Mixed News for Labor, Libs

There has been mixed news for the major parties in the last few days:

• the Cabinet leak about Julia Gillard questioning the costs, and the political value, of a paid maternity scheme, and possibly pension rises above normal should never have occurred. It was good news for Tony Abbott, and a number of Opposition members trotted out to the media for the 5-10s media sound bite. Cabinet discussions are supposed to be confidential. The finger is being pointed at Kevin Rudd, but no evidence has been made public to support that, and he has denied any responsibility. Cabinet leaks are not common, but the last Liberal-National government had them too. There were police raids on newspapers and individual journalists over leaked Cabinet documents previewing Howard's intervention in Aboriginal communities in the NT. That was 14-Nov-2004. The raids were ordered by Howard's Dept of Prime Minister & Cabinet.
• Economics has largely favoured Julia Gillard's government. The inflation figures released today for both CPI and underlying inflation fell, and it is likely there will be no interest rate rise this month. Fairfax newspapers reported, in the business section, that the predicted price rises from both Labor's Climate Change policy, and from the Coalition's increased tax on big business, will be about the same. Whichever party is elected, the "Coles & Wollies" effect will be similar. Mortgage applications rose by 2.3% in the June quarter, and the decline in personal credit (loans and credit card applications) will be good for an economy overloaded with personal debt. All up, good news for Julia Gillard's Government, and not good for Tony Abbott's Opposition. The news gives voters no reason to change government. Tony Abbott has been forced to promise a tax cut for business, but it won't take effect till after 2013, or perhaps in teh budget before an election. It's a cynical backflip, while attempting to be populist  to buiness.
• The media ran stories about Julia Gillard's photo makeover for Women's Weekly. Yes, it's only images & story, but it will  only help Juila Gillard's standing with women, and possibly some men. Already the Coalition is worried about her appeal. It will likely remain a significant stumbling block for Tony Abbott.

Score: ALP: 5; Coalition: 2

John

Election - State of the Parties Week1

During the first week of the election campaign, we have seen:

• Tony Abbott stumble over WorkChoices. He wanted voters to believe that WorkChoices was "dead, buried & cremated". then he let slip the real agenda will be in the second term of his government, if elected. That could be a fatal self-wounding.
• Tony Abbott run as Tony Abbott only, until the Saturday polls showed he was losing women voters to Labor. So, Saturday saw the first appearance of Tony Abbott with his Deputy, Julie Bishop. She made complimentary comments about him, as she did for every other leader for whom she has been Deputy Leader. It was nothing other than an attempt to attract back a few women voters.
• Julia Gillard try to sideline Climate Change Policy, by announcing a forum of 150 people drawn from the electoral rolls. Everyone saw it as nothing other than attempt to avoid giving details of a climate change policy.
• The spectre of Kevin Rudd, with news he is seeking a part-time Climate Change job with the UN. It took tony Abbott's WorkChoices bungles off the front page. Mind you, I would understand his frustration at being pestered by journalists looking for a story, ANY story, about him in his electorate.
• Labor released its cashback policy for old (pre-1975) cars if they are upgraded to new, efficient cars. (see an earlier post)

Overall, I give a 2-Party preferred 'vote', as follows:

• Labor:  51.5
• Coalition: 48.5

John

Election Policy - Libs' Boat Policy

In the previous post, we saw that Labor's cashback for old cars had some implications not stated. ie that many popular large cars would be excluded because they are are not sufficiently economical.

Today, we will look at the Coalition's, and particularly the Liberal Party's policy on refugee boats. The website  http://www.liberal.org.au/Issues/National-Security/Ideas/2010/Border-security.aspx states:

The Coalition will maintain rigorous offshore processing of those arriving illegally by boat, reintroduce temporary protection visas (to deprive people-smugglers of a product to sell) and be ready, where possible, to turn boats back.

What they don't say:
"Caveat emptor" - buyer beware.  
Not much detail in this policy, is there? It's blatant populism - a facade that makes no attempt at detail, and relies heavily on sloganeering - the 'only we can stop the boats' (like the last Liberal government) chant. It might be popular with some voters, particularly in western Sydney, Queensland, and Western Australia, but the last Liberal-National Party Government did so by:

• breaching International Maritime Law, when it denied the Norwegian freighter Tampa permission to take almost 250 refugees to Christmas Island. It denied the Tampa, contrary to advice from the Attorney-General's Department.
• lying to us voters during an election campaign when John Howard and others claimed refugees had thrown 'children overboard', even when they had been advised that was wrong. A later inquiry verified that teh then PM & senior Liberal Ministers knew no children had been thrown overboard, but they continued to make that statement.
• breaching Australia's obligations as a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It did this with long-term, and off-shore, detention, including at Nauru. That long-term incarceration, sometimes up to 3 years, affected the physical and mental health of people. Indeed, the UN High Commission on Refugees was critical of John Howard's Liberal-National Government, saying that The Pacific Solution was

“an unfortunate precedent, being for the first time, ..., that a country with a fully functioning and credible asylum system, in the absence of anything approximating a mass influx, decides to transfer elsewhere the responsibility to handle claims made actually on the territory of the state.”

