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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
Talking Politics
- Thread starter Legends of 2017
- Start date
Sintiger said:
After watching last week's Living with the Enemy, which pitted a past asylum seeker with a Hansonesque woman, the ex asylum seeker said that he *knew* of a number of fellow asylum seekers who were sent back home, to then be imprisoned, tortured and murdered. There is no doubt in my mind that this will be the fate for quite a few of the people who tried to reach Australia in fleeing some horrible situation in their homeland.
But hey, he got an A or an A+ from Tone-nee last week, so all must be going great!
Not sure whether to laugh or cry at Jacqui Lambie's Insiders interview.
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2014/s4091821.htm
http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2014/s4091821.htm
And so the entitlement continues...
Questions arise over Christopher Pyne's taxpayer-funded trip with his wife to London and Rome
Date September 22, 2014 - 4:26PM
Richard Baker and Nick McKenzie
Education Minister Christopher Pyne and his wife billed taxpayers $30,000 for a trip to Europe. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Investigating MPs' expenses
The Abbott government is facing more scrutiny over travel entitlements, with fresh documents revealing Education Minister Christopher Pyne and his wife had a taxpayer-funded $30,000 trip to London and Rome in April.
The trip included taxpayers being billed $1352 for Mr Pyne to "day let" a room at a swish London hotel before he and his wife, Carolyn, flew back to Australia later that day, and more than $2000 for VIP services at Heathrow Airport.
Under the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet's travel guidelines, ministers' spouses are not normally allowed to go on trips and are only entitled to if they have an invitation from a foreign government or host organisation and an official program of events separate to that of the minister.
"It is not sufficient to include the spouse in the minister's existing program of meetings. The travel must be justified and defensible," the guidelines state.
The Department of Education has revealed in response to a Freedom of Information request that it has no documents showing a foreign government invitation for Mrs Pyne nor an official program of events for her.
But documents published by the Finance Department show Prime Minister Tony Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin approved Mrs Pyne's travel because of the "significant representational aspect of the travel".
Mr Pyne, whose chief of staff also accompanied him, attended Anzac Day events in London on April 25 and went to Rome the next day to attend the canonisation of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII.
Tax invoices show that, after returning to London from Rome mid-morning on April 28, Mr Pyne hired a day suite at London's swish Corinthia Hotel at a cost to taxpayers of $1352. He and his wife departed from Heathrow Airport later that day to return to Australia.
His schedule of events show that he gave a speech at London's Policy Exchange and met two senior British government ministers during the day of April 28.
On April 24, Mr Pyne attended an education roundtable lunch at the Australian high commissioner's London residence.
A letter from Ms Credlin to Mr Pyne's office approving the trip also notes that the attendance of Mrs Pyne was expected to cost the Commonwealth no more than a business class airfare for the minister. As a minister, Mr Pyne is entitled to fly business class on official overseas travel.
Mr Pyne flew business class from Adelaide to Sydney but switched to economy for the rest of the journey to London.
Documents show taxpayers were also billed $2060 for Mr Pyne to use the "VIP Suite" at Heathrow for his arrival and departure. This service involves being greeted by airport staff on the plane, limousine transfers and the use of a private lounge where security and check-in procedures take place away from other travellers.
A spokesman for Mr Pyne said that, as an official Australian government representative at the canonisation of Pope John Paul II, the minister was accompanied by his wife "as was considered appropriate for an event of such solemn significance".
"Approval of the travel arrangements stipulated there was to be no additional cost to the taxpayer for Mrs Pyne to attend the canonisation and none was incurred," the spokesman said.
"The other Australian government representatives at the canonisations were also accompanied by their spouses. Mrs Pyne was recognised as an official guest at the event."
The spokesman said the booking of two rooms for day use in London was "in line with normal government practice and used throughout the day to support the Minister and his chief of staff".
"The rooms were accessed between meetings with the UK Minister for Education Michael Gove, the Minister responsible for Universities David Willets and a speech at the Policy Exchange. The rooms were used as a base throughout the day but not overnight, as the party flew directly to Australia after having started the day at dawn in Rome."
