The Don Randall saga becomes ridiculous

The West Australian 18 October 2013:

The WA Liberal had gone into hiding amid revelations he billed the Commonwealth last year to fly to Cairns where he had taken possession of a four-bedroom investment property.

The West Australian can also reveal Mr Randall had charged taxpayers earlier for a two-night stay in the north Queensland city in 2007, just three days after he bought the land.

Parliamentary records show Mr Randall claimed $414 in living-away-from-home allowance in Cairns on July 2 and 3, 2007, saying he was there as part of work on a migration committee.

Land title records show Mr Randall bought the land in Cairns on June 29 that year for $148,000.

Mr Randall insisted last night the 2007 visit had been within entitlement rules.

ABC News 23 October 2013:

Meanwhile, taxpayers also paid for the Coalition MP and his wife to fly from Perth to Melbourne on Saturday September 15 last year at a cost of $5,203, for what a Department of Finance document says was "sittings of Parliament".

Parliament sat last year the week before that date and resumed on Monday September 17. That Saturday night, the West Coast Eagles faced Collingwood in Melbourne in an AFL semi-final.

On 11 July 2012 the WA Liberal Member for Canning Don Randall informed the Dept. of Finance that he and his wife had entered a contract to build a house on land they owned in Cairns Queensland and on, 26 November that same year he informed the department that they had taken possession of this house.

In between those two dates Mr. Randall and his wife took an overnight trip from Perth to Cairns, billing Australian taxpayers for the following on the dates in question:

Travel Allowance for Don Randall

18 Nov 12 18 Nov 12 Cairns Electorate Business $354.00 **

** Incorrect rate paid. Adjustment to be reflected in a subsequent reporting period.

Airfare Don Randall

18 Nov 12 - Perth to Alice Springs 
18 Nov 12 - Alice Springs to Cairns

19 Nov 12 - Cairns to Brisbane

19 Nov 12 - Brisbane to Perth

$2,388.20

Taxi 18 Nov 12 $90.91

Taxi 19 Nov 12 $109.09

Airfare Family Traveller

18 Nov 12 - Perth to Alice Springs

18 Nov 12 - Alice Springs to Cairns

19 Nov 12 - Cairns to Brisbane

19 Nov 12 - Brisbane to Perth

$2,388.20

Total: $5,330.40

Since then Don Randall ha said he will repay this money and Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Warren Entsch MP were reported by The Sydney Morning Herald as stating:

Yet Mr Abbott, speaking on Fairfax Radio on Wednesday, suggested the trip was justified.

"The gentleman in question [Mr Randall] tells me that ... he went from Perth to Cairns to have some very important discussions with the whip," Mr Abbott said. The whip at the time was Leichardt MP Warren Entsch, whose electorate takes in Cairns.

But when quizzed by The Australian Financial Review, Mr Entsch refused to divulge the content of those discussions and admitted he did not know if they constituted "electorate business" as Mr Randall had claimed.

By 24 October Mr. Randall had changed his story when speaking with the Armadale Examiner:

Mr. Entsch is right to be cautious when responding to requests for verification in the present climate – especially if he were to find that there is no diary entry covering this alleged 2012 meeting.

After all, voters might turn their gaze to his own travel claims and recall his past lavish spending on the public purse:

The figures emerged as the Opposition also targeted Liberal MPs in Queensland over alleged travel excess, including the member for Leichhardt, Warren Entsch, over a visit to a space launch in the US where he spent $6900 a day at taxpayers' expense....

According to Mr Entsch's official travel returns he spent $77,000 on an 11-day trip to the US in July 2005 "to attend the launch of the space shuttle program and to hold discussions regarding the Joint Strike Fighter Program". [Sunday Tasmanian,8 July 2007,p5]

To recap. Thus far we see a West Australian MP who has now given two different explanations of why he went to Cairns in 2012 (and none as to why he needed his wife by his side on this expensive overnight trip) and, who has committed to paying back over $5,000 in travel expenses he denies he had improperly claimed. While at the same time we have a Prime Minister who has asserted that this same MP was engaged at the time in werry, werry, ‘portant but unspecified party business which could not have been conducted over the phone and, a Queensland MP and Government Whip who is not wholeheartedly backing either Randall's or his leader’s version of events.

