The testosterone flows as Abbott and O'Farrell Governments create joint NSW strike team to combat gang crime

 

UNCLASSIFIED

 

Hon. Michael Keenan MP

Minister for Justice

 

Hon. Michael Gallacher MLC

NSW Minister for Police & Emergency Services

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE

 

Friday, 22 November 2013

 

NSW STRIKE TEAM TO COMBAT GANG CRIME

 

Minister for Justice, Michael Keenan, and NSW Minister for Police, Michael Gallacher, today announced that the Commonwealth and NSW Governments are establishing a joint strike team to combat gang crime, as part of the $64 million National Anti-Gangs Squad.

 

The NSW Strike Team will comprise of officers from New South Wales Police, the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Taxation Office. As part of this Strike Team, the NSW Police will have access to Commonwealth intelligence from agencies including the Australian Crime Commission, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Taxation Office, Centrelink, Customs and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

 

“All Strike Teams, under the National Anti-Gangs Squad, have been fast tracked and are now operational, as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to combatting gang crime across Australia, ” Mr Keenan said.

 

“What we are seeing is an unprecedented level of cooperation between Australian law enforcement agencies and their state colleagues to target gang-related crime.”

 

“Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs are the public face of organised crime in Australia. These gangs have national and often international dimensions and as a result demand a national response, which we are committed to delivering with our state colleagues.”

 

“We are serious about stopping the scourge of bikie crime across the country. The National Anti-Gangs Squad is just one of a raft of initiatives that the Government has to make sure that no place in Australia is a safe haven for organised crime,” Mr Keenan said. 

 

NSW Police Minister Michael Gallacher said we are serious about tackling gang crime and we are building stronger state and federal partnerships with all agencies working together.

 

“This joint strike team is an important step in an enhanced national approach to targeting organised crime.

 

“We are taking many measures to target organised crime and we welcome this investment by the Commonwealth in the safety and security of our State,” Minister Gallacher said.

 

Further Information: Minister Keenan – Hannah Weir 0417 862 688

                                     Minister Gallacher – Clint McGilvray 0413 285 186

 

---

A Saturday Not So Light Moment

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/david-pope-20120214-1t3j0.html

Has Bronwyn Bishop the intellectual capacity and political balance to do justice to the office of Speaker in the Australian House of Representatives?

One of a growing number of instances where Bronwyn Bishop’s own behaviour raises doubts about her fitness for the role of Speaker.

The Question Without Notice on 19 November 2013:

Mr EWEN JONES (Herbert) (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection.

Firstly, I would like to thank the minister for visiting an Afghan family in Townsville who had spent 24 years in refugee camps before coming to Australia as part of our humanitarian visa program. How are the government's border protection policies supporting the integrity of our humanitarian program?

How the Speaker chose to hear this this question:

The SPEAKER: I thank the Manager of Opposition Business for his nice reading. But I call the minister and I would point out that when he is asked about the position of people who are coming with permanent visas and the 20,000 versus the 13,750 he is entitled to say, as he has done, that the difference between 13,750 and 20,000 constitutes information that the House would find directly relevant to the question. I call the Leader of the House

The ensuing exchange between the Speaker and members of the Labor Opposition:

Mr Burke: Madam Speaker—

The SPEAKER: The Manager of Opposition Business on a matter that is not relevance.

Mr Burke: I am seeking to understand how a ruling can make relevant material that was irrelevant to the question.

The SPEAKER: You have just said that your point of order is relevance and we have already had one and you are only entitled to one.

Mr Burke: Madam Speaker, it is with respect to how your ruling is now enforced given that we are dealing with material that you have now said is part of the question which categorically was not.

Ms Plibersek: You have just rewritten the question.

The SPEAKER: The question was one that was pertaining to numbers, as clearly was indicated by the questioner. But I would ask the minister to be relevant to the question as asked.

Not only did Bronwyn Bishop as Speaker rewrite the question, from the Chair she entered into the Hansard record an unsolicited statement which supported the political position of the party in which she is a member.

The Lies Abbott Tells - Part Four

LIE

Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Prime Minister) (14:55): I thank the Leader of the Opposition for his question. The budget update will be released as part of the MYEFO in mid-December, which is roughly the time when members opposite released MYEFO in years past. [House of Representatives,Hansard,13 November 2013]

FACT

Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) release dates:

2007-08 MYEFO 15 October 2007 Coalition Government

2008-09 MYEFO 5 November 2008 Labor Government

2009-10 MYEFO 2 November 2009 Labor Government

2010-11 MYEFO 9 November 2010 Labor Government

2011-12 MYEFO 29 November 2011 Labor Government

2012-13 MYEFO 22 October 2012 Labor Government

2013-14 MYEFO yet to be released Coalition Government

President Yudhoyono tweets his displeasure and Prime Minister Abbott puts his foot in his own mouth yet again

 

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told the 4 million plus people following his Twitter account exactly what he thought of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott:

S. B. Yudhoyono ‏@SBYudhoyono

Since news broke reports of US & Australia tapping on many countries, including Indonesia, we have expressed our strong protest. *SBY*

S. B. Yudhoyono ‏@SBYudhoyono

Foreign Minister & gov. officials have taken effective diplomatic measures, while demanding clarification from the US & Australia. *SBY*

S. B. Yudhoyono ‏@SBYudhoyono

Today (18Nov) I instructed Minister Marty Natalegawa to recall Indonesia's ambassador to Australia. This is a firm diplomatic response.*SBY*

S. B. Yudhoyono ‏@SBYudhoyono

Indonesia also demands Australia for an official response, one that can be understood by the public, on the tapping on Indonesia. *SBY*

S. B. Yudhoyono ‏@SBYudhoyono

We will also review a number of bilateral cooperation agenda as a consequence of this hurtful action by Australia. *SBY*

S. B. Yudhoyono ‏@SBYudhoyono

These US & Australian actions have certainly damaged the strategic partnerships with Indonesia, as fellow democracies. *SBY*

S. B. Yudhoyono ‏@SBYudhoyono

I also regret the statement of Australian Prime Minister that belittled this tapping matter on Indonesia, without any remorse. *SBY*

On 19 November 2013 Prime Minister Abbott rose to his feet in the House of Representatives and added more fuel to the fire:

Mr ABBOTT (Warringah—Prime Minister) (14:01): by leave—......I regard President Yudhoyono as a good friend of Australia—indeed, as one of the very best friends that we have anywhere in the world. That is why I sincerely regret any embarrassment that recent media reports have caused him.

The immediate Indonesian response was widely reported in the Jakarta Post and elsewhere:

Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said on Tuesday that Australia not Indonesia should be embarrassed following the disclosure of a document suggesting that Australian spies had wiretapped the personal phones of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono.

"I don't get it. Why would the President of Indonesia be embarrassed?" Marty said in an exclusive interview with Channel News Asia.

By 21 November in a The Sydney Morning Herald article the outcome was becoming clearer, the situation having been moved along by hostile tweets from Abbott's political pollster and adviser, Mark Textor and unhelpful remarks by former Coalition Foreign Minister AlexanderDowner: 

The President spoke warmly of the relationship with Australia, but said he had ordered the suspension or review of several areas of co-operation, particularly on information sharing and the exchange of intelligence.

"I have also asked my military to temporarily stop the joint army and navy exercises and also to temporarily stop any co-ordinated military operations, the joint patrols,'' he said.

"As you know, the people-smuggling issue has troubled both Indonesia and Australia, so we have co-ordinated military operations or co-ordinated patrols in the ocean, but until this issue is all clear it will be stopped."...

Is this the royal 'we', Madam Speaker, or are you inviting the Abbott Government to consent to your ruling?

The Australian House of Representatives Hansard of 13 November 2013 highlights the ambiguity in language used by The Speaker, the still active member of the parliamentary wing of the Liberal Party Bronwyn Bishop:

Mr Pyne: Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Standing order 100(d)(ii) indicates that 'argument' should not be included in questions. I know that a wide definition has been permitted for questions, particularly from oppositions, over the years, but the phrase 'betray the Australian people' is clearly an argument and I put it to you that that part of the question should be ruled out of order.

The SPEAKER: I think on this occasion we might give a little leniency to the Leader of the Opposition and let his question stand. [my red bolding]

UPDATE

The problem concerning language used by the Speaker is now on the Hansard record.

Hansard 21 November 2013:

Mr BURKE (Watson—Manager of Opposition Business) (12:46): I move:

That the Speaker's ruling be dissented from......

I must say it is the first time I can recall that I have had a Speaker refer to the government's position using the pronoun 'we'. That was an extraordinary part of the way you sought to explain yourself to the chamber. If it was not enough for us to have a Speaker physically brought to the chair by a Prime Minister and a Leader of the House, to then have rulings that are governed by the term 'we' referring to yourself and the government as one, changes the role of your chair entirely and changes the role of the high office you occupy entirely.....

The SPEAKER: I ask you to withdraw the reflection on the chair that was made.

Mr BURKE: I withdraw.... 

However, Ms. Bishop took exception insisted Mr.Burke withdraw that part of his dissent motion.

 Ms.Bishop apparently also took exception to this tweet on the subject by an Opposition MP:

Rob Mitchell ‏@RobMitchellMP
Speaker makes ruling citing WE as in Govt Independence of chair gone

6:10 PM - 20 Nov 13