The first home owners grant was a fantastic idea. Helped a lot of younger people get into the housing market.

Drove up the house prices as everyone had more of a deposit. Should have only been for new dwellings.

Bill Shorten dismisses call for investigation into possible rorting of Labor leadership ballot

By Latika Bourke April 10, 2015, 11:17 a.m.

How 50 votes could spell trouble for Shorten

Bill Shorten says there's no need for another investigation into claims the ballot that installed him as federal Labor leader was potentially rorted, dismissing voting irregularities as "isolated incidents".

But the New South Wales Labor Party administration committee, which is due to hold its regular monthly meeting in Sydney today could re-examine the matter.

Two leading figures from Labor's left faction, NSW Labor assistant secretary John Graham and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union secretary Tim Ayres have called for another inquiry in the 2013 ballot between Mr Shorten and Anthony Albanese.

The pair want details about the involvement of Labor senator Sam Dastyari's office in changing mailing addresses. Senator Dastyari has refused to comment but has repeatedly denied knowing about any changes to 50 mailing addresses which would not have affected the result.

Twenty ballot papers were sent to Hicham Zraika, an Auburn Councillor, who was susbequently suspended from the party.

Asked about the issue on Friday morning, Mr Shorten said an investigation had already been carried out and the matter dealt with.

"I've got zero tolerance for people who want to break the rules of the party and play any of those sort of games," he told the ABC.

"But the point is there has been an investigation, the New South Wales branch of the Labor Party, who's responsible for the administration, have said they've investigated the matter."

Mr Shorten appeared to suggest that giving party members a greater say in the leadership carries a price.

"I'm determined that despite these isolated examples that we still keep rolling out a greater say for our members because I think politics in Australia has to change," he said.

New South Wales Labor's administrative committee is scheduled to hold its monthly meeting in Sussex Street on Friday.

Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon sits on the committee and said the matter could be put on the meeting's agenda.

"But any suggestion that these internal factional maneuvers have any implication for Bill Shorten's leadership is ridiculous," Mr Fitzgibbon told Fairfax Media.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne sought to capitalise on the reports and questioned whether it could cause leadership tensions within the opposition.

"Willl @AlboMP return to reopen the tained tLabor ballot for leader? Or will @billshortenmp attempt to stay leader under this cloud?" Mr Pyne tweeted on Friday.

I thought it was for houses under 5 years old?

The first property I bought was built in the 70s and I received the $7k. The feds offered $14k for new homes for a while and subsequently when they stopped the SA state government started offering $7k but the damage was done.

I'm still not sure if I support that restriction or not, but considering that parents of vaccinated kids don't have the right to disclosure of the unvaccinated kids at schools and daycares it's a good step to ensure lower-middle class vaccination rates increase.

I'm still not sure if I support that restriction or not, but considering that parents of vaccinated kids don't have the right to disclosure of the unvaccinated kids at schools and daycares it's a good step to ensure lower-middle class vaccination rates increase.

I'm all for it tbh, it's public health and safety, simple as that!

Although, I did hear that non vaccination rates where higher amongst the children of high income earners? Anyone know why that would be the case?

I'm all for it tbh, it's public health and safety, simple as that!

Although, I did hear that non vaccination rates where higher amongst the children of high income earners? Anyone know why that would be the case?

They have the money for the high level hospital care.

-PB

Hi all,
The big issue we have to look at Politically is large scale tax evasion by the Corporates, and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).

There is issues with a lot of money in Luxembourg accounts, and the ‘Big 4’ accounting firms are openly helping Corporate Australia cheat the Tax System.

This is why we have to look at, at the moment.

The stuff about vaccines and so on is to distract the masses and provide the bogans with feedback for 2UE and 3AW so on.

You mean we have to look at a flawed taxation system?

You mean we have to address spending problems because revenue doesn't go as far. (Fark I sound like Rusty :lol: )

My eyes nearly roll out of my head every time I hear Abbott say a variation of "If the states want to broaden the GST, it's not up to me".

Get a fucking backbone, show some fucking leadership.

They should be targeting superannation concessions for higher income earners before resorting to grubby mindless cash grabs such as raising the GST, which just makes the current expensive things more expensive.

I agree with it in principle, just having a bit of a hard time with the ethical philosophical parameters of it.

You mean we have to look at a flawed taxation system?

You mean we have to address spending problems because revenue doesn't go as far. (Fark I sound like Rusty :lol: )

Sooooo Colin Barnett, biggest whinger ever?

-PB

Yep! Can see that side of it, although I can't say I'm too fussed about that. In the end, we elect politicians to make these sorts of decisions, I'm just glad to see the federal govt making a decision that most of Australia agrees with.

Most Australians are idiots, but yeah, they have probably got this one right.

I'm a little worried about centrelink handling this properly though. We kept getting calls from the day care saying we had to pick up our kids because centrelink said they were no ok because of a vacant ion issue. A day or two later we would get a letter from centrelink because their eldest sister had missed her immunisation. Each time she missed the immunisation. Her little brother and sister got kicked out of child care. And we would have to explain to centrelink that the reason that she kept missing her immunisations was because she was dead. And yes, her status was still dead and yes she was still likely to miss her next immunisation as she would still likely to be dead. Ever fucking time. So no, I don't trust centrelink on this. We are probably likely to be cut off tax benefit b because we still keep refusing to get her immunised.

Most Australians are idiots, but yeah, they have probably got this one right.

I'm a little worried about centrelink handling this properly though. We kept getting calls from the day care saying we had to pick up our kids because centrelink said they were no ok because of a vacant ion issue. A day or two later we would get a letter from centrelink because their eldest sister had missed her immunisation. Each time she missed the immunisation. Her little brother and sister got kicked out of child care. And we would have to explain to centrelink that the reason that she kept missing her immunisations was because she was dead. And yes, her status was still dead and yes she was still likely to miss her next immunisation as she would still likely to be dead. Ever fucking time. So no, I don't trust centrelink on this. We are probably likely to be cut off tax benefit b because we still keep refusing to get her immunised.