If black people are to address racism – because all decisions that affect us adversely stem from this pernicious mindset - the first thing we need to achieve is the status of 'human being' in the eyes of broader community. In media and film/tv we are frequently the victim or the perpetrator. Social media delivers the opportunity to be much more than that. [Siv Parker, writer and blogger, On Dusk, 6 May 2014]
Saturday, 10 May 2014
Friday, 9 May 2014
Wondering why Metgasco Limited hasn't been mentioned during NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings in April-May 2014?
So many Liberal Party donors and so many companies are receiving a mention almost in passing at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Credo and Operation Spicer hearings, that the twitterverse could almost be forgiven for starting to wonder about the role of some of those not mentioned but of interest because of their history of interaction with government.
However, coal seam gas and tight sands mining company Metgasco Limited didn’t need to spend big on political donations to the Liberal and National parties in order to progress its commercial interests in New South Wales – it made sure it was very well-connected in another manner.
In 2011 it employed Richard Shields as an in-house lobbyist:
Richard Shields - External Relations Manager
Richard has extensive knowledge and experience in politics, having worked for almost 20 years in senior government, party related and private sector roles. He understands the challenges and complexities of the legislative and regulatory processes of government, in addition to having a strong insight into managing media and community relations.
Prior to joining Metgasco, Richard served as Deputy Director of the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) for over 3 years and also served as the Interim State Director. Other positions held by Richard include a Policy Adviser to former Senator the Hon Helen Coonan as Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts.
Richard has also worked as a Senior Cnsultant [sic] for two of Australia's largest issues management firms. Drawing on his strong media and stakeholder manageent [sic] skills, Richard advises the Managing Director and Board on issues management, communications and engagement strategies and investor relations…… [Metgasco Limited website on 10 June 2013]
The External Relations Manager is a head of function role reporting to the CEO and is member of the Executive team. Broadly, the role of the External Relations Manager is to develop and implement Metgasco’s approach to Government Relations, Community and Media management and Investor Relations…..
[Richard Shields’ cached Linkedin profile]
Richard may have left Metgasco but the connections he forged for the mining company are apparently still holding firm, as the second (albeit acting) NSW Coalition Government Police Minister in a row appears to back this miner:
The first, Mike Gallacher - now a subject in the ICAC Operation Spicer investigation – was police minister when this occurred:
The Northern Star 6 November 2013
With a third NSW Police Minister, Stuart Aryes, appointed this week it will be interesting to see how he reacts to Metgasco Limited's demands of government.
In light of matters the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is uncovering, perhaps Warringah Club activities need to be revisited
In light of the fact that the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) is currently investigating allegations that in the years leading up to the 2011 state election senior Liberal Party fundraisers were hiding prohibited donations (using associated entities and at least one corporation set up as a slush fund) with the co-operation of certain Liberal state and federal politicians; it may be time to look at the extraordinary conclusion drawn by the NSW Election Funding Authority in 2010 – that the Warringah Club aka The Sydney Small Business Club and the NSW Liberal Party were unaware of their legal disclosure obligations.
The Sydney Morning Herald 5 November 2010:
THE political fund-raising arm of the federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, has been found to have breached electoral laws, while one of his principal donors has also failed to make required disclosures, according to documents lodged with the NSW Election Funding Authority.
After a five-month investigation, the authority found that the Warringah Club, which raises money for Mr Abbott's campaigns in his seat of Warringah, had broken the law by not disclosing the sources of its donations.
''The club failed to lodge a declaration [as required] and the matter is to be further investigated to determine whether to pursue prosecution,'' the authority's funding and disclosures director, Brian DeCelis, wrote to the NSW Greens, which raised an official complaint about the Warringah Club in May.
But Mr DeCelis also found that the club and the NSW Liberal Party, which lodged false declarations relating to the club, ''did not understand their disclosure obligations'' and therefore would not be prosecuted for knowingly making a false statement.
During the investigation, the Warringah Club submitted an amended list of donors showing it had given $93,000 to Mr Abbott's Warringah Federal Electoral Council in 2004 and 2007, and $10,000 to the NSW Liberal Party in 2007.
Donors to the Warringah Club include the property developers and long-term backers of Mr Abbott, John and Stanley Roth, who gave $10,440 in November 2008 and $2300 to the Warringah Club in 2009.
However, in a letter on May 19, to the NSW Planning Department in support of its planned residential and retail development on the site of Kirrawee Brickworks, the Roth family company Henroth Investments listed no political donations in 2008.
It disclosed $36,500 in donations made in 2009-10 to organisations including the Warringah Club, but applications under Part 3A of the NSW Planning Act require the declaration of donations made up to two years prior. Nor did the Liberal Party of NSW disclose the receipt of the Henroth donations in its 2008 declaration…..
The Sydney Small Business Club (The Warringah Club) – an associated entity of the NSW Liberal Party and Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s support group – is hardly new to either state or federal financial disclosure systems as it has been submitting associated entity returns in New South Wales since at least 2000-01 and in some years the amounts disclosed are substantial.
By way of example:
In 2012-13 The Sydney Small Business Club reported $14,000 received and payments of $5,644.00
In 2011-12 the Club disclosed it received $29,230.00 and made payments of $42,358.00 and in 2010-11 declared $116,234 received and made payments of $157,187.
In 2011-12 the Club disclosed it received $29,230.00 and made payments of $42,358.00 and in 2010-11 declared $116,234 received and made payments of $157,187.
In 2009-10 the Club declared $43,800.00 in receipts and $14,935.00 in payments and in 2008-09 it reported $29,050.00 received and $11,115.00 paid out.
In 2010-11 the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) disclosed to the Australian Electoral Commission that it had received a $50,000 donation from The Warringah Club, a donation amount which was repeated in 2011-12.
The Sydney Morning Herald 6 May 2014:
The Liberal
Party of NSW last month declared a four-year-old donation of $25,000 from the
Warringah Club, a fundraising entity associated with Prime Minister Tony
Abbott, as well as amending its most recent returns to declare more than
$100,000 in political donations including in-kind support to Joe Hockey’s
Federal Electoral Committee.
The amended
returns were received by the Australian Electoral Commission on April 5, 2014,
as the Independent Commission Against Corruption was preparing to begin public
hearings into political donations channelled to a company associated with a
staff member in the office of Terrigal MP Chris Hartcher, uncovered during
Operation Spicer. It is not clear what prompted the additional disclosures....
Thursday, 8 May 2014
Eight months after voting for a rate increase to progress a gas industry in the Northern Rivers Cr. Stuart George became Metgasco Limited's community relations manager
Serendipity or something else?
Richmond Valley Council Ordinary Monthly Meeting Minutes 15 March 2011:
Project Officer for Gas/Intermodal industrial land projects.
This is a Community Strategic Plan (Local Economy) priority....
Snapshot from RVC 15 March 2011 OMM Minutes
The Northern Star 30 April 2011:
DESPITE growing concerns about the burgeoning coal-seam gas industry, Richmond Valley Council (RVC) will proceed with its plans to work with the industry to identify and develop economic opportunities in the region.
Cr. Stuart George’s Linkedin profile:
Community Relations Manager
Metgasco Ltd.
November 2011 – Present (2 years 7 months) Casino
During Prime Minister Tony Abbott's alleged 'debt and deficit disaster' Treasurer Joe Hockey went on a borrowing spree
Based on Australian Government Office of Financial Management data:
- In November 2007 the Rudd-Gillard Labor Governments came to power
- Federal Labor Government: In August 2013 the gross government debt was $271.57 billion – if total Commonwealth guaranteed state debt (NSW & Queensland) is included the total gross debt was $293.43 billion.
- On 18 September 2013 the Abbott Liberal-Nationals Government was sworn in after winning the federal general election
- Federal Coalition Government: By 2 May 2014 gross government debt was $319.56 billion - if total Commonwealth guaranteed state debt (NSW & Queensland) is included the total gross debt is $319.58 billion
What this shows it that, on behalf of the Abbott Government, Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey has borrowed an additional $47.99 billion over 208 days or an est. average of $23 million dollars a day – and he is still trying to blame the former federal government for the entire gross national debt in 2014.
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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.
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