The bad news continues for Abbott Government in latest Newspoll

When the Fearless Leader marches his Coalition troops off a cliff this is what happens........

The Australian 3 June 2014

Click on image to enlarge

Metgasco Limited says it has been cleared of suspicions regarding its shareholders and interests but NSW corruption commission remains silent

According to a Metgasco Limited statement to the Australian Stock Exchange (repeated in a media release) it has; been advised by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) that it will not be proceeding with an inquiry into the Company.  The advice makes it clear that there was no information in the referral to ICAC that was indicative of corrupt conduct.

Unfortunately for this coal seam and tight gas exploration and mining company operating on the New South Wales North Coast, the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption would neither confirm nor deny Metgasco’s statement when I contacted the commission yesterday afternoon.

In which Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham informs the NSW Parliament and Metgasco Limited's CEO Peter Henderson writes yet another letter

The political duel continues in ‘The people of the Northern Rivers and political allies versus Coal seam and tight gas exploration company Metgasco Limited and political allies’.

Excerpts from NSW Legislative Council Hansard 15 May 2014:

1838.  Mr Buckingham to move—

1.             That this House notes that:

(a)        the Driller Logs and Well Completion Reports from Metgasco detail numerous alarming failures and environmental damage due to routine poor practice and the inherently risky nature of gas drilling operations,

(b)        at Bowerbird E02 well Metgasco drilled into a river bed with high water flows and the well caved in. It was subsequently abandoned,

(c)        at Corella E01 well the casing stuck and explosive cutters were required to remove the casing, the well was then abandoned,

(d)        at Corella E03 the well caved in due to water inflow at 220 metres,

(e)        following the drilling of Corella P11 Metgasco said: “We were not aware of this shale at 3m from the base, nothing was reported by the geologists from their samples, or from the experts”,

(f)        at Corella P13 380m of drilling string and the 33m borehole assembly were abandoned in the well,

(g)        Corella E17 while flaring at 18psi they noticed the annular was leaking and had to abandon the test,

(h)        at Corella P18 a drill pipe became stuck in the hole and they were unable to clear the blockage,

(i)         at Riflebird E03 the hole collapsed from 16m, there were breakdowns, pipes got stuck and a 6m HQ barrel was left in the hole,

(j)         at Riflebird E5 Metgasco said: “This site is a terrible bloody mess. The pits are still a mess” before the well collapsed at 96m,

(k)        at Riflebird E14 Metgasco’s mud log states that “gas detector not functioning but hydrocarbons can be smelled in the shaker area”,

(l)         at Wayan 01 the top bonnet seals leaked oil in the annular,

(m)      at Cedar Point 1 and NCASI-1R methane was found in the mud and there were well integrity issues,

(n)        the Kingfisher Well  has not been cleaned up properly following 19 drill pipes being ejected into the air due to rising well pressure and loss of casing integrity,

(o)        NSW Trade and Investment have said that Metgasco fracked this well despite knowing it lacked integrity,

(p)        at SCASI-1 gas bubbling was observed in the hole and they had water losses, and

(q)        at SCASI 09 the driller had a seizure.

2.         That this House calls on the Government to immediately cancel all Petroleum Exploration and Production activity in New South Wales pending a thorough investigation of these routine and alarming failures during drilling.

(Notice given 15 May 2014—expires Notice Paper No. 218)

1728. Mr Buckingham to move—

1. That this House notes that:

(a) a recent report by the Australia Institute has discredited coal seam gas industry claims that it is a significant employer,

(b) the report states that: “While the gas industry is relentless in its claims about job creation, the simple fact is that it is a relatively small employer”,

(c) despite inflated industry claims that they created 100,000 jobs in 2012, the actual number reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics is that 9,372 jobs were created in the entire oil and gas industry in that year,

(d) in August 2013, the entire oil and gas industry only employed 0.2 per cent of the Australian workforce, and

(e) this is less than two-thirds of the workforce of hardware retail company Bunnings Warehouse.

2. That this House calls on the Department of Planning to ensure that the economic modelling associated with planning applications is accurate.

(Notice given 18 March 2014—expires Notice Paper No. 207)

Excerpts from coal seam and tight gas exploration company Metgasco Limited’s media release/statement to the Australian Stock Exchange of 29 May 2014:

Metgasco is aware of a number of statements, including some made in the NSW Parliament, that are incorrect and misleading.   Metgasco has written to all Members of the NSW State Parliament refuting these claims and setting out our views relating to the suspension of approval to drill the Rosella E01 exploration well at Bentley…..

