Chair of Abbott Government's National Commission of Audit queried over political donation

The Guardian 2 May 2014:

The head of the government’s Commission of Audit made a $1,500 donation to the Liberal party which was allegedly paid into a slush fund currently being examined by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (Icac).

Tony Shepherd, who released the Commission of Audit's report with the government on Thursday, faced a Senate committee hearing into the Commission of Audit on Friday morning.

Icac documents reveal Shepherd made a $1,500 donation to the Liberal party in 2010 which was then paid into the slush fund the Free Enterprise Foundation set up to help bankroll the NSW 2011 Liberal election campaign.

There is no suggestion Shepherd knew the money was going to the slush fund.

Shepherd was chairman of construction company Transfield when he made the donation.

It was around the time property developers were banned from making donations to the NSW Liberal party. Although Transfield did not technically fall into that category, it decided to halt donations from the company….

ABC fact checks the Australian Prime Minister in May 2014

Prime Minister Tony Abbott on the subject of election promises and taxation.

ABC Fact Check 1 May 2014:

In an interview on Melbourne radio on April 29, Mr Abbott did not deny that the Government was considering such a levy.

"There's been speculation, as you know, about a deficit reduction levy. Certainly, my intention is that people like myself - high income earners - should bear a significant quantum of the burden when it comes to sorting out our problems," he said on 3AW.

"We want taxes going down, not going up. But, when you're in a difficult position, sometimes there needs to be some short-term pain for permanent and lasting gain."

Mr Abbott has long set a high standard when it comes to keeping promises. On August 22, 2011 he said: "It is an absolute principle of democracy that governments should not and must not say one thing before an election and do the opposite afterwards. Nothing could be more calculated to bring our democracy into disrepute and alienate the citizenry of Australia from their government than if governments were to establish by precedent that they could say one thing before an election and do the opposite afterwards."

"It is an absolute principle of democracy that governments should not and must not say one thing before an election and do the opposite afterwards."

Tony Abbott - August 22, 2011

What exactly did Mr Abbott say about new taxes, and when? ABC Fact Check takes a look at his statements from the last parliamentary term and during the 2013 election campaign.

'Lower, simpler, fairer taxes'

Mr Abbott focussed heavily on tax policy issues after failing to form minority government following the August 2010 election. Speaking in parliament on October he said: "We stand for lower, simpler, fairer taxes, not great big new taxes that damage Australia's economy, not great big new taxes that are yet another hit on the cost of living of struggling Australian families."

On November 16, 2010 he said: "The Coalition will end the waste, repay the debt, stop the big new taxes and, above all else, stop the boats." Mr Abbott also repeated his "lower, simpler, fairer" statement.

During a speech on November 24, 2010, prompted by the third anniversary of Labor's 2007 election win, Mr Abbott again used the "lower, simpler, fairer" phrase and added: "We are Liberals who believe in smaller government, lower taxes, greater freedom."…

During his first budget reply of the 43rd parliament, on May 12, 2011, Mr Abbott said: "People can be confident that spending, debt and taxes will always be lower under a Coalition government because we have the record to prove it." In this speech the then opposition leader also repeated his call to reduce spending instead of imposing a levy to aid with the cost of flood reconstruction. "We have offered to work with the government... on finding savings instead of increasing taxes," he said.

In 2012, in Mr Abbott's budget reply on May 10 he said people who work hard should not be "hit with higher taxes".

In 2013, Mr Abbott's budget reply speech on May 16 focused on removing the carbon and mining taxes. "We want taxes that are lower, simpler and fairer and will take proposals for further tax reform to the following election," he said.

Read the rest here.

In the middle of the bad news coming out of the NSW ICAC corruption inquiry the Australian Treasurer is 'offering privileged access' to himself for up to $22k per person

It would seem that if independent retirees, pensioners, the unemployed or low income families want to influence policies being progressed by Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey, they need to start piling up their pennies immediately and become one of the select Friends of Joe..........

North Sydney Forum:

The Forum has been established for business and community leaders, with a common purpose to exchange ideas and provide policy input for Joe Hockey.  In addition, the NSF seeks to build the much needed financial resources to support Joe Hockey and the Liberal team heading into the future.

The Forum holds regular boardroom lunchs which enable members to discuss matters in an informal environment with Joe.  In our current political environment it is vital for the business community to become actively involved and support Joe's important work.

ABN Lookup 5 May 2014
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The Sydney Morning Herald 5 May 2014:

Treasurer Joe Hockey is offering privileged access to a select group including business people and industry lobbyists in return for tens of thousands of dollars in donations to the Liberal Party via a secretive fund-raising body whose activities are not fully disclosed to election funding authorities.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption is probing Liberal fund-raising bodies such as the Millennium Forum and questioning their influence on political favours in NSW.

Mr Hockey offers access to one of the country's highest political offices in return for annual payments.

The donors are members of the North Sydney Forum, a campaign fundraising body run by Mr Hockey's North Sydney Federal Electoral Conference (FEC). In return for annual fees of up to $22,000, members are rewarded with "VIP" meetings with Mr Hockey, often in private boardrooms.

The North Sydney FEC officials who run the forum – which is an incorporated entity of the Liberal Party – say its membership lists and therefore the identities of its donors are "confidential". Mr Hockey also says details of who he is meeting and what is discussed are confidential.

What little public information is available reveals members of the forum include National Australia Bank as well as the influential Financial Services Council, whose chief executive is former NSW Liberal leader John Brogden.

The FSC's members, including financial advice and funds management firms, stand to benefit from the changes to the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) laws being considered by the federal government, which would involve a winding back of consumer protections introduced by Labor.

The National Australia Bank would also benefit from the changes.

The chairman of the North Sydney Forum is John Hart, who is also the chief executive of Restaurant and Catering Australia – a hospitality industry lobby group whose members stand to benefit from a government-ordered Productivity Commission review of the Fair Work Act that is expected to examine the issue of penalty rates.

Mr Hart also sits on Prime Minister Tony Abbott's Business Advisory Council.

In March, it was revealed a former member of the North Sydney Forum was controversial infrastructure company Australian Water Holdings (AWH), which has been linked to the family of corrupt former Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid and is under investigation by the ICAC over its attempts to win lucrative government contracts….

Mr Orrell said money raised by the forum was often distributed to Liberal Party marginal seats.

However, the forum does not lodge its own disclosures to the NSW Election Funding Authority.

In its disclosures, the NSW division of the Liberal Party declares membership fees – regarded as donations for the purposes of the election funding act – but does not state they are for the North Sydney Forum. This practice masks who is donating directly to the North Sydney Forum and the identity of its members.

A spokesman for the NSW Election Funding Authority said: "There is no record of the North Sydney Forum in the EFA system."

Occasionally members name the North Sydney Forum in their disclosures to the Election Funding Authority but there is no requirement to do so….

The Member for North Sydney is not amused by the fact that the Fairfax media has drawn attention to this fundraising forum, is apparently issuing veiled legal threats and using social media to spread the message:

UPDATE

The Sydney Morning Herald 6 May 2014:

The invitation to the May 13 budget day event – which features pre-budget briefings, lunch at Parliament House and dinner in the Great Hall – was sent in February by chairman of the North Sydney Forum John Hart, who is also chief executive of hospitality industry lobby group Restaurant and Catering Australia.

The industry group lodged a pre-budget submission calling for the removal of fringe benefits tax from ''business meals'' and an increase to the threshhold above which employers must pay superannuation to $600 a month….

The invitation to the North Sydney Forum budget day event directs donors to make cheques payable to ''Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division)''.

Making out the payment to the party instead of the forum has the effect of preventing donors being identified as forum members on public disclosure documents.

As well, under federal laws, donations of less than $12,400 to a party in a year do not have to be declared to the Australian Electoral Commission.

Fairfax Media has previously revealed members of the forum include National Australia Bank and the Financial Services Council, which stand to benefit from proposed changes to the Future of Financial Advice Act that would weaken consumer protections.

Mr Hart did not respond to a request for comment.

Marching Towards Oblivion: a former NSW Police Minister and his former Parliamentary Secretary for Police

Image of ICAC exhibit by @Kate_ McClymont

On 3 April 2011 Liberal MLC Mike Gallacher became NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services – on 2 May 2014 he resigned after being named as a subject of the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption Operation Spicer investigation .

On 4 May 2011 Nationals MP for Clarence Steve Cansdell became Parliamentary Secretary for Police under Gallacher – he resigned on 16 December 2011 in the midst of questions concerning a statutory declaration and allegations that he (rather than one of his staff) was driving a speeding car caught by a traffic camera.

Both had successfully stood for re-election in March 2011 and both went on to disappointed their party leaders and their electorates. It only took Cansdell a bit over 22 weeks to meet his political end in the 55^th NSW Parliament – it may take Gallacher a while longer as the current ICAC investigation is likely to continue for some time.

UPDATE

The Sydney Morning Herald 6 May 2014:

In a stunning development, the corruption inquiry into alleged Liberal Party slush funds will be "suspended" next week while investigators examine new evidence implicating former Police Minister Mike Gallacher in potential "serious electoral funding irregularities".

Counsel assisting the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Geoffrey Watson, SC, applied on Tuesday for a suspension of Operation Spicer "to allow the investigative staff at the commission time to investigate more material which has come to hand in recent times".

"In light of speculation on the subject, it does seem an appropriate moment to say that these activities implicate the former minister Michael Gallacher," Mr Watson said.

e-Health PCEHR platform: what is the Abbott Government trying to hide?

Federal Minister for Health & Minister for Sport, Peter Dutton

Media Release

e-Health Record Review

The review of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records (PCEHR) system has been completed.

20 December 2013

The review of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Records (PCEHR) system has been completed.

Health Minister Peter Dutton today received the report from the review team headed by the Executive Director of the Uniting Care Health Group, Mr Richard Royle.

The review looked into significant concerns about the progress and implementation of the PCEHR.

Mr Royle was assisted by AMA President Dr Steve Hambleton and Australia Post CIO Andrew Walduck.

Their report provides a comprehensive plan for the future of electronic health records in Australia.

Mr Dutton said the Government would now take time to consider the review recommendations and would respond in due course.

“I sincerely thank the members of the review panel for their work on this matter.”

Media Contact: John Wiseman – 0401 776 108

Delimiter 28 April 2014:

However, Dutton has not committed to publicly releasing the findings of the PCEHR Review. As a consequence, in early January, Delimiter filed a Freedom of Information request with the Department of Health seeking to have the full text of the document released under the Freedom of Information Act. In late January, Rob Schreiber, acting assistant secretary for eHealth Policy for the Department of Health, wrote back to Delimiter claiming that he could not find a copy of the report within the department.

Subsequently, Delimiter filed an notice of appeal with the Department, asking explicitly that the Minister’s office be included as a search location for the document. In addition, Delimiter filed a second Freedom of Information request with the Department for the document, under the assumption that a copy may have been filed with the Department at a latter date.

Late last week the Department wrote back to Delimiter, stating that it had decided that the document would not be released under Freedom of Information laws. In the letter (which you can view in full here in PDF format), Linda Jackson, Assistant Secretary of the eHealth Policy Branch of the department’s eHealth Division, acknowledged that there were public interest reasons why the report should be released.

However, ultimately Jackson used section 47C(1) of the Freedom of Information Act to block the release of the report, on the grounds that its release would “disclose opinion, advice or recommendation obtained, prepared or recorded, or consultation or deliberation that has taken place in the deliberative processes of an agency or Minister or the Government of the Commonwealth.”

“If the contents of the review were to be made public, the matters presently under consideration … would be prematurely exposed to scrutiny which would undermine the integrity of the decision-making process of government,” Jackson wrote. “It is in the interest of the Australian community as a whole that consideration of the report’s recommendations and analysis be conducted in circumstances of confidentiality to government and those public officials who need to know relevant details.”

“I note in this context that key stakeholder groups, including peak clinical bodies, were given the opportunity to make submissions to the review team.”

The news comes, however, as pressure grows on the Government to release the report. Australian Medical Association president Steve Hambleton, who was one of three experts who produced the report, told the Financial Review several weeks ago that he had believed the report was going to be released in January, then February, then April…..

Given the privacy issues surrounding the PCEHR system and the background of the review's authors, one has to wonder if the report the Abbott Government is sitting on so determinedly may contain evidence of ongoing privacy breaches or a proposal to increase data collection on patients without their consent or yet again, a proposal to further limit patients control over their own electronic records.

One also has to wonder if this report indicates a relationship between a rise in the number of persons registered within the PCEHR system and the 2013 commencement of the federal government's Practice Incentives Program (PIP) which enables quarterly incentive payments (capped at $12,500 per practice, per quarter) to medical practitioners for joining and using this national data system.

NSW Farmers object to Bylong Gateway Panel Assessment 28 April 2014

NSW Farmers media release 28 April 2014

Clarence Landcare "Making Commercial Farming Systems Sustainable with Bob Shaffer" 9.15 to 3pm at Harwood 15 May 2013

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