Lally Weymouth: An interview with Australia Prime Minister Tony Abbott

 

The interview was going along swimmingly - US/Sino/Australian relations, trade, boats etc.

Then Lally Weymouth started asking about the National Broadband Network and the new government's revised plans.   At that point the truth serum kicked in with Tony Abbott and here are the last few questions and answers as published in The Washington Post 25 October 2013.

 

Is that (fibre to the node) cheaper and more efficient?

Vastly.

But Labor wanted to extend fiber to every household?

Welcome to the wonderful, wacko world of the former government.

So you believe the former government was doing a lot of things that were bad for the country?

I thought it was the most incompetent and untrustworthy government in modern Australian history.

Be more specific.

They made a whole lot of commitments, which they scandalously failed to honor. They did a lot of things that were scandalously wasteful and the actual conduct of government was a circus. They were untrustworthy in terms of the carbon tax. They were incompetent in terms of the national broadband network. They were a scandal when it came to their own internal disunity. They made a whole lot of grubby deals in order to try and perpetuate themselves in power.  It was an embarrassing spectacle, and I think Australians are relieved they are gone.

ENDS

Astute readers will note that not only is Washington DC home to the Washington Post newspaper - it also hosts the Brookings Institute.

And Australia's loss is the Brookings Institute's gain, for nestled in the bosum of Washington DC our first female Prime Minister has just become a fellow.

Her lectures will sell-out with the Tony Abbott introduction.  

Brookings Institute nonresident senior fellow Julia Gillard was Prime Minister in the wacko world of the most incompetent and untrustworthy government in modern Australian history.

During her nonresident fellowship at Brookings, Ms Gillard will deliver lectures about a whole lot of commitments which she scandalously failed to honor.   Students will work on real-life Cases of the scandalously wasteful while studying Ms Gillard's "circus-ring" style of leadership and government service delivery.

Nonresident fellow Ms Gillard will deliver tips on introducing the value "untrustworthy" into a team -  using the carbon tax as a recent example.    She'll emphasise the importance of incompetence when building a national broadband network.  

For students taking the degree course in internal disunity, Ms Gillard brings no end of personal scandal and dirt-files held on others.

The USA's RICO racketeering provisions will be applied to a whole lot of grubby deals Ms Gillard delivered in order to try and perpetuate her government in power.  

The Brookings Institute believes that the Gillard Fellowship and lecture series will follow the traditions of the Gillard government and deliver to Brookings the embarrassing spectacle that Ms Gillard is famous for.

Thank you Brookings.

 

Reports of the shooting of another Australian soldier by one of the troops we're training are just starting to come through - this report was filed by the ABC a few minutes ago.

Australian, NZ soldiers wounded in Afghan insider shooting

An Australian solider has been wounded after a member of Afghanistan's national security force opened fire on NATO troops just outside the capital Kabul.

The incident occurred at a facility where Australian and other personnel from NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) were helping to train future Afghan army officers.

The Defence Force (ADF) says the Afghan solider was shot as Australian forces responded to the threat yesterday morning, but it is not known if he was killed.

The Australian soldier was treated for minor fragmentation wounds, the ADF said.

A New Zealand soldier was also hurt in the insider attack and received immediate treatment.

Acting Chief of the ADF, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, says the quick actions of coalition soldiers helped prevent more serious injuries.

"From initial reporting, it would appear that our soldiers reacted promptly and professionally, potentially saving any other ISAF or Afghan personnel from sustaining wounds or worse," he said in a statement.

"It is impossible to completely remove the threat of insider attacks, but the actions of the ADF soldiers demonstrate that our training and force protection techniques are appropriate and prepared to respond, when incidents such as this occur."

The Australian soldier is expected to return to duty soon.

 

The ever grateful Afghan people's leader Harmid Karzai appears barely to tolerate the presence of we infidels in his country, he's certainly not grateful for our helpl.   His attitude appears to be fairly widely held by his countrymen given their resort to shooting their infidel training partners.

