As the Abbott Government is sworn in today - a look at the National Party of Australia post-election September 2013

Starting at 10.20am on 18 September 2013 the Abbott Federal Government was sworn in.

As of 9.22am on the same day......

Across the entire continent of Australia the National Party only received 535,121 first preference votes out of the 12.96 million votes cast in the 2013 Federal Election or 4.39 per cent of the total vote pool.

In their own right the Nationals hold a mere 9 of the Coalition’s 90 House of Representatives seats in the 44th Australian Parliament.

While the Liberal National Party of Queensland (which absorbed the Queensland Nationals into its Liberal dominated ranks) only received 1,103,311 first preference votes or 9.04 per cent of the total vote pool and only holds 22 of the Coalition’s 90 seats.

Or to put it in perspective – the Nationals hold only two more federal seats now than they did after the 2010 election, the Liberal National Party holds only one more seat and, even the Nationals and Liberal National Party combined only hold 31 seats in the Lower House of this parliament.

Whichever way one looks at it, the Nationals are no longer the solid rump of the Coalition but rather a small, increasingly irrelevant appendage to the dominant Liberal Party Of Australia which in its own right holds 58 seats in the House of Representatives. Even Labor at 55 seats still holds more electorates than the Nationals.

In a 20 person Federal Cabinet announced on 16 September the Nationals hold just two ministries and have 2 assistant ministers in the Outer Ministry, one of which is in the Senate.

So how effective are these 9 lonely House of Representatives Nationals going to be in Canberra?

More importantly – just how effective will be those two Nationals MPs representing the NSW Northern Rivers region?

Will our region only get scraps from the Liberal Party table when it comes to vital federal funding?

Luke Hartsuyker failed to deliver much in the way of funding across the Northern Rivers the last time he was in government, while Kevin Hogan has never held any form of public office before and his funding promises during the recent election campaign amounted to peanuts with one exception.

How seriously the Northern Rivers currently takes Kevin Hogan might be indicated by the fact that the day after the first post-election joint Coalition party room meeting in Canberra at which he was introduced to his colleagues, the lead online story in The Northern Star was about a giant pumpkin for sale in Kyogle.

Abbott's immigration policies come under United Nations scrutiny this week

ABC News 17 September 2013:

The incoming Federal Government's immigration policies are being brought before a United Nations Human Rights council meeting in Geneva, possibly as soon as tonight.

The council is meeting this week and an item has been included in the general debate agenda which will openly condemn the new Government's plans.

A representative from Australia's Human Rights Law Centre (HRLC) will read a statement to the body, calling for it to hold Australia to account for what it calls violations of the Refugee Convention and other treaties.

The statement will accuse Australia of setting an "alarming global precedent" if it does use the Navy to return asylum seeker boats to their country of origin without proper assessment.

"Australia has also promised a strong military response," the statement reads.

"It has announced plans to issue orders to the Australian Navy to tow boats carrying asylum seekers back to their origin without proper assessment of the protection needs of those on board."

The HRLC's director of legal advocacy, Daniel Webb, says indefinite and offshore detention, plans to abolish appeal rights, and the withdrawal of legal assistance to some asylum seekers will also be highlighted as breaches of international law......

The 2013 Australian Federal Election may be over but the circus will continue.......

Palmer United Party Leader Clive Palmer's electoral status may still be in doubt but Mal Brough has been confirmed as elected to the Australian Parliament, so there is now a little extra sting in the tail of this court case.

Sunshine Coast Daily 5 September 2013:

CLIVE Palmer has issued a Supreme Court writ seeking more than $800,000 in damages from Fisher LNP candidate Mal Brough.

The billionaire Palmer United Party candidate for Fairfax alleges Mr Brough made statements to the Press which effectively claimed he had lied to Australian voters and that he had done so for his political gain and that of his fledgling party.

In a statement of claim issued in the Supreme Court this morning Mr Palmer stood by his own statements that Mr Brough approached him last year to fund the James Ashby sexual harassment suit against sitting Member for Fisher Peter Slipper who is standing as an independent against Mr Brough.

Mr Palmer's legal team yesterday emailed Mr Brough asking him if he had solicitors on whom the writ could be served. The email said if no response had been received by 11am today it would be taken that Mr Brough wanted the writ served personally on himself.

The writ seeks $355,500 in general compensatory damages and a further $450,000 in aggravated compensatory damages and costs.

New Coalition Government not yet sworn in and it may be that Australian voters are already starting to question their choice

It would appear that Australians polled a mere nine days after the 7 September federal election believe that unemployment, cost of living, interest rates, health services, job security, workers’ rights, the environment, education and schools, public services, welfare benefits and their personal financial situation will all be “worse off” under the incoming Liberal/National Government.