Metgasco is aware of a recent letter which seeks to accuse us of unacceptable drilling practices on a number of our wells. The information source for these accusations appears to be well completion reports which can be obtained through the government. We note that these reports are reviewed by government inspectors who have expressed no concern about them. In our opinion, the accusations show that the author has little understanding of the drilling industry or geology. He has misconstrued comments in the well completion reports, taken them out of context and at other times selectively quoted comments. His analysis, which we believe is incorrect and uninformed, could be used in an attempt to damn all oil and gas drilling, the routine drilling required to support coal and mining industries and even the hundreds of thousands of water bores drilled throughout Australia to support agriculture, industry and domestic needs…..  

The Lies Abbott Tells - Part Nineteen

THE LIE BY WAY OF REPEATED DISTORTION

‘‘How can it be unconscionable for this Coalition government to propose a co-payment and it not be unconscionable for the Hawke government when it actually implemented a co-payment in the 1990s? [Tony Abbott quoted in St George & Sutherland Shire Leader, 16 May 2014]

Bob Hawke put a price signal into the system and what was good for Bob Hawke I think is fair enough for me and for this Government. [Tony Abbott quoted on the ABC PM program, 23 May 2014]

“It was actually Bob Hawke who gave us the co-payment (in the past),…If it’s all right for the Hawke government to bring a co-payment in … why isn’t it all right for this government to bring it in, in the Budget?” [Tony Abbott quoted in The Courier Mail, 23 May 2014]

Tony Abbott has urged Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to follow Bob Hawke's lead and support the $7 Medicare co- payment.

Citing the former prime minister's 1991 proposal to slap a $3.50 charge on bulk-billed visits to the doctor, the Prime Minister said Mr Hawke was the "father of the co-payment". [Tony Abbott quoted in The West Australian, 27 May 2014]

“Not only do we have Bob Hawke as the father of the co-payment, we’ve got the member for Jagajaga (Ms Macklin) as the mother of the co-payment. The real authors of the co-payment are over there’’ [Tony Abbott quoted in The Australian, 30 May 2014]

THE FACTS

What Federal Coalition Prime Minister Tony Abbott doesn’t say is that in 1969 the Gorton Coalition Government introduced a new Medical Benefits Scheme which included a co-payment by patients, with a maximum of $5 for any one service. However, there appeared to have been no legal obligation on doctors to charge the common fee (based on the fees most commonly charged for over 1,000 medical services) and it was alleged that costs to patients rose above the Consumer Price Index rate.

Nor does the Prime Minister mention the fact that the Hawke Labor Government’s co-payment was never going to be applied to concessional patients, while his own co-payment regime will be applied to the first ten concessional patient medical services in any year across 70% of the range of all medical services which might be used by these patients.

Absent also is mention of the fact that though the co-payment was policy it was never implemented and, because this payment was so unpopular with Labor MPs, the medical profession and voters, the Act was repealed three short months later.

As the following potted history reveals:

* Under the Hawke Government the HEALTH INSURANCE AMENDMENT ACT 1991 No. 171, 1991 became law by assent on 20 Nov 1991.

* Under this Act concession card holder patients were exempt from the $2.50 co-payment which came into effect on 1 December 1991.

* However, the GP visit co-payment was never actually implemented and the Act was formally repealed by the Keating Government in early March 1992.

* During the period the co-payment was apparently in effect for medical services other than those supplied by GPs, only an estimated 1.8 million individual medical services appeared to attract this co-payment.

* In its 2003-04 Budget (covering a period when Abbott was first Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and then Minister for Health and Ageing) the Howard Government  attempted to re-introduce co-payments for all services with an MBS number provided out of hospital for non-concessional patients, including GP consultations, pathology and diagnostic imaging services and, allowing GP’s to charge a patient ‘gap’ fee up-front to non-concessional patients, provided they agreed to bulk bill all concessional patients. How much that ‘gap’ fee would be was to be decided by the GP. However, the legislation was not passed by Parliament.

As for the Member for Jagajaga, Jenny Macklin, being the mother of the co-payment, on 26 May 2014 The Australian reported:

Asked by The Australian about her role, Ms Macklin told a Melbourne Institute function in Canberra this month that she had argued with the then head of the Department of Finance, Michael Keating, against the co-payment.

“I didn’t agree with it,” she said. “I didn’t agree with it then and I don’t agree with it now.’’

