So much wonderful commentary on the Gillard/AWU saga today.
In the Fin Mark Skulley, unveils police documents ferreted out by lawyer Harry Nowicki, that show employers paying $186,000 into the fraudulent AWU fund controlled by Bruce Wilson, Gillard’s then boyfriend. The money was paid, presumably to buy industrial peace, by employers including Thiess Contractors, John Holland, Phillips Fox, Woodside Petroleum and Fluor Daniel. Further more substantial were paid from Western Australian employers.
In the Australian, Hedley Thomas injects a little more information about how now judge Ian Cambridge and now Gillard cabinet minister Joseph Ludwig, tried to prevent the fraudsters in the AWU being packed off and silenced with a payout. He says, “Law firm Slater & Gordon was involved in negotiating more than $100,000 in redundancy for the men. Ms Gillard worked at Slater & Gordon and acted for the AWU prior to her departure in September 1995 after she admitted helping to set up a “slush fund” for Mr Wilson. There is no evidence Ms Gillard had any knowledge of the redundancy payments.”
By contrast, The Age today concentrates on bashing the catholics and how Alan Jones’s privately recorded comments on Gillard cost his radio station $1 million.
But in an op ed in the Fin, Grace Collier presents an exquisite analysis. She notes, ”Union troops know that breaking the law is sometimes required because when a law is “unjust” you have a “duty” to ignore it. Civil disobedience is okay if the end justifies the means.’
She then relates how successful women react to claims of misconduct, “Their starting position is always a haughty refusal to answer questions or participate in investigations they consider beneath them. Next they attempt to retain control by trying to impose their conditions and time frames on the investigation. They attempt to distract from their own conduct by focusing on the poor conduct of others. Some flail about, claiming the status of bullying or sexism victim.”
And with a flourish she ends, “Julia Gillard is highly educated and now finds herself in a position of privilege, yet her persona is that of a likeable “bogan” unimpressed by power or money. She has a non-traditional personal life yet has managed to cast her opponent – a traditional married man – as a creepy weirdo.
“Gillard flies around in a corporate jet while portraying herself as a victim of a sexist system. She won praise for an hour-long press conference in which she left us with the impression that to set up a trust fund was a grave offence whereas to set up a slush fund was OK.
“Our Prime Minister has no more time for the AWU scandal; she has a country to run.”
Fixed.
Rabz
16 Nov 12 at 8:19 am
Thats my take on it.
Carpe Jugulum
16 Nov 12 at 8:34 am
“She won praise for an hour-long press conference”. Easy if you follow a few basic rules
jules
16 Nov 12 at 8:38 am
Hopefully it ends with Big Red becoming the union rep for Cell Block H and having a delightful commitment ceremony with Vinegar Tits.
Infidel tiger
16 Nov 12 at 8:49 am
In your round up Alan how did you miss the piece by Dennis Shanahan who poses an important question:
Token
16 Nov 12 at 8:49 am
Not sure how it will end, but it should be benefit Ktel’s return to vinyl!
stu
16 Nov 12 at 8:49 am
As all soap operas end – in tragedy.
Samuel J
16 Nov 12 at 8:51 am
with the dumping of this bunch of pigs they call a government
Tiny Dancer
16 Nov 12 at 9:01 am
First paragraph – that would be Bruce Wilson
[Fixed. Thanks. Sinc]
Andore Jr
16 Nov 12 at 9:02 am
C’mon. The worst that she can be accused of is stuffing up her paperwork, taking a few administrative shortcuts that blew up a bit, not knowing where money comes from and missing a couple of elephants in her bedroom.
Hardly disqualifies her from leading an ALP Government.
Hey, is that a priest over there…
Dr Faustus
16 Nov 12 at 9:04 am
You took the words right out of my mouth Rabz. I figured that Grace Collier had typed ‘ruin’ but a AFR editor had edited the ‘i’ out again.
A Lurker
16 Nov 12 at 9:05 am
That’s very funny Dr.
JC
16 Nov 12 at 9:11 am
Possible endings:
1. Charged and convicted for any number of offences e.g. Lying about the date of the POA she signed for Blewett. This one is already with Mr Plod. The problem with this is that 21st century investigations take years – literally – so this won’t bring about the end of her as prime minister.
2. Forced to resign for misleading parliament. This should be easy because she told them that the reason she didn’t report the matter to police in 1995 was because it was already under investigation. That was a lie. Nevertheless, while I’m not sure how the privileges committee works, I’m sure it will be stacked with a majority of Labor members so I’m not confident that they act in a timely manner.
3. Sacked as leader by Labor. If this gets so big and obvious that even the luvvies can’t ignore it, and Gillard keeps either refusing to answer questions or continuing to make the mistake of producing conflicting accounts of what happened, then she might be tapped on the shoulder.
I’m hoping for 1, would be happy with 2 but expect 3.
jupes
16 Nov 12 at 9:30 am
“ The money was paid, presumably to buy industrial peace, by employers including Thiess Contractors, John Holland, Phillips Fox, Woodside Petroleum and Fluor Daniel”
A couple of things here.
Firstly, this smells strongly of extortion. With the passage of time, surely there are some former execs of these companies happy to talk about why they handed across cash for no apparent good reason. And for those still employed, what of their Internal Audit function questioning these payments.
Secondly, look at the list of the companies. One of them is not like the others. They are all Engineering and Construction companies with the exception of Phillips Fox. What logical reason would they have to contribute? Is this a cover for another party?
Leigh Lowe
16 Nov 12 at 9:30 am
Bill Ludwig isn’t a Gillard cabinet minister, he’s national president and Queensland state secretary of the AWU. I assume you’re getting him confused with his son Joe Ludwig, minister for agriculture.
Fixed thanks, Alan
Andreas
16 Nov 12 at 9:39 am
Big Bill Ludwig’s day job is telling Goose Springsteen what he is going to be doing and saying that day.
H B Bear
16 Nov 12 at 9:57 am
The whole affair indicates Julia Gillard’s weird sense of ethics. As a law student she should have learned about what is and what is not ethical behaviour.
Having an affair with a client’s representative while acting for them is a classic case of unethical behaviour.
Enough said.
Old woman of the north
16 Nov 12 at 10:00 am
Hey jupes …..
If she takes a fall and resigns it will be for “personal reasons” and Michelle or Laurie will be given a backgrounder so they can report that she has gone off to act as a full time carer for Timmy in his battle against chronic bedsores.
Leigh Lowe
16 Nov 12 at 10:10 am
Law firm Slater & Gordon was involved in negotiating more than $100,000 in redundancy for the men. Ms Gillard worked at Slater & Gordon and acted for the AWU prior to her departure in September 1995 after she admitted helping to set up a “slush fund” for Mr Wilson. There is no evidence Ms Gillard had any knowledge of the redundancy payments.
Actually, there is evidence that she knew about the redundancy payments. Her handwriting is on the back of one of the redundancy cheques so she was present at the handover of the cheques which were flown in from Sydney to Melbourne.
This also conflicts with her previous statements that she severed the relationship with Wilson when she found out his deceptions. S&G lost the AWU account in July when the balloon went up. These redundancies were paid in mid August and she is still giving advice to Wilson and he was able to disappear with 55K.
There are so many inconsistencies in the answers to the few questions she as bothered to answer. She just keeps digging and more documentary evidence is disclosed which contradicts her.
Amortiser
16 Nov 12 at 10:24 am
While Old Woman’s assumption about what Gillard learnt in law school may seem fair enough, I can say, as a recently retired (hurt) law teacher that what students learn about ethics is that cheating, dissembling and lying pay off. This has come about because methods of assessment reward these behaviours. Most units are now assessed through written work, either in whole or in large part. The difficulty of completing the work is avoided by a significant number of students plagiarising from others, forming cheating rings to share the work, stealing the work of others or paying others to either ‘edit’ their work or to write it out in whole. Even exams are rorted, such as by arranging for others to sit in their place, by engineering a supervisor-free exam, or on the basis of some disability gaining extra time.
Like the ‘bottom-of-the-harbour’ scam, it has got to the point where the honest students feels handicapped by playing it straight, and thus compelled to join in. One reason the universities will not act is that this system ensures that the full-fee paying overseas students get what they pay for.
One result is that there are now many qualified lawyers who know little about the law, but know that cheating is profitable.
rafiki
16 Nov 12 at 10:30 am
While Old Woman’s assumption about what Gillard learnt in law school may seem fair enough, I can say, as a recently retired (hurt) law teacher that what students learn about ethics is that cheating, dissembling and lying pay off. This has come about because methods of assessment reward these behaviours. Most units are now assessed through written work, either in whole or in large part. The difficulty of completing the work is avoided by a significant number of students plagiarising from others, forming cheating rings to share the work, stealing the work of others or paying others to either ‘edit’ their work or to write it out in whole. Even exams are rorted, such as by arranging for others to sit in their place, by engineering a supervisor-free exam, or on the basis of some disability gaining extra time.
