Australian Political Discussion Thread 3.0

[wendog33]

Bit of info on that in this SMH article.

‘Noted’: Dutton criticised over response to offshore processing audit

A damning internal Home Affairs audit shows Paladin – the contractor paid $532 million to run the Manus Island detention centre and being investigated over allegations of bribery – was never properly assessed for its ability to run the centre, and the department failed to consider the corruption and fraud risks of working in Papua New Guinea. Documents tabled in parliament yesterday show that when then-minister Peter Dutton was sent a briefing note about the audit, he simply indicated he had “noted” the report without having a discussion about it with his department.

The audit found the department was given just 29 days in late 2017 to find a new contractor to run Manus Island after the previous contractor pulled out. “The nature of the procurement and operating environment in PNG heightens the potential for fraud and corruption,” the audit stated, adding “there are no documented strategies established to manage such risks”. Labor senator Deborah O’Neill said Dutton should have shown more interest than simply circling “noted” on a briefing document, saying: “His response was to note it ... and the show rolled on and half-a-billion got spent.” Dutton did not respond to questions yesterday, but said last year he had no involvement with contract negotiations or the execution of agreements.

The revelation comes as Home Affairs secretary Stephanie Foster said bureaucrats in her department would not face consequences arising from a probe by former ASIO director-general Dennis Richardson, which was prompted by a Herald investigation and found offshore detention contracts went to companies linked to suspected arms and drug smuggling, busting sanctions on Iran, corruption and bribery. Foster blamed the department’s previous bosses for the failings regarding the Paladin contract, saying “the processes were not adequate” and “we have absolutely learned from the past”. Foster replaced former secretary Michael Pezzullo in November after an independent inquiry found he had breached the government’s code of conduct by texting a Liberal Party operative. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Read Michael Bachelard and Angus Thompson’s report

Detention: None of the 149 detainees released after indefinite immigration detention was outlawed have been locked up again, yet ministers were briefed on new lock-up laws a month before the High Court’s ruling.

The Morning Edition podcast: How crooked companies made millions from offshore detention

Tune into The Morning Edition podcast (previously Please Explain) for insightful discussions with our journalists about the stories that matter. Today, host Samantha Selinger-Morris talks to Nick McKenzie about multimillion-dollar government contracts for the offshore processing of asylum seekers being granted to companies that have been suspected of having links to serious crimes.

 

[DinkumDog]

Hearing Penny Wong will retire from politics in the not too distant future - didn’t even serve a full term. Assuming it happens a major reshuffle on the way. Likely Marles moves from Defence to Foreign Affairs.

 

[The DoggFather]

Hearing Penny Wong will retire from politics in the not too distant future - didn’t even serve a full term. Assuming it happens a major reshuffle on the way. Likely Marles moves from Defence to Foreign Affairs.

Good, he can fuck right off.

 

[Alan79]

In 2002 as an 18 year old I was for the abolishment of double time and time and a half.

I refused to work weekends once I calculated I was giving up my weekends just to earn an extra $70!

No wonder why all you greedy slaves are miserable and stupid?
I bet you taught your kids to be just like you?

If you were only earning $70 through your weekend work, you can't have been giving up a lot of your weekend anyway.

 

[Alan79]

$440k a year. You would think this is satire? Nope, it's the Telecrap.

View attachment 101071

These poor ***** are probably offsetting all their tax through negative gearing and other loopholes anyway.

 

[CroydonDog]

New Canberra tourist attraction. A Canberran friend has pointed out that its quite close to Bentspoke brewery.

 

[DinkumDog]

Good, he can fuck right off.

I guess there’s reasons for it but it seems odd to serve 5 years in opposition then 6 years in Government followed by 9 (count ‘em) long years in opposition to finally get your hands back on the levers and then quit before even seeing out a full term. That’s most of your career in opposition. Painful. Anyways - next!

 

[Memberberries]

If you were only earning $70 through your weekend work, you can't have been giving up a lot of your weekend anyway.

Exactly.
If I worked more I would have been taxed harder and seen less of my money!

 

[Kaz]

Hearing Penny Wong will retire from politics in the not too distant future - didn’t even serve a full term. Assuming it happens a major reshuffle on the way. Likely Marles moves from Defence to Foreign Affairs.

Hate to burst your bubble.