Mr Pyne also charged taxpayers $244 for a passport application made on April 15 and a further $108 to have it processed as a priority.
Two thousand dollars was also allocated for Mr Pyne's travel while in London and taxpayers were also charged for scones, croissants and coffees, as well as meals.
The minister's trip came two months after Treasurer Joe Hockey declared "the age of entitlement" to be over and weeks before the federal budget made significant cuts to education and health spending.
The Abbott government last year made changes to politicians' travel entitlements after a series of reports about high-profile ministers and MPs billing the taxpayer to attend weddings, NRL games or investment properties.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/questions-arise-over-christopher-pynes-taxpayerfunded-trip-with-his-wife-to-london-and-rome-20140922-10k6zr.html#ixzz3E3W0pwoE
Questions arise over Christopher Pyne's taxpayer-funded trip with his wife to London and Rome
Date September 22, 2014 - 4:26PM
Richard Baker and Nick McKenzie
Education Minister Christopher Pyne and his wife billed taxpayers $30,000 for a trip to Europe. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Investigating MPs' expenses
The Abbott government is facing more scrutiny over travel entitlements, with fresh documents revealing Education Minister Christopher Pyne and his wife had a taxpayer-funded $30,000 trip to London and Rome in April.
The trip included taxpayers being billed $1352 for Mr Pyne to "day let" a room at a swish London hotel before he and his wife, Carolyn, flew back to Australia later that day, and more than $2000 for VIP services at Heathrow Airport.
Under the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet's travel guidelines, ministers' spouses are not normally allowed to go on trips and are only entitled to if they have an invitation from a foreign government or host organisation and an official program of events separate to that of the minister.
"It is not sufficient to include the spouse in the minister's existing program of meetings. The travel must be justified and defensible," the guidelines state.
The Department of Education has revealed in response to a Freedom of Information request that it has no documents showing a foreign government invitation for Mrs Pyne nor an official program of events for her.
But documents published by the Finance Department show Prime Minister Tony Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin approved Mrs Pyne's travel because of the "significant representational aspect of the travel".
Mr Pyne, whose chief of staff also accompanied him, attended Anzac Day events in London on April 25 and went to Rome the next day to attend the canonisation of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII.
Tax invoices show that, after returning to London from Rome mid-morning on April 28, Mr Pyne hired a day suite at London's swish Corinthia Hotel at a cost to taxpayers of $1352. He and his wife departed from Heathrow Airport later that day to return to Australia.
His schedule of events show that he gave a speech at London's Policy Exchange and met two senior British government ministers during the day of April 28.
On April 24, Mr Pyne attended an education roundtable lunch at the Australian high commissioner's London residence.
A letter from Ms Credlin to Mr Pyne's office approving the trip also notes that the attendance of Mrs Pyne was expected to cost the Commonwealth no more than a business class airfare for the minister. As a minister, Mr Pyne is entitled to fly business class on official overseas travel.
Mr Pyne flew business class from Adelaide to Sydney but switched to economy for the rest of the journey to London.
Documents show taxpayers were also billed $2060 for Mr Pyne to use the "VIP Suite" at Heathrow for his arrival and departure. This service involves being greeted by airport staff on the plane, limousine transfers and the use of a private lounge where security and check-in procedures take place away from other travellers.
A spokesman for Mr Pyne said that, as an official Australian government representative at the canonisation of Pope John Paul II, the minister was accompanied by his wife "as was considered appropriate for an event of such solemn significance".
"Approval of the travel arrangements stipulated there was to be no additional cost to the taxpayer for Mrs Pyne to attend the canonisation and none was incurred," the spokesman said.
"The other Australian government representatives at the canonisations were also accompanied by their spouses. Mrs Pyne was recognised as an official guest at the event."
The spokesman said the booking of two rooms for day use in London was "in line with normal government practice and used throughout the day to support the Minister and his chief of staff".