The policy will do nothing to solve the problems faced by many people in (mostly) northern parts of Sri Lanka, nor minority people affected by the war in Afghanistan, nor terrorist activity in Pakistan. It does nothing to encourage Indonesia to crack down on people-smugglers.

The policy is populist, and will only serve to again damage Australia's international reputation.

See also:
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=1588
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/howard-rejected-tampa-advice/2007/07/22/1185042950379.html
http://www.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/10337/Address_Refugee-Support-Group_Adelaide-Hills_Pacific-Solution.pdf

John

Election Policy - Labor's Car Cashback

Today, the ALP announced a $2000 cashbback offer for people purchasing a new, economical car, as follows. (Full press release at: http://www.alp.org.au/federal-government/news/cleaner-car-rebate-to-scrap-inefficient-cars/ )

Motorists with old, higher-emission, less fuel-efficient vehicles will be eligible for a $2,000 Cleaner Car Rebate when they purchase a new, lower-emission, fuel-efficient vehicle, under a Gillard Labor Government.

This will encourage people to get their old polluting cars off the road and help the environment for the whole community.
It is anticipated that the measure will see close to 200,000 pre-1995 vehicles taken off the road over four years from 1 January 2011 to the end of 2014, ...
...
Under this measure, households that trade-in a car manufactured before 1 January 1995 for scrappage will be eligible for a $2,000 rebate ...

What they don't say:
"Caveat emptor" - buyer beware.
Of the best known car brands, the list below shows those current models that have the required green rating of 6 or more:
Ford:  - Fiesta, Focus (not XR5 Turbo)

Holden: - Cruze, Barina; Diesel variants of Cruze, Captiva, Epica, Colorado

Mazda: - Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda 6, Mazda CX7 (Diesel)

Toyota: - Prius, Yaris, Corolla, Camry

Subaru: - Impreza; Liberty 2.5i, Outback 2.5i, Forrester (Diesel); Outback (Diesel)

So, no Ford Falcon or variants; no Holden Commodore or variants, and the choice for families is rather limited.
 
For the full list, see: http://www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au/GVGPublicUI/Home.aspx

Like all such things, this policy is dressed to sound appealing, especially if you don't do your homework.  It is like most parties' election policies. It is as the Minister said, designed to replace older, inefficient cars. He just
didn't include the bit 'but not with new cars that are still less economical'. Perhaps we will see 4-cylinder diesel variants of the Ford Falcon and Holden Commodore sooner than we think.

John

Electioneering 2010

The Federal Election 2010 is not yet a week old. Are you bored yet?? You should be.

Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard has maintained her "ice-queen" persona. It is a continuation of her performances as Minister for Education & Minister for Industrial relations. Measured, reasonable, logical. But there's little sign of passion. There has been little policy detail. At least the Labor Party's site (http://www.alp.org.au/)   includes its traditional logo, unlike the Liberal Party's (see below). Deposed PM Kevin Rudd is rarely mentioned, and mostly by journalists. For his, part, Rudd seems to gag and has not mentioned Julia Gillard's name. there are plenty of slogans, photos to feed the journos, and create the desired image, but not much policy reporting.

Opposition, & Liberal Party, Leader Tony Abbott has also done his best to seem measured, but it took a matter of days before his foot was firmly in his mouth over ... WorkChoices. He "promised" that WorkChoices was "dead, buried and cremated",  but then indicated he wouldn't 'make changes to IR laws in the first term, but would in the second!  It seems there was a conscious party decision to try to bury WorkChoices, and keep its desired changes from teh public. His picture on the front page of the Liberal Party website (http://www.liberal.org.au/ ) does NOT include the Liberal Party Logo - it's not anywhere! His official election photo (right) also has no identifier Perhaps he doesn't want people to remember Liberal Party policies when in government. Little has been heard from the National Party, at least in metropolitan areas. Perhaps they are trying to keep a lid on Barnaby Joyce.