Dr Keating confirmed the debate with Ms Macklin and her opposition. “It’s worth nothing two things: first the Keating government immediately got rid of it; the second thing is … today co-payments in Australia for health are the third highest in the OECD.”

That elusive Monaco donor to Coalition coffers may not be all that mysterious after all

The Canberra Times 2 June 2014:

A short limousine ride from the famous Monte Carlo casino, the Les Caravelles building enjoys a dress circle position overlooking Port Hercules - a popular place for the world's mega-rich to park their super yachts when visiting the Cote d'Azur.

According to documents filed with the Australian Electoral Commission, it is also the mailing address for Akira Investments Ltd, a generous donor to the Free Enterprise Foundation, a mysterious entity closely linked to the Liberal and National parties.

Given the foundation has no phone number and no website, just how a company domiciled in Monaco came to donate $200,000 last financial year - an extraordinarily large donation by Australian standards - is intriguing enough.

But just who is behind Akira Investments is also shrouded in mystery. Regulatory authorities in Monaco say there is no record of its existence. Nor does it appear in Australian company records.

According to the Australian Electoral Commission, Akira Investments has failed to lodge a political donation disclosure form, as required by law.

But an AEC spokesman said the commission is powerless to chase the company as the act governing its operations does not have ''international jurisdiction''.

Liberal Party federal director Brian Loughnane did not respond to a request to discuss the donation to the foundation, which is classified as an ''associated entity'' of the Liberal and National parties for election funding purposes.

The foundation's long-serving trustee, Canberra accountant Tony Bandle, did not return Fairfax Media's call or an email.

Mr Bandle was recently grilled at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption about whether the foundation was used to channel funds from banned donors back to the NSW Liberals….

Sounds all very mysterious doesn’t it? Until one lets one’s fingers do the walking across a PC keyboard.

Then a possible prime suspect immediately comes to light.

Akira Investments Ltd of London, Monaco, New York and Miami – an international super yacht brokerage company originally registered in London U.K. in 1975.

Its Monaco CEO Jonathan Beckett regularly visits Australia:

Snapshot from Ocean_Jonathan_Beckett.pdf at www.burgessyachts.com

Ocean Magazine 26 November 2013:

While Jonathan Beckett, Chief Executive of Burgess, was recently in Australia and New Zealand for a whirlwind tour, he spoke to Ocean about the purpose of such visits and the significance of the region to Burgess.

Q: How many times a year do you travel to this region and how important are these visits?
I travel to Australia and New Zealand between one and four times a year. This has been a very good and interesting niche market for us and one that I have personally worked hard at securing relationships and deals. I don’t think we could have succeeded in this market if we did not travel here regularly to meet with our customers. These visits are therefore fundamental to our success in the region.

Perhaps the mainstream media might like to contact this company and inquire about any political donations it may have made in the past.

UPDATE

Boilermaker Bill points out that very wealthy Sutton Forest NSW sometime resident, Reg Grundy, may have a connection with Akira Investments Ltd as the address given for this company, by the associated entity Free Enterprise Foundation on its political donation disclosure form, matches that of one of Grundy's own companies:

Grundy has a further connection with Akira Investments according to Bill in that he appears to have either leased or sold his super yacht Boadicea through this yacht brokerage company.

FURTHER UPDATE

ABC News 2 June 2014 approx 6.40pm:

Television pioneer Reg Grundy has confirmed he made a $200,000 donation to the Free Enterprise Foundation, a Liberal Party-linked entity that has been scrutinised by the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, via a family-owned business.

Until now the source of the donation, one of the largest to be channelled to the Liberal Party through the Foundation, has remained a mystery.

The ABC can also reveal that federal Liberal Party director Brian Loughnane directed the Mr Grundy and his wife Joy to make the donation to the Free Enterprise Foundation, rather than directly to the party, to maintain their privacy.

The payment was made via Akira Investments Ltd, which is owned by the Grundys.

In a statement, Akira director Jo Cullen-Cronshaw said: "I made enquiries of Mr Brian Loughnane and was advised by him that the best way to maintain their privacy would be to make the donation through the Free Enterprise Foundation".

"As they are extremely private individuals they always prefer that any donation they make, political or philanthropic, remains anonymous."

Mr Loughnane declined to confirm making those instructions to the Grundys, but said all Liberal Party fundraising complied with the law and met all disclosure requirements.

The 2013 BRW Rich list estimated Grundy's fortune at $760 million.

The $200,000 donation from Akira Investments was listed by the Foundation among its donor disclosure filings to the Australian Electoral Commission for the year 2012-13.

Akira has failed to lodge a political disclosure donation form to the Commission as required by law. However the AEC is powerless to chase it for disclosures, as it has no international jurisdiction.

The Australian Tax Office would not confirm if it would investigate Akira Investments Ltd.

In a statement, the ATO indicated that any investigation into donations to political parties would be limited to reviewing any claims for tax deductions.

The $200,000 donation stands among the largest single amounts gifted to the Free Enterprise Foundation, described  as "a tool for the Liberal Party" by Geoffrey Watson SC, Counsel Assisting ICAC, during his opening address on April 28....

Australian Prime Minister Abbott's tin ear is on display once more

Oh, dear. Everything is just Tony, Tony, Tony and his political plans to stay on as Prime Minister……

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Hlm9z9frjiYJ:www.pm.gov.au/media/2014-06-01/message-prime-minister-70th-anniversary-d-day-landings+&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au:

Home » Media » A message from the Prime Minister - 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER - 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE D-DAY LANDINGS

Sunday, 1 June 2014

Prime Minister

This week the world will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The D-day landings changed the course of human history.

As part of the commemoration, I will join seven Australians who were there 70 years ago.

Over 3,000 Australians were involved – including 2,500 air force personnel who provided air support for the Allied landings.

Following the D-day commemorations, I will be travelling to Canada and the United States – and will be joined by Australian business leaders.

My message to overseas investors is that Australia is open for business.

The Government’s Economic Action Strategy to lower tax, cut red tape and encourage trade will improve the competitiveness of businesses – so that we can build a stronger Australia.

We welcome investment and we are making investment more attractive by scrapping the carbon tax and the mining tax, cutting 50,000 pages of red tape and ending the “analysis paralysis” on major projects.

Our international partners can see that our Budget is again under control, we are tackling debt and deficits and we are serious about building a strong and prosperous economy.

This year Australia hosts the G20 summit to encourage growth around the world and I will be advancing that cause during this trip.

The United States, Canada and France are long standing friends.  We stood together at D-Day, we trade every day and we have always shared a commitment to democracy, to enterprise and to people’s right to be free.

1 June 2014

Authorised transcript of YouTube video by Tony Abbott:

Published on May 31, 2014

This week the world will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The D-day landings changed the course of human history.

As part of the commemoration, I will join seven Australians who were there 70 years ago.

Over 3,000 Australians were involved -- including 2,500 air force personnel who provided air support for the Allied landings.

Following the D-day commemorations, I will be travelling to Canada and the United States -- and will be joined by Australian business leaders.

My message to overseas investors is that Australia is open for business.

The Government's Economic Action Strategy to lower tax, cut red tape and encourage trade will improve the competitiveness of businesses -- so that we can build a stronger Australia.

We welcome investment and we are making investment more attractive by scrapping the carbon tax and the mining tax, cutting 50,000 pages of red tape and ending the "analysis paralysis" on major projects.

Our international partners can see that our Budget is again under control, we are tackling debt and deficits and we are serious about building a strong and prosperous economy.  

This year Australia hosts the G20 summit to encourage growth around the world and I will be advancing that cause during this trip.

The United States, Canada and France are long standing friends.  We stood together at D-Day, we trade every day and we have always shared a commitment to democracy, to enterprise and to people's right to be free.

Unfortunately for Tony Abbott online media such as New Matilda noticed his crass attempt to assert his own political agenda into a media release about D-Day commemorations (just as they noticed the clumsy attempt to remove the media release link from the Internet which was thwarted by Google Cache):

It’s not simply the case of an unfortunate media release linking two issues together by accident, because by the end, Abbott returns to D-Day.

“The United States, Canada and France are long standing friends. We stood together at D-Day, we trade every day and we have always shared a commitment to democracy, to enterprise and to people’s right to be free.”

By late Sunday evening, the issue was trending heavily on Twitter, via the auspol hashtag.

New Matilda is awaiting comment from the Prime Minister’s office. At the risk of putting words into the spinner’s mouths, the response is likely to be something along the lines of ‘… we never removed the story, the link just broke... by itself… oh, look over there, a unicorn!’

Whatever the truth, expect to wake in the morning to more outrage from the public about a Prime Minister who can’t even manage to milk Aussie sentiment around war heroes without stuffing things up.

The last word must go to Twitter: