antman said:
i am wondering who is going to tell us what Abbott really means every time he opens his mouth.
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Talking Politics
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i am wondering who is going to tell us what Abbott really means every time he opens his mouth.
willo said:
Considering your recent concerns about private messages it's interesting you chose to disclose that on the forum. Seeing you've made that information public, and it's related to your thread about PMs, I'll respond on your thread on the Feedback board.
Of course some are quite because they've either been banned (Liverpool) or are "sitting in the corner" (Peaka, Willo, U2tigers) and some like myself (and I think TIA has said something similar) don't care to try and fight the blood thirsty anti Abbot lynch mob.rosy23 said:
tigertim said:
Seems to be a bit of a complex forming among the more conservative posters. Most of the posters you mentioned like to get up in the grill of the Mods and Rosy in particular. That is their prerogative but it can't be surprising that it has consequences. Debate can be divisive and emotional without being abusive and goading.
The fact there seem to be more progressives than conservatives might be annoying but I don't think it's a conspiracy. I for one will miss Livers and Peaka. They often made my case for me.
tigertim said:
"Of course"? Not a good, accurate or well informed call to play the Sit In The Corner card in regards to people being quiet since the election tim.
Livers and U2 have been on moderated posts long term. Interesting you reckon it's kept them quiet since the election when the status certainly didn't prevent them putting their two bobs worth in when Labor were in power.
Peaka has been on Sit In The Corner for a matter of days, not months. Willo had been on the setting less than 12 hours when you posted. The setting has hardly kept them quiet as you claim.
This board mightn't be the kind of thing This Is Anfield likes. Fair enough if so. Fact is he wasn't making a lot of noise and getting stuck into posters when Labor was in power like some others were.
As for the " blood thirsty anti Abbot lynch mob" you can't be bothered with I'd suggest the people discussing Abbott are more discussing facts and that most Liberal supporters would be pretty amazed, and probably disappointed, with the tumultuous start to power. There has certainly been plenty to discuss.
By the way your post is not only fanciful it is also done in ignorance. Sit In The Corner doesn't prevent genuine contribution to the discussions. It just prevents goading, insults, personal abuse and breaches of the posting guidelines getting on to the forum.
I like this idea. Anything to increase transparency and accountability. I can't see either major party being too keen on having their dirty linen aired in public though.
Greens demand an explanation every time debt rises by another $50bn
The Greens are demanding a detailed report to parliament every time national debt increases by $50bn or more before they agree to remove the legislated ceiling on Australia’s debt, as negotiations continue with just over a week until the nation hits its credit limit.
The prime minister, Tony Abbott, ridiculed the former Labor government for negotiating the passage of legislation with the “economic fringe dweller” Greens, but now Treasurer Joe Hockey and Greens leader Senator Christine Milne are in personal negotiation to end the impasse over the debt ceiling – with talks scheduled to continue on Tuesday night.
The Greens and Labor refused Hockey’s demand that the debt ceiling be increased from $300bn to $500bn, saying a $400bn ceiling was sufficient and the government had given no good reason for the urgent need to raise it further.
Now the Greens say the important thing is the reason a government goes into debt, and under certain conditions they could agree to remove the debt ceiling altogether.
“The important thing is not the level of debt but the justification for it. The Greens want every single dollar of government debt to be justified and debated. We want more scrutiny not less,” Milne said.
“Everyone knows there is a big difference between a mortgage to buy a home and a credit card to splurge on luxuries, but when it comes to the national balance sheet the government hides what’s what. The public should know whether the government is incurring good debt to invest in our future, or bad debt to cover up a shortfall in revenue,” she said.
In return for removing the debt ceiling altogether, the Greens are demanding;
A statement to parliament every time the debt increases by $50bn or more, including justification for the debt, what the debt is being used to fund and the proportion of the debt required due to a decline in revenue and the proportion due to increases in spending.
Debt reporting standards to give information in the budget about gross and net debt at nominal and market value, and a breakdown of publicly guaranteed debt exposure. This would include guarantees to private sector entities such as banks but also off balance sheet debt held by statutory corporations like NBN or Medibank Private.
A breakdown of grants to state or local governments for infrastructure.
Changes to budget papers to extend the forward estimates from four years to 10 years to force the government to think beyond the current electoral cycle and future needs.
“After years of hysterical debate about the debt ceiling everyone is none the wiser about what the debt is actually being spent on. That is because the debt ceiling is little more than a political weapon and only pretence for genuine checks and balances,” Milne said.
Abbott has threatened to force parliament to continue sitting into the Christmas recess if Labor and the Greens continue to refuse to pass the debt ceiling increase, the carbon and mining tax repeal and the reintroduction of temporary protection visas to deny the chance of permanent residency to the 33,000 asylum seekers already in Australia.
Hockey told parliament he had fielded calls from international investors and rating agencies worried about the looming 12 December deadline when Australia would reach its $300bn debt limit.
Labor is also refusing to vote for $2.3bn worth of savings it had itself proposed in government to pay for the Gonski reforms, saying the Abbott government was refusing to implement the six-year Gonski funding plan they had been designed to pay for.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/greens-demand-debt-explanation
Greens demand an explanation every time debt rises by another $50bn
The Greens are demanding a detailed report to parliament every time national debt increases by $50bn or more before they agree to remove the legislated ceiling on Australia’s debt, as negotiations continue with just over a week until the nation hits its credit limit.
The prime minister, Tony Abbott, ridiculed the former Labor government for negotiating the passage of legislation with the “economic fringe dweller” Greens, but now Treasurer Joe Hockey and Greens leader Senator Christine Milne are in personal negotiation to end the impasse over the debt ceiling – with talks scheduled to continue on Tuesday night.
The Greens and Labor refused Hockey’s demand that the debt ceiling be increased from $300bn to $500bn, saying a $400bn ceiling was sufficient and the government had given no good reason for the urgent need to raise it further.
Now the Greens say the important thing is the reason a government goes into debt, and under certain conditions they could agree to remove the debt ceiling altogether.
“The important thing is not the level of debt but the justification for it. The Greens want every single dollar of government debt to be justified and debated. We want more scrutiny not less,” Milne said.
“Everyone knows there is a big difference between a mortgage to buy a home and a credit card to splurge on luxuries, but when it comes to the national balance sheet the government hides what’s what. The public should know whether the government is incurring good debt to invest in our future, or bad debt to cover up a shortfall in revenue,” she said.
In return for removing the debt ceiling altogether, the Greens are demanding;
A statement to parliament every time the debt increases by $50bn or more, including justification for the debt, what the debt is being used to fund and the proportion of the debt required due to a decline in revenue and the proportion due to increases in spending.
Debt reporting standards to give information in the budget about gross and net debt at nominal and market value, and a breakdown of publicly guaranteed debt exposure. This would include guarantees to private sector entities such as banks but also off balance sheet debt held by statutory corporations like NBN or Medibank Private.
A breakdown of grants to state or local governments for infrastructure.
Changes to budget papers to extend the forward estimates from four years to 10 years to force the government to think beyond the current electoral cycle and future needs.
“After years of hysterical debate about the debt ceiling everyone is none the wiser about what the debt is actually being spent on. That is because the debt ceiling is little more than a political weapon and only pretence for genuine checks and balances,” Milne said.
Abbott has threatened to force parliament to continue sitting into the Christmas recess if Labor and the Greens continue to refuse to pass the debt ceiling increase, the carbon and mining tax repeal and the reintroduction of temporary protection visas to deny the chance of permanent residency to the 33,000 asylum seekers already in Australia.
Hockey told parliament he had fielded calls from international investors and rating agencies worried about the looming 12 December deadline when Australia would reach its $300bn debt limit.
Labor is also refusing to vote for $2.3bn worth of savings it had itself proposed in government to pay for the Gonski reforms, saying the Abbott government was refusing to implement the six-year Gonski funding plan they had been designed to pay for.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/03/greens-demand-debt-explanation
This is getting hilarious. Talk about foxes and hen houses. It really p!sses me off when pollies justify corrupt behaviour by claiming it's ok by the other side. You're accountable to the Australian people, not just the laborals with their own snouts in the trough.
Don Randall back on privileges committee
Fairfax Media recently revealed that Mr Randall had spent more than $10,000 on questionable travel and billed taxpayers for about $2500 on books that bore no obvious relation to his job.
Mr Randall defended the books claims and a trip to Melbourne with his wife to watch an AFL semi-final, but repaid his most controversial claim.
After intense media attention, Mr Randall refunded taxpayers more than $5000 for business-class flights he took to Cairns with his wife that coincided with his taking possession of an investment property.
Now, Mr Randall has been reinstated on the committee that oversees the code of conduct for parliamentarians.
Mr Randall will be one of a group of politicians considering “complaints about registering or declaring interests”.
Fairfax Media asked Mr Randall on Wednesday whether he thought it appropriate that he would be overseeing privileges and members' interests given his involvement in the high-profile expenses scandal.