What we are seeing is a form of electioneering that involves:

• image manipulation. There will be only 1 structured, manipulated, "debate".
• attempts to be measured and reasonable, to point of iciness. The facades are brittle, especially for Tony Abbott
• a distinct lack of policy detail through the major media outlets.
• simple, transparent, attempts to gain votes by demeaning the other leader.
• a "presidential" style, where we voters are asked to vote for a leader. Except for the people in their respective electorates, we don't.

There is a real risk that this type of election campaign will alienate more voters, who will either deliberately vote informal, try not to vote, or donkey-vote. Both parties demean our democracy, for some perceived short-term interest. I'm sure many voters want to see policy detail, and just a little passion - enough to show firm belief in the policies.

John

Election:21-August

Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard (left) has  this morning asked the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce (right) to dissolve the House of Representatives and call a general election and half-Senate election. The election will beheld on Saturday 21-August-2010.

Ms Gillard announced the election at a press conference at noon today.

Both (Labor) Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and Opposition (Liberal) Leader, Tony Abbott, will be able to score political points, similar to those below:

Tone Abbott will score "points" on: Labor's mistakes made in spending to avoid the global recession, particularly in school buildings and badly-installed home insulation; the compromised mining super-profits tax; and he will certainly play on xenophobic right-wing fears about refugees arriving by boat. (It seems nothing has changed since the 1970's when Vietnamese refugees arrived by boat - politicians still want to run a scare campaign); and Labor's inability to act on climate change, even though the Liberal/National parties do not want to act!

Julia Gillard will score "points" on: the Liberal/National Coalition's desire to resurrect at least some parts of WorkChoices - a Howard policy they ALL voted for, but which was manifestly unjust in its objectives, and which Tony Abbott, (Deputy)Julie Bishop, Eric Abetz and a string of other Liberals still want; she will claim a "tie" on refugee policy, while trying desperately to ameliorate social justice concerns about the treatment of refugees arriving by boat; she will also score points on Tony Abbott's "great big new tax" - his term- on business.

So, where does the average voter look? Truepolitik's analysis of the Australian political spectrum for the major parties is shown below. the National Party is largely right-wing, but has a distinct socialist policy: to socialize losses from agriculture (but countered by a policy to privatize the profits)

 This election will lack the myriad promises of personal tax cuts and spending initiatives as both sides seek to position themselves as 'economically responsible'. The fact is both Labor and the Liberal & National Parties are conservative. The Greens are the only party that could properly be labeled "Left", and Labor, while conservative, is more centrist, and more environmentally aware that the Liberals.

It's now up to Australians. Many will vote for a particular party, "because that's how we've always voted". It's us swinging voters that the parties will try to target.

John

Election Selling 101

Following from my last psoting, to help you.

Laugh - at least you'll feel better.
John

It's Almost Election Time

I've been rather sick - this winter has seen some nasty bugs going around. I seem to have caught most of them this year.

One 'bug' going around is the political BS bug. We are currently being inundated with pollies' photo opportunities; press releases as 'news'; and leaders' media statements, complete with nodding acolytes. PM Julia Gillard has been busy working to clear problems, and enhance her image, and the image of her party. Within 24-hours of her Prime Ministerial dress-sense being questioned by women in the media, Julia Gillard has upped the ante this morning with a pin-striped "power suit". {Aside - why is that the media, especially women in the media, need to do this? Sell their journalistic soul for a quick buck, they would.}.

• Julia Gillard is trying to be seen as firm, a listener to people, and decisive. Kevin Rudd has been removed from the media: he was not appointed to the Ministry, despite wanting to, and has kept an almost nil profile since. The mere absence of Kevin Rudd has done wonders for the Labor Party.
• She has largely resolved the mining tax: at least it's off the headlines. No legislation has been announced, and it's unlikely till next year - after the election.
• She has almost settled the issue of boat people with the announcement of the intended use of East Timor as a holding place. The sticking point is that East Timor has not yet agreed to do this! The move is, however, a move to the right to try to nullify the xenophobic one-liner non-policies of the Liberal Party, and appeal to populist voter fears. Nauru is off the list - Labor does not want to use a facility they, and the UN, criticised as breaching Australia's obligations to international treaties on refugees.
• The superannuation revue allowed for the release of potential good news for most Australians. The retail fund managers made noises opposing, but have now kept quiet - perhaps they don't want people to start thinking about the high fees they charge!
• The Building the Education Revolution waste, where schools have grossly over-priced, but underwhelming, buildings, has been quietly shuffled off to an inquiry.

Still to come are statements on: climate change/Emissions Trading Scheme/carbon tax; and a final settlement of how to deal with boat people.