* Stop laughing – this is serious *

The craven Mr. Carr

Bob Carr by Rocco Fazzari

Former NSW Premier Bob Carr was sworn in on 13 March 2012 to fill a casual vacancy in the Senate caused by the resignation of Federal Senator Mark Arbib.

He became Australian Foreign Minister at the same time.

As Foreign Minister he undertook official visits to Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore in March 2012; United Kingdom, Belgium, Malta and the United States of America in April 2012; Fiji in April 2012; China and Japan in May 2012; Burma, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, Turkey, Algeria and Monaco in June 2012.

According to the Dept. of Finance, in 2012 the cost of this overseas travel totalled $966,896.45.

      

       As a senator he spoke in 44 debates in the Senate from 14 March 2012 to 27 June 2013.

Carr first stood for federal election on 7 September 2013 and, due to the resulting change in government became a senator on the Opposition benches whose new six-year term would begin on 1 July 2014.

He announced his retirement on 23 October 2013 (effective the next day) before the 44^th Parliament was due to sit on 12 November 2013.

His entire federal political career lasted 19 months and 11 days.

Media reports suggest that Carr will now will become a professorial fellow in the Sydney Southeast Asia Centre at the University of Sydney and an adjunct professor at the University of NSW.

One wonders why the Federal Labor Party elevated him in the first place.

Bushfire volunteers in October 2013

With the exception of one celebrity part-time firefighter, all professional and volunteer firefighters and their support teams deserve our unconditional and heartfelt thanks.

Running from the flames during back burning in New South Wales October 2013 bushfires.....

https://twitter.com/702sydney/media

Hon. Tony Abbott MHR on Day 36 as Australian Prime Minister

Action Man as seen through different sets of eyes.... 

The Sydney Morning Herald 20 October 2013

The Guardian 22 October 2013:

At what point do Abbott’s Putinesque cameo appearance at the beach, on a bike or near a fire, stop reinforcing voters’ perception of the prime minister as fit, strong and decisive, and start to look like mere self-indulgences?

Herald Sun 22 October 2013:

TONY Abbott's rural fire chief has labelled as "complete rubbish" and "disrespectful" attacks on the Prime Minister joining his brigade on the weekend to help fight the devastating NSW bushfires.

News.com.au 22 October 2013:

THE United Nations says the NSW bushfire crisis is "absolutely" linked to climate change and Tony Abbott's Direct Action policy is dangerous. UN climate chief Christiana Figueres has told CNN the Abbott government will pay a heavy political and economic price for walking away from Labor's commitments on climate change.

SBS 22 October 2013:

Professor Phelps is incorrect because discouraging discussion prevents us from unpacking what the image of Tony Abbott in firefighting gear means to us socially and symbolically.  If we don’t interrogate it, we end up swallowing a diet of whatever ‘default rational’ ideology is most beneficial to politicians and the press.

The Age 23 October 2013:

Meanwhile, instead of trying to influence Labor's caucus to do what Abbott wants, media commentators should be highlighting the Prime Minister's brazen hypocrisy.

The Sydney Morning Herald 23 October 2013:

Some even suggest the blokey volunteer Tony is self-interested. He cops stick for allowing photo ops in safety gear, lycra or Akubra. And he has been pilloried for billing taxpayers when he does charity work.

The Guardian 23 October 2013:

To make his point, Mr Abbott rattled off a series of years when Australia had experienced bad bushfires. He also said that Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, was "talking through her hat" when she pointed out earlier this week that there was a link between bushfires and human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases.

In making his statement, Mr Abbott has dismissed out of hand the work of scientists going back more than 25 years showing that as temperatures and carbon dioxide emissions go up, so do the risks of bushfires. Christiana Figueres' hat is stuffed with evidence. 

The Herald Sun 23 October 2013:

TONY Abbott says he will "do the right thing" and attend his gay sister's wedding but could never support the marriage.

The Sydney Morning Herald 23 October 2013:

24 October 2013: Prime Minister Abbott continues on his merry way.......

Malcolm Turnbull gets told by one NBN lobby group in his own backyard

Sometimes NSW Police make me cringe in shame

The Sydney Morning Herald 11 September 2013:

Six northern NSW police officers are facing possible criminal charges and dismissal from the force after the Police Integrity Commission found they used excessive force against a young Aboriginal man at Ballina police station and then falsely claimed he had assaulted them.

In scathing findings tabled in Parliament on Tuesday, the commission criticised the officers involved in the January 2011 incident, finding them guilty of serious police misconduct and recommending a range of charges including assault, perjury and giving false evidence.

The incident began when Aboriginal man, Corey Barker, then 21, was arrested on Tamar Street, Ballina, for trying to obstruct police, and taken to the local police station.

The police officers involved claimed that when they attempted to move Mr Barker to a different cell he assaulted Senior Constable David Hill, punching him in the face.

However, the commission found that CCTV footage revealed there was no assault.

Rather, the commission found, the footage showed Mr Barker being slammed into a wall and a large metal object in the station's charge room by the officers, before they dragged him backwards by the arms along the ground into a cell.

Six of the officers who were either involved in the altercation or witnessed it, subsequently signed sworn statements accusing Mr Barker of assaulting police, statements which they then backed up with sworn evidence in court.

The case was thrown out by Ballina Local Court Magistrate David Heilpern, who referred the police's actions to the commission......

The commissioner found that Senior Constable Hill was a witness "of little credibility", and he and the other five officers had lied in their statements and in court.

The commission recommended Senior Constable Hill, Constable Walmsley, Constable Mewing, Senior Constable Mark Woolvern, and Constable Eckersley be considered for charges of assault, and that all but Constable Eckersley also be considered for charges of perjury....

On Tony 'stop the boats' Abbott's watch asylum seekers are still arriving by sea

18 September 2013 – Abbott Government sworn in

22 September - HMAS Maitland and another vessel escorts SIEV boat into Christmas Island harbour – the Cahaya Baru contains 31 passengers and 2 crew.

24 September – SIEV boat containing 7 asylum seekers arrives on Australia’s Boigu Island in the Torres Strait 

25 September - SIEV boat containing 19 people arrives at Darwin Harbour sometime during the night of the 24^th or early hours of the morning of the 25^th.

26 September - SIEV boat arrives Christmas Island Harbour with an estimated 70 passengers including children. HMAS Ballarat takes part in the rescue of another 44 asylum seekers in Indonesian waters with these people transferred to an Indonesian rescue vessel for return to Indah Kiat port in Java.

27 September – boat heading towards Australia and estimated to contain up to 125 asylum seekers sinks off southern coast of Java. At least 20 bodies, mostly children under 15 years, washed ashore so far. Australian Customs Vessel ACV Triton rescues 31 asylum seekers from another boat and is thought to be still at sea off Timor.

30 September - 2 RAN patrol boats enter Christmas Island harbour with an estimated 79 asylum seekers (men, women and children) on board, thought to have been picked up from a boat which was either sinking or was otherwise considered unseaworthy.
10 October 2013 SIEV boat with 41 asylum seekers on board found off Cocos (Keeling) Island and, another SIEV boat containing 53 people was recorded as arriving in the same week.

11 October 2013 SIEV boat carrying 79 people arrived at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands from Sri Lanka.
12 October 2013 two SIEV boats arrive carrying a total of 132 people.
17 October 2013 at approximately 8am HMAS Warramunga put into Christmas Island and disembarked 79 asylum seekers from the Middle East and Africa. Including one 8 year-old boy, eight to ten women and two individuals requiring wheelchairs.
20 October 2013 SIEV boat arrives with 126 people on board.
21 October 2013 SIEV boat arrives with 40 people on board.
7 November 2013  HMAS Ballarat and ACV Ocean Protector respond to a distress call from a SIEV boat in international waters, with an estimated 62 people on board and these people are transferred to the customs vessel . In transit to Christmas Island.
10-11 November 2013 two SIEV boats intercepted with unknown number of people on board. Expected to disembark at Christmas Island.*
11 November 2013 SIEV boat arrives in Darwin. Unknown number of people on board.*
17 November 2013 Australian customs vessel disembarks 35 asylum seekers (believed to have begun their journeys in Afghanistan & Pakistan) at Ethel Beach, Christmas Island. Unknown number of crew - possibly 5 individuals. SIEV boat began to sink on 15 November as it was being towed.
27 November 2013 SIEV boat arrives in Australian territory - 9 asylum seekers and 2 crew are taken into custody by Immigration officials.
1 December 2013 SIEV boat intercepted off Christmas Island, with approximately 30 passengers and unknown number of crew on board.
2 December 2013 SIEV boat comes ashore Dolly Beach, Christmas Island with 27 people on board. Remains undetected until 5 December.
3 December 2013 SIEV boat intercepted and around 29 passengers and crew taken to Christmas Island
4-5 December 2013 SEIV boat carrying about 60 people intercepted, with passengers and crew transferred at sea to an Australian border protection vessel.
6 December 2013 SEIV boat intercepted and approximately 73 passengers and crew believed to have been taken to Christmas Island.
13 December 2013 3 persons on an intercepted SIEV boat transferred to custody of Australian immigration officials
14 December 2013 HMAS Stuart arrives Christmas Island before 9am local time and disembarks 69 asylum seekers, including children.
19 December 2013 SIEV boat carrying 98 asylum seekers intercepted and transferred to custody Australian immigration officials.##
1 January 2014 SEIV boat with at least 38 people on board intercepted by naval vessels about eight nautical miles off Cape Van Diemen, the northernmost tip of Melville Island.

* Between 10-11 November a total of 171 passengers and crew were taken into detention at Christmas Island and/or Blaydin in Darwin. Those onboard the SIEV boat which entered Darwin waters are thought to contain Somali asylum seekers including children.

UPDATE: 
               Estimated total number of boat passengers and crew as of 1.1.14: 1,469+

               Estimated total number of boats as of 1.1.14: 28 in 105 days    

# Figures derived from eyewitness accounts, as well as international and national media reports.

## Australian Government reports on how many SIEV boats and asylum seekers reached Australia are always predicated on those same boat passengers and crew being transferred into the custody of Australian immigration officials. Not all passengers and crews on SIEV boats are transferred. From this date all SIEV boats are being turned back/towed back into or close to Indonesian waters. The Australian Government does not publish any information on tow/turn backs.

NOTE

Media reports in January 2014 indicate that the Abbott Government has used naval ships and/or customs vessels to tow back/push back up to 5 asylum seeker boats between mid December 2013 and early January 2014.

ABC News 11 January 2014:

The UN refugee agency says it is awaiting an explanation from the Australian Government over reports asylum seeker boats have been forcibly returned to Indonesia.

Earlier this week, Indonesian police told the ABC that a second boat carrying asylum seekers had been forced back to Indonesian waters by the Australian Navy.

The first boat was found shortly before Christmas on the island of Rote, in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara region.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is warning such actions may place Australia in breach of its obligations under international law.

"UNHCR is seeking details from the Australian parties about these recent reports," said spokesman Babar Baloch.

The agency is also investigating reports of plans to provide lifeboats for asylum seekers for future push-backs.

"For the UNHCR it's a very concerning policy or practice if it involves pushing asylum seeker boats back out to sea without proper consideration of individuals who need international protection," said Mr Baloch.

"Any such approach would raise significant issues and potentially could place Australia in breach of its obligations under the Refugee Convention and international law.

"If people who are in need for international protection seek a country's safety, then they must be allowed to go through a process which helps to determine if these people are in need."