“That's for others to judge,” Mr Randall said, adding that he had not yet been told that he was on the committee.
Education Minister Christoper Pyne defended his colleague on Wednesday saying: ''Well Don Randall is a valued colleague, he's a very good friend and I'm sure he'll do a very good job.''
Mr Randall has previously said that he can "sleep well at night" about his taxpayer-funded trip to Cairns, adding that while he visited his investment property, "it wasn't as if I got the keys or anything".
At the height of the expenses scandal, Mr Randall told The West Australian newspaper that he was entitled to the trip despite having repaid the money.
Mr Randall said taking a "look" at his investment property was secondary to his real business in Cairns, which was to meet with the then opposition whip Warren Entsch "for a couple of hours".
At the time, Mr Randall blamed the media for the attention on his expenses.
"It's not being driven by the Labor Party. And I've had calls from Labor Party people to say that.
"It's an issue that's been trawled over largely by the Fairfax Media and then become an issue for the rest of you."
Asked then whether he had acted in the spirit of the law, Mr Randall said: "My interpretation of the spirit of the law will be completely different from somebody who is my opponent or my critic."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/don-randall--back-on-privileges-committee-20131204-2ypsq.html#ixzz2mSsmI4Xr
Don Randall back on privileges committee
Fairfax Media recently revealed that Mr Randall had spent more than $10,000 on questionable travel and billed taxpayers for about $2500 on books that bore no obvious relation to his job.
Mr Randall defended the books claims and a trip to Melbourne with his wife to watch an AFL semi-final, but repaid his most controversial claim.
After intense media attention, Mr Randall refunded taxpayers more than $5000 for business-class flights he took to Cairns with his wife that coincided with his taking possession of an investment property.
Now, Mr Randall has been reinstated on the committee that oversees the code of conduct for parliamentarians.
Mr Randall will be one of a group of politicians considering “complaints about registering or declaring interests”.
Fairfax Media asked Mr Randall on Wednesday whether he thought it appropriate that he would be overseeing privileges and members' interests given his involvement in the high-profile expenses scandal.
“That's for others to judge,” Mr Randall said, adding that he had not yet been told that he was on the committee.
Education Minister Christoper Pyne defended his colleague on Wednesday saying: ''Well Don Randall is a valued colleague, he's a very good friend and I'm sure he'll do a very good job.''
Mr Randall has previously said that he can "sleep well at night" about his taxpayer-funded trip to Cairns, adding that while he visited his investment property, "it wasn't as if I got the keys or anything".
At the height of the expenses scandal, Mr Randall told The West Australian newspaper that he was entitled to the trip despite having repaid the money.
Mr Randall said taking a "look" at his investment property was secondary to his real business in Cairns, which was to meet with the then opposition whip Warren Entsch "for a couple of hours".
At the time, Mr Randall blamed the media for the attention on his expenses.
"It's not being driven by the Labor Party. And I've had calls from Labor Party people to say that.
"It's an issue that's been trawled over largely by the Fairfax Media and then become an issue for the rest of you."
Asked then whether he had acted in the spirit of the law, Mr Randall said: "My interpretation of the spirit of the law will be completely different from somebody who is my opponent or my critic."
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/don-randall--back-on-privileges-committee-20131204-2ypsq.html#ixzz2mSsmI4Xr
The following are copies of correspondence retrieved from the office of the Honourable Christopher Pyne, MP, Minister for Education and Apprentice Baloo, sent by the Hon. Mr Pyne to various colleagues in recent days.
Dear Tony,
This is probably nothing, but some of the girls in the office were saying something about an “education policy”. I remember a few months ago you mentioned this? Did we end up getting one, or am I just being paranoid?
xxxx Chris
Dear Tony,
OK, thanks for the clarification. So when you told me I was the “Education Minister”, that meant I was literally the minister for education. Isn’t English a funny language? OK so I guess I’ll have our education policy ready for the morning.
Lots of love, Chris
Dear Tracy,
Could you be a darling and look up what Labor’s education policy is? I have to make one of my own and I’d better make sure it’s not the same as theirs! Wouldn’t that be an oops!
Chris
Dear Mum,
I just wrote a policy! By myself! In running writing! Hard to believe isn’t it?
xoxoxoxoxox
Chris
Dear Tony,
Pretty good, eh?
Chris
Dear Peta,
Is Tony angry at me? He won’t answer my notes. I was just wondering how he likes my education policy. I think it’s pretty good – it’s totally not like Labor’s so that’s got to be good doesn’t it?