Have we ever worked alongside allies like this before?

The first of the Abbott Government's promised Judicial Enquiries is about to kick off - 20 days behind schedule but better late than never.,

The second promised Judicial Enquiry shouldn't be too far behind it.

On 9 August 2013, the Liberal Party released this statement.

TONY ABBOTT JOINT PRESS RELEASE - JUDICIAL INQUIRY INTO KEVIN RUDD'S HOME INSULATION PROGRAMME

If elected, within a month, the Coalition will establish a full judicial inquiry into the Rudd Government’s home insulation programme.

Kevin Rudd’s home insulation programme was a disaster.

It led to the death of four young Australians, many other serious injuries, at least 220 house fires, thousands of potentially electrified roofs and it cost taxpayers more than $2.4 billion.

.........letters that have been released between the Queensland Government and Minister Garrett show there are many more questions that remain unanswered.

In particular, the letters raise questions as to when Mr Rudd knew of the risks, what advice was provided to him about mitigating those risks, and what information was in the letters about the programme from Minister Garrett to the Prime Minister.

The Coalition has twice written to Kevin Rudd since his return as Prime Minister in June requesting the release of all the warnings he received.

There has been no response to Mr Abbott’s letters.

We know that Kevin Rudd received 10 warnings about the program. He must release them all.

ENDS

Today the News Limited Sunday papers carry this story.

Kevin Rudd to be questioned over botched insulation scheme after Abbott Government orders formal inquiry

KEVIN Rudd will be ordered to reveal the secrets of his deadly home insulation program before a judicial inquiry to be commissioned by the Abbott Government.

Draft terms of reference exclusively obtained by The Sunday Mail reveal the judicial commission will demand answers of the top echelons of the former Rudd government.

Greg Hunt will apparently be the responsible minister but I'd imagine the Attorney General George Brandis QC will have a role in settling the terms of the Judicial Enquiry and appointing the Commissioner.

Most importantly, the Government is involving the families of the dead boys in settling the terms of reference for the Commission.

"We are currently consulting with families affected by this massive policy failure.''

Of the 10 terms of reference, the yet-to-be disclosed commissioner is ordered to determine how the then government made its decisions on the $2.8 billion program and what extra steps it should have taken to avoid deaths, fires and loss of business.

"The judicial commission is to be conducted in such a manner as to enable the families of the deceased tradesmen and all others who have suffered loss and damage (to get) the maximum transparency and access to information disclosed by the evidence before it,'' the terms of reference say.

The terms include:

● The process and basis of government decisions while establishing the program, including risk assessment and risk management;

● Whether the death of the four men could have been avoided;

● What if any advice or undertakings given by the government to the industry were inaccurate or deficient, and;

● What steps the government should have taken to avoid the tragedies.

The inquiry could also open the door to compensation payouts for families, business and homeowners.

ENDS

And don't forget promised enquiry number two.   Here's The Daily Telegraph reporting on Tony Abbott's promise on 1 December, 2012.

Tony Abbott promises inquiry on union corruption

 

THE Coalition's pursuit of the AWU affair will continue if it wins the next election with Tony Abbott promising a judicial inquiry into union corruption yesterday.

Coalition legal spokesman George Brandis claimed Prime Minister Julia Gillard may have broken WA civil and criminal law while providing legal advice for the incorporation of the AWU Workplace Reform Association, which she later called a "slush fund".

At the time Ms Gillard was a Slater & Gordon lawyer acting on the instructions of her clients - her then boyfriend Bruce Wilson and union bagman Ralph Blewitt - who sought her advice after they had at first failed to get their association registered.

Ms Gillard's letter pointed out to the commission the association was not a union.

Mr Brandis claimed the Coalition believed Ms Gillard had "broken the law because the Australian Workers Union Workplace Reform Association was established as a sham".

Ms Gillard has vehemently denied any wrongdoing when she acted on instruction from her clients.

