Patrick Lion of The Daily Telegraph is developing a wonderful appreciation for the ridiculous. Here's the Minister for Freely Recorded, Archived, Indexed and Cross-referenced Communications Stephen Conroy*
*Dislosure, the Artist/Minister has a deal with Bonds as an intimate apparel ambassador, not to be confused with any of Troy Buswell's endorsement deals.
Red-faced ... Stephen Conroy. Picture: Digitally altered Source: The Daily Telegraph
Perhaps this matrix might be helpful as you listen to Ms Gillard speak into the parliamentary record, the Hansard about her role in the incorporation of the Association. Listen to her attack the opposition because it didn't have a copy of the letter she admitted to writing to the WA Corporate Affairs Commissioner - not that she didn't write it, that the opposition couldn't produce it.
Finally, as you listen from about 26 minutes in, wonder at the ease and free-flowing confidence with which Ms Gillard enacts the provisions of her agreement with Wilson. "It was all Blewitt, it's Blewitt's signature, Blewitt did it." Breathtaking. What a damned shame Tony lost his nerve and backed off.
UPDATE ENDS. ORIGINAL POST.
One day they might wake up. She is loyal to those around her like Dr Mengler was loyal to his experimental subjects.
She is also monumentally stupid, she put her own handwriting on the application to unlawfully incorporate the vehicle for the fraud, used a union's name without its permission, drafted the objects from her own Socialist Forum work - admitted doing all of that, then when one of the people acting in concert with her (ie Blewitt) goes public and fesses up, she says it was all him! He did it! Self-confessed.
I remind you that she knew, she stated that Blewitt was there at her boyfriend's behest. She said that she took instructions from her boyfriend to set up the association. They get Blewitt to be the "name" on the sham application (at law if it was a sham then it's a fiction, it didn't exist, it doesn't matter who is on the form, let's look behind the sham bulltish story and see what was really going on. Oh. This was a vehicle to get money from Thiess into Wilson's control. Oh. OK.)
So back to the current reality. On 29 November last year, Ms Gillard made a speech to the parliament and I've put a video of that up here. Go to about 26 minutes in. Ms Gillard starts to enumerate the allegations against her. You might like to listen to her view. Then go to 29.20 in. It's breathtaking. Ms Gillard says it was all Blewitt. Blewitt did it. Not me. It was his name that got used. Wasn't me.
Isn't that what she said at the time too, that it was Blewitt's name that would be used. On the association. On the house. At her boyfriend's behest. As a vehicle. As a slush fund, or was it a workplace reform, or safety, or investment property, or union something or rather...................
That's what happens when you bulltish and expect a complex farago of lies told simultaneously by multiple people to hold together. It's human nature. The stories unfold, the truth outs, the guilty come under the microscope.
I know that many of you have used some of your time listening to Ray Hadley as he gives you his opinion about The AWU Scandal.
I've received a great deal of correspondence from my readers, many of whom have received notes from Ray Hadley. I'd commend Ray for his speed in getting back to the listeners who've written to him.
It's an old story and very boring...it's going no-where....There are accusations, the PM denies them and basically there's no proof of an illegal act.
She was immoral and acted poorly as a lawyer but didn't break the law.
Thanks
Ray
Ray is wrong. There's plenty of proof, it's being collected now by some of the finest detectives on earth. It will take time, it's a huge investigation, there are presently countless witnesses to be found, interviewed, statements taken and that evidence collated for presentation to a court.
I am the original complainant in the matter. My originating complaint named a surviving person as the offender, Julia Eileen Gillard. As the complainant I can report that I am completely satisfied with the response of Victoria Police to my complaint. It's a much stronger response, with much more resources being applied to it than I would have expected.
I am immensely impressed with 2GB's coverage of this matter. Alan Jones has done more reading, analysis, interviews and in-depth research into this matter than any broadcast journalist I know. While Hedley Thomas originally had the wrong end of the stick on the matter, he has more than made up for the early mis-step with his detailed research, reading, interviewing and analysis presented in The Australian newspaper.
