evaluate.
Thursday 17 October 2013
Civics 101: How to micro manage a government into open revolt
Then they decided to personally vet prospective staff of ministers and MPs.
Now these same ministers and MPs will even have their private leisure time constrained, unless they receive a permission slip for that family holiday from the Prime Minister's office.
The Herald Sun 16 October 2013:
The Prime Minister's chief-of-staff Peta Credlin emailed all Coalition MPs on Monday demanding they get approval at least four weeks before all overseas study trips, sponsored travel and private holidays.
But the move has triggered dissent in government ranks, with disgruntled MPs claiming their private lives are being invaded and the PM's office was indulging in a "power grab".
"It's one thing to ask ministers and parliamentary secretaries to seek permission but for backbenchers this is just ridiculous," one Coalition MP said.
"These people are adults, they can make their own decisions. More experienced hands will just laugh this Stalinist move off.".....
"This is the nanny state gone mad in the leader's office," the MP said.
UPDATE
ABC AM 18 October 2013:
After six years of hard work in opposition they say they're now expected to take on more responsibility, much more work, many more hours with far more scrutiny and pressure - all without a pay rise.
"It's an appalling way to treat people" one very senior Coalition source says. "Ministers get an automatic pay jump so they're alright. But financially cutting the throats of the staff they rely on is petty and stupid."...
one long-time Coalition staffer warns morale around Government ranks is "abysmal", and "resentment is festering". He predicts a bonanza for reporters because quote "the joint will leak like a sieve".
UPDATE
ABC AM 18 October 2013:
After six years of hard work in opposition they say they're now expected to take on more responsibility, much more work, many more hours with far more scrutiny and pressure - all without a pay rise.
"It's an appalling way to treat people" one very senior Coalition source says. "Ministers get an automatic pay jump so they're alright. But financially cutting the throats of the staff they rely on is petty and stupid."...
one long-time Coalition staffer warns morale around Government ranks is "abysmal", and "resentment is festering". He predicts a bonanza for reporters because quote "the joint will leak like a sieve".
Abbott Government: Mandate? What Mandate?
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has challenged new Labor leader Bill Shorten to heed the verdict of voters by not opposing legislation to repeal the carbon tax.
Someone needs to remind Prime Minister Abbott that the combined first preference vote of all four political parties (Liberal, Liberal-National, Nationals, Country Liberals NT) which form the current Coalition Government only came to 42.85 per cent of all ballots cast at the 7 September 2013 federal election.
That leaves the bulk of the remaining 57.15 per cent of voters at that election with government policy aspirations which are highly likely to run counter to Abbott’s aspirations.
Any talk of a mandate is accepting myth as fact.
* Image from The Australian
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