http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/08/tony-abbott-book-tour-expenses?CMP=twt_gu
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/if-slipper-is-guilty-then-what-about-abbott/

Abbott rorting travel expenses, and lying about it.

This was exactly what they were chasing Slipper about, except that instead of it being $900 for Slipper, it's $9,000 for Abbott.


Edited by macktheknife: 8/7/2013 03:40:42 PM

Campbell Newman. :oops: :oops: :oops:

What's he done now?

Lowest opinion polls since the sacking of 10k+ public servants.

-PB

BRILLIANT

Most of the seats that Labor lost at the previous federal election were Queensland. Rudd's popularity over Gillard, and some protest votes against Newman at state level might give them a couple of seats up there. But Labor will probably lose more of the marginal seats in other states. Rudd's plans for cleaning up NSW Labor show how bad the brand is in Sydney these days. My only hope is that Liberal bring Turnbull back. He's probably the best chance of beating bloody Abbott.

I hear horrible things about Newman, I hope labor wins next QLD election.

Ten myths around asylum seekers arriving on boats in Australian waters
by: CANDACE SUTTON

July 08, 2013


DO you believe that thousands of illegal boat people are swamping our shores in unprecedented numbers and threatening Australian jobs and the economy?
You wouldn't be the only person to do so - and you'll be hearing more about it as politicians jockey for your vote ahead of the federal election.

Asylum seekers arriving on boats in Australian waters is likely to be one of the top issues debated throughout the election campaign.

News.com.au explains 10 boat-people myths.

Myth 1: We are being swamped

REALITY: The number of people arriving in Australia to claim asylum jumped by more than a third last year to 15,800 people, driven by an increase in arrivals from Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Australia resettles the third largest number of refugees of any country per capita, but actual Australia's asylum seeker numbers, while politically sensitive, remain numerically small. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says Australia receives about three per cent of the total asylum claims made in industrialised countries around the world and, "by comparison, asylum levels in Australia continue to remain below those recorded by many other industrialised and non-industrialised countries".

Myth 2: We're a magnet compared to other countries

REALITY: Nearly half a million - 493,000 - asylum claims were lodged in industrialised countries last year, the second highest number on record after 2003, as war, civil strife, political repression and sectarian violence continue to force movements of populations across borders. Europe received 355,000 asylum seeker claims, while North America had 103,000. In particular, conflict in Syria has prompted a new mass wave of refugees fleeing that country. Afghanistan alone has a diaspora of more than 2.7 million refugees across 71 countries, but more than 95 per cent are in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran.

Myth 3: We take more asylum seekers because we're a rich, First World country

REALITY: According to Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, the reverse is true. "The burden of helping the world's forcibly displaced people is starkly uneven," he said. "Poor countries host vastly more displaced people than wealthier ones. While anti-refugee sentiment is heard loudest in industrialised countries, developing nations host 80 per cent of the world's refugees."

Myth 4: They're illegal, queue jumping undesirables

REALITY: Asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat are neither engaging in illegal activity, nor are they immigrants. The UN Refugee Convention (to which Australia is a signatory) recognises that refugees have a right to enter a country for the purposes of seeking asylum, regardless of how they arrive or whether they hold valid travel or identity documents. Australian law also permits unauthorised entry into Australia for the purposes of seeking asylum. Asylum seekers do not break any Australian laws simply by arriving on boats or without authorisation. Australia has a proud history of boat people and other asylum seekers becoming good citizens.

Myth 5: Most asylum seekers come by boat

REALITY: Statistics from 2008 showed at least 13 asylum seekers arrive through Australian airports daily, more than 32 times the number of boat people supposedly ''flooding'' across our maritime borders in that year. A total of 4768 ''plane people'', more than 96 per cent of applicants for refugee status, arrived in that year on legitimate tourist, business and other visas - compared with 161 who arrived by boat during the same period. While boat numbers have increased, Australian Government statistics from the first quarter of 2013 showed more than 90 per cent of asylum seekers who arrived by boat were found to be genuine refugees. In comparison, those who arrived by plane - despite being eligible for release into the community and not having to face years of detention on Nauru or Manus Island - were almost twice as likely to be rejected as refugees. The figure continued a long-term trend of high approval rates for people arriving by boat, with 93.5 per cent being found to be refugees in 2010-11 and 91 per cent in 2011-12.

