Maiden caught out by Abbott spin

This is Samantha Maiden writing in the Herald Sun, 6 January 2013:

 

It's a political fault line Julia Gillard tapped into in her speech to parliament accusing him of misogyny - a hatred of women - and attacking Abbott for describing abortion as an "easy way out" (he didn't actually say that, as it turns out).

 

One has to wonder at that assertion by Ms. Maiden, as it suggests that she lazily relied on a media release from the Opposition Leader’s office without checking the facts.

 

Because here is a snapshot of Tony Abbott’s personal opinion, expressed in an article titled Rate Of Abortion Highlights Our Moral Failings, which he wrote and then published on his own website on 17 March 2004:

 

Clarence Valley Deputy Mayor tweets tacky

 

Clarence Valley Council Deputy Mayor Cr. Craig Howe starts the year by pushing a weight loss fad.

craig howe @CraigHowe68

A Short Primer For Tony Abbott's 'Australians for Honest Politics Trust'

 

Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott often talks of the perceived character failings of other politicians. Here is one instance where his own character can be called into question.

 

*************

 

The Australians for Honest Politics Trust was created on 24 August 1998.

This trust allegedly raised approximately $100,000 with the aim of funding one or more civil court cases seeking deregistration of the political party One Nation and the removal of the Member for Oxley Pauline Lee Hanson from the Australian Parliament.

 

Ms. Hanson, a former member of the Liberal Party was disendorsed as a party candidate during the 1996 federal election campaign, entered Parliament as the independent Member for Oxley once election results were declared and, later formed Pauline Hanson’s One Nation with David Oldfield and David Ettridge. This original One Nation Party was registered on 4 December 1997.

 

On 3 & 6 July 1998 Tony Abbott wrote to Queensland Electoral Commissioner Desmond O’Shea objecting to the registration of One Nation. On 8 July the Electoral Commissioner wrote to Mr. Abbott for a second time rejecting his objections and reasons.
 

On 10 July 1998 Terry Sharples commenced civil proceedings in the Queensland Supreme Court formally challenging the registration of One Nation. On or about 11 July Tony Abbott hand wrote a letter to Sharples promising words to the effect that Sharples would not be further out of pocket because of this court case.

 

On 5 July 2001 criminal charges were brought against Ms. Hanson and David Ettridge and they were sentenced to three years gaol for electoral fraud (apparently with no mention of parole) by Judge Patsy Wolfe in the Brisbane District Court on 20 August 2003. Their convictions were quashed on appeal on 6 November 2003.

 

At least six recorded judgments appear to be associated with activities of the Trust’s creators:

 

Sharples v O'Shea & Anor [1998] QSC 171 (31 August 1998)
"One might readily infer that Mr Abbott was as much motivated by party political considerations relating to the next Federal election as he was in the Queensland Electoral Commission inquiring into assertions of misrepresentation and fraud "because of the public interest in the matter".

Sharples v O'Shea & Anor [1999] QSC 190 (18 August 1999)

Pauline Hanson's One Nation v Sharples & Anor B86/2002 [2003] HCATrans 820 (23 June 2003)

Hanson v DPP [2003] QCA 409 (15 September 2003)

R v Hanson; R v Ettridge [2003] QCA 488 (6 November 2003)

Pauline Hanson's One Nation v Sharples & Anor [2003] HCATrans 473 (14 November 2003)  

 

Australians for Honest Politics trustees were:

 

The Honourable John Murray Wheeldon – former member of the Labor Party, former Labor Party senator from West Australia, former editorial writer for The Australian (deceased 2006)

William Peter Coleman – former editor of The Bulletin and Quadrant, former Liberal Party Member for Fuller in the NSW Parliament, former Member for Wentworth in the Federal House of Representatives

The Honourable Anthony John “Tony” Abbott – former journalist with The Bulletin, former Workplace Relations Minister in the Howard Government, current Leader of the Federal Liberal Party and Leader of the Opposition

 

There were allegedly twelve donors to this trust and the following individuals have been identified in various media reports as being donors:

 

Trevor Kennedy - former Consolidated Press Holdings chief executive and new member of Gutenberg Investments group (contribution said to be in the vicinity of $10,000)

Harold Clough – West Australian businessman reportedly a major Liberal Party donor and, treasurer of the Lavoisier Group, a director of Clough Limited, on the board of the Institute of Public Affairs and the Asialink Council according to SourceWatch.

 

Alleged fund raiser for the Trust:

 

John Samuel – businessman and sometime associate of Tony Abbott

 

Other individuals allegedly associated with creation of the Trust:

 

Piers Akerman - The Daily Telegraph columnist

 

Applicant in original court case:

 

Terry Patrick Sharples – an accountant allegedly co-opted by Tony Abbott for this purpose by July 1998

Note: David Summers allegedly withdrew as a co-applicant with Sharples and Barbara Hazelton whose separate  proposed court case preparation was paid for by the Trust withdrew her support

           

Individuals alleged to have interested themselves in the fraud court case:
 

Tim Fischer - former National Party leader

Ron Boswell - National Party Senate leader

Bill O'Chee - former National Party senator

 

Copy of the Trust Deed for the Australians for Honest Politics Trust as supplied to the Australian Electoral Commission [AEC] on 20 October 1998 according to the fax timestamp:

 

Note: The witness signatures on Page 3 have been redacted, the remaining two pages supplied to the AEC are illegible and therefor not posted here.

 

Background:

 

Excerpt from Margot Kingston’s book Still Not Happy, John! dealing with the Australians for Honest Politics Trust here.
 

WebDiary Archive

Fairfax Archive

Documents supplied by AEC to Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee in 2004

 

Queensland Crime & Misconduct Commission [January 2004] The prosecution of Pauline Hanson and David Ettridge: a report on an inquiry into issues raised in a resolution of Parliament  

 
Abbott refuses to supply donors names to AEC when requested in 2004 via a formal notice of investigation seeking records and information

Copy of AEC response to queries concerning the Trust

Tony Abbott media releases 1998:

ONE NATION A NEW TYPE OF POLITICAL RIP-OFF 6 July

ONE NATION’S PHANTOM MEMBERS 8 July

ONE NATION - THE DECEPTION DEEPENS 9 July 

 

DAVID OLDFLELD’S ONE NATION  14 July

ONE NATION’S POLICY - BROTHELS FOR SINGLE MOTHERS? 17 July

ONE NATION BAD FOR JOBS 10 August
 

ONE (DICTATOR’S) NATION  11 August 

ONE NATION IN COURT 2 September

ONE (GUN-TOTING) NATION 24 September 

************

Not, not, not responsible. I can`t answer for the things I do*

Malcolm Turnbull did a party piece at the Woodford Folk Festival last week – he called for less political spin.

“It's not a 24-hour news cycle, it's a 60-second news cycle now, it's instantaneous,” said Mr Turnbull.“It has never been easier to get away with telling lies. It has never been easier to get away with the glib one liner.”

His solution? All pollies practicing political honesty as a matter of course?

Nah. He think journalists, bloggers and tweeters should dedicate themselves to recording all the lies.

He’s just another fork-tongued MP who refuses to accept personal or party responsibility for widespread, blatant dishonesty.
*Lines from an old Gene Pitney song

Remembering the deeply weird side of Mr. Rabbitt

 

In which Mr. Rabbitt decides that young people with few or no related industry skills will be able to meet a skills shortage in the then booming West Australia mining sector which is now on the downturn.......

 

The Australian 21 April 2010:

 

TONY Abbott has proposed banning the dole for people under 30 in a bid to entice the unemployed to head west and fill massive skill shortages in the booming resources sector.

The Opposition Leader made the controversial remarks during a two-hour meeting with about 15 senior resources industry leaders in Perth on Monday night.

Mr Abbott told the roundtable briefing he believed stopping dole payments to able-bodied young people would take pressure off the welfare system and reduce the need to bring in large numbers of skilled migrants to staff mining projects.

Great to see a former Lower Clarence resident continues to fight the good fight

Heckler in The Sydney Morning Herald is a column where contributors are allowed 450 words on what makes their blood boil. Today's piece, contributed by KJ, appears below. Well done, KJ!

''F--- the wildlife'' was the young man's response when I pointed out no motorbikes were allowed because it was a wildlife conservation area. Similar responses are given when I politely tell people about the ''No dogs'' sign for the same area.
Every summer I am so angry I write a Heckler, but it is not published because I am not witty or funny, and I don't live in Sydney. I just care about the natural environment. This year I am more angry than ever.
Every summer our coastal village is invaded by thousands of people who don't consider how their behaviour will impact on the natural environment or other people. Instead, it is a free-for-all. They leave their brain and manners at home, if they have any.
Garbage? Toss it out the car window or leave it on the beach; or in the gutter, for the next rainfall to wash it out to sea - and back onto the beaches.

Got a four-wheel-drive or trail bike? Rip and tear the dunes and beach habitat, even though vehicles are banned from all beaches in this area.
Camping? Bugger the designated areas in towns and national parks; we want free camping so we'll flatten any plants where we want go, set up camp then burn anything possible, even breaking down shrubs. No toilets so we'll do it in the open.
Fishing? Yeah, great fishing in clean, clear waters. We'll dump fish heads and garbage to harm marine wildlife or pollute the ocean and beaches. Catch as many as we can; we won't be back for another year.
Crowds? Man, we live in the city, we're used to crowds, we push and shove to get what we want. Single file on a walking track when passing others? Never.
Noise? We're used to noise. Geeze, isn't this place peaceful - turn up the music to block out the sound of the ocean.
Dogs? Oh, aren't dogs allowed unleashed, anywhere? The beach looks empty so it doesn't matter if my dog poos there. Cover it with sand or the waves will take it away. Tough anyone else who might want to walk there, or swim in the water, and my dog is always friendly so don't worry if it jumps up on you. And it never does anything wrong, so it is OK to take it into a wildlife conservation area.
Safe, considerate driving? Huh?
This year I am more angry than usual because the crowds are bigger, the traffic jams longer, the people louder and pushier, and the damage to the beach ecosystem from two errant vehicle incidents is immense. February cannot come quickly enough.
Karen Joynes

Source: SMH, page 14, 1/1/12

Metgasco Limited accused of planting agitator?

A number of individuals with a direct interest in or employed in senior positions by Metgasgo Limited have an employment history with mining companies which in one instance reportedly dealt directly with at least one repressive military junta involved in human rights abuses in South-East Asia (Myanmar) and in another instance was thought to have made payments to one violent corrupt dictatorship in Africa (Chad).

One of these companies was also responsible for a catastrophic est. 11 million gallon crude oil spill covering 1,300 miles of Alaskan coastline in 1989.
Yet another of these former employers was recently found to have made a misleading coal seam gas advertisement in Australia.

Given this type of business culture background, it is not hard to imagine the assertion contained in the letter below is within the realms of possibility.

Letter to the Editor published in The Daily Examiner 3 January 2013:

CSG white ants

Protestors who continue their vigil at the Glenugie coal seam gas site have learned to be vigilant in the face of subversive activities designed to undermine their efforts. Early in the piece one particularly loud and aggressive protester, who nobody knew, was suspected of being a plant, determined to provide unsavoury material for the media, and Metgasco, to focus on.
When that person was discreetly questioned, he must have realised his cover was blown, and has not been seen since.
However, the white-anting by people with their own agendas continues, and the letter from Bruce Tom (DE Dec 31) is a typical example. Taking advantage of the offer of a free cup of tea at the very well-managed kitchen on the roadside, he criticises the fact that the tea was brewed on a gas cooker.
Apparently ignorant of the difference between coal seam gas and the liquid petroleum gas being used to make the tea, Bruce accuses his hosts of being hypocritical. Imagine the scorn he would have heaped upon them had they been using an open wood fire (the only alternative) on a high-fire-danger day.
However, Bruce’s red-necked personality really comes to the fore when he makes the derogatory observation about "a Greenie with a chainsaw" operating "with no safety gear to be seen". Perhaps Bruce can explain exactly what it was, in his eyes, that defined the chainsaw artist as a "Greenie". Was it only because he was prepared to take action in support of local landowners whose lives and livelihoods are under threat from gas mining?
It so happens that I was there on the same day and photographed the artist at work. Reviewing those photographs I note that he was wearing work boots and ear muffs. The purist could no doubt complain that he was not wearing chaps or a visor, but to claim there was no safety gear in sight is a deliberate manipulation of the truth.
I am told the artist is a local resident, and an experienced wood carver, and to me he looked and dressed like a farmer or even a timber worker. What people like Bruce need to understand is that opposition to coal seam gas is not restricted to environmentalists, but includes anyone with a modicum of intelligence, allowing them to understand the dangers it poses.
Opponents come from all walks of life, and the support the protest has received from local landowners and businesses, and visitors to the area from all over Australia, has been truly amazing and clearly reflects the mood of the broader community.
I’d like to say well done to everyone involved in the non-violent direct action at Glenugie, particularly those who gave up their Christmas-new year break to continue the vigil. Whether they've stayed for weeks on end, or just come for a friendly chat or to deliver supplies, they are all heroes.

 

John Edwards

South Grafton

 

Australian Broadcasting Corporation may be in for a rocky ride in 2013

 

In 2012 the Australian Communications and Media Authority  investigated approximately fifty complaints against the television arm of the seventy-five year old Australian Broadcasting Corporation and, eleven complaints against its radio stations.

 

Only three of these television program complaints were either partially or fully upheld - two of the broadcasting standards breaches involved the absence of captioning and one involved insufficient opportunity to respond to allegations.

 

Of the radio program complaints investigated only one breach concerning accuracy was found to have occurred.

 

What is fascinating about the investigated complaints list is the unusually high number which allege bias/lack of impartiality in a news or current affairs program.

 

When one compares this list with the smaller list of complaints against commercial television and radio stations last year and the even fewer allegations of bias contained therein, one begins to wonder if what appears to be a sustained politically motivated campaign questioning the ABC’s own standards (which has been played out in the media by the likes of journalist Andrew Bolt and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott) has not created a well of suspicion within the community about the public broadcaster’s motives.

 

In this federal election year, the ABC may be one of the first casualties in the right wing campaign to recapture The Lodge.

"Operation Zero Tolerance'' underway in the Southern Ocean

Website banner for 2013 in the Antarctic whale wars

 

With the Japanese Government sponsored whaling fleet reported to be heading towards its designated Antarctic killing zones (which includes the 50 million square kilometre Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the International Whaling Commission), the 2013 battle in the whale wars is now underway.

 

Japan is said to have a kill target of 935 minke whales and up to 50 endangered fin whales this season under the guise of industrial scale lethal 'research'.

 

http://www.wwf.org.au/

 

"I could" not a good start to an election year for Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

 

Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Member for JagaJaga, Jenny Macklin, may live to regret how easily this I could tripped off her tongue:

 

 

http://video.news.com.au/2322384988/Macklin-says-dole-is-enough-to-live-on

 

Journalist: With respect that didn't answer the question. Could you live on the dole?

Ms Macklin: I could, and of course we understand that what's important for people who are unemployed is that we do everything possible to help people get work.

 

What she must regret right now is the silly attempt to hide both question and response in the 1 January 2013 doorstop press conference transcript available on the ministerial website:

 

 

The weak explanation supplied to mainstream media for this omission compounds the problem for Ms. Macklin and provides Nick McGowan, the Liberal candidate in Jaga Jaga who was raised by a single parent, with an unexpected free kick at the start of this federal election year:

 

Last night, her office claimed its recording had been affected by a revving car.

UPDATE:

The Minister appears intent on making the situation worse by failing to directly respond to a Fairfax Media request for a copy of this recording.

Someone's saying No To Tony Abbott

 

 

“I hereby pledge to do my utmost in 2013 and beyond to ensure that Tony Abbott never becomes the Prime Minister of Australia.

I will engage on the issues, on matters of character and on the facts that demonstrate that Tony Abbott is unsuitable to be Prime Minister of Australia. I know that any government lead by Tony Abbott, or any government that follows his lead, would inflict deep and lasting damage to the fabric of Australia that we trust and depend upon. I will expend any and all energies required to ensure Tony Abbott and his values are kept from The Lodge and the government benches in Parliament.”