Mr Abbott said he would establish a judicial inquiry if he won next year's election.

And on 29 November, 2012 Senator the Honourable George Brandis QC released these draft terms of reference in a joint press release with Tony Abbott.

 

The Coalition believes a judicial inquiry into these matters is warranted and that the judicial inquiry should canvass the following matters.

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR AN INQUIRY INTO THE AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION WORKPLACE REFORM ASSOCIATION INC. AND RELATED MATTERS

To inquire into and report on:

1. The incorporation of the Australian Workers’ Union Workplace Reform Association Inc. (“the Association”) in 1992, and in particular whether misleading statements were made to the Corporate Affairs Commission of Western Australia in relation to the constitution, objects and purposes of the Association.
2. The conduct and activities of the Association and of its officers.
3. The operation of all bank accounts held in the name of the Association or operated on behalf of the Association or its office bearers, and in particular the payment from such bank accounts of monies for unlawful or improper purposes and the subsequent use of such monies.
4. The circumstances surrounding the purchase of the property at 1/85 Kerr Street, Fitzroy, Victoria, in 1993 and in particular the financing of the transaction.
5. The preparation, execution and use of a Power of Attorney granted by Ralph Blewitt to Bruce Wilson.
6. The source of monies used to finance renovations to the property at 36 St Phillips Street, Abbotsford, Victoria, in 1994 and 1995.
7. The sale of the property at 1/85 Kerr Street, Fitzroy in February 1996, and the application of the proceeds of that sale.
8. Any other matters incidental to these terms of reference.

29 November 2012

 

 

 

A small and identifiable group of Aussie servicemen is entitled to wear the Australian Service Medal with clasp "Irian Jaya" for service on Operation CENDERAWASIH in Irian Jaya during 1976-1981.

One man was killed during operations and many wounded.

Last week the Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Watch released this report:

http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/books/NEGLECTED-GENOCIDE

As a result of that single-source and inaccurate report, much of Australia's loyal media has been happy to verbal our nation and troops with horrible smears like the ones below.

We didn't just lend Indonesia military assets like helicopters.   We had flight crew, SASR troops, Royal Australian Survey Corp diggers and others deployed in Irian Jaya for various periods.

Our aircraft were flown by our people.   I can only imagine how I would feel if I woke up to a false smear like the reports below from the past week in Fairfax, Guardian, SBS and ABC outlets.

It's a very low act.

ENDS

Our reader, PeterR was there.   And he wants to set the record straight.  

I've now researched this myself and so I feel it's a great privilege for me that PeterR has chosen our website to tell his story and to honour the late Flight Lieutenant Ralph Taylor, killed during flight operations in Irian Jaya 29th July, 1977.  

Lest we forget.

Here's PeterR.

 

This is absolutely false and it is not supported anywhere in the AHRC report which simply refers to the fact that Australian helicopters were operating in Irian Jaya at the time.  They were not armed and were never involved in any attacks.

In 2002, all participants in Operation Cenderawasih were awarded the Australian Service Medal with clasp “Irian Jaya” (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 64, 28 February 2002) in recognition of the difficulties and danger involved in the operation. (Note: we did not carry any weapons during the operation)

 

Now, for the record, here's what happened.

 

The ABC to its credit has now reported that the Australian Defence Force has strongly repudiated any claim that we were involved in attacking innocent civilians.    Here's a link.

I owe Greg an apology.

Earlier today I published a report about Jason Morrison leaving 2UE.   I included a little of Michael Bodey's piece in today's The Australian which refers to Greg Cary's departure from 4BC.  A reader who didn't know the facts of Greg's decision to leave 4BC may have been left with the impression that Greg's decision was the result of a rift with management or that Greg's show was being "axed".   That is entirely false.

Let me clear this up.   Greg Cary is a consumate professional and I have never known him to be in conflict or drama with management.   Greg just gets on with it and his listeners are his primary focus.   Besides being a great broadcaster  Greg is a highly credentialled Program Director and his understanding of what makes a radio station work is second to none.