"The rooms were accessed between meetings with the UK Minister for Education Michael Gove, the Minister responsible for Universities David Willets and a speech at the Policy Exchange. The rooms were used as a base throughout the day but not overnight, as the party flew directly to Australia after having started the day at dawn in Rome."
Mr Pyne also charged taxpayers $244 for a passport application made on April 15 and a further $108 to have it processed as a priority.
Two thousand dollars was also allocated for Mr Pyne's travel while in London and taxpayers were also charged for scones, croissants and coffees, as well as meals.
The minister's trip came two months after Treasurer Joe Hockey declared "the age of entitlement" to be over and weeks before the federal budget made significant cuts to education and health spending.
The Abbott government last year made changes to politicians' travel entitlements after a series of reports about high-profile ministers and MPs billing the taxpayer to attend weddings, NRL games or investment properties.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/questions-arise-over-christopher-pynes-taxpayerfunded-trip-with-his-wife-to-london-and-rome-20140922-10k6zr.html#ixzz3E3W0pwoE
Wonder if the penny will drop with Abbott & his fossil fuel cronies.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/rockefellers-go-green-rockefeller-foundation-divests-funds-in-fossil-fuel-industries-9749767.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/rockefellers-go-green-rockefeller-foundation-divests-funds-in-fossil-fuel-industries-9749767.html
Australia is becoming divisive, terrorist target in an awful hurry.
Team Australia. Eff yeah!
Team Australia. Eff yeah!
Tigers of Old said:Australia is becoming divisive, terrorist target in an awful hurry.
Team Australia. Eff yeah!
The little story I mentioned earlier seems to me to highlight how disjointed the PM and his idea of Australia really is. The digger in that story probably looks exactly like the stereotype we all imagine a scruffy young bloke with a slouch hat and a rollie. But his attitude resembles the Australia we used to be rather than the one the PM, Morrison and Brandis and the IPA seem to want us to be and to an extent the one Howard set us on a course towards.
The lack of leadership and humanity from any party on the issue of refugees is stark, that includes the greens. The mesmerising Hanson-Young only slightly outpoints Lambie for hyperbole (rhymes with trolly not with troll).
Tigers of Old said:Australia is becoming divisive, terrorist target in an awful hurry.
Team Australia. Eff yeah!
Australia was already a terrorist target, at worst our participation in confronting IS has just moved us up a notch or two. Likewise allowing mass immigration of a religious group that teaches that members of the host community are the 'vilest of creatures' I would have thought would be pretty high on the divisive scale. Throw in the torrent of other diatribes of violence, intolerance and discrimination toward non-believers rife in their scripture and sharia law and 'our' unity has always hung by a thread.
Rise in attacks against Aussie Muslims
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/rise-in-attacks-against-aussie-muslims-20140924-10lhl9.html
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/rise-in-attacks-against-aussie-muslims-20140924-10lhl9.html
K3 said:
That's gold, sums things up beautifully, seems good ol' Tone Deaf hasn't learnt a thing from the Dubya experience.
Tygrys said:
I'm an atheist so I don't care about being "respectful" of anyone's religion but I have known a lot muslims, some of whom are very good friends. None of them seem bent on my destruction, are they reading their book wrong or they lulling me in to a false sense of security?
KnightersRevenge said:
Definitely the later there KR! If you're not careful they are going to wait until you are asleep and then......................................................................... place your hand into a container of tepid water!!!
*smile* Dastardly would be proud.
The situation in the Middle East is clearly regrettable.
Nonetheless I am struggling to rationalize the comments made by some on this thread who appear to say we should do more for refugees on the basis that it the humanitarian thing to do (I agree) whilst at the same time arguing that we should not get involved at the request of a democratically elected government to help stop a far worse humanitarian disaster from unfolding.
From a humanitarian viewpoint we should be doing more in both areas.
Nonetheless I am struggling to rationalize the comments made by some on this thread who appear to say we should do more for refugees on the basis that it the humanitarian thing to do (I agree) whilst at the same time arguing that we should not get involved at the request of a democratically elected government to help stop a far worse humanitarian disaster from unfolding.
From a humanitarian viewpoint we should be doing more in both areas.