Ben Fordham has been a gutsy, selfless young broadcaster at 2GB, he put a good deal of his credits with his bosses on the line by following The AWU Scandal and interviewing me on his show. Chris Smith too has changed his opinion as new evidence has emerged.
The investigation into Ms Gillard and her network is a community good. It should run its course. It does us no good for a cheerleader like Ray to pre-empt the investigation. Good detectives are not fooled by Ray's statement that their investigation into Ms Gillard is "an old story and very boring...it's going no-where.... there's no proof of an illegal act". I think it takes a bit more research than Ray has done to make that determination safely.
A person's orders or command: "they had assembled at his behest".
Synonyms
command - order - bidding - injunction - dictate
In the living, breathing document that is the truth according to Ms Gillard, Ralph Blewitt performs the role of boss of the Association, sophisticated property investor, writer of cheques and taker of accountablity, culpability, responsibility and the diversionary tactic while we fly off the South America.
But before The Truth got a couple of coats of all-weather, journalistic-elite varnish (trust British - or is he Scottish - paints, sure can!) there was a simple version of the truth that satisfied Peter Gordon's enquiries.
Ralph never got those jobs on merit! He got them on behest. Julia sets out (probably proudly) how one behest from her boyfriend and bingo - new job for Ralph.
Could I ask a favour from you? Now that you know that Ms Gillard really knew of the power of the Bruce Behest back in the 1990s, could you scour the records for latter-day instances where she's forgotten? I recall some instances where Ms Gillard now states that Ralph Blewitt really was the actual (not behested) boss of the AWU-WRA.
Here's the bit of the record of interview that I'm talking about.
PG: Right. There is another fellow called Ralph Blewitt. Has he at all material times been Western Australian-based?
JG: Yes, he has. Bruce was acting secretary of the Victorian branch of the AWU so his substantive position was as secretary of the Western Australian branch. At some point, and I must admit I don't recall when, but some point past the transition to Victoria, he became permanently appointed as Victorian secretary of the AWU. Under the AWU's rules it's not possible to hold two elected positions, so Ralph became the Western Australian secretary of the AWU so, at Bruce's behest if you like, he filled . . .
A lot of people thought Mal Meninga was an aborigine, he's not, but he was a very successful sportsman and much loved bloke.
He was also singularly incapable of talking crap about himself and his finely tuned political vision, his agenda and platform, his close philosophical alignment with the party - yeah I'm sick of it too.
FORMER AWU VICTORIAN (sic) SECRETARY RALPH BLEWITT. THE AUSTRALIAN
VICTORIA Police has confirmed it is investigating a complaint against a union as AWU whistleblower Ralph Blewitt arrived back in Melbourne to meet police.
Mr Blewitt, who admitted to being involved in the misappropriation of union members' funds, said he had new information for fraud squad detectives.
The return of Mr Blewitt from his home in Malaysia threatens to reopen the affair, which engulfed Prime Minister Julia Gillard last year.
Ms Gillard, who was involved in setting up the fund for her then boyfriend while working as a lawyer for Slater and Gordon, has consistently and strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Victoria Police spokeswoman Leonie Johnson said she would not comment on individual cases.
But she said in a statement this afternoon: "Victoria Police Fraud and Extortion Squad is currently investigating a complaint regarding the alleged misappropriation of funds from a union.
"As the matter is under investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
Mr Blewitt told the Herald Sun in a taped face-to-face interview at a Melbourne café that he was willing to risk time in jail to get to the truth.
He said he was in discussions with Victorian fraud squad detectives in Melbourne and would meet them as soon as possible. A planned meeting at 2.30pm tomorrow had been postponed, he said this afternoon.
Mr Blewitt said he would provide new information regarding Mr Wilson's action in Victoria and to Ms Gillard's alleged involvement in the AWU Workplace Reform Association.