I expect that Parliament will not sit in August, as scheduled. It could represent too many opportunities for the Opposition. If you've already had enough of unsubstantiated marketing from Labor, and the Liberals, you're out of luck. I reckon you've got another 6-8 weeks worth before the election. And remember, it's ALL just marketing. Marketing, marketing ... and repetition of unsubstantiated statements.Try imagining each of the parties' leaders in checked sports coats, cigar in hand, looking like shonky used-car salesmen .. err .. persons. At least you'll laugh.

John

Julia Gillard PM

Julia Gillard was elected unopposed at a Federal Labor Party Meeting on Thursday morning. It was a coup orchestrated by "backroom johnnies". Among them were Mark Arbib (NSW), Bill Shorten (Vic), David Feeney (Vic), but others within the various factions were galvanised.

By the time Julia Gillard saw Kevin Rudd between 7:30 - 8:00pm, he was doomed. The numbers had already been locked in.

His live press conference at about 10pm saw Rudd at the best he had been for months. Plain-speaking, talked about his election by the people as Prime Minister; and about items he was going to put back on the agenda, including climate change/ETS; the mining tax. He was too late. Had he spoken like that, and had the government run with its agenda, his popularity might have continued, and he would still be Prime Minister. it should be noted, though, that we voters did NOT directly vote for him as PM; we voted for more Labor MP's than Liberal-National MP's. Rudd became PM because he was the leader of the party with the most representatives in Parliament.

A few points are worth noting about the process:

• Liberal (Opposition) Leader Tony Abbott has criticised the process, describing Ms Gillard's election as PM as "political assassination". That might be, but is exactly what Tony Abbott did to Malcolm Turnbull, when he deposed Turnbull as Leader of the Liberal Party.  It is how most party political leaders obtain the position. Just ask any of the following from recent memory: Alexander Downer  (Liberal Party - deposed by John Howard); Bob Hawke (Labor - deposed by Paul Keating); Malcolm Turnbull (Liberal - deposed by Tony Abbott); Kim Beasley (Labor - deposed by Kevin Rudd). The comment from Abbott is hypocritical, and designed to hoodwink voters.
• Kevin Rudd, realising he had no chance, did not stand for the leadership. The overwhelming vote, arranged for Ms Gillard, was not needed. Ms Gillard was elected unopposed. Rudd, in the end, ensured that there was no divisive vote, no acrimony within the party.
• The Federal Labor Party must now be very careful that it does not become tainted by backroom deals in the same way that the NSW Labor Government has.

Already the polls show a significant swing back to Labor, and the Liberal Party Council is meeting today to try to plan how to overcome Julia Gillard's effect on voters. They are running scared. If Prime Minister Gillard chooses to have a Parliamentary sitting in August-September, it would only be to introduce legislation so she can go to the polls with "achievements". I doubt she will. My guess is that Julia Gillard might call an election for late August, or September. She would not have to have the scheduled August sitting of Parliament, avoiding the cheap point-scoring and tabloid headlines of Question Time; and it would give her time to soothe the few sores that Labor currently has: climate change; the proposed mining tax; and education spending. (already shuffled off to an inquiry for the Government).

John

Labor Madness

Tonight's news is that Federal Labor factional powerbrokers are meeting tonight to discuss the possibility of a leadership challenge. The intended replacement is, presumably, Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The intended victim is Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. The meeting follows the last day of the winter session of Federal Parliament, and follows some weeks of relatively poor poll results. Some MP's are supposedly leaving for warmer climes, or on overseas travel. Prime Minister Rudd is supposed to leave for Canada tomorrow. Some elements within the party, and some pro-conservative elements in the media (News Ltd and Sky News) have been pushing the leadership agenda.

An election is due late this year, or by early March next year at the latest. Why would members of a party contemplate deposing their, & the nation's, leader just months before an election? Politics, selfishness and stupidity. Julia Gillard is still the darling of the left faction, and they want their girl as leader. MP's in marginal seats are worried they will lose - they will probably lose anyway, since historically large electoral victories are somewhat re-balanced at the next election as voters "protest against the government". This happens more often than not.

Nevertheless, Kevin Rudd would probably not be in this position if he, and the members of the Labor Government, and adopted what we have consistently said that politicians should do:

1. seek professional advice and determine good policy (not politics!!)
2. spend less time (& money) on "media management" and more time on policy
3. determine the legislation based on the professional advice they receive
4. explain the policy to the people
5. introduce and run with the legislation that is in the best interests of Australia, & Australians.

If the Opposition block the legislation, by all means take the policy to the people at the next election. Voters are not stupid, although News Ltd will consistently run pro-Liberal "stories", and some voters will never change.

News of the current leadership fiasco has been driven,partly by the media, (news stories can spook  politicians) but by stupid politicians running with a selfish political agenda. A reasonable person would question their loyalty to the Labor Party.