Chris
Dear Peta,
OK now I’m confused.
Chris
Dear Lenore,
No, look, I’ve explained this to Laura and Peter and Laurie and Annabel and all you people – the policy is exactly the same as Labor’s except better. Why is that so hard to understand?
Chris
Dear Peter,
Look, the envelope is the same. How many times do I have to say envelope before you’ll leave me ALONE?
Chris
Dear Tony,
OK I think I’ve fixed it. So now the envelope is the same, only bigger, and better, because Labor’s envelope wasn’t even an envelope, it was, like, a bag or something. That sounds right – I’m sure everything will be OK.
Hugs,
Chris
PS: a lot of people have been asking me about “schools” lately. Is this related to Education? Should I be studying?
Tracy,
Could you run down the chemist and get me some St John’s Wort?
C
Dear Peta,
No, it is not my fault! How can I help it if state politicians are tacky? If they had any class they’d be federal, now wouldn’t they? Can’t we just give them some cash to make them go away? It works with homeless people, and they’re a bit like state MPs.
Chris
Dear Peta,
I don’t know where we get the cash from! Isn’t that Joe’s job? There’s a place in Canberra that makes money, we went there on a school excursion once. Maybe ring them up.
Chris
Dear Tony,
OK I think we’ve got our stories straight now. We didn’t like Gonski, so we opposed it, but because we needed to provide certainty to the Australian people who weren’t sure whether we opposed it, we were forced by Labor’s trickery to support it, but then afterwards we came up with something better than Gonski with a bigger envelope so we’re going to do that, but also because we are keeping our promises and we are adults we are going to honour Gonski as well but actually it’s better than Gonski because we’re adults. Point of order Madame Speaker oh sorry that just slipped out.
Smooches,
Chris
Dear Tony,
No, I don’t think anyone noticed. I’m sure everyone loves you as much as they ever did. And please don’t say that about yourself, you have a lovely face, yes, even on television. It’s like my mum always said, “people are just pooey sometimes”. Don’t let them get to you. They’re just jealous.
Tickles,
Chris
Dear Michelle,
Please stop harassing me with your demands for “answers”. I am very busy at the moment reading an interesting book called How Schools Work. I will grant you an interview covering all essential facets of my home life and fashion sense when I am finished.
Chris
Dear Tony,
Yes actually I DO think I am still the best man for this job. Who else would be? I am MISTER Education, Tony, I have had a bigger education than you’ve had hot dinners. I went to a school and everything. More than once. So don’t doubt my credentials. Just remember, before I came along, you didn’t even HAVE an education policy, let alone four in three days. If anything, my productivity is TOO high. Maybe I should have a nice holiday.
Spoons,
Chris
Dear Julie,
I know who sent me the dead rat. Stop it.
Chris
Dear Tony,
Some people are talking about a thing called “Gonski”. Do you know what that is? Have an awful feeling I should’ve picked up on this earlier. Is it some kind of drink? I think I had a Gonski at the midwinter ball once. Or maybe it’s a person? Sounds ethnic though – Labor? Anyway it’s probably not important, just that somebody said something about Gonski education and I got worried, but I looked it up and Gonski is not a school so I don’t think it matters. Just let me know if it matters.
Lick,
Chris
PS: I just thought of another one – “Platypus Bill”! Classic! Don’t really know what it means but I think it’ll make people laugh a lot.
Dear Mr Addington,
I would be delighted to speak at your school awards ceremony on the subject, “What Schools Mean To A Liberal Fellow”. I will require a large jug of water, a detailed map showing me how to find the hall, and a thesaurus.
Yours in Gonski,
The Honourable Christopher Pyne
Dear Tony,
Sorry about the awards ceremony thing. I think I can fix this though.
Cheeks,
Chris
http://www.kingstribune.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1944:notes-from-chris&Itemid=375
Dear Tony,
This is probably nothing, but some of the girls in the office were saying something about an “education policy”. I remember a few months ago you mentioned this? Did we end up getting one, or am I just being paranoid?
xxxx Chris
Dear Tony,
OK, thanks for the clarification. So when you told me I was the “Education Minister”, that meant I was literally the minister for education. Isn’t English a funny language? OK so I guess I’ll have our education policy ready for the morning.
Lots of love, Chris
Dear Tracy,
Could you be a darling and look up what Labor’s education policy is? I have to make one of my own and I’d better make sure it’s not the same as theirs! Wouldn’t that be an oops!
