Comments on: War games in the WA seat of Stirling http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/ Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:10:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Graham Bell http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288490 Graham Bell Mon, 11 Dec 2006 10:36:16 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288490 Paulus: I do appreciate your concern and perhaps there are indeed many decent, honourable, honest and dedicated people in Defence. Sadly, we have seen too many examples of what the other sort can do in the way of dodgy deals, political favours, back-scratching and cover-up ..... Nomad crashes, gas warfare experiments in North Queensland during the Second World War, Agent Orange, nuclear weapons tests in Australia, very noisy submarines, M60 machine guns, etc., etc., .... they just can't help themselves. Political interference would just come so naturally to them again. They've got form. What we really have to concentrate on is how to change the corporate culture inside Defence so that this sort of shenanegans can never happen again. Paulus:
I do appreciate your concern and perhaps there are indeed many decent, honourable, honest and dedicated people in Defence.

Sadly, we have seen too many examples of what the other sort can do in the way of dodgy deals, political favours, back-scratching and cover-up ….. Nomad crashes, gas warfare experiments in North Queensland during the Second World War, Agent Orange, nuclear weapons tests in Australia, very noisy submarines, M60 machine guns, etc., etc., …. they just can’t help themselves. Political interference would just come so naturally to them again. They’ve got form.

What we really have to concentrate on is how to change the corporate culture inside Defence so that this sort of shenanegans can never happen again.

]]> By: Yobbo http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288489 Yobbo Sun, 10 Dec 2006 06:31:19 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288489 I live in the electorate of Stirling and have done for 12 years. I had never heard of Michael Keenan before the last election but I actually met him - twice - in the election campaign. Once when I was doing my grocery shopping and once down the beach. Maybe it was just a coincidence or alternatively he did a lot of hitting the street work in the election campaign. Before the last election I'd never seen a candidate in public like that before. I live in the electorate of Stirling and have done for 12 years.

I had never heard of Michael Keenan before the last election but I actually met him – twice – in the election campaign. Once when I was doing my grocery shopping and once down the beach. Maybe it was just a coincidence or alternatively he did a lot of hitting the street work in the election campaign. Before the last election I’d never seen a candidate in public like that before.

]]> By: Anna Winter http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288488 Anna Winter Sun, 10 Dec 2006 01:24:21 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288488 Well, with an attitude like this from such intelligent people, it's fairly clear to me now why Howard's managed to get away with this sort of thing for so long. This is just one example - do you really think it's the only time it's happened? Well, with an attitude like this from such intelligent people, it’s fairly clear to me now why Howard’s managed to get away with this sort of thing for so long.

This is just one example – do you really think it’s the only time it’s happened?

]]> By: Sacha Blumen http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288487 Sacha Blumen Sat, 09 Dec 2006 23:31:01 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288487 Yes - what a waste of the Defence budget - they could have spent it on another fridge magnet to help protect us from terrorists. Yes – what a waste of the Defence budget – they could have spent it on another fridge magnet to help protect us from terrorists.

]]> By: Paulus http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288486 Paulus Sat, 09 Dec 2006 19:28:24 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288486 Mmmm, just think of the 0.1 of a cent tax cut each and every Australian citizen could have had if Defence hadn't spent that $20k on the brochure. You've convinced me, Kim. Give me that 0.1c Howard, you bastard! P.S. There is waste in the Defence organisation, to make the cost of this brochure seem loose change by comparison. Let's keep our eye on the big picture, shall we? Mmmm, just think of the 0.1 of a cent tax cut each and every Australian citizen could have had if Defence hadn’t spent that $20k on the brochure. You’ve convinced me, Kim. Give me that 0.1c Howard, you bastard!

P.S. There is waste in the Defence organisation, to make the cost of this brochure seem loose change by comparison. Let’s keep our eye on the big picture, shall we?

]]> By: Kim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288485 Kim Sat, 09 Dec 2006 17:07:36 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288485 I trust Paulus understands Howard's sadness that there's no scope for income tax cuts. It's because of FACTORS BEYOND HIS CONTROL and not at all because of his bloated public sector waste.... I trust Paulus understands Howard’s sadness that there’s no scope for income tax cuts. It’s because of FACTORS BEYOND HIS CONTROL and not at all because of his bloated public sector waste….

]]> By: Anna Winter http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288484 Anna Winter Sat, 09 Dec 2006 14:33:46 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288484 This isn't about how much each MP is given to spend. The Defence Department paid for the brochure - Senator Ellison only paid for the postage. The huge money spent on printing it wasn't taken out of the huge budget they already have for printing. The taxpayers paid for it out of the defence budget that's apparently supposed to help protect us from the terrorists, and they still have to pay for the huge printing allowance given to each MP. This isn’t about how much each MP is given to spend.

The Defence Department paid for the brochure – Senator Ellison only paid for the postage. The huge money spent on printing it wasn’t taken out of the huge budget they already have for printing.

The taxpayers paid for it out of the defence budget that’s apparently supposed to help protect us from the terrorists, and they still have to pay for the huge printing allowance given to each MP.

]]> By: David Walsh http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288483 David Walsh Sat, 09 Dec 2006 12:40:48 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288483 Here's your answer: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/mps-get-60m-junk-mail-allowance/2006/08/16/1155407883862.html <blockquote>FEDERAL MPs will have almost $60 million to bombard voters with flyers, leaflets, fridge magnets, posters and other material before next year's election. After a ruling by the Special Minister of State, Gary Nairn, each MP's annual "printing allowance" has increased from $125,000 to $150,000. MPs who do not spend all of the money in a year are now allowed to roll over $67,500 of unspent allowance into the next year. MPs have calculated that if they are clever about when they spend the money, they can increase the allowance to $300,000 in the four to six months before the next election. The postal allowance has also been increased from $24,000 to $40,000. Due to new rollover and draw-down provisions, an MP can increase that to $93,000 a year. The printing allowance can now also be used to include fridge magnets, postal vote applications and how-to-vote cards.</blockquote> The Special Minister of State also happens to be a marginal seat holder. Is that a conflict of interest I wonder... Here’s your answer: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/mps-get-60m-junk-mail-allowance/2006/08/16/1155407883862.html

FEDERAL MPs will have almost $60 million to bombard voters with flyers, leaflets, fridge magnets, posters and other material before next year’s election.

After a ruling by the Special Minister of State, Gary Nairn, each MP’s annual “printing allowance” has increased from $125,000 to $150,000.

MPs who do not spend all of the money in a year are now allowed to roll over $67,500 of unspent allowance into the next year.

MPs have calculated that if they are clever about when they spend the money, they can increase the allowance to $300,000 in the four to six months before the next election. The postal allowance has also been increased from $24,000 to $40,000.

Due to new rollover and draw-down provisions, an MP can increase that to $93,000 a year.

The printing allowance can now also be used to include fridge magnets, postal vote applications and how-to-vote cards.

The Special Minister of State also happens to be a marginal seat holder. Is that a conflict of interest I wonder…

]]> By: Sacha Blumen http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288482 Sacha Blumen Sat, 09 Dec 2006 10:43:46 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288482 I recall reading that each Senator and MP has an enormous postal allowance - it seems to go up every few years and is quite substantial now - at least many tens of thousands of dollars or maybe even 5 figures? I don't know. I'm sure it's very useful for distributing "parliamentary information" to electors. I recall reading that each Senator and MP has an enormous postal allowance – it seems to go up every few years and is quite substantial now – at least many tens of thousands of dollars or maybe even 5 figures? I don’t know.

I’m sure it’s very useful for distributing “parliamentary information” to electors.

]]> By: Anna Winter http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288481 Anna Winter Sat, 09 Dec 2006 09:39:45 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2006/12/08/war-games-in-the-wa-seat-of-stirling/#comment-288481 That substantial uptake amounted to "significantly less than 1000 per member or senators that requested the material". Earlier in the transcript they admit they didn't know where it went once it left the printer. So - about 65 members and senators ordered an average of 1000 each, yet somehow the Liberal Member of a marginal electorate under threat managed to get his hands on about 37 000. You think that's OK, do you? The defence budget paid for the printing of these brochures, yet left it to others to decide where it went. They played no role in distributing their own brochure, kept no records of whom it was sent to, and somehow half of them ended up in one marginal seat. There's a difference between a Labor MP sending it out to a few RSLs and interested constituents, and a Liberal MP whose seat is under threat sending it out to his entire electorate and not having to use an electoral printing allowance to do so. That substantial uptake amounted to “significantly less than 1000 per member or senators that requested the material”. Earlier in the transcript they admit they didn’t know where it went once it left the printer.

So – about 65 members and senators ordered an average of 1000 each, yet somehow the Liberal Member of a marginal electorate under threat managed to get his hands on about 37 000. You think that’s OK, do you?

The defence budget paid for the printing of these brochures, yet left it to others to decide where it went. They played no role in distributing their own brochure, kept no records of whom it was sent to, and somehow half of them ended up in one marginal seat.

There’s a difference between a Labor MP sending it out to a few RSLs and interested constituents, and a Liberal MP whose seat is under threat sending it out to his entire electorate and not having to use an electoral printing allowance to do so.

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