John

Racism, Alcohol & Sport

This week saw NSW (‘Blues’) representative league player, Timana Tahu, walk out of the team camp, & the team. Assistant Coach, Andrew Johns, is reported to have made racial comments about three Queensland players: Greg Inglis, Jonathan Thurston & Sam Thaiday. The remarks were apparently made during a drinking session with the players.

There are 2 main issues with which rugby league, the NSWRL, and sports in general, must address:

• Racism: are there underlying racist attitudes of some of its members? When asked, I am sure every single player, coach, supporter, official will say that they are not racist. Yet occasional derogatory comments about race are still made on the field. they don’t happen often, but they do still happen. Perpetrators often dismiss it as ‘sledging’ and ‘it didn’t mean anything’. But it reflects deep-seated attitudes, some of which surface under pressure. Timana Tahu has apparently thought for some time before taking his action. He is to be commended for not acting in haste; and for taking action on principle. The alleged racist comments are the most important driver of events.
• Alcohol & drugs: the time has long since passed when team “bonding sessions” should be based on alcoholic stupor, and the stupidity that follows. With respect to Andrew Johns, he has already publicly admitted he is an alcoholic - “For me the problem was alcohol” (& ecstasy). [Andrew Johns, to Phil Gould on The Footy Show, 30-Aug-2007.]

Rugby League managers and administrators put Andrew Johns, and others, in a position where the consumption of grossly excessive amounts of alcohol are not only encouraged, but almost mandatory under considerable peer pressure. Andrew Johns lived a lie involving alcoholism and drug abuse for 10 years. Why would the NSWRL put him into such a situation as part of his work? They must be in breach of OH&S laws. Don’t think the NSW team is alone; Queensland will have had such an alcoholic session. Similar drinking sessions usually follow a game on Friday, Saturday, Sunday; for representative games, for NRL club games, for local club games. Addressing the issue must also include addressing alcohol sponsorship of players, clubs and teams – here the NRL will likely do nothing, they are too gutless: after all, it’s all about the money, not good principle.

Racism; alcohol, and alcoholic players; and the use of drugs on Friday & Saturday night after games are issues that the NRL must address. It’s not the only sport.

John

Libs New Plan To 'Stop the Boats'

Fictional Media Conference involving Liberal Party & Coalition Leader Tony Abbott and ...

Tony Abbott appears wearing shirt, conservative-blue tie, dark suit coat, and ... budgie smugglers!

[Journalist]: Mr Abbott, why are you wearing budgie smugglers?
[Abbott]: Err, I never miss a chance. And anyway, arh, I have to keep fit if I'm going to be, arh, the next Prime Minister of Australia.
[Journalist]: Who's that with you? No, not your throng of media advisers and head-nodders. Who's that? (points at 11th person in Abbott's throng, standing off to side)
[Abbott]: Who? Um, Oh, OH! - that's my Shadow Minister for err, Immigration.
[Journalists]: (as one) Who is it and why are they wearing a John Howard, one-eyed mask?
[Abbott]: Not relevant. The point is, arh, teh point is only the Coalition can STOP THE BOATLOADS OF REFUGEES. We did it before and we'll do it better next time.
[Journalist]: How? Christmas Island is already full, NZ won't take them again, and Nauru will likely be under water soon, with the effects of global warming, won't it?
[Abbott]: Arh, heh-heh, Nah - that's just a left-wing Labor, commie refugee conspiracy. BUT, ONLY WE CAN STOP THE BOATS!
[Journalists]: (all as one) HOW?
[Abbott]: The Coalition will outsource border security against refugees to the Israeli Government. They did a wonderful job on those ships going to Gaza. The Israelis will use their warships, zodiacs, helicopters and commandos. After all, some of those commandos are Aussies. We will pay for them with AGBNTOE(*) The boats will stop, and we will be able to focus all our energies on the important things. (thinks - and those sucker voters will vote for us)
[Journalist]: Such as?
[Abbott]: New Industrial Relations. Before you ask, the term 'WorkChoices' is dead, we won't call it that. And a new immigration policy targeting 457-visa workers for employment; and my colleague here (aside - what's your name, son?) - yes, of course, Scott Morrison, will concentrate in the lab on resurrecting the White Australia Policy. That's all folks - no more questions. (thinks - because we don't have any answers)

Abbott, surrounded by nodding media advisers and ... what-his-name with the Howard mask, shuffles off to Parliament House.

END

* AGBNTOE - A Great Big New Tax On Everything.

John
(with acknowledgement to Chris Henning, whose 'True Fictions' column in the Sydney Morning Herald inspired this)

Mining Tax Kerfuffle

This week we have seen strong, even vehement, reactions to the Government’s proposed ‘Super Profits Tax’ on mining companies.

