ReachTEL poll shows support may be plummeting for Abbott Government

On 23 January 2014 ‘phones began to ring ........

Question 1:

If a Federal election were to be held today, which of the following would receive your first preference vote? If you are undecided to which do you even have a slight leaning?

Question 2:

Please rate the performance of Tony Abbott as Prime Minister?

Question 3:

Please rate the performance of Bill Shorten as Leader of the Opposition?

This survey was conducted using an automated telephone based survey system among 3,547 voters. Telephone numbers and the person within the household were selected at random. The results have been weighted by gender and age to reflect the population according to ABS figures. Please note that due to rounding, not all tables necessarily total 100% and subtotals may also vary. Copyright ReachTEL Pty Ltd.

The complete seven question poll conducted on behalf of Channel 7 can be found here.

Scientist bites back at climate change denialist claims

Mother Jones 24 January 2014:

In 2012—after writers for National Review and a prominent conservative think tank accused him of fraud and compared him to serial child molester Jerry Sandusky—climate scientist Michael Mann took the bold step of filing a defamation suit. The defendants moved to have the case thrown out, citing a Washington, DC, law that shields journalists from frivolous litigation. But on Wednesday, DC Superior Court Judge Frederick Weisberg rejected the motion, opening the way for a trial.

Although public figures like Mann have to clear a high bar to prove defamation, Weisberg argued that the scientist's complaint may pass the test. And he brushed aside the defendants' claims that the fraud allegations were "pure opinion," which is protected by the First Amendment:

Accusing a scientist of conducting his research fraudulently, manipulating his data to achieve a predetermined or political outcome, or purposefully distorting the scientific truth are factual allegations. They go to the heart of scientific integrity. They can be proven true or false. If false, they are defamatory. If made with actual malice, they are actionable.

Weisberg's order is just the latest in a string of setbacks that have left the climate change skeptics' case in disarray. Earlier this month, Steptoe & Johnson, the law firm representingNational Review and its writer, Mark Steyn, withdrew as Steyn's counsel. According to two sources with inside knowledge, it also plans to drop National Review as a client.

The lawyers' withdrawal came shortly after Steyn—a prominent conservative pundit who regularly fills in as host of Rush Limbaugh's radio show—publicly attacked the former judge in the case, Natalia Combs Greene, accusing her of "stupidity" and "staggering" incompetence. Mann's attorney, John B. Williams, suspects this is no coincidence. "Any lawyer would be taken aback if their client said such things about the judge," he says. "That may well be why Steptoe withdrew."

Steyn's manager, Melissa Howes, acknowledged that his commentary "did not go over well."* But Steyn maintains it was his decision to part ways with his attorneys.......

Order made in MICHAEL E. MANN, PH.D. Plaintiff, v. NATIONAL REVIEW, INC. et. al., Defendants, Case No. 2012 CA 8263 B, Judge Frederick H. Weisberg:

MICHAEL E. MANN, PH.D. Plaintiff, v. NATIONAL REVIEW, INC. et. al., Defendants, Case No. 2012 CA 8263 B, Ju...

More jobs go in Lismore under an Abbott Government

The AUSTRALIAN VALUATION OFFICE is a fee for service federal government agency situated within the Australian Tax Office:

A valued partner in government – delivering asset solutions.

The Australian Valuation Office has a team of professionals in cities, regional centres and remote locations across Australia. We provide valuation, assessment, risk management, business intelligence, advice and consultancy services for all types of assets and for all levels of government.

As a government agency, we deliver professional, ethical and intelligent solutions. Our solutions deliver value for money and meet all compliance requirements.

Our position within government guarantees independent advice and results you can trust and use with confidence.

Land Valuations - Valuer General

Land and property valuations are supplied to the NT Government under an agreement with the Australian Valuation Office (AVO).

Requests for valuations from NT Government agencies must be submitted in writing to the AVO by facsimile to 08 8995 5365, or by email to thevaluergeneral@nt.gov.au

Agency requests are regarded as commercial valuations and the costs are charged directly back to the requesting agency.

While the Abbott Government and Federal Labor Opposition issue competing media releases (see below), the fact remains that the Northern Rivers region will see job losses once again as a result of government cost cutting.

The Sydney Morning Herald 23 January 2014:

The office’s remaining work is expected to be taken over by private sector valuers.