The Essential Report of 16 September 2013 also shows the beginnings of a potential shift in voter intentions:

Federal politics – voting intention

Sep 16, 2013

Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?

Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?

Sample size = 1,864 respondents

NB.  The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from the first preference/leaning to voting questions.  Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results.  The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election.

Anglican Children's Home in Lismore subject of third public hearing of national Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

Royal Commission Into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Media Release 16 September 2013:

The third public hearing in November is to examine the handling of complaints and civil litigation concerning child sexual abuse in the North Coast Children’s Home by the Anglican Diocese of Grafton in 2006 and 2007.

Brief background included in this ABC News article and NCV post:

Anglican Diocese of Grafton apologies to North Coast Children's Home victims

Another perspective on the Reverend Hon Pat Comben - former Clarence Valley councillor (2008-2010)

UPDATE

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse INTERIM REPORT VOLUME 1 30 June 2014:

Case Study No 3

The public hearing examined how the Anglican Diocese of Grafton in New South Wales handled claims of abuse from former residents of the North Coast Children’s Home, including whether policies and procedures were applied consistently and fairly.

Forty claimants, half of whom claimed to have suffered sexual abuse, brought a group claim against the Diocese.

It reached a settlement with most claimants in 2007, but later received further claims from new claimants….

Findings have not yet been made in this case study.

Excerpt from North Coast Children's Home Inc. trading as Child & Adolescent Specialist Programs & Accommodation (CASPA) v Martin [2014] NSWDC 125 8 August 2014:

The North Coast Children's Home was first set up in 1919, when two young orphaned and neglected children were given into the care of the Vicar of St Andrews, the Reverend A. R. Ebbs. Those children were given temporary shelter until a local resident, a Mr George Barnard, offered the children the use of a house which he owned in Lismore, free of rent. There was public interest in the establishment of an orphanage in the town of Lismore. The placement of children at the Home continued, but its structure was not formalised until 1951, when a constitution for the home was prepared (Exhibit F to the affidavit of Mr Todd Yourell, 3 July 2014). The Management Committee was not incorporated, until 16 May 1989, when the relevant documents were lodged at the Corporate Affairs Commission registry in accordance with the Associations Incorporations Act 1984 (NSW).

Mr Yourell's affidavit sets out that the Church of England's role in relation to the Home continued, but on a restricted basis. Since 1989, the Bishop of the Diocese of Grafton has held powers enabling him to appoint up to four members of the Board of Governance, which is responsible for the affairs of the first plaintiff (hereafter referred to as "CASPA"). The Board of Governance is responsible for the affairs of CASPA and acts in the interests of CASPA. Prior to incorporation in 1989 the Anglican Diocese of Grafton was responsible for the affairs of North Coast Children's Home.

It was while the Anglican Diocese of Grafton was responsible for the affairs of North Coast Children's Home, prior to 1989, that substantial and serious abuse of children at the home occurred. Orphaned and neglected children in the care of the home were victims of sexual, physical and psychological abuse. As is common in relation to victims of institution-based abuse, there were few complaints at the time, and those which were made were ignored, disbelieved and/or discouraged.

The Anglican Diocese of Grafton received a number of complaints in 2006 about historical acts of physical, sexual and psychological abuse at the North Coast Children's Home in Lismore, all of which occurred between the 1940s and 1980s. Thirty-nine of those claims were settled through negotiated payments. Two of those persons did not participate in the settlement, and instead brought proceedings. Seven others later came forward with similar claims. The Right Reverend Keith Slater, who acknowledged that he did not pass on all the complaints to the Church's Professional Standards Director as was required, resigned as Bishop in May 2013.

While the nature and extent of the abuses which occurred are the subject of current inquiry and evidence, the nature and extent of the inquiry currently being undertaken by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Abuse ("the Royal Commission") relates to periods well before the employment of the second and third plaintiff, and well before the first plaintiff, which is no longer a part of the Anglican Church but a separate organisation. It is neither controlled by, nor answerable to, the Anglican Church. As Mr Yourell points out in paragraphs 20-24 of his affidavit (Exhibit F), the Royal Commission is considering a case study of the home during its operation by the Anglican Church in the 1960s and 1970s, more than 40 years ago, but not into its present operation.

Joe Hockey - Australia's Lord of Misrule

This is what Federal Treasurer-elect Joe Hockey stated in The Australian on 12 September 2013:You can go forward and spend your hearts out because we're going to have a good Christmas.

This from a millionaire right-wing politician who intends to reduce the household income for literally millions of ordinary Australians after the New Year, including an est 40,000 individuals and est. 38,000 families (with school aged children) living in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales

* Cartoon from neatorama.com

How many of Abbott's troops are experiencing front bench blues?