Greg's decision to leave 4BC is Greg's decision.   He's made himself available extensively for interviews, he's spoken about his decision and his timing and he's given himself plenty of time to say what needs to be said to his listeners.

Greg is his own man and it's unhelpful to pigeon-hole him as a "conservative" or member of any grouping as I did this morning.   Greg can speak for himself without a label from others.

I made an error in not correcting the impression in this morning's piece about Greg's decision to leave, so let me fix that now.   Here's Greg's announcement from 16 September 2013.

I'll pass this note on to The Australian and I hope they'll correct the record.

 

This is so unsettling.   These people are serious.   They agree with stoning to death for adultery.   The penalty is administered by burying the person to the chest if a man, to the waist if a woman and then throwing rocks at the condemned until they die.  

If neo-nazis, skinheads espoused this sort of violence against women they'd be in gaol.   Why does this movement get away with it?

The conference was held this year in the advanced, Western country Norway.

 

Today's The Age carries this lengthy opinion piece by Warwick McFadyen.   

It's a bit rich to have a go at Scott Morrison when he is simply identifying a problem (illegal breaches of our border by boat) and calling it what it is.   Illegal.   Something we are trying to stop.

I think you might be over-dramatising it Warwick - it's not that there's a grand anti-refugee conspiracy with coded language.   It's simpler.   It's illegal, people drown doing it, criminal networks are enriched every time it happens and the first step to stopping it is calling it out and not trying to justify it.

The minister for debasing the language

 

Well, refugees trying to arrive by whatever means you can, heed this: the tide has turned. You thought you were human. Sorry. You thought you would be granted a little sympathy. Sorry. You thought there might be a trickle of compassion for your plight. Sorry. You are now shipping news.

Compare the two phrases: "asylum seekers" versus "illegal maritime arrivals".

The conjoining of "asylum" and "seeker" is evocative. Who seeks asylum? A human in danger, distress and despair; someone who is hoping to survive on the lee shore of kindness. "Illegal" + "maritime" + "arrivals" = the draining of the human. It is using language to drive and empower ideology. Language shapes public policy and discourse.

By changing the terms of reference, Morrison is trying to control the debate. Kon Karapanagiotidis, chief executive of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, believes the change in terms is "profound" and that Morrison is "deliberately trying to dehumanise asylum seekers by making them less than human".

Warwick if you do happen upon this page I'd love to know your estimation of the probability that each of the following is "A human in danger, distress and despair; someone who is hoping to survive on the lee shore of kindness".

Phil B writes:

I must be a bit slow this morning - this is the screen capture I just sent you - I was looking at the plot when I realized there was a "ship" near Karama quite a bit inland - strange - so I clicked on it and guess what the "ship" was an "aircraft" - When I clicked on the icon up came AMSA Rescue callsign SAR111503001:

Next I clicked on "show track" - what a surprise - see below. Don't tell me that is not an intensive search pattern and Cape St George is there as well. Because the track is history from lift off I'm not sure what times we are looking at. Please if anyone knows the tail number of this SAR let us know!

It's very hard to read Henry's piece in the Oz today without forming the view that considerable subterfuge was employed by the Gillard/Rudd governments in financing their folly, the NBN.

Here's a link to Henry's lengthy piece published in today's The Australian - well worth a visit to the paper shop.

Coffs Harbour, July 4, 2013. Beaming with pride, deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese pushes a big yellow button. "Done," he exclaims: Coffs Harbour is on the National Broadband Network. Thanks to "the greatest nation-building program in Australia's history", Labor has propelled one more electorate into the digital age.

But (it was) a sham. The building isn't connected to the NBN; only Telstra's copper wire links the big yellow button to the outside world.

Had Albanese been a company director, the stunt could have landed (him) in jail. But he is above all that. And like a recurring nightmare, the disasters keep coming: from subs and the NBN to pink batts and school halls, governments seem unable to deliver.

Henry writes about the Collins Class submarines, the NBN and other government catastrophes.   I've focussed on his comments about the NBN - but it really is worth getting the Oz today for the whole column.

In commercial markets troubled projects are either fixed or terminated; but in the public sector, it is only good programs that die young, as governments, faced with projects in difficulty, throw good money after bad in a desperate attempt to avoid recognising defeat.

In the case of the NBN, for example, the government apparently knew from a report it had commissioned that it was likely to accumulate very substantial losses. However, by keeping that report in draft form, it was able to refuse its disclosure. And as they were sitting on that advice, Stephen Conroy, the then minister for communications, echoed by Penny Wong, the finance minister, assured parliament that "this is a project which returns all of the government's money and interest costs".

But it was not only parliament that was potentially being misled. The value of the assets on the government's balance sheet must be confirmed by the Auditor-General; and public sector accounting standards specify that when it becomes "reasonably likely" that an asset will not provide "a pre-tax rate of return that reflects current assessments of risk", the shortfall must be "recognised immediately".

If the assessments available to the government are taken seriously, the assets committed to the NBN should have been written down to zero as they were being acquired and a net liability registered. However, the budget treatment of the equity injected in NBN Co suggests the project would more likely than not break even or come close to it. It is difficult to believe that conclusion could properly have been reached had the Auditor-General been fully briefed on the project's financial prospects.

None of that is to say cover-ups are the only response when programs such as these run into trouble. Rather, further mechanisms kick in that often make matters worse.

Perhaps the most common is the escalation of commitment to what would seem to be a deeply flawed course of action. As government circles the wagons, goal displacement sets in: what was a means becomes an end, cementing the support of the constituencies that are the project's major beneficiaries.

The NBN again provides a textbook case. Deploying fibre-optic cable should be one way among others of providing very high-speed broadband, not an objective in itself; but the greater the obstacles the project encountered, the more strident became the government's emphasis on fibre as the magic cure.

This was not a case of the tail wagging the dog; rather, the tail had reshaped the dog's breed, altered its appetite and dominated the lives of its owners. And ultimately, in Conroy's theatre of the absurd, the tail completely swallowed the dog, leaving the farce of the big yellow button as the only action that mattered.

The ABC seldom misses a chance to have a shot at the Catholic Church, exposing the dangers posed to unwary Australian communicants by Bishops in Dakota.

But even with the extra $90 million the Gillard Government handed over, the ABC's not been able to find the resources to report on the police investigation into the lady herself.   Fancy that.

Here's an extract from the 2013 ABC Annual Report.

IN THE FIRST HALF of 2013, the ABC received
additional funding from the Government to support
its activities. The Corporation’s triennial funding
agreement for 2013–16, announced in the 2013
Budget in May, provided an additional $89.4 million
over three years to broaden the focus of the ABC’s
news and current affairs services and support its
delivery of digital content.

News funding package
Funds allocated in the ABC triennial funding
agreement 2013–16 will allow the ABC to build upon
its investment in specialist rounds and regional news,
and to extend its current affairs programming.

This project reflects concerns that the future of
rigorous, independent Australian journalism may
be under threat, with a loss of jobs across the
media substantially reducing the amount of original
journalism being produced in Australia.

As Australia’s primary public broadcaster, the ABC is
the leading provider of independent journalism to the
Australian community. The additional funds allocated
in the triennial funding agreement 2013–16 will enable
the ABC to increase its capacity to provide original,
agenda-setting journalism in a range of areas. This
will include the following initiatives, the roll-out of
which will commence in 2013:
• the introduction of a new fact-checking unit
• the recruitment of additional national reporters
to strengthen original reporting
• additional news bureaux in Geelong, Parramatta
and Ipswich to contribute to more diverse news
coverage; and
• increased number of cameras and links in some
regional bureaus