You can always tell the level of desperation by the intensity of the marketing campaign. The stronger the campaign, the more likely there is to be misinformation, “statistics”, and outright lying. Political parties will attempt to score cheap political points.

The Mining Council of Australia is running ads. They are marketing – you should therefore be sceptical of any claims. Indeed, they have largely been debunked by respected economics and business journalists Ross Gittins and Ian Verrender. See the following:

http://www.smh.com.au/business/major-miners-generally-selfish-20100528-wle9.html
and
http://www.smh.com.au/business/super-profits-tax-is-up-against-brazen-propaganda-20100528-wlea.html

Meanwhile the Liberal Party has brought forward its marketing campaign. You will remember the ads – they are certainly annoying  - but they don’t ague on good policy, just on annoyance. take them with a grain of salt – they are only marketing. For its part, the Government has bypasses its protocols on Government advertising, by NOT having its ads checked by the Auditor-General. Political expediency is more important. However, the Opposition has successfully diverted attention from debating the proposed super-tax on mining profits to voter perceptions of the Government. WHY? Well, Tony Abbott doesn’t want to debate the merits of the changes to tax on mining companies, and would very likely change his mind, and keep the tax if elected. (remember, John Howard did the same with the ‘never, ever GST’)

Meanwhile, in Federal Parliament, both sides have done little but try to score cheap political points. Labor Ministers almost queued to make statements alleging that the Liberal & National Parties were simply after mining company donations. Jamie Briggs (Liberal) responded with figures showing “the federal Australian Labor Party has received $80,500 from the mining industry in Australia, and the federal Liberal Party has received nothing.” However, has lied by omission – he forgot to include the personal donations from those who run our mining companies. the ABC has reported:

” Australia's fifth richest man according to the last BRW rich list, Mr Palmer donated a total of $865,000, including $400,000 to the Liberal Party of Australia through his mining company Mineralogy.

Mr Palmer …  also made a personal donation of $280,000 to the Liberal National Party of Queensland.

While most of his generosity was reserved for the conservative side of politics, Mr Palmer also boosted the West Australian Labor Party's coffers by $25,000 via Mineralogy.”
(See: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/02/01/2806718.htm)

Liberal Jamie Briggs omitted to mention that, and similar, donations.

The intensity of marketing, and the presence of enough spin to bamboozle Shane Warne, ought to make all voters cynical of the ads they are seeing. If asked about it respond - ‘Yes, I saw it. It’s marketing crap’. I suggest simply reading the first two links I’ve provided, to articles by Ross Gittins and Ian Verrender. Ignore everything else.

John

David Campbell Resigns As Minister

NSW Minister David Campbell has resigned as Minister for Roads & Transport. His resignation follows Channel 7's news story, yesterday, of his visit, outside Parliamentary hours, to a gay men's "club" in Sydney on Tuesday night.

He has taken leave to deal with "family issues" arising from the revelations. Most feel considerable sympathy for his wife and children. His wife has recently battled cancer.

Mr Campbell had previously weathered public and Opposition anger over the bungling of accident & traffic diversion on the F3 Freeway north of Sydney. I believe he should have resigned because,as Minister, he is ultimately responsible for the performance of his Departments.

A number of questions arise from the Channel 7 story:

1. Was there anything illegal in his actions? It appears not: it is accepted that Ministers can use their government cars for private purposes; and it is not illegal to visit gay sex clubs.
2. Was any public interest served? This is a more difficult question. 'Public interest' is difficult to define, but many agree it involves common good or general welfare of society. Channel 7 reports indicated he resigned after questions were put to him about his visit to a gay sex club. If so, that would be wrong of Channel 7. No questions appear to have been asked about what effects, if any, Mr Campbell's lifestyle had on his Ministerial performance, until AFTER the news story. He, and others, have since indicated that it had no effect. That statement is untested, but Channel 7 have presented no evidence to support such a claim. Being a public figure doesn't justify scandal-mongering.
   

I suspect that Channel 7, and the journalist who broke the story, Adam Walters, had little motive other than scandal-mongering for profit. It's not something I'd want to put on my CV. Nor would I want to put "lives a double life" or "unfaithful to family".

John

Political Spin & Image

Poor Tony Abbott, he's not only paying for his sins, but the sins of all politicians. His sin: admitting on ABC's 7:30 Report on 17-May-10 that his comments were not always "Gospel truth", and that sometimes "in the heat of discussion you go a little bit further". He was responding to a question about why he vowed to introduce a new tax (to supposedly fund pay for stay-at-home mothers), when he had previously promised "no new taxes".

So, how do you tell the "truth" from spin?? Brisbane-based ABC journalist Madonna King wrote, on 11-May-10 a list to help. It includes:

the mea culpa; the diversionary tactic ; it's all in the language;
the greed card; the missing transcript; pick your day syndrome;
it's not personal, it's just me; tell the partial truth;
blame the public servant; the drip feed; saved by the review;
the picture opportunity; the human touch; the social media blitz;
the phony sacking

You can read the full descriptions by Madonna King at:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/11/2895707.htm

I'll add the following:
the pre-prepared statement, with no questions allowed. Often used after a forced resignation (to avoid being sacked) - remember Peter Garrett.
the send a junior minion to explain: Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey's quick exit from the National Press Club today, after explaining how the Opposition would make savings. (Cut programs) gave journalists the printed paper just as he was leaving, and leaving junior Andrew Robb to bluster through questions)
the we'll send a battery of MP's/Ministers to all deliver the same message, using the same key words. You just had it from the government, spinning Tony Abbott's admission as a sometime liar.
the 'friendly' interviews to multiple TV/Radio/Media. There's an election soon, isn't there? Oh and add the friendly/highly critical journalist's story (there's a hidden agenda to support a particular politician/party - Miranda Devine & Glenn Milne spring to mind.)
the repetition of message. This has been adopted from the advertising industry. It is still used in many ads, including those from politicians.

John

Jessica Watson Home

16-year-old Jessica Watson has completed her solo round-the-world sailing adventure.

She is the youngest person to complete this, but the world sailing organization will not officially recognize it, because she is under 18 y.o. they don’t want to encourage very young people to undertake a task that must be extremely arduous, physically, mentally & emotionally.

By any measure, Jessica has completed a remarkable feat, and deserves the feting & accolades currently being bestowed upon her.

You can read her blog at http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_blog/Official_Jessica_Watson_Blog/

To finish in a uniquely Australian way:
“onyaJess”

John

Federal Budget & Reply

This week we had Wayne Swan deliver the Federal Budget. By any measure, it was not a traditional “election-year budget”. Make no mistake, though, this budget was driven as much by the politics of re-election as any. 

It had no new tax cuts from 2011; no massive spending programs; no new taxes on “mums & dads” or “ordinary working families” (phrased beloved by politicians). It does offer future increases in superannuation guarantee contributions – something that will please middle and low-income earners. It will begin to wind back the extraordinary government spending used to avoid a recession in Australia; it does aim to return the budget to surplus in 2012-13. The proposed surplus, some increases in health spending and superannuation have been included partly by delaying environmental ETS programs; and by relying on a “super tax” on very large profits from mining and resource companies.

The earlier-than-expected surplus in 2012-13 was designed to silence the Opposition’s claim that only they can manage an economy and have a surplus. The superannuation is something the Coalition will likely oppose in the Party room, but be forced to accept so as not be seen to deny the “mums & dads” or “ordinary working families”.

Tony Abbott’s Budget Reply in Parliament was reasonably well-spoken. He will oppose the tax on extremely high profits by mining & resource companies. But there was definitely a sting in the tail. He was apparently rolled by his own (Liberal) party on payments for stay-at-home mothers; and he promised a return to the core of WorkChoices. Now Tony Abbott has previously said the phrase ‘WorkChoices’ is dead. True, he did not use the term in his reply, but he has promised a return to core elements of WorkChoices: more individual contracts,and removal or dilution of unfair dismissal laws.

Opinion polls indicated that Prime Minister Rudd’s approval had dropped since the budget, and Opposition Leader Abbott’s increased. I suspect that indicates respondents’ focus on image created by,and in, the media, rather than any voter thought about the issues.

Don’t be fooled. Remember, politicians use the media for marketing and image enhancements. Only rarely do they slip-up.

John

Politicians & Political Parties

Well, it’s been a busy few weeks for politicians, Federal & State.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has dropped the ETS from his legislative agenda. It was supposed to be the greatest environmental challenge of our time. Political considerations have derailed it. The Opposition Coalition parties have chosen a political position that denies climate change, and entrenched a NO vote. The Greens did not think the legislation went far enough, and voted No.

Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi has used his blog to voice the right wing opinion that the burqa should be forthwith banned in Australia. his basis is that one criminal has used it in a robbery, so it has now become “the preferred disguise of bandits and n'er do wells”. While Tony Abbott has distanced himself from Bernardi’s opinion, it is, I think, symptomatic of the rise, and persistence of the hard right of the Liberal Party. The proposed policy seeks to be both alarmist and populist, and by doing so, avoid significant argument towards good policy.

