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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
I'd like to see Christian Porter appointed to Fed ICAC's punitive section, as Special Sodomy Exploiteé,
also.
Im a firm believer in
1. giving people a 2nd chance and,
2. Matching roles to strengths.
So after the Gillard Government did a deal with the Obama Government to bring US marines to the Northern Territory, what did the Liberals do when they came into power..................sold the Darwin Port to China on a 99 year lease.
"THE Gillard Government is rejecting claims that relations with China will be damaged with a build-up of US Marines in northern Australia.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said yesterday it was no secret Australia has "close cooperation between ourselves and the Americans''.
Up to 2,500 US Marines will be stationed in Australia by 2017 under a new agreement announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US president Barack Obama.
www.abc.net.au
"Kevin Rudd rejects criticism that build-up of US Marines in Darwin will damage relations with China"
"THE Gillard Government is rejecting claims that relations with China will be damaged with a build-up of US Marines in northern Australia.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said yesterday it was no secret Australia has "close cooperation between ourselves and the Americans''.
Up to 2,500 US Marines will be stationed in Australia by 2017 under a new agreement announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US president Barack Obama.
Gillard, Obama detail US troop deployment
Up to 2,500 US Marines will be stationed in Australia by 2017 under a new agreement announced by Julia Gillard and Barack Obama.
www.abc.net.au
So after the Gillard Government did a deal with the Obama Government to bring US marines to the Northern Territory, what did the Liberals do when they came into power..................sold the Darwin Port to China on a 99 year lease.
"Kevin Rudd rejects criticism that build-up of US Marines in Darwin will damage relations with China"
"THE Gillard Government is rejecting claims that relations with China will be damaged with a build-up of US Marines in northern Australia.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said yesterday it was no secret Australia has "close cooperation between ourselves and the Americans''.
Up to 2,500 US Marines will be stationed in Australia by 2017 under a new agreement announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US president Barack Obama.
Gillard, Obama detail US troop deployment
Up to 2,500 US Marines will be stationed in Australia by 2017 under a new agreement announced by Julia Gillard and Barack Obama.
Never mind that our Home Forcefield Anti Commy Cheif,
Had a head transplant with a Dim Sim.
Somewhere, in a steamer in a brisbane chinese restaurant,
Theres a sleeper cell of human head
Come on Albo, fight fire with fire !!
"Former Australian trade minister Andrew Robb walked straight out of Parliament last year and into an $880,000-a-year job with a billionaire closely aligned to the Chinese Communist Party and its key trade policy."
"As part of the "confidential" consultancy deal, Mr Robb, the architect of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, began consulting to Ye Cheng the day before the July 2 federal election last year."
"The arrangement, uncovered by a Fairfax Media-Four Corners investigation, involves monthly payments of $73,000 (including GST) to Mr Robb starting on July 1, 2016. Mr Robb had announced months earlier he would not recontest his seat of Goldstein."
"Mr Ye is the owner of Landbridge, which controversially acquired the 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in 2015. He is also a member of the national Chinese People's Consultative Committee, an advisory body that President Xi Jinping has directed to "uphold the CPC [Chinese Communist Party] leadership without wavering".
"The details of the consultancy have never been disclosed by Mr Ye or Mr Robb. Neither has the fact that Mr Robb is being used to spruik a Chinese Communist Party-backed trade park as part of his consultancy agreement.
Mr Ye frames much of his business activity, including the acquisition of the Port of Darwin lease, in terms of advancing Beijing's ambitious global trade and infrastructure project "One Belt, One Road".
The port's acquisition sparked a major controversy after then US president Barack Obama complained he hadn't been forewarned. The Defence Department and ASIO have vetted and cleared Landbridge's acquisition of the port. But the director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Peter Jennings, said the port deal might benefit Beijing's long-term strategic interests, and not necessarily those of Australia.
Mr Ye publicly announced on September 2 last year that Mr Robb had been appointed as a "high-level economic consultant". At the time, Mr Robb had already been working for Mr Ye for eight weeks, and had earned $146,000, including GST but minus expenses.
Mr Robb is one of several senior former Australian politicians who have been hired by or who hold roles funded by businesses or businessmen closely aligned to the Chinese Communist Party.
The ethics code for departing ministers bans them for a period of 18 months from lobbying or advocating to the government or public service on any matters they previously dealt with as a minister. They must also ensure their personal conduct upholds the reputation of Parliament.
Mr Robb did not answer specific questions about his dealings with Landbridge, but said in a statement: "I can confirm that I fully understand my responsibilities as a former member of cabinet, and I can also confirm that I have, at all times, acted in accordance with those responsibilities."
Fairfax Media and Four Corners are not suggesting that Mr Robb has breached his obligations as an ex-minister.
The trade park being spruiked in Mr Robb's name is to be built in Rizhao, a thriving port city between Beijing and Shanghai. It is backed by the Communist Party-controlled Rizhao City Government in partnership with Mr Ye.
According to an official Chinese government statement, the park is designed to capitalise on the China Australia Free Trade Agreement as well as Mr Ye's purchase of the Darwin port. Mr Ye plans to build a second trade park in Darwin.
In April 2016, less than three months before his consultancy agreement began, Mr Robb visited China with an Australian delegation in his capacity as Australia's trade envoy. The delegation was lobbied by Rizhao Communist Party deputy secretary Liu Xingtai to support the trade park as part of a "Two Countries, Two Parks" proposal.
"The proposal has been fully recognised and highly affirmed by the Shandong Province Party Committee, the Provincial Government and the Department of Commerce," the Chinese government statement said.
The statement also said deputy secretary Liu had met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and NT Chief Minister Adam Giles on April 14, 2016, and "proposed the co-operative model of Two Countries, Two Parks".
Mr Ye placed Mr Robb on his payroll 10 weeks later.
One of Mr Ye's companies later produced lobbying material in Mr Robb's name in which the former trade minister described the Rizhao trade park as a project that "advances the objectives in the historic (CHAFTA) accord [that] I was honoured to play a significant role" while trade minister.
"I encourage you to explore the Australia Park in China… where partnerships and collaboration between these two great nations will flourish for years to come," the statement in Mr Robb's name said.
In March, Mr Robb and Mr Ye travelled together to Sydney from China, where both attended a business and trade forum hosted by the Australian government, as part of Premier Li Keqiang's visit.
In a November 2016 interview with the ABC, Mr Robb said that "most of what he [Mr Ye] wants me for is because of my knowledge of other countries and other governments. He's got a global strategy for his company and he wants me to help him outside of Australia more than he wants me to help him inside Australia."
The private agreement between Mr Robb and Mr Ye contains no mention of Mr Robb's international knowledge and networks, referring only to his role providing "consulting" and "strategic" services.
Mr Robb has also been spruiking Rymill Coonawarra, a South Australian winery in which Mr Ye has a financial interest.
Mr Ye's interest in the winery is via his brother, Gang Ye. The mayor of Mount Gambier, Andrew Lee, took a 10 per cent stake in the winery when it was acquired by the Ye family in October 2016 for an undisclosed amount, estimated to be more than $20 million. Citing legal advice, Mr Lee refused to say if he had paid any money for this stake."
www.theage.com.au
"Former Australian trade minister Andrew Robb walked straight out of Parliament last year and into an $880,000-a-year job with a billionaire closely aligned to the Chinese Communist Party and its key trade policy."
"As part of the "confidential" consultancy deal, Mr Robb, the architect of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, began consulting to Ye Cheng the day before the July 2 federal election last year."
"The arrangement, uncovered by a Fairfax Media-Four Corners investigation, involves monthly payments of $73,000 (including GST) to Mr Robb starting on July 1, 2016. Mr Robb had announced months earlier he would not recontest his seat of Goldstein."
"Mr Ye is the owner of Landbridge, which controversially acquired the 99-year lease for the Port of Darwin in 2015. He is also a member of the national Chinese People's Consultative Committee, an advisory body that President Xi Jinping has directed to "uphold the CPC [Chinese Communist Party] leadership without wavering".
"The details of the consultancy have never been disclosed by Mr Ye or Mr Robb. Neither has the fact that Mr Robb is being used to spruik a Chinese Communist Party-backed trade park as part of his consultancy agreement.
Mr Ye frames much of his business activity, including the acquisition of the Port of Darwin lease, in terms of advancing Beijing's ambitious global trade and infrastructure project "One Belt, One Road".
The port's acquisition sparked a major controversy after then US president Barack Obama complained he hadn't been forewarned. The Defence Department and ASIO have vetted and cleared Landbridge's acquisition of the port. But the director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Peter Jennings, said the port deal might benefit Beijing's long-term strategic interests, and not necessarily those of Australia.
Mr Ye publicly announced on September 2 last year that Mr Robb had been appointed as a "high-level economic consultant". At the time, Mr Robb had already been working for Mr Ye for eight weeks, and had earned $146,000, including GST but minus expenses.
Mr Robb is one of several senior former Australian politicians who have been hired by or who hold roles funded by businesses or businessmen closely aligned to the Chinese Communist Party.
The ethics code for departing ministers bans them for a period of 18 months from lobbying or advocating to the government or public service on any matters they previously dealt with as a minister. They must also ensure their personal conduct upholds the reputation of Parliament.
Mr Robb did not answer specific questions about his dealings with Landbridge, but said in a statement: "I can confirm that I fully understand my responsibilities as a former member of cabinet, and I can also confirm that I have, at all times, acted in accordance with those responsibilities."
Fairfax Media and Four Corners are not suggesting that Mr Robb has breached his obligations as an ex-minister.
The trade park being spruiked in Mr Robb's name is to be built in Rizhao, a thriving port city between Beijing and Shanghai. It is backed by the Communist Party-controlled Rizhao City Government in partnership with Mr Ye.
According to an official Chinese government statement, the park is designed to capitalise on the China Australia Free Trade Agreement as well as Mr Ye's purchase of the Darwin port. Mr Ye plans to build a second trade park in Darwin.
In April 2016, less than three months before his consultancy agreement began, Mr Robb visited China with an Australian delegation in his capacity as Australia's trade envoy. The delegation was lobbied by Rizhao Communist Party deputy secretary Liu Xingtai to support the trade park as part of a "Two Countries, Two Parks" proposal.
"The proposal has been fully recognised and highly affirmed by the Shandong Province Party Committee, the Provincial Government and the Department of Commerce," the Chinese government statement said.
The statement also said deputy secretary Liu had met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and NT Chief Minister Adam Giles on April 14, 2016, and "proposed the co-operative model of Two Countries, Two Parks".
Mr Ye placed Mr Robb on his payroll 10 weeks later.
One of Mr Ye's companies later produced lobbying material in Mr Robb's name in which the former trade minister described the Rizhao trade park as a project that "advances the objectives in the historic (CHAFTA) accord [that] I was honoured to play a significant role" while trade minister.
"I encourage you to explore the Australia Park in China… where partnerships and collaboration between these two great nations will flourish for years to come," the statement in Mr Robb's name said.
In March, Mr Robb and Mr Ye travelled together to Sydney from China, where both attended a business and trade forum hosted by the Australian government, as part of Premier Li Keqiang's visit.
In a November 2016 interview with the ABC, Mr Robb said that "most of what he [Mr Ye] wants me for is because of my knowledge of other countries and other governments. He's got a global strategy for his company and he wants me to help him outside of Australia more than he wants me to help him inside Australia."
The private agreement between Mr Robb and Mr Ye contains no mention of Mr Robb's international knowledge and networks, referring only to his role providing "consulting" and "strategic" services.
Mr Robb has also been spruiking Rymill Coonawarra, a South Australian winery in which Mr Ye has a financial interest.
Mr Ye's interest in the winery is via his brother, Gang Ye. The mayor of Mount Gambier, Andrew Lee, took a 10 per cent stake in the winery when it was acquired by the Ye family in October 2016 for an undisclosed amount, estimated to be more than $20 million. Citing legal advice, Mr Lee refused to say if he had paid any money for this stake."
Liberal Andrew Robb took $880k China job as soon as he left Parliament
Former Australian trade minister walked straight out of Parliament last year and into an $880,000-a-year job.
I think they will calculating the cost to themselves in a very pragmatic way. After the decision we will be able to infer how the reckoning played out. I'm not convinced it will happen, at least not in the form that people like you and me envisage it.
They may not deep down but they definitely want it for political purposes right now.
A federal ICAC is not just about federal politicians, it is also about federal public servants, including organisations like the federal police, border force etc.
The vast majority of what state based anti corruption bodies like IBAC in Victoria do has nothing to do with politicians. Our Commonwealth public sector should be subject to the same scrutiny as the state public sectors are.
True. But the politicians pass the laws. Don't forget there's one thing ALL politicians have in common-a very strong instinct for self-preservation.
Love the optimism that labour will do good things for Aust. Unfortunately I have no faith they will be any better than previous crap labour or liberal governments. They definitely cannot be worse than the current disaster. Scomo and his cronies have to go.
100%. What makes me laugh for the bad things its the both Federal and State are so corrupt. If in private service they would be at the least sacked. But half the posters on this thread can’t be objective when it comes to the ALP so they won’t be looking for the higher standard. Happy for the argument that ALP are way better. But if you cheer for the ALP or any political party like we do for Richmond. You are part of the problem.
I'd say your bias is showing through with this post because if we weigh up on a financial scale the corruption allegations leveled at the state Labor government versus the federal government its chalk and cheese. $400K (repaid) versus almost a billion dollars corruptly spent on projects targeting marginal or liberal held seats. Even if we look at the NSW liberal party alone, and look at the most recent corruption allegations leveled against them, the Labor party's recent crimes are a pittance. They are the opposite of Robin Hood, taking money from the poor areas with pokies and dishing it out to the wealthy suburbs who vote for them.
Poker machine losses funding projects in NSW Coalition seats
More than three-quarters of a $100 million NSW government gambling revenue grant program has been distributed to Coalition electorates and battleground seats over almost a decade.
Perhaps half the posters on this thread are actually more objective than you are when it comes to politics considering I only see you posting negatively about the ALP when the evidence is right in front of you?
I am sympathetic with the view that the ALP should fight fire with fire, and there is certainly plenty of ammunition with lots of LNP links to the CCP.
However, there are 2 aspects to this which mean I would not be exposing LNP links to the CCP if I was running the ALP:
1: the whole China issue is a distraction, the ALP need to keep the agenda on the manifest incompetence of the current government.
2: this sort of dirty work is always best done by proxy, get someone else to throw the mud. The LNP know this, which is why it is such a sign of desperation that they are flinging mud themselves, in their own name.
DS
I must say I find the notion that somehow, if corrupt practices are found in private industry, the culprits are sacked, to be laughable.
They get bonuses, they get golden handshakes, they certainly don't get sacked.
If the Banking Royal Commission and the Aged Care Royal Commission didn't tell you that corruption/illegal practices are fine in the private sector as long as there is profit, then you are simply wilfully ignorant.
DS
They get bonuses, they get golden handshakes, they certainly don't get sacked.
If the Banking Royal Commission and the Aged Care Royal Commission didn't tell you that corruption/illegal practices are fine in the private sector as long as there is profit, then you are simply wilfully ignorant.
DS
Yes, they don't gloat about debt and deficit anymore, even before COVID the Libs had maxed out the credit card.
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As someone who has worked in both my view is that there is far more scrutiny on public servants than those working in the private sector, especially at state level which have anti corruption bodies. It is however hard to generalise because there will be private sector organisations who place a high premium on honesty and probity .
Generally I would also rather be caught doing something wrong working in private industry than in the public sector. Private businesses are mostly more worried about reputation and keeping things quiet than the public sector are especially if they have an IBAC/ICAC
we need more of this self-argument in here.
you should call yourself a lefty-nazi *smile* and storm out and get yourself banned Jazzy
I'm looking forward to a labour government informed by no corruption and improved environmental outcomes. Increased wages and a bigger spend on infrastructure. Incentives to get manufacturing going in Australia.
Will be interesting to see how they approach the China issue.
I 'cheer' for the ALP like I would any AFL team playing Essendon or Carlton every week.
Name a Labor government that hasn't done good things for Australia.
I am not an ALP supporter or a supporter of any other political party but this above post describes where I am at.
There are lots of thinks wrong with the ALP and they are generally a pretty uninspiring lot imo. However to me there is no choice but to get them into Government to replace what to me is undoubtedly one of the worst Governments we have had in the history of our country. I have posted before that I never thought I would see the day that we would have a worse PM than Tony Abbott but SCOMO is at least his equal.
Just get them out