Speculation is swirling inside the Labor Party that Penny Wong could quit her role as Foreign Minister and Leader of the Senate in the next few months.

Not quitting altogether.

Maybe because her children are getting older, she wants to spend a bit more time with them.

 

[DinkumDog]

Hate to burst your bubble.

Speculation is swirling inside the Labor Party that Penny Wong could quit her role as Foreign Minister and Leader of the Senate in the next few months.

Not quitting altogether.

Maybe because her children are getting older, she wants to spend a bit more time with them.

No bubble to burst - just people in Canberra are hearing she wants out completely. Family reasons would probably make sense, less travel etc. Too young to retire but could likely land a board gig or two…

 

[Kaz]

No bubble to burst - just people in Canberra are hearing she wants out completely. Family reasons would probably make sense, less travel etc. Too young to retire but could likely land a board gig or two…

Maybe she doesn't want to see the red headed clown, Pauline Hanson anymore. Or had enough of hearing Jacqui Lambie talking

 

[DinkumDog]

Maybe she doesn't want to see the red headed clown, Pauline Hanson anymore. Or had enough of hearing Jacqui Lambie talking

Both would drive anyone to drink…

 

[Kaz]

Both would drive anyone to drink…

Barnaby will agree.

 

[DinkumDog]

The best part of Nemesis were the outtakes:

Q: ‘Describe the differences of Abbott and Turnbull’

A: ‘If you were on a boat and fell overboard into shark infested waters, Abbott would dive in and attempt to save you whilst Turnbull would stay on the boat and give a speech about what a great person you were’

 

[CroydonDog]

The best part of Nemesis were the outtakes:

Q: ‘Describe the differences of Abbott and Turnbull’

A: ‘If you were on a boat and fell overboard into shark infested waters, Abbott would dive in and attempt to save you whilst Turnbull would stay on the boat and give a speech about what a great person you were’

I've just started the 2nd episode. So far there is a lot of

Turnbull: I had several conversations with Morrison about (inset topic here)"
Morrison: "That isn't my recollection"

The first ep did remind me just how prone Abbott, for such a smart and driven bloke, could say and do some really Tone(s) deaf things. I guess like John Howard said: he was a great opposition leader, but couldn't quite convert that to being a PM.

 

[Blue_boost]

These poor ***** are probably offsetting all their tax through negative gearing and other loopholes anyway.

I suggest some good evening reading for you… the tax act! Isnt it ones right to Minimise their tax?

 

[DinkumDog]

I've just started the 2nd episode. So far there is a lot of

Turnbull: I had several conversations with Morrison about (inset topic here)"
Morrison: "That isn't my recollection"

The first ep did remind me just how prone Abbott, for such a smart and driven bloke, could say and do some really Tone(s) deaf things. I guess like John Howard said: he was a great opposition leader, but couldn't quite convert that to being a PM.

I agree - he was a very ordinary PM after being an effective attack dog in opposition - but I don’t doubt his genuine community mindedness (being in the RFS, SES etc) but just couldn’t do the ‘man of the people’ thing very well. I’d love to know what motivates anyone to be a career politician - such a grubby business.

 

[Kaz]

I’d love to know what motivates anyone to be a career politician - such a grubby business.

The pay & perks.

 

[DinkumDog]

The pay & perks.

I’d say more power and perks.
Can earn way more in the private sector.
But I take your point - and so it should be well paid - a thankless 7 day a week slog that has only gotten more intense in the social media age. No thanks, I prefer the anonymity and ability to fully disengage when I want.

 

[Hacky McAxe]

I agree - he was a very ordinary PM after being an effective attack dog in opposition - but I don’t doubt his genuine community mindedness (being in the RFS, SES etc) but just couldn’t do the ‘man of the people’ thing very well. I’d love to know what motivates anyone to be a career politician - such a grubby business.

Abbott's issue was that he was a little too ideologically driven. He believed strongly in helping people, but he also believed strongly in opposition. He would support a bill just to because Labor opposed it. And he would do some stupid stuff. Like bragging about wasting money on broken airforce planes.

At least he was honest. I personally think Turnbull was a better PM than Abbott when it came to policies and such, and Turnbull failed due to a lack of support in his own party, but Turnbull was also extremely dishonest. He was peak politician. He's the kind of person that would cut off your leg so he could praise you for your disability.