In NSW, Labor MP Karyn Paluzzano has been suspended from the NSW Labor Party, and has today resigned from the NSW Parliament as the Member for Penrith and Lower Blue Mountains. She has admitted to an ICAC corruption inquiry that she lied to ICAC investigators, and that she falsified pay slips to defraud the NSW Parliament.

There are at least 3 messages for our politicians:

1. If you believe you have good public policy, run with it, irrespective of opponents. Voters will appreciate the commitment to good policy. If it’s not good policy, work on it! Good Policy does not equate to political ideology. (WorkChoices springs to mind)
2. As a society, we need to be aware of extreme/extremist political agendas. Cory Bernardi’s blog is a reflection of greater influence of , and agenda-pushing by, the hard right of the Liberal Party. Liberal Party founder Sir Robert Menzies would find it abhorrent.
3. It would behove all politicians to check how they are using allowances (taxpayer funds) and Federal funding to electorates. The Federal Auditor-general has previously been critical of the rules, and the apparent use of taxpayer funds for essentially personal and party political purposes. (see reports on Distribution of Funding for Community Grant Programmes and Administration of Parliamentarians' Entitlements by the Department of Finance and Deregulation at www.anao.gov.au)

Work hard, and pester your politicians.

John

Political Expediency Pollutes CPRS

Kevin Rudd's CPRS - Carbon Pollution reduction Scheme - was to be one of his great environmental stamps. It was to involve a carbon cap-and-trade system; higher electricity prices, which would encourage more consumers to use renewable energy; some compensation for high energy use industries; and an environmental halo for Mr Rudd.

It was beset by difficulties:

1. The Greens thought it didn't set sufficient targets for the reduction in carbon pollution
2. The Copenhagen Conference on climate change achieved little, as many predicted, and countries have not committed to any reduction in carbon emissions
3. The Coalition - Liberal and National Parties - are running a policy of denying climate change, protecting the short-term interests of big business. They, and the Greens, defeated teh CPRS Bill in the Senate, biut for the different reasons outlined above.

The NSW, and other states, electricity price regulator, approved large price rises for electricity. In NSW there were 2 reasons for this: preparation for the carbon trading scheme, and the desire of the NSW Labor government to privatise electricity generation and sale, for its own short-term political reasons.

Voter backlash against the price rises, and manipulation of that anger by teh Coalition parties before this year's election have led to Prime Minister Rudd shelving the CPRS until at least 2012.

The shelving has nothing to do with the merits, or otherwise, of the CPRS. It has everything to do with political expediency.

John

Corrupt Storm

For several days now, the media has regaled us with the sordid details of corruption at the Melbourne Storm Rugby League club. The corruption involved 2 sets of accounting books; one "official" set, kept with player contracts. A second set, hidden in a separate storage, apparently documents extra payments to some players at $15 000 a time. Today's news also gives some details of letters of offer (of off-the-book payments) to at least 3 players. The corruption involved at least some senior managers, probably the players to whom letters were written, 1 or more sponsors. The NRL has imposed very tough penalties: stripped of Minor Premierships, Premierships (Grand Final wins), return of $1.1m in winnings and $500 000 fine, loss of all points for 2010, and unable to gain any competition points in 2010.

The corruption allowed the club to keep more players, with more talent, so that they gained an unfair advantage over other clubs. It is devastating for those not involved, and it would be appropriate for them to stand up and say that they do not want corrupt officials, staff, players at the club - they should help root out the evil infecting their club.

For more than 10 years, ever since its inception, Melbourne Storm has lost money; losses that have had to be made up by grants from the NRL, and from its owner, News Ltd. News Ltd has been trying to sell the club for some years. It might now not be able to sell the losing concern.

While forensic accountants have been called in by News Ltd, and some matters referred to police, there is more that must be done. The NRL must investigate:

• players to whom letters were sent, offering the corrupt payments. If shown to be true to the NRL's satisfaction, these players must have their NRL contracts withdrawn, and be suspended from any professional league for at least 12 months.
• the involvement of club executives, and other staff, including coaching and related team staff. As with players, anyone involved should be banned from working in any NRL-related capacity for some time.
• The apparent insider trading on betting. At least 1 $50 000 bet on Storm getting the wooden spoon (coming last) was made hours before the announcement that they would get no points in 2010 and come last. What relationship does the bettor have with the NRL, the Melbourne Storm, or any other club, or club executives?

Other clubs, and other sports, will be examining, or re-examining, their behaviours. That is a good thing. Corruption in any form is insidious. It, and its perpetrators, must be weeded out.

For the record, I do not support any NRL team; I prefer Super Rugby.

John