Australian Financial Review 1 February 2013:

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has said ambitious MPs will have to satisfy themselves with committee chairmanships if the coalition wins the next election, confirming that he expects to keep his front bench in place.

Australian Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott's shadow ministers went to the 7 September federal election on an 'expectation' that he is now busily trashing and there is unrest in the ranks.

News.com.au 10 September 2013:

QUEENSLAND MPs are demanding greater representation on Tony Abbott's new front bench to reflect their large share of seats....some MPs believe the state has been under-represented since it delivers a swathe of seats to Mr Abbott in 2010.

Facebook 15 February 2013:

UPDATE

Australian Financial Review 16 September 2013:

NSW senator Arthur Sinodinos, who ran John Howard’s office when he was prime minister, will not be appointed to cabinet but will be given a portfolio in the outer ministry.....

Senior Coalition sources said there had been “question marks” raised internally over the last week about whether Senator Sinodinos may have to appear before a corruption inquiry related to a directorship he once held. Senator Sinodinos, a renowned figure inside the Coalition and former National Australia Bank executive, maintains he has done nothing wrong and his colleagues support him.

The Sydney Morning Herald 16 September 2013:

Queensland Senator Sue Boyce has attacked the Liberal Party's inability to recruit and promote women.

Her criticism comes just as incoming prime minister Tony Abbott announces his new cabinet, which is predicted to have only one woman, Julie Bishop.

Senator Boyce, who will retire from the Senate next July, said the Liberal Party did not support women through the parliamentary process...

“It's a systemic problem in the party – how embarrassing to be a government with only one woman at a senior level,” Senator Boyce said.

ABC News 17 September 2013:

                 

Tony Abbott is facing more dissent from within Coalition ranks, with Liberal MP Dennis Jensen criticising not only his leader's decisions regarding the placement of portfolios but also the incoming government's signature policy on paid parental leave.

Dr Jensen, the Member for the West Australian seat of Tangney, has told ABC News 24 he is "confused" about which minister will handle the science portfolio.

Yesterday, Mr Abbott said science would "largely" be in the industry portfolio, under incoming minister Ian Macfarlane.

But Dr Jensen, who had expressed interest in taking on the responsibility, believes some of it will be within education.

"I'm somewhat confused about what's happened with the science portfolio. It's not just completely with the industry portfolio, there's parts of it within education which will make it a somewhat schizophrenic policy area," he said.

"This is something that to me is strange.

"I mean we've got a Minister for Sport for God's sake, but we don't have a Minister for Science.".....

It was easy to see this one coming at Abbott a long way off

If the swing against the Coalition in Aboriginal communities was replicated across Australia, Tony Abbott would be leading a minor party, writes Chris Graham.

One of the features of a modern democracy is that apart from getting the government we deserve, we're also supposed to get the government that the majority of us want.

Like Communism, it's great in theory. But also like Communism, it's often not so good in practice. At least, it's not if you happen to be a minority group who has long been denied the right to elect your own leaders.

And that explains how Aboriginal Australians awoke on Sunday morning to find they had a new "Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs", a pledge Tony Abbott delivered during the 2013 election campaign.

One problem: no-one, including within the media, ever stopped to ask Aboriginal people if they actually wanted a "Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs", and in particular whether or not they wanted Abbott.

As it turns out, they apparently don't.....

Read the rest of the 13 September 2013 ABC News/The Drum article here.

One petition signature every 3.5 seconds. Are you listening Malcolm Turnbull? We want Labor's NBN!

Computerworld 11 September 2013:

An internet petition set up by a Liberal-voting student to save Labor's national broadband network (NBN) has become Australia's largest ever online petition.

The internet appeal is roaring along, but still has some way to go before becoming Australia's largest ever petition, which was submitted to federal parliament with 792,985 signatures in 2000 calling for an end to rising beer prices.

The NBN petition calls on the incoming coalition government to scrap its plans to create a fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) network in place of Labor's existing fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) approach.

Created by Queenslander Nick Paine on Change.org less than five days ago, the petition overtook Australia's previous biggest online petition just after 11am (AEST) on Wednesday with 116,281 signatures. The prior one had 116,280 names.

That's one signature every 3.5 seconds.

The former frontrunner was a campaign to pressure advertisers to boycott radio shock jock Alan Jones in 2012 after he said former PM Julia Gillard's father "died of shame".

Mr Paine, 20, is a supporter of the coalition, but says no party is perfect.

"I personally just don't believe their policy reflects the best option for Australia and I don't think it reflects in general the majority of Australians' views," he said.

"There's no reason to just sit back and see what happens, you've got to try it out and stand up for what you believe in."

Mr Paine said it was the first online petition he's started.

The petition can be signed at change.org/nbn -- or share it on Facebook by clicking here.