Talking Politics

[HR]

So should the tunnel have been built or not?
The city needs connection, its already got socialism by spades. Should Dan have completed the build on the tunnel or just pissed the cash up againsts the wall as he did and blamed others for his decision for a purely political decision????

If you read my first post on this subject I said that I think the tunnel should have been built. I am in favour of it.
My point, which seems to be alluding some, is that we had two parts of this fiasco that were a result of politics that resulted in a good project not happening
One was a government desperate for votes not following a process that is well known and well embedded in Victoria and another party, equally desperate for votes, saying they will cancel it for the wrong reasons and costing us a lot of money.
That is why I said it was like an episode of utopia.
If the LNP has followed the process, let it run its natural course and go through the steps that Multi billion $ infrastructure projects go through then probably it would have been built because the ALP wouldn’t have played their silly political games either at election time.
We, the public, were the losers in a stupid game of politics perpetrated by two parties both culpable in what happened
[/QUOTE]
Yep i got that the first time, not sure what happened with my reply. Apologies.

 

[HR]

By electing the Andrews Labour party in 2014 on the promise of tearing up the tunnel contract, and then re-electing his government in a landslide in 2018 a case could be made that the electorate are more than happy with what he has done, and with the job his government is doing.

I don't disagree with that. It sounds accurate.

 

[HR]

Whatever you think of his decisions, it's hard to argue Andrews is not the best political leader in the country at present.

He is well protected in the State thats for sure. WA and Tasmania might beg to differ.

 

[Brodders17]

He is well protected in the State thats for sure. WA and Tasmania might beg to differ.

didnt tassie change premiers in the last month?

 

[Brodders17]

If you read my first post on this subject I said that I think the tunnel should have been built. I am in favour of it.
My point, which seems to be alluding some, is that we had two parts of this fiasco that were a result of politics that resulted in a good project not happening

i am pretty sure the relevant department of the day ranked the east west link pretty low in order of priority/value for money.
the libs wanted to build it to score votes out east, not because it was the most needed.

 

[Brodders17]

best/worst example of the disgracefulness of the current gov in the pics doing the rounds suggesting they gave $350,000 to a golf club in a marginal seat to re-upholster their golf carts, while knocking back a $20,000 application in a seat they werent going to win to remove asbestos from netball courts. (assuming its true)

also love Morrison repeated line they they funded change rooms for females so they wouldnt have to get changed in cars, ignoring all the high scoring applications from clubs to build change rooms.

Morrison relies on voters only listening to news grabs and believing what he is saying, despite so often lying.

 

[Giardiasis]

Whatever you think of his decisions, it's hard to argue Andrews is not the best political leader in the country at present.

It’s almost like you think such a title is admirable...

 

[TigerMasochist]

So what were the improved levels of planning process, scrutiny n political purposes utilised in our other tunnel that's also not getting built? I've found over the years that both mobs are extremely competent at shoveling bull ****, trashing huge amounts of money n ******* up just about every major thing they touch all at the poor farkwit voters expense.

Not sure of the point you are making TM. I think what I have said is that they are both hopeless.
However there is a standard process for large scale project planning in our state government which is set out by Treasury. That wasn’t followed by the LNP government for the East West tunnel. Following the process doesn’t mean a project is perfect clearly but it does mean that there are more gateways and checks to get through.

I am not sure of the point you are making TM, I have already said that both are hopeless.
My only point was that there is a process for large capital projects in Victoria. It is set out by treasury and for political reasons the LNP didn’t follow it for the East West tunnel.
[/QUOTE]
And obviously Dan n his mates also didn't follow or ignored processes for his fancy tunnel as well. Initial reports of contaminated soil issues ignored so not planned for or quoted for n now there's a huge bun fight over how much extra the tax payers will have to cough up and where to hide the toxic *smile* from his fancy hole in the ground.
Libs did a panic *smile* up tunnel project trying to get re elected. Labour threw a *smile* load of our money down the drain cancelling the project just to prove they could. Now Labour has lumped motorists with another *smile* load of excessive tolls on our toll ways to way over pay for the tunnel they want. Then topped it up with a secret toxic waste issue that's going to cost another extra *smile* load of our money to rectify.
Happy to agree that both mobs are *smile* hopeless but your " point " about Libs not following processes is equally valid for Labour. They just lie, deflect n make excuses about it better than the Libs would ever know how to.

 

[HR]

[QUOTE="TigerMasochist
Happy to agree that both mobs are ******* hopeless but your " point " about Libs not following processes is equally valid for Labour. They just lie, deflect n make excuses about it better than the Libs would ever know how to.
[/QUOTE]
Oh dear.
TM you cannot say that stuff on here mate, way too balanced to start with and then to be critical of Labor. How dare you.

 

[TigerMasochist]

[QUOTE="TigerMasochist
Happy to agree that both mobs are ******* hopeless but your " point " about Libs not following processes is equally valid for Labour. They just lie, deflect n make excuses about it better than the Libs would ever know how to.

Oh dear.
TM you cannot say that stuff on here mate, way too balanced to start with and then to be critical of Labor. How dare you.
[/QUOTE]
Probably the only good thing I could say about our politicians is that I'm glad we haven't got America's, but only just.

 

[royce67]

Bridget from Bendigo, err.. Wodondga, err.. Elwood finally quits the front bench! Must have googled up "do the honourable thing" and gotten somebody to explain it to her.

 

[spook]

Bridget from Bendigo, err.. Wodondga, err.. Elwood finally quits the front bench! Must have googled up "do the honourable thing" and gotten somebody to explain it to her.

Na, you can bet she's been promised either a return to Cabinet when it all dies down, or she'll pop up with an $800k salary with some Lib party donor.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Crooked to the core.

 

[spook]

She didn't even resign for the criminal corruption, she quit for conflict of interest. And Taylor remains. As you say Oldie, to the core. Crooks.

 

[DavidSSS]

DS

 

[AngryAnt]

She didn't even resign for the criminal corruption, she quit for conflict of interest. And Taylor remains. As you say Oldie, to the core. Crooks.

She didn't even resign for the criminal corruption, she quit for conflict of interest. And Taylor remains. As you say Oldie, to the core. Crooks.

Bingo. Scott throws her under the bus in attempt to smokescreen the real issue.

 

[Sintiger]

And obviously Dan n his mates also didn't follow or ignored processes for his fancy tunnel as well. Initial reports of contaminated soil issues ignored so not planned for or quoted for n now there's a huge bun fight over how much extra the tax payers will have to cough up and where to hide the toxic **** from his fancy hole in the ground.
Libs did a panic **** up tunnel project trying to get re elected. Labour threw a **** load of our money down the drain cancelling the project just to prove they could. Now Labour has lumped motorists with another **** load of excessive tolls on our toll ways to way over pay for the tunnel they want. Then topped it up with a secret toxic waste issue that's going to cost another extra **** load of our money to rectify.
Happy to agree that both mobs are ******* hopeless but your " point " about Libs not following processes is equally valid for Labour. They just lie, deflect n make excuses about it better than the Libs would ever know how to.
[/QUOTE]
To be clear my opinion is that both shades of politics in Victoria are poor, in different ways but both pretty much inept. That’s a view that comes from some involvement with both in the last decade.

 

[Sintiger]

i am pretty sure the relevant department of the day ranked the east west link pretty low in order of priority/value for money.
the libs wanted to build it to score votes out east, not because it was the most needed.

I believe it was ranked pretty highly by infrastructure Australia as a project but treasury baulked at the cost vs benefit . That’s as I recall it

 

[Brodders17]

I believe it was ranked pretty highly by infrastructure Australia as a project but treasury baulked at the cost vs benefit . That’s as I recall it

a quick search tells me IA ranked the need to improve the 'connectivity' between citylink and the eastern freeway. the libs didnt submit a cost analysis cos they knew it wouldnt be favourable.
IA did rank the metro tunnel project very high, which is what labor dumped the new freeway for.

 

[KnightersRevenge]

Bingo. Scott throws her under the bus in attempt to smokescreen the real issue.

In fairness, it's a nerf bus.