Chris
Dear Mum,
I just wrote a policy! By myself! In running writing! Hard to believe isn’t it?
xoxoxoxoxox
Chris
Dear Tony,
Pretty good, eh?
Chris
Dear Peta,
Is Tony angry at me? He won’t answer my notes. I was just wondering how he likes my education policy. I think it’s pretty good – it’s totally not like Labor’s so that’s got to be good doesn’t it?
Chris
Dear Peta,
OK now I’m confused.
Chris
Dear Lenore,
No, look, I’ve explained this to Laura and Peter and Laurie and Annabel and all you people – the policy is exactly the same as Labor’s except better. Why is that so hard to understand?
Chris
Dear Peter,
Look, the envelope is the same. How many times do I have to say envelope before you’ll leave me ALONE?
Chris
Dear Tony,
OK I think I’ve fixed it. So now the envelope is the same, only bigger, and better, because Labor’s envelope wasn’t even an envelope, it was, like, a bag or something. That sounds right – I’m sure everything will be OK.
Hugs,
Chris
PS: a lot of people have been asking me about “schools” lately. Is this related to Education? Should I be studying?
Tracy,
Could you run down the chemist and get me some St John’s Wort?
C
Dear Peta,
No, it is not my fault! How can I help it if state politicians are tacky? If they had any class they’d be federal, now wouldn’t they? Can’t we just give them some cash to make them go away? It works with homeless people, and they’re a bit like state MPs.
Chris
Dear Peta,
I don’t know where we get the cash from! Isn’t that Joe’s job? There’s a place in Canberra that makes money, we went there on a school excursion once. Maybe ring them up.
Chris
Dear Tony,
OK I think we’ve got our stories straight now. We didn’t like Gonski, so we opposed it, but because we needed to provide certainty to the Australian people who weren’t sure whether we opposed it, we were forced by Labor’s trickery to support it, but then afterwards we came up with something better than Gonski with a bigger envelope so we’re going to do that, but also because we are keeping our promises and we are adults we are going to honour Gonski as well but actually it’s better than Gonski because we’re adults. Point of order Madame Speaker oh sorry that just slipped out.
Smooches,
Chris
Dear Tony,
No, I don’t think anyone noticed. I’m sure everyone loves you as much as they ever did. And please don’t say that about yourself, you have a lovely face, yes, even on television. It’s like my mum always said, “people are just pooey sometimes”. Don’t let them get to you. They’re just jealous.
Tickles,
Chris
Dear Michelle,
Please stop harassing me with your demands for “answers”. I am very busy at the moment reading an interesting book called How Schools Work. I will grant you an interview covering all essential facets of my home life and fashion sense when I am finished.
Chris
Dear Tony,
Yes actually I DO think I am still the best man for this job. Who else would be? I am MISTER Education, Tony, I have had a bigger education than you’ve had hot dinners. I went to a school and everything. More than once. So don’t doubt my credentials. Just remember, before I came along, you didn’t even HAVE an education policy, let alone four in three days. If anything, my productivity is TOO high. Maybe I should have a nice holiday.
Spoons,
Chris
Dear Julie,
I know who sent me the dead rat. Stop it.
Chris
Dear Tony,
Some people are talking about a thing called “Gonski”. Do you know what that is? Have an awful feeling I should’ve picked up on this earlier. Is it some kind of drink? I think I had a Gonski at the midwinter ball once. Or maybe it’s a person? Sounds ethnic though – Labor? Anyway it’s probably not important, just that somebody said something about Gonski education and I got worried, but I looked it up and Gonski is not a school so I don’t think it matters. Just let me know if it matters.
Lick,
Chris
PS: I just thought of another one – “Platypus Bill”! Classic! Don’t really know what it means but I think it’ll make people laugh a lot.
Dear Mr Addington,
I would be delighted to speak at your school awards ceremony on the subject, “What Schools Mean To A Liberal Fellow”. I will require a large jug of water, a detailed map showing me how to find the hall, and a thesaurus.
Yours in Gonski,
The Honourable Christopher Pyne
Dear Tony,
Sorry about the awards ceremony thing. I think I can fix this though.
Cheeks,
Chris
http://www.kingstribune.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1944:notes-from-chris&Itemid=375
Baloo said:
It's a direct quote from the article Baloo.
Its actually a reference to Jungle Book Baloo rather than PRE stalwart Baloo.
Life's funny sometimes. Apologies for any apprehended slight.
PS I did actually like and chuckle at your Juliar post
tigertim said:
Curious to know what you deem to be any positive initiatives by Abbott? All I can see is the same negativity that he delivered as opposition leader. Instead of dismantling anything and everything that the previous government implemented, maybe he should try building and innovating. As for the recent attack on the ABC, it would appear that the Coalition is striving towards a propaganda state, lead by the likes of Murdoch and Rinehart. Out of curiosity, do you agree with Corey Bernadi when he states that the ABC should be relieved of it's responsibilities as a public broadcaster?
First internal cracks? This isn't going to be the Ruddbot mark 2, is it??
Government senator takes swipe at 'obsessive control phobia' of PM's office
Tony Abbott and his chief of staff Peta Credlin are enforcing a culture of “obsessive centralised control phobia” and are out of touch with voters, according to Liberal National Party Senator Ian Macdonald, who has delivered a scathing attack on the Prime Minister’s office.
Senator Macdonald is furious that he has not been consulted about the government’s terms of reference for its Northern Australia policies, saying he “discovered” them by accident and was treated dismissively by the Prime Minister’s office.
“What you see in the terms of reference submitted by the government may be the Prime Minister’s office’s version of what it was all about,” Senator Macdonald said.
“But I have to advise them and my constituents that I will not have unelected advisers in the Prime Minister’s office telling elected politicians who are actually in touch with their constituencies what should and shouldn’t be done.”
Before the election and for many years, Senator Macdonald was the shadow parliamentary secretary for northern and remote Australia. He was responsible for the Coalition's northern Australia election policy, and launched it alongside Mr Abbott.
He was however, dropped from the Coalition’s frontbench in September, calling it the worst day in his life.
The Queensland senator said he was “particularly disappointed” at the Prime Minister’s office’s dismissive responses to his “many enquiries” about the government’s terms of reference.
Mr Abbott’s staff seemed “to have an almost obsessive centralised control phobia, over this and every other aspect of Parliament,” Senator Macdonald said.
The senator said he was not elected to this Parliament by the Prime Minister’s office “but by the Liberal National Party … and by the voters of Queensland, particularly those in the north”.
The government’s terms of reference missed out on some key policies for northern Queensland, he added.
When Senator Macdonald asked the PMO to update him on the Northern Australia terms of reference, he said Mr Abbott’s staff told him: “We will let you know when the terms of reference are eventually decided."
Mr Abbott’s office has been contacted for comment.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/government-senator-takes-swipe-at-obsessive-control-phobia-of-pms-office-20131204-2yq39.html#ixzz2mTDNjVPr
Government senator takes swipe at 'obsessive control phobia' of PM's office
Tony Abbott and his chief of staff Peta Credlin are enforcing a culture of “obsessive centralised control phobia” and are out of touch with voters, according to Liberal National Party Senator Ian Macdonald, who has delivered a scathing attack on the Prime Minister’s office.
Senator Macdonald is furious that he has not been consulted about the government’s terms of reference for its Northern Australia policies, saying he “discovered” them by accident and was treated dismissively by the Prime Minister’s office.
“What you see in the terms of reference submitted by the government may be the Prime Minister’s office’s version of what it was all about,” Senator Macdonald said.
“But I have to advise them and my constituents that I will not have unelected advisers in the Prime Minister’s office telling elected politicians who are actually in touch with their constituencies what should and shouldn’t be done.”
Before the election and for many years, Senator Macdonald was the shadow parliamentary secretary for northern and remote Australia. He was responsible for the Coalition's northern Australia election policy, and launched it alongside Mr Abbott.
He was however, dropped from the Coalition’s frontbench in September, calling it the worst day in his life.
The Queensland senator said he was “particularly disappointed” at the Prime Minister’s office’s dismissive responses to his “many enquiries” about the government’s terms of reference.
Mr Abbott’s staff seemed “to have an almost obsessive centralised control phobia, over this and every other aspect of Parliament,” Senator Macdonald said.
The senator said he was not elected to this Parliament by the Prime Minister’s office “but by the Liberal National Party … and by the voters of Queensland, particularly those in the north”.
The government’s terms of reference missed out on some key policies for northern Queensland, he added.
When Senator Macdonald asked the PMO to update him on the Northern Australia terms of reference, he said Mr Abbott’s staff told him: “We will let you know when the terms of reference are eventually decided."
Mr Abbott’s office has been contacted for comment.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/government-senator-takes-swipe-at-obsessive-control-phobia-of-pms-office-20131204-2yq39.html#ixzz2mTDNjVPr