"I've reviewed documents that there was some information I should have passed on before but was left out," he said.
"I want to add that to statements I have made before."
Mr Blewitt said he had made himself available to police, who then agreed to meet him.
"They said: ‘You're more than welcome to come and talk to us anytime Mr Blewitt to assist us with our investigation.' "
Mr Blewitt and Mr Wilson allegedly misappropriated $400,000 through the AWU Workplace Reform Association, which was used as a "slush fund".
The political storm has centred on Ms Gillard's role in providing legal advice to set the association in 1992.
The Prime Minister has made several strenuous defences of her actions and in November hit out at Mr Blewitt.
She said he had been described as "a complete imbecile, an idiot, a stooge, a sexist pig, and a liar."
Mr Blewitt told the Herald Sun today that he was considering taking defamation action against Ms Gillard but did not have the money to cover legal costs.
He said he would reserve his rights to sue in the future.
The Prime Minister's office has not responded to the Herald Sun's questions on the matter this afternoon.
IT’S ALL ABOUT MERIT Prime Minister Gillard has defended her decision to dump, pleasantly plump, pasty-looking, long-time incumbent Senator Trish Crossin and replace her with a fit, well-tanned Nova Peris.
The Prime Minister today said that she had met with Senator Crossin on several occasions over the last 12 months to advise her that her work performance was unsatisfactory. Ms Gillard added that she had personally observed Senator Crossin in the hallways of Parliament House and seen just how hopeless she is at running the 200m sprint.
But what is worse is the fact that Senator Crossin is not a team player—her performance in the 4x100 relay around The Great Hall was utterly disgraceful. Ms Gillard said that Senator Crossin is an embarrassment to all of in the ALP. I have tried to help her as much as is humanly possible. During her employee appraisals, I have argued with her until I was black in the face, but Senator Crossin always refused to acknowledge her shortcomings. Once Nova Perris is installed as a Senator, I expect that government business will be carried out with more expediency. It’s all about merit.
Yes, thanks Effect for bringing that word picture to life for us there. Patsy and Edina had a view about post-modernist race fashion some time back. It was funny in the show. Just a tad pathetic now when a caped misogyny avenger decides that Black is the new black.
Nova Peris seems to be a lovely lady, probably very capable, very good athlete, great public profile - just the sort of person who would be a great asset to a political party.
But we'll never know if she would have been selected on her merits, because Julia Gillard has done her a terrible disservice. Julia Gillard wanted an indigenous Australian in the parliamentary team as the backdrop for speeches about Labor's nobility on the black-white split. Nova got the nod. Now she'll have to practice her smile while Julia recalls Mabo, Redfern, handing back Uluru and Tony Hodges taking one for the team on Invasion Day.
Fancy being a simple Senator for the Northern Territory who thought she was doing an all right job, only one day you wake up and you're not black and Julia wants black.
Subjects: Senate candidacy of Nova Peris; Newstart; NT intervention; Inauguration of President Obama; National Security Strategy; Climate change; Anti-discrimination legislation exposure draft; Manus Island Supreme Court challenge
PM: I’m here today to say that as Federal Labor leader I am very proud of the Labor Party's track record in working with and for indigenous Australians.
From the days in which Gough Whitlam trickled dirt into the hand of Vincent Lingiari to signal our understanding of land rights, I believe our political party has much to be proud of.
Gough Whitlam's work was carried on by other Labor Governments.
We all remember Prime Minister Hawke handing Uluru back to back to its indigenous owners.
We all remember the work of Prime Minister Keating after the Mabo and Wik decisions and his powerful Redfern speech.
We all remember the remarkable moment when Prime Minister Rudd apologised to the stolen generations and when he launched the Closing the Gap strategy, which focuses on indigenous disadvantage and changing lives.
As Federal Labor leader I am very proud of that work but I have also been very troubled that we have never been able to count amongst our number an indigenous Australian.