The closure will affect workers in Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney as well as regional towns including, Young, Bowral, Wagga Wagga, Lismore, Mildura and Port Lincoln.

Federal Nationals MP for Page, Kevin Hogan, remains silent on the fate of Lismore staff, although he did respond when The Daily Examiner questioned him about the fate of Australian Tax Office staff at Grafton. He’s written another letter.

________________________

The Hon Steven Ciobo MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer

4 January 2014

Media Release

Closure of the Australian Valuation Office

The Australian Valuation Office (AVO) will cease to provide services by 30 June 2014.

The AVO has delivered valuation services exclusively for the Government since 1910 but has become unsustainable and is expected to incur losses of up to $4 million this financial year.

The losses are forecast to get worse each year as the AVO’s revenue declines sharply due to technological changes in the valuation industry and government departments decreasing their use of the AVO’s services.

On top of the predicated losses, at least $1 million would have been required for the AVO to bring their IT equipment up to date.

A compelling case for the Commonwealth providing its own valuation services no longer exists, particularly given there is a highly competitive market of private sector providers.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Steven Ciobo, said he paid tribute to those who have worked in the AVO. The organisation has a rich history and has assisted organisations over many years to meet policy outcomes and financial reporting requirements.

The Australian Taxation Office will work with affected employees and manage the wind-down period for the organisation, with up to 198 staff to be offered redundancies.

ANDREW LEIGH MP

SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASURER

ACTING SHADOW FINANCE MINISTER

MEMBER FOR FRASER

MEDIA RELEASE

MORE JOBS LOST AS ABBOTT GOVERNMENT KILLS PUBLIC VALUATION OFFICE

The Abbott Government’s decision to axe the Australian Valuation Office jeopardises the jobs and livelihoods of almost 200 people across Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne and in remote and regional cities.

The decision smacks of an ideological preoccupation with cutting government services without regard to their effectiveness.

The 104 year-old AVO, located in the Australian Taxation Office, has been doing an effective job. While the government refers to a projected loss in the future, it fails to point out that the AVO has consistently run a profit.

At the same time that the Minister for Social Services has announced a review of welfare spending, the Government is axing the office that conducts compliance valuations for Centrelink.

The AVO’s team of professionals provide valuation, assessment, risk management and independent advice regarding property and other assets. If the government does not know what its assets are worth, it risks making bad decisions in everything from defence to social security.

Tony Abbott gave no indication of this when in Opposition. The government has not consulted with staff before making this decision.

If there is a compelling case to axe the AVO, the government needs to make it. Scrapping a century-old institution deserves a proper report, not just a short press release from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer.

The Coalition said that they wanted more services delivered in regional Australia, but all they have done is cut jobs.

The decision comes off the back of revelations this week that the ATO plans to close regional tax compliance offices across four states.

Why is the Coalition axing jobs at a time of rising joblessness and insecurity? Is this a preview of the savage cuts to come with the Commission of Audit?

Friday, 24 January 2014

Is Kevin Hogan playing coy with the media over his position on coal seam gas mining?

The Nationals Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, went to the 7 September 2013 federal election declaring his opposition to coal seam gas exploration and mining on the NSW North Coast until it could be proved there were no negative impacts.

As late as November 2013 he was attending the Kyogle Gas Free Celebration stating that he had “great reservations”, “real questions marks” about the industry, and was willing to “cross the floor” on any vote concerning CSG.

Although a month earlier in the print media he had begun to state that he could see where pro-mining Federal Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane was coming from in his support for the NSW gas industry.

Since that 2013 rally Mr. Hogan has been rather quiet on the subject of coal seam gas mining and the opposition of Northern Rivers communities to establishment of this industry in the region.

There is no current mention of coal seam gas on his official website that I can find, he lists no advocacy on behalf of the electorate concerning coal seam gas in his own review of his first 100 days as an elected representative.

Similarly his Facebook timeline has been silent on the subject since he became a member of parliament, whilst his Twitter account makes no mention of his position at all except in one tweet praising Metgasco’s temporary suspension of exploration activity way back in March 2013.

Behind the scenes in 2014 there are journalists, working for state-wide and national newspapers, who are beginning to wonder why he is now "ducking and diving" any coal seam gas questions posed to him.

Safely ensconced in his seat with a healthy boost to his income, part of the Canberra political scene; has Kevin already begun to forget the little he knew of his electorate and quietly joined the coal seam gas club?