Wednesday 11 May 2011
Bolt on 10 was a big yawn
I tried to watch the first episode of The Bolt Report on Channel 10, I truly did - but it was so painfully boring that I had switched off by the time the interview with Abbott began.
I attempted to watch the show online later and couldn't stay the course as it's always a bit embarrassing watching someone (even a contrarian like Teh Bolta) make a fool of themselves on national television.
Think Tim Dick over at Granny Herald said it best:
"Not having seen every attempt at television current affairs in Australia, it is impossible to judge The Bolt Report the worst. But surely it comes close.
Andrew Bolt’s Sunday morning shift from panellist on ABC Insiders to his own show on Network Ten has brought talk-back to TV, but it didn't bring a pulse. It is named for Bolt, hosted by Bolt, and dominated by the Boltian worldview. It featured white middle-aged men talking about Boltian fundamentals - namely, the great climate change con and those refugees taking over the country - with a surfing Afghan refugee beamed in to be scolded for high unemployment among his compatriots.
The most interesting aspect of the first instalment is whether there will be a second. In its favour is that there are so few people who watch TV on Sunday mornings, it doesn't really matter what is on the screen. Perhaps Ten could try the test signal next week for a livelier program."
Tuesday 10 May 2011
The political whoppers Abbott tells.....
Every man and his dog knows that basically a federal budget is calculated to cover operations over one financial year and this year the 2011-12 budget handed down tonight will be no different.
So why on earth was Opposition Leader Tony Abbott rabbiting on like this yesterday:
“Now, obviously tomorrow night is the budget night. All the indications are that this will be a budget with a hole in its heart because it won’t include the carbon tax, even though the carbon tax is at least the biggest tax change since the GST. I say to the Government it is not too late to pulp the document and to reproduce it with the carbon tax in it, because let’s face it the Treasury has done the modelling and it could be and should be included, and without the carbon tax in it this budget will not be worth the paper that it is printed on. It will be a completely misleading and incomplete document.”
Carbon pricing is not due to commence until 1 July 2012 at the earliest and therefore falls within the 2012-13 federal budget - there is no "hole" in this year's budget. So either Tones doesn’t understand or he is deliberately telling pork pies.
Tony Abbott lie? Is the Pope a Catholic!
Federal Budget 2011 Preview
MEDIA RELEASE The Federal Budget will be brought down in Canberra tonight, and there is much speculation in the media about what might or might not be in it. Page MP Janelle Saffin said the Budget will be well targeted to support those who need it most. “This Budget has to address the dual challenges of lower revenues due to natural disasters and a patchwork economy where some sectors are still weak, and the price pressures caused by the massive mining boom which is gearing up again. “The Budget will get us back in the black, get more Australians in jobs and spread the opportunities of the mining boom. “Already we have had a number of pre-budget announcements of benefit to our region including almost $1 million extra for the Our House patient accommodation near Lismore Base Hospital. Health is always my top priority and I have been lobbying the Health Minister Nicola Roxon for health funding for our region and will be keen to see the health announcements in the Budget. “In roads funding I can confirm that the Budget will include $62 million to start work on duplication a five-kilometre stretch of highway at Devils Pulpit State Forest (south of the Tabbimobile floodways) this financial year 2011-12. “There is also $554.1 million in the Budget for duplicating 17.3 kilometres of the Pacific Highway between Tintenbar and Ewingsdale. This starts on the border of my electorate and will be of great interest to local motorists who regularly commute north on the highway,” “The Budget will include $54.9 million to secure the Rural Financial Counselling Service over the next four years. I strongly lobbied Agriculture Minister Senator Joe Ludwig for this funding to continue, because of the invaluable service the Casino-based RFCS provides to farmers and rural communities in northern NSW. “I am delighted to see that former Prisoners of War living in Page will receive a long-awaited special supplement of $500 a fortnight in recognition of their service and sacrifice in POW camps during the Second World War and the Korean War.” Other Budget measures that will be of significant benefit to local people include the increase in the Family Tax Benefit Part A for families with teenagers. “This is something I had lobbied for since I was first elected, because many local families were disadvantaged by the system where FTB payments were drastically cut when their son or daughter turned 16, while the costs of caring for their teenage child had not reduced. “The changes in the Budget will mean an increase of up over $4000 for some families with 16 to 19 year olds attending school or vocational training. In Page there are about 5,900 families receiving FTB A who have children turning 16 in the next five years. “There will be changes to the Low Income Tax Offset , increasing the proportion of the offset that is delivered in week to week pay packets from 50 to 70 per cent, so low income earners are taxed less during the year. “This means a bit more money through the year to help with cost of living pressures, instead of waiting for it at end of financial year. “And Budget measures for small business will include an instant tax write-off for the first $5000 of any motor vehicle purchased from 2012-13. “The Government will continue to address skill shortages, with $281 million for additional tax free payments to encourage apprentices in critical trades to complete their qualifications. “The $1700 Trades Apprentice Income Bonus is expected to support an extra 200,000 trade apprentices over four years in skills shortage occupations. “This apprentice bonus scheme has been popular in the Page electorate and I am pleased to see this system of training bonuses continue to support our apprentices in completing their training. Janelle Saffin MP
The Federal Member for Page prepares the ground for tonight’s Australian Federal Government Budget Speech on ABC TV at 7.30pm
Budget Preview
Member for Page
Tuesday 10 May, 2011
Calling all performers - it's Cabaret 360 auditions on 23 & 26 May 2011 at Uki
The Ukitopia Arts Collective whose aim is To nurture, support, and promote arts and culture in Uki and district is holding auditions this month for its very popular cabaret held at Uki Village on the NSW North Coast.
Click on invitation to enlarge
Coming events for the remainder of the year are:
June 4 Songwriters on the Songline
June 25 & 26 Cabaret 360
August 6 Songwriters on the Songline
October 8 Songwriters on the Songline
November 18-20 Ukitopia Festival
Q&A has a lot to answer for
Inspired by Malcolm Turnbull’s appearance on ABC TV’s Q&A, someone has begun a Turnbull for Prime Minister campaign on Facebook:
This is a page for all that want real change. For those that voted Labor, Greens or Independents because they would not or could not vote for Tony Abbott. It's for the Liberals who voted for Tony Abbott and now see him as the wrong person to lead the Liberal party. It's for those that voted for Julia Gillard or Labor but have now seen her performance and see her lack of leadership and know that's no good for our country. And its for those that find this government wanting. It's for those people that watched Malcolm Turnbull on Q&A recently and knew we had a leader of substance. Malcolm Turnbull for PM!
Monday 9 May 2011
Why did Cansdell get a gig as a parliamentary secretary?
After reading a piece in Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald I'm left scratching my head and asking, "Why did Cansdell get a gig?"
Sean Nicolls gave an account of why backbenchers in the NSW government were awarded consolation prizes and given appointments as parliamentary secretaries.
However, no where in the piece did Clarence MP Steve Cansdell get a mention.
So, if it wasn't a consolation prize (because from my reading Cansdell doesn't fit any of the reasons Nicolls provided), what was it?
Lists, like polls, are often dismissed by politicians as of interest only to the media. In the case of opinion polls, our political leaders assure us they never read them. As for lists, they insist nothing should be read into them.
Sean Nicolls gave an account of why backbenchers in the NSW government were awarded consolation prizes and given appointments as parliamentary secretaries.
However, no where in the piece did Clarence MP Steve Cansdell get a mention.
So, if it wasn't a consolation prize (because from my reading Cansdell doesn't fit any of the reasons Nicolls provided), what was it?
Lists, like polls, are often dismissed by politicians as of interest only to the media. In the case of opinion polls, our political leaders assure us they never read them. As for lists, they insist nothing should be read into them.
It's garbage, of course. Politicians live and die by the polls. And the best lists can tell you what's really going on behind the scenes.
One such list was released this week. It detailed which backbenchers have been rewarded with the title of parliamentary secretary.
A kind of consolation prize for missing out on the ministry, these roles are designed to take some pressure off ministers whose workload is expected to be particularly heavy.
They are also widely regarded as both a sign an MP is being groomed for bigger things (an apprenticeship of sorts), an opportunity to share the spoils of government among the factions and in some cases a means of raising an MP's profile to shore up a seat.
Barry O'Farrell has appointed 13 such secretaries. The list makes for fascinating reading.
The most striking detail is the Premier's use of the positions to mollify the Liberal Party faction which threatens to cause him the most trouble: the ''hard'' or religious right.
Hard-right powerbrokers, the upper house MPs David Clarke and Marie Ficarra, are the two most notable inclusions. Clarke will serve as parliamentary secretary for justice, aiding his factional ally, the Attorney-General, Greg Smith. Ficarra will serve as parliamentary secretary to the Premier.
From the same faction, the upper house MP Matthew Mason-Cox has been rewarded as with the prestige Treasury and Finance portfolios.
The appointments are widely regarded as some consolation for O'Farrell resisting their push for cabinet positions.
The next biggest winners are positions specially created by the O'Farrell government.
The appointment of the Dubbo MP, Troy Grant, (natural resources) and the Bathurst MP, Paul Toole, (Deputy Premier and Asia-Pacific trade), can be seen as a nod to the Nationals and a reward for stealing back independent-held seats. The choice of the Vaucluse MP, Gabrielle Upton, (Tertiary Education and Skills), a prominent member of the moderate faction, signals recognition for her talent and passion for higher education.
A former pro-chancellor of the University of NSW , Upton
Her fellow moderate, Rob Stokes, has been made parliamentary secretary for renewable energy. This signals Stokes, an environmental lawyer with his eyes on bigger things, is destined for a cabinet post at the next opportunity.
Among the other winners are the Nationals MLC Melinda Pavey, the new parliamentary secretary for regional health. Along with the Coalition's former environment spokeswoman, Catherine Cusack, Pavey was a surprise exclusion from the cabinet.
The other appointments are MLC John Ajaka (transport and roads), the Riverstone MP Ray Williams (Western Sydney ) and the Port Stephens MP Craig Baumann (regional planning).
The most significant omissions are Cusack, the Nationals MLC Trevor Khan and two Liberal rising stars - the barrister and Cronulla MP Mark Speakman of the moderates and the Baulkham Hills MP, David Elliott, of the ''soft'' right. Their omission may illustrate one of O'Farrell's biggest problems - how to reward everyone who is deserving in such an enormous party room. [Source: smh, 7/4/11]
BTW, Upper House Member Charlie Lynn also failed to get a mention.
Latest word on Tony Abbott's off the cuff remarks
Last Friday a friend sent me this short email:
Attached is a very short video clip (30 seconds) of Tony Abbott at a country retreat. He takes a short break to speak to the nation about his views on a number of important matters. Many people say this is his best presentation to date. His comments here actually make more sense than anything else he's ever said. This is the only speech that he has made, so far, with which I agree.
What's wrong with this WSJ offer?
The Wall Street Journal wants me to fork out to read it as a print newspaper or to see online articles it's hidden behind a paywall, but expects me to giveaway newsworthy documents for free just because Dow Jones & Co has created SafeHouse? Which by the way seems to reserve its own right to blow the whistle on me if I do upload to this leaky website. BAAWAAHAHAHA!Errr..........and has it also purloined another's brandname or does it have an agreement with this company?
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