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Talking Politics
- Thread starter Legends of 2017
- Start date
They all rort the system. No surprise, that's why nothing will be done about itantman said:
antman said:
Of all the politicians spending big on overseas travel I think regular trips to our off-shore processing centres would be as close to legitimate as you'll get. I certainly don't see anyone else making the effort to provide a morsel of accountability.
[quote author=Nicole Hasham The Age]
Protesters force Border Force off Melbourne's streets
Operation Fortitude plan for Australian Border Force to check visas on Mellbourne's streets this weekend called off after flash protests halted city traffic in central Melbourne. (Vision courtesy ABC News24).
Operation Fortitude cancelled as protest shuts down Melbourne streets
The Abbott government is under pressure to explain why a police operation that included the Australian Border Force involved stopping people for visa checks, prompting a public backlash and forcing the event to be cancelled.
But ABF commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg argued a news release issued by his agency on Friday morning was "clumsily worded" and mischaracterised the paramilitary agency's role in the operation, to be led by Victoria Police and involving several other state and federal agencies.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Australian Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg. Photo: Andrew Meares
The statement said officers would be positioned "at various locations around the CBD speaking with any individual we cross paths with … if you commit visa fraud you should know it's only a matter of time before you're caught out".
The quotes were attributed to Don Smith, Border Force regional commander for Victoria and Tasmania.
The statement was widely interpreted to mean the Border Force would be stopping people for random visa checks. The agency later clarified it would check the visas of people "referred to us" by police and other agencies involved in the operation.
Demonstrators protest against Operation Fortitude in Melbourne on Friday afternoon. Photo: Joe Armao
The operation was ridiculed on social media and protesters took to Melbourne's streets. Victoria Police released a statement just before 3pm saying the operation had been cancelled.
Mr Quaedvlieg said the press release was "cleared at a low level in the organisation" and Mr Smith had signed off on it.
He said the controversy was unfortunate but "not a fatal embarrassment".
Fairfax Media reported this month that the National Security Committee of the federal cabinet had asked for a list of national security-related "announceables" to be rolled out weekly between now and the election. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied this
Victorian Police Minister Wade Noonan said the operation was supposed to be a standard police one aimed at keeping the public safe, but was cancelled after the "unfortunate and inappropriate characterisation by the Australian Border Force".
The ABF began in July and reflects the federal government's hardline national security stance. It combined Customs and Immigration functions.
There has been concern that ABF officers have more powers than former department officials, including the power to detain offenders, carry guns and gather intelligence.
Mr Quaedvlieg said Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, a former policeman, was not involved in issuing the press release.
Fairfax Media understands Victorian Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton cancelled the measure, dubbed Operation Fortitude, after learning of the "specifics" of the ABF's involvement and the public outrage.
A spokesman for Mr Dutton said "ministers don't direct operational matters". He did not respond to questions over whether he knew about the operation in advance.
Labor immigration spokesman Richard Marles said Mr Dutton should "come out of hiding" to explain "the shambles that has seen a cross-agency operation compromised and a key government agency left red-faced".
"This has been incredibly badly handled and Peter Dutton needs to immediately come clean on how this announcement was so botched," said Mr Marles.
The Australian Border Force did not respond to questions posed by Fairfax Media, including how much was spent on the operation, slated for Friday and Saturday night.
It did not say if the Border Force planned to conduct similar operations in future, in Melbourne, Sydney or elsewhere.
NSW Police Minister Troy Grant was asked if Sydney could expect to host such joint operations in future. He said the Border Force "already engages in NSW … so it's just Victoria catching up".
After the operation was cancelled, Mr Grant's office clarified that he was referring only to joint raids of premises such as brothels that have been carried out by NSW police and immigration officials for many years.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/australian-border-force-farce-leaves-tony-abbott-under-fire
[/quote]
Oh my giddy aunt. Who would have thought that border force would be a ridiculous anarchic 20th century answer to well actually not really a problem at all?
Protesters force Border Force off Melbourne's streets
Operation Fortitude plan for Australian Border Force to check visas on Mellbourne's streets this weekend called off after flash protests halted city traffic in central Melbourne. (Vision courtesy ABC News24).
Operation Fortitude cancelled as protest shuts down Melbourne streets
The Abbott government is under pressure to explain why a police operation that included the Australian Border Force involved stopping people for visa checks, prompting a public backlash and forcing the event to be cancelled.
But ABF commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg argued a news release issued by his agency on Friday morning was "clumsily worded" and mischaracterised the paramilitary agency's role in the operation, to be led by Victoria Police and involving several other state and federal agencies.
Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Australian Border Force commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg. Photo: Andrew Meares
The statement said officers would be positioned "at various locations around the CBD speaking with any individual we cross paths with … if you commit visa fraud you should know it's only a matter of time before you're caught out".
The quotes were attributed to Don Smith, Border Force regional commander for Victoria and Tasmania.
The statement was widely interpreted to mean the Border Force would be stopping people for random visa checks. The agency later clarified it would check the visas of people "referred to us" by police and other agencies involved in the operation.
Demonstrators protest against Operation Fortitude in Melbourne on Friday afternoon. Photo: Joe Armao
The operation was ridiculed on social media and protesters took to Melbourne's streets. Victoria Police released a statement just before 3pm saying the operation had been cancelled.
Mr Quaedvlieg said the press release was "cleared at a low level in the organisation" and Mr Smith had signed off on it.
He said the controversy was unfortunate but "not a fatal embarrassment".
Fairfax Media reported this month that the National Security Committee of the federal cabinet had asked for a list of national security-related "announceables" to be rolled out weekly between now and the election. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied this
Victorian Police Minister Wade Noonan said the operation was supposed to be a standard police one aimed at keeping the public safe, but was cancelled after the "unfortunate and inappropriate characterisation by the Australian Border Force".
The ABF began in July and reflects the federal government's hardline national security stance. It combined Customs and Immigration functions.
There has been concern that ABF officers have more powers than former department officials, including the power to detain offenders, carry guns and gather intelligence.
Mr Quaedvlieg said Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, a former policeman, was not involved in issuing the press release.
Fairfax Media understands Victorian Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton cancelled the measure, dubbed Operation Fortitude, after learning of the "specifics" of the ABF's involvement and the public outrage.
A spokesman for Mr Dutton said "ministers don't direct operational matters". He did not respond to questions over whether he knew about the operation in advance.
Labor immigration spokesman Richard Marles said Mr Dutton should "come out of hiding" to explain "the shambles that has seen a cross-agency operation compromised and a key government agency left red-faced".
"This has been incredibly badly handled and Peter Dutton needs to immediately come clean on how this announcement was so botched," said Mr Marles.
The Australian Border Force did not respond to questions posed by Fairfax Media, including how much was spent on the operation, slated for Friday and Saturday night.
It did not say if the Border Force planned to conduct similar operations in future, in Melbourne, Sydney or elsewhere.
NSW Police Minister Troy Grant was asked if Sydney could expect to host such joint operations in future. He said the Border Force "already engages in NSW … so it's just Victoria catching up".
After the operation was cancelled, Mr Grant's office clarified that he was referring only to joint raids of premises such as brothels that have been carried out by NSW police and immigration officials for many years.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/australian-border-force-farce-leaves-tony-abbott-under-fire
[/quote]
Oh my giddy aunt. Who would have thought that border force would be a ridiculous anarchic 20th century answer to well actually not really a problem at all?
They're all frauds with the snouts in the taxpayers trough.
This makes next years election very hard.
I think (hopoefully) I'll just write "It's Tiger Time" over the ballot paper.
Job done.
Dimma for PM.
This makes next years election very hard.
I think (hopoefully) I'll just write "It's Tiger Time" over the ballot paper.
Job done.
Dimma for PM.
yep.poppa x said:
can't remember a time in this country where the political class is so poorly thought of. They are always are to an extent but this lot takes it to a new (low) level.
tigertim said:
does that include flights to Canberra for parliament plus accommodation?
plus as already mentioned a few trips to Nauru, where it seems nobody else is willing or able to go to give any facts?
can you give any details about the spending?
*smile* me when figures are bandied about for any pollie of any party without any context.
Brodders17 said:
agreed. She may or may not have used some questionable luxuries, I don't know. But a few points need to be made.
The job of a politician requires a lot of travel. Its like a plumbers tool and ute expenses. They travel constantly, they'd be criticised more if the propped in their office getting covered in cobwebs. A lot of travel, Thats the gig.
Often they are attending big events and conventions when all travel and accom prices are at their highest.
Sounds like a big number sure, but think about it. Think about how much it would cost to travel to a European country, even an Aussie city, with a PA for a summit and stay a week, they would do that at least twice a year, more. I just spent $5K in 8 days in Hawaii, no big luxuries, and that was staying with my missus' dad who lives there for 4 nights and borrowing his car!
One last point, you reckon corporates don't milk the TA? Pffft, yeah
TigerForce said:
God help us if ever our great leaders deem this appropriate:
South African style 'Pass Books' for all immigrants and foreigners
Mandatory wearing of racial and religious identification
Highly motivated 'para-military' security force patrolling the streets
Community representative says Tony Abbott did not do his 'homework' on remote school
By political reporter Anna Henderson
Updated yesterday at 10:48pm
The Prime Minister has caused upset on his remote Indigenous trip over his comments about a far north Queensland primary school.
During his five-day trip Tony Abbott visited the Bamaga primary school as part of his drive to get more kids to school.
It was a highlight of the week and gained national coverage.
Mr Abbott held a press conference at the school in the Northern Area Peninsula (NPA) and attributed the high attendance rate partly to the Government's new school attendance officers.
Their role is to provide encouragement, work with families who are not showing up, help transport children to school and follow up on school absence.
But the head of the school's P&C and husband of the school's principal, Richard McLean, said the remote attendance officers were not a key reason so many kids were coming to class.
He said the statistics were just as positive before the attendance officers started work.
They put in a huge effort, the parents and the students who are innocent in all this. For that praise to go to somewhere else I think was unfair.
Richard McLean, head of Bamaga P&C
"The statistics have clearly shown that before the ... program was rolled out they were quite high," he said.
Mr McLean said there were a number of factors behind the strong figures.
"I believe the credit needs to go to where it is deserved," he said.
"It's things like working collaboratively with parents, understanding the community, stronger relationships with families and students, great teachers - not just wanting to come up here for the points or the lifestyle - and really good leadership along valuing our identity.
"We also set high expectations for our students and with the support from parents and teachers we are seeing them succeed.
"This, in turn, empowers the students and they are proud to come to school because of their success."
'Maybe he hasn't done his homework'
At the same media event the Prime Minister spoke about the teaching methods he had witnessed at the school.
"Certainly we did see a form of explicit and direct instruction in these classrooms today and as someone who has been in Indigenous classrooms at different times over quite a few years now, they were the best classrooms I've ever seen," Mr Abbott said.
"And most of those classrooms had a very high percentage of people attending."
Mr Mclean objected to Mr Abbott's statement.
"That's not correct at all. There is no direct instruction taught in this school, it's explicit teaching and explicit teaching only," he said.
Mr McLean said explicit teaching was the philosophy of 'I do, we do, you do' in the classroom, whereby the teacher shows students what to do, then they do it together, then the student repeats the practise alone.
Direct instruction is a model promoted by Cape York Indigenous leader Noel Pearson based on breaking down concepts to their smallest components as a way of learning.
Mr McLean said the two models were very different, and the Prime Minister had failed to recognise that.
"I think it was disappointing, as the head of the P&C, for the principal, for the teachers as well," Mr Mclean said.
"They put in a huge effort, the parents and the students who are innocent in all this. For that praise to go to somewhere else I think was unfair.
"Maybe he hasn't done his homework."
Mr McLean also paid tribute to the work of Indigenous education expert Chris Sarra.
"It's [because of] the work of people like Chris Sarra and the Stronger Smarter Institute that we are seeing transformation in schools across this country and that's what's happening at the schools in the NPA," he said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-28/tony-abbott-didnt-do-homework-on-remote-school/6731542
Does Abbott ever pay any attention to what he is saying?
By political reporter Anna Henderson
Updated yesterday at 10:48pm
The Prime Minister has caused upset on his remote Indigenous trip over his comments about a far north Queensland primary school.
During his five-day trip Tony Abbott visited the Bamaga primary school as part of his drive to get more kids to school.
It was a highlight of the week and gained national coverage.
Mr Abbott held a press conference at the school in the Northern Area Peninsula (NPA) and attributed the high attendance rate partly to the Government's new school attendance officers.
Their role is to provide encouragement, work with families who are not showing up, help transport children to school and follow up on school absence.
But the head of the school's P&C and husband of the school's principal, Richard McLean, said the remote attendance officers were not a key reason so many kids were coming to class.
He said the statistics were just as positive before the attendance officers started work.
They put in a huge effort, the parents and the students who are innocent in all this. For that praise to go to somewhere else I think was unfair.
Richard McLean, head of Bamaga P&C
"The statistics have clearly shown that before the ... program was rolled out they were quite high," he said.
Mr McLean said there were a number of factors behind the strong figures.
"I believe the credit needs to go to where it is deserved," he said.
"It's things like working collaboratively with parents, understanding the community, stronger relationships with families and students, great teachers - not just wanting to come up here for the points or the lifestyle - and really good leadership along valuing our identity.
"We also set high expectations for our students and with the support from parents and teachers we are seeing them succeed.
"This, in turn, empowers the students and they are proud to come to school because of their success."
'Maybe he hasn't done his homework'
At the same media event the Prime Minister spoke about the teaching methods he had witnessed at the school.
"Certainly we did see a form of explicit and direct instruction in these classrooms today and as someone who has been in Indigenous classrooms at different times over quite a few years now, they were the best classrooms I've ever seen," Mr Abbott said.
"And most of those classrooms had a very high percentage of people attending."
Mr Mclean objected to Mr Abbott's statement.
"That's not correct at all. There is no direct instruction taught in this school, it's explicit teaching and explicit teaching only," he said.
Mr McLean said explicit teaching was the philosophy of 'I do, we do, you do' in the classroom, whereby the teacher shows students what to do, then they do it together, then the student repeats the practise alone.
Direct instruction is a model promoted by Cape York Indigenous leader Noel Pearson based on breaking down concepts to their smallest components as a way of learning.
Mr McLean said the two models were very different, and the Prime Minister had failed to recognise that.
"I think it was disappointing, as the head of the P&C, for the principal, for the teachers as well," Mr Mclean said.
"They put in a huge effort, the parents and the students who are innocent in all this. For that praise to go to somewhere else I think was unfair.
"Maybe he hasn't done his homework."
Mr McLean also paid tribute to the work of Indigenous education expert Chris Sarra.
"It's [because of] the work of people like Chris Sarra and the Stronger Smarter Institute that we are seeing transformation in schools across this country and that's what's happening at the schools in the NPA," he said.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-28/tony-abbott-didnt-do-homework-on-remote-school/6731542
Does Abbott ever pay any attention to what he is saying?
Ruddy still laying into Julia:
FORMER prime minister Julia Gillard has reversed her stance on gay marriage, with the change coming as the man she deposed for the top job, Kevin Rudd, blamed her for the political impasse on the issue.
Mr Rudd accused Ms Gillard of adopting an anti-gay marriage stance in government because she owed conservative unions, such as the Catholic-leaning Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association, for parachuting her into office.
In a wide-ranging interview in glossy men’s lifestyle magazine GQ Australia, released yesterday, Mr Rudd gave his thoughts on the recent US Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, calling it a “milestone reform’’.
“We’re a bunch of fools if we thing we can by legislative design, change someone’s sexuality or deny them legal recognition of their relationship,” he said.
“So for Australia the time has well and truly come.”
Mr Rudd said he had not acted on gay marriage in his first term because his views then were much more conservative, and because he had promised the churches he would not try to change the Marriage Act in his first term.
http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/same-sex-marriage-kevin-rudd-blames-julia-gillard-for-political-impasse/story-fns0jze1-1227500422836
FORMER prime minister Julia Gillard has reversed her stance on gay marriage, with the change coming as the man she deposed for the top job, Kevin Rudd, blamed her for the political impasse on the issue.
Mr Rudd accused Ms Gillard of adopting an anti-gay marriage stance in government because she owed conservative unions, such as the Catholic-leaning Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association, for parachuting her into office.
In a wide-ranging interview in glossy men’s lifestyle magazine GQ Australia, released yesterday, Mr Rudd gave his thoughts on the recent US Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, calling it a “milestone reform’’.
“We’re a bunch of fools if we thing we can by legislative design, change someone’s sexuality or deny them legal recognition of their relationship,” he said.
“So for Australia the time has well and truly come.”
Mr Rudd said he had not acted on gay marriage in his first term because his views then were much more conservative, and because he had promised the churches he would not try to change the Marriage Act in his first term.
http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/same-sex-marriage-kevin-rudd-blames-julia-gillard-for-political-impasse/story-fns0jze1-1227500422836
tigertim said:
Bit odd having a religious type calling out an atheist on being beholden to to religious types? I didn't believe Gillard was being honest in her objections at the time.
KnightersRevenge said:
You are right. She was beholden to the loonies in the SDA. History will damn her on this issue. Good to see her copping it from all sides.
Agree. She has always believed in gay marriage but her objections were pure political expediency.KnightersRevenge said: