Family First preferences
I’m surprised that Family First has preferenced the Liberals in every South Australian seat for the March 20 election.
It’s no surprise their preferences will go to Liberal ahead of Labor, but I expected them to favor independents in some key seats.
I met the Family First candidate for Mount Gambier, Henk Bruins, a few weeks ago and he expressed his admiration for Don Pegler, who is the independent with a chance of winning the seat.
In The Border Watch today, Bruins conceded the decision had been made at state executive level.
I actually think it’s a decision that could shape the outcome. (more…)
Senate fails South Australian workers
The threat to jobs and industry in the South East of South Australia caused by dumped Asian tissue products highlights the inadequacy of our bicameral federal system.
The Senate was established as a “state’s house” with equal numbers of Senators from each of the six colonies that formed the Commonwealth of Australia.
Our founding fathers wanted to protect the less-populated states from domination by Victoria and New South Wales.
At the time of Federation, governments were formed by alliances between groups of independents. The Labor Party was in its infancy and there were no other political parties.
The alliances were formed around strong personalities or issues like trade and immigration. (more…)
Protect Australian jobs
The future of several thousand Australian jobs could be at risk if the Federal Government continues with its free trade policy.
Many of those jobs are in the South East of South Australia where Kimberly-Clark Australia (KCA) manufactures tissues and toilet paper at Millicent, near Mount Gambier.
KCA is a subsidiary of the US-based Kimberly-Clark Corporation.
The Customs Department, which comes under the Attorney-General’s portfolio, last year allowed the importation of cheap tissue paper from Asia.
KCA and workers say this contravenes anti-dumping policies, but the government persists in saying the issue is a competitive one, rather than dumping.
That’s my summary of the following text, beginning with a media release issued by KCA on February 10. That sets the context for the complete Hansard record of a Senate question asked by Nick Xenophon on February 25, answered by Penny Wong for the government. (more…)
Yes Minister meets Alice in Wonderland
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I read the piece by Myles Peterson headlined as above on the Fairfax National Times website.
Peterson describes his brief time in the “public service rabbit hole” writing ministerial speeches for the Health Department.
There were whoops of joy in the office when the boss came in and said the section was under budget.
“Oh, so that’s good? You’ve saved money?”
“No, no,” her smile turned to ash as she gave me that pitying look I usually received when I asked a question. “It means training.”
Peterson then recounted attending a conference of dubious relevance, staying in premium accommodation with all expenses paid.
It’s more cringeworthy because it’s the Health Department. If a section can save money for whatever reason, surely it should be channelled into services? (more…)
Copenhagen overkill
Kevin Rudd is acting irresponsibly in taking a delegation of 113 people to the United Nations climate change summit in Copenhagen.
The Herald Sun says the entourage could produce up to 500 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
The Australian contingent includes nine media advisers, five bodyguards and 12 staff from the Prime Minister’s office, according to a provisional list of participants produced a week ago.
The size of the delegation totally astounds me. And I struggle to imagine what nine media advisers could possibly do that’s useful.
One should be able to handle the job, three at most.
Opposition climate spokesman Greg Hunt said the size of the Australian contingent was over the top.
“Kevin Rudd’s mega-delegation is generating a carbon footprint visible on the moon,” he said.
Not to mention the financial cost.
Rudd’s reputation as a bureaucratic policy wonk grows bigger.
Bizarre logic on Federal Coalition
Peter van Onselen has written a bizarre piece in The Australian suggesting a split in the Federal Coalition would be political suicide.
Van Onselen claims: “… it would be absolute folly for the conservative side of politics if the Coalition were to disintegrate, and it would hurt the Liberal Party at least as much as it would the Nationals.”
He makes some spectacular leaps of logic, most of which are so fanciful I don’t know where to begin in pointing out how ridiculous they are.
I’ll work through them in his order. (more…)