Myth 6: Asylum seekers are taking our jobs

REALITY: The Federal Government released 16,000 asylum seekers into the community as they wait for their refugee claims to be processed. They receive about $220 a week from Centrelink, most of which goes towards rent and food, but they are on bridging visas which stipulate that they're not allowed to get jobs. Nearly half of those asylum seekers are subject to the government's "no advantage" rule, which means they could be in this limbo for many years. Most asylum seekers want to work and will take jobs other Australians don't want to do, report refugee agencies, but their visa conditions make work illegal. Refugee groups say that barring foreign migrants from the workforce could create an underclass, but they also reject the Federal Opposition's suggestion of a "work for the dole scheme".

Myth 7: People from war torn countries cause problems

REALITY: According to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the number of settlers - people entitled to permanent residence, including people arriving in Australia on humanitarian programs - between July 2010 and June 2011 came from more than 200 countries and totalled 127,460.

Most were born in one of the following four countries:

• New Zealand (20.2 per cent)

• China (11.5 per cent)

• United Kingdom (8.6 per cent)

• India (8.3 per cent)

Myth 8: They don't assimilate or contribute

REALITY: Refugees have been coming to Australia for decades and the first big wave of boat people, from Vietnam in the 1970s, have proven to be successful migrants who have assimilated and added much to Australian society. After surviving perilous journeys by their courage and strength, these people epitomise the qualities admired and rewarded in Australian society.

Historically, refugees have contributed to the economic, civil and social fabric of Australian life and their success can be found in all fields of endeavour and marked by their presence on the New Year and Queen's birthday honours lists.

Myth 9: Numbers are booming because we lack tough border protection policies

REALITY: In 2007, the total population of asylum seekers, refugees and internationally displaced persons of concern to the UNHCR was estimated at 31.7 million people. By the end of 2011, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide exceeded 42 million and the number of asylum applications in 2011 was also the highest for almost a decade. The reason for the increase in numbers represents the upsurge in people affected by affected by war, military and social upheaval and human rights abuses, which is reflected in the fact Afghanistan continues to provide the most asylum seekers of any country in the world, with 36,600 last year, followed by the Syrian Arab Republic, Serbia, China and Pakistan. According to the Refugee Council of Australia, "most people do not wish to leave their homes, families, friends and everything they know and hold dear. They do so as a last resort, to escape persecution and find safety and security for themselves and their families".

Myth 10: We can just turn the boats back

REALITY: While this is the current subject of political debate between the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, (who says we can't) and the Federal Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, (who says we can) the truth is that wherever they come from, most boat people use Indonesia as a launching point for Australian waters. Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has indicated towing boats back into Indonesian waters is not an option and it is likely a regional summit will be held to discuss a joint solution for the issue of the maritime trade of asylum seekers.

###
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/ten-myths-around-asylum-seekers-arriving-on-boats-in-australian-waters/story-fndir2ev-1226676024840#ixzz2YRfBQgIL

I am honestly surprised a major news outlet ran that piece, but I'd be more surprised if the brainless sheep that follow along with every word the muppets in Canberra say actually read it with an open mind.

http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/morgan-poll-july-8-2013-201307080647

Rudd now has ALP in prime position to win Federal Election as Labor gains again. ALP 54.5% (up 3%) cf. L-NP 45.5% (down 3%).

Oh snap.

Stop Teh Boats!!!!!
A-Butt was just on the 7.30 report.
What a fuck-witted individual.

Abbott repaid cost of 2009 book trips

July 8, 2013

Bianca Hall
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott had to repay $9400 in travel expenses accrued while he promoted his book Battlelines in 2009, it has been revealed.

Freedom of Information documents show Mr Abbott repaid the expenses in 2010, despite initially describing the allegations through a spokesman as ''a blatant attempt by Labor to smear and mislead''.

Mr Abbott made the trips in July and August 2009 - before he became Opposition Leader in November 2009 - to promote his book.

The trips included promotions at a Melbourne bookshop and Canberra's National Press Club.

The case was revealed at the weekend by former Fairfax journalist Margo Kingston, who published the FOI documents on her website, No Fibs.

The revelations led to former trade minister Craig Emerson suggesting Mr Abbott should stand down as Opposition Leader, following the lead of former Speaker Peter Slipper.

''Mr Abbott seems unwilling to apply to himself the standards he sets for others,'' Dr Emerson told Fairfax. ''He sits in judgment of other members of Parliament but expects to be exempt from any judgment against him relating to the misuse of entitlements.''

When Mr Abbott repaid the money in full, special minister of state Gary Gray said he did not intend to take any further action.

Mr Abbott's office said: ''As the government has made clear, this matter was resolved more than two years ago.''

According to the documents released, Mr Abbott's chief of staff, Peta Credlin, wrote in October 2010 that the flights ''were inadvertently booked as official travel, rather than private''. ''I enclose a full repayment of all outstanding costs … amount $6255.49.''

In January 2011, Mr Gray wrote to Mr Abbott's office noting $3141.93 more had been paid by Mr Abbott's office for outstanding entitlements. ''Given the repayments made, I do not intend to take any further action in relation to this matter,'' Mr Gray wrote.

''However, I take this opportunity to remind you that, in future, similar payments should not be made by the Commonwealth to be later reimbursed.''

He cautioned Mr Abbott against using staff employed under the Members of Parliament (Staff) Act to perform tasks outside the boundaries of their jobs, including arranging travel for a book tour.

Mr Slipper faces allegations he misused Cabcharge dockets to visit Canberra wineries in hire cars in 2010, at a cost of $1194 to taxpayers, before he became Speaker.

He faces the possibility of jail if found guilty.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/abbott-repaid-cost-of-2009-book-trips-20130707-2pkav.html#ixzz2YRvcoLEl

Seems pretty sensible to me - stops the factional shitfighting that got labor into this mess in the first place.

What's hilarious about it?

The fact that they have to do it to begin with.

Rudd didn't challenge, Gillard called the spill and invited anyone to volunteer their nomination.

Very different to what happened in 2010

This. Leadership instability in the ALP has been going on for the last decade. It was time for someone to step up and make these changes to bring the ALP into line with similar parties across the globe.

Kevin Rudd leads Tony Abbott as better prime minister, latest Newspoll reveals
by: Phillip Hudson

From:
Herald Sun
July 09, 2013 1:00AM

Rudd leads Abbott in latest NewspollThe latest Newspoll has Labor and the Coalition neck and neck at 50/50 on the two party preferred vote.(0:38 / 3.4MB)

KEVIN Rudd's return as Prime Minister continues to boost Labor's stocks and has restored the Government's primary vote to the same level as the last election.
And the latest Newspoll, published in The Australian, shows Mr Rudd has opened up a massive 22-point lead over Tony Abbott as the better PM.

It comes as private polling for Labor suggested there had also been a bounce back for the ALP in some safe seats where it had been facing shock losses.

Mr Rudd has not yet decided when to hold the election, but if the result were the same as today's Newspoll, Australians could be facing the prospect of another hung Parliament.

In two-party terms Labor and the Coalition are deadlocked at 50 per cent. The last Newspoll under Julia Gillard's leadership had the Coalition with a crushing 58-42 per cent lead.

Labor's primary vote is now 38 per cent - up three points in the past week and eight since Mr Rudd's return almost two weeks ago.

The Coalition's primary vote dipped one point to 42 per cent and was down seven since the leadership change.

On the question of better PM, Mr Rudd is preferred by 53 per cent of those surveyed, well ahead of Ms Gillard's final poll at 35 per cent. The poll shows Mr Abbott's support (31 per cent) is now even lower than Julia Gillard.

Read more: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/national-news/victoria/kevin-rudds-return-as-pm-boosts-primary-vote-to-the-same-level-as-last-election-according-to-new-poll/story-fnii5sd6-1226676232353#ixzz2YUZ8EPFl

It's a Ruddslide!

Coalition minority govt...

lol @ Newman wanting to turn Palm Island into a tourist destination.

-PB

With the way things are now it'll be a hung parliament. Greens and independents will side with LNP because Gillard burned her bridges.

lol @ QLD Government giving themselves pay rises and then wondering why people are raging.

-PB

Potential on the hung parliament, very unlikely on LNP forming a minority Govt from it. I would suggest that's the least likely possibility. We'd go back to the polls rather than a minority Liberal government.

Oakeshott & Windsor are both retiring. Their seats will be landslide victories to the Nationals.

Slipper isn't likely to win his seat back as a pervert independent going up against the Liberal Party.

Craig Thompson's seat was Labor before, and he will be lucky to get to the election without topping himself or landing in prison, he's no chance as an independent, so that seat will come down to the general flow of the election 2PP. It won't factor in as deciding a minority government.

So you're looking at an election where only two non-major party seats are likely to be held by those non-major party entities.

Bob Katter.

And the Greens.

To have a minority Government the coalition and labor have to match the number of seats won, leaving the two remaining seats to side with the same major party to form minority government.

The Greens will never side with Abbott. That would be a total betrayal of everything they stand for. The Liberal party are so right wing and religious these days that the leadership would be crucified for siding with Tony.

Bob Katter is a nutjob. He could side with either party.

Without the Greens however it will be impossible for a minority Liberal Govt to form. It will either be Katter siding with Labor to form minority govt, or with Liberals to force another election.

Yep sacks thousands of workers gets a massive pay-rise. Not a good look.

ROFL. Not in a million years would The Greens side with the Libs, especially so with their Direct Action plan

Maybe. But they've indicated it as a possibility with Gillard burning her bridges. Rudd would have to get a brown tongue.

It's never going to happen. :lol:

Tone hasn't even had the chance to implement his policy and it's already causing problems.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-10/burke-briefed-on-reports-asylum-seekers-jumped-overboard/4810418

interesting on the ABC last night the unions and the businesses being sent broke by the NBN CO, similar situation that occured during the insulation and solar scheme.......

Abbott's climate change policy is bullshit
Malcolm Turnbull - December 7, 2009

While a shadow minister, Tony Abbott, was never afraid of speaking bluntly in a manner that was at odds with Coalition policy.
So as I am a humble backbencher I am sure he won't complain if I tell a few home truths about the farce that the Coalition's policy, of lack of policy, on climate change has descended into.
First, lets get this straight. You cannot cut emissions without a cost. To replace dirty coal fired power stations with cleaner gas fired ones, or renewables like wind let alone nuclear power or even coal fired power with carbon capture and storage is all going to cost money.
To get farmers to change the way they manage their land, or plant trees and vegetation all costs money.
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Somebody has to pay.
So any suggestion that you can dramatically cut emissions without any cost is, to use a favourite term of Mr Abbott, "bullshit." Moreover he knows it.
The whole argument for an emissions trading scheme as opposed to cutting emissions via a carbon tax or simply by regulation is that it is cheaper - in other words electricity prices will rise by less to achieve the same level of emission reductions.
The term you will see used for this is "least cost abatement".
It is not possible to criticise the new Coalition policy on climate change because it does not exist. Mr Abbott apparently knows what he is against, but not what he is for.
Second, as we are being blunt, [size=7]the fact is that Tony and the people who put him in his job do not want to do anything about climate change. They do not believe in human caused global warming. As Tony observed on one occasion "climate change is crap"[/size] or if you consider his mentor, Senator Minchin, the world is not warming, its cooling and the climate change issue is part of a vast left wing conspiracy to deindustrialise the world.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/abbotts-climate-change-policy-is-bullshit-20091207-kdmb.html#ixzz2YbpKq3hM

---

A nice reminder about what a fucking nutjob this clown is, as written by his own party member.