 

Disclosure:
This site has no affiliation with the Australian Labor Party. Any claims to the contrary are false.
The only partisanship this site has is with those who never want Tony Abbott to be Prime Minister and who want to see Australia prosper and progress into the 21st century and beyond.

 

http://saynototony.wordpress.com/

 

This site appears to have gone online on the last day of 2012 and is beginning to attract attention.

Joe Hockey on the subject of broken promises

As of 7.21am on 31 December 2012 Opposition Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey is still tweeting after saying he wouldn’t be back until 2013…..

 

Metgasco ended the year in the news for all the wrong reasons

The Northern Star 5 December 2012:

 

Federal Labor MP for Page Janelle Saffin (far right) visits Glenugie in the Clarence Valley on 23 December 2012:

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/CSGFreeNR/status/282738159157129216

The Northern Star 28 December 2012:

Gasland valuation

IF destroying life as we know it won't wake the people of the Northern Rivers / Clarence Valley up from their superficial slumber, then a sharp Metgasco shot to their their hip pocket might jolt them into reality.
I recently received this statement from a very concerned Northern Rivers Real Estate Agent - specialising in rural landholdings: "I am a Northern Rivers Real Estate Sales Agent and have strong connections with rural property owners and dealings with rural sales in the region.
"I believe that if a landholder permits a well to be situated upon their landholding (be it exploratory or productive), that there would be a significant decrease in the market value of that property and neighbouring properties.
"It is my view that should a property have a gas well upon it (or a waste water holding Pond/Transfer Pond), then the particular property would be extremely difficult to sell, as would neighbouring properties.
"I have already had comments from prospective purchasers who do not wish to inspect or purchase property in areas of current or future exploration. So the negative effects are already evident in the community."
M Mizzi, Lismore

 

The Northern Star 29 December 2012:

 

AQUATIC animal health expert Dr Matt Landos of Ballina says the coal seam gas industry will be another hit for aquatic life.

He said it was very likely ground water on the Northern Rivers would be contaminated when the mining industry was in full swing.

"Drilling fluids can contaminate aquifers. Sooner or later it will find its way into waterways," he said.

"Some of the compounds have never been tested on fish."

Also, fish and oyster larvae were sensitive to the hydrocarbons which could be released from the sub-strata when drill casings failed…..

His comments come at the same time the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training said it was possible contaminated ground water could get into oceans.

The water flows into the ocean underground through old river channels that have since been buried, known as "wonky holes", said the centre's Professor Craig Simmons.

"If there's any contamination in the ground water ... they intersect with one of these wonky holes, they're definitely going to take out the chemistry as well as the water," Prof Simmons said.

"It's certainly not impossible that something like that could happen. I've not heard of it yet but there are certainly nutrients that are taken into the ocean so there is that possibility."

Prof Simmons said more research needed to be done.

 

Excerpt from a letter to the editor published in The Daily Examiner, Grafton, on 28 December 2012:

To me it’s commonsense, you only need to look at the landscape of towns such as Tara and Chinchilla to realise that this is going to have a detrimental effect on our lives.

This is what is planned for the Northern Rivers region and I’d be dammed if I am not going to fight for it.

Kym Benson, Lawrence Road  

 

Australian Stock Exchange records for Metgasco Limited at 8am 30 December 2012. This mining exploration and production company intends to commence drilling at Glenugie near Grafton early this month:

Closing prices

Closing prices are displayed for the last 5 days on which the security traded on ASX within the last 6 months.

Date	Last	% Change	High	Low	Vol *
28 Dec 2012	0.190	11.76%	0.195	0.170	736,007
27 Dec 2012	0.170	3.03%	0.170	0.165	129,808
24 Dec 2012	0.165	-2.94%	0.165	0.165	100,000
21 Dec 2012	0.170	9.68%	0.180	0.160	803,400
20 Dec 2012	0.155	-3.12%	0.160	0.155	235,050

* Volume of shares shown represents only those shares traded on ASX.

Metgasco daily share prices for the last twelve months as traded on the Australian Stock: Exchange

 

 And highly misleading advertising found on Google 31 December 2012:

 

****Happy New Year To All from North Coast Voices****