Like the ‘bottom-of-the-harbour’ scam, it has got to the point where the honest students feels handicapped by playing it straight, and thus compelled to join in. One reason the universities will not act is that this system ensures that the full-fee paying overseas students get what they pay for.
One result is that there are now many qualified lawyers who know little about the law, but know that cheating is profitable.
rafiki
16 Nov 12 at 10:30 am
Token,
“In your round up Alan how did you miss the piece by Dennis Shanahan”?
Had I addressed today’s Shannahan Australian article I would have been linking the expedited Royal Commission to persecute the Catholic Church with the fraud within a union with which Ms Gillard was associated.
It would have implied that setting up a Royal Commission to bash the Catholics was pure interference on the part of Gillard. Surely an interpretation Machiavellian beyond contemplation!
Alan Moran
16 Nov 12 at 10:36 am
Jupes,
The POA in item 1 of your comment holds the biggest risk for the PM.Why?Because the location of herself and Blewitt can be made courtesy of mobile phone records and reliance on oral testimony is not required-this case illustrates why:
http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/nsw/NSWSC/2009/119.html?stem=0&synonyms=0&query=einfeld
sabena
16 Nov 12 at 10:40 am
Grace Collier was talking to Chris Smith this morning (who was replacing AJ for the shift) and she noted her preference to investigating men due to their reflex reaction to accusations. I do hope 2GB posts a links.
Grace’s statement was that over the years she has found that if you catch up a bloke doing something dodgy (even at an exec level), as a first reaction most apologise and own up.
By contrast, Collier stated that if you catch a high powered women in an exec level doing something dodgy, the natural first reaction of most is to follow Gillard script of denying everything and grandstand they are a victim.
Token
16 Nov 12 at 10:41 am
Jupes, or there’s option 4, keep plugging away until the election oblivious to the destruction.
ar
16 Nov 12 at 10:43 am
I see Collier covered that in her article:
Token
16 Nov 12 at 10:55 am
This Government should have died of shame long ago.
.
16 Nov 12 at 11:00 am
Toke, that’s actually a very interesting and revealing insight. We’re seeing it writ large with our PM right now.
tbh
16 Nov 12 at 11:01 am
This is called the NSW Liebor – Obeid/McDonald option.
Token
16 Nov 12 at 11:07 am
I am quoting Collier as legal organisations I know get the women to do much of the contraversial HR work to counter the claims of sexism.
Token
16 Nov 12 at 11:09 am
Toke, I’ll be they do.
tbh
16 Nov 12 at 11:14 am
LOL.
Gillard and her Cabinet are more crooked than Bill Clinton’s penis.
C.L.
16 Nov 12 at 11:25 am
There not enough to nail her yet, but Hedley Thomas and his editor are drip feeding the revelations in order to maximise the dramatic their impact on ‘circulation’.
I agree with Sabena, the PoA can be reverse engineered to determine if the signatories were actually in the same state at the signature date.
This is so fishy. For what possible reason would Wilson buy a house, using a Union slush fund, and put it in Blewetts name? Then it was somehow transferred into Wilsons name. What about stamp duty?
But the real story, is that Gillards Praetorian Guard (our ABC), still insists that theres no story. Even Laurie Oakes is finding the line hard to push.
Jannie
16 Nov 12 at 11:35 am
“She has a Country to run”….into the ground.
81Alpha
16 Nov 12 at 11:39 am
If Jupes option 3 comes to pass (likely) and KRudd returns to the Lodge (debatable but also likely) then a Rudd v Abbott election is not such a bad scenario for Labor. So why are we chasing Gillard ?
Gillard’s track record is in the parlance a ‘target rich environment’. The ballooning deficit, a farce masquerading as a carbon tax, and the illegal immigration fiasco are all electoral issues for which Rudd could neatly and effectively decline responsibility and thus neutralise politically.
I hope JG survives for the time being.
Tapdog
16 Nov 12 at 11:40 am
It will continue to hound JG, with KG refuse to deal with the issue until after the election she loses.
One year later, she will be dragged before an inquiry to answer the matters properly. She will call the inquiry a misogynist witchhunt.
2dogs
16 Nov 12 at 11:47 am
*with JG refusing
2dogs
16 Nov 12 at 11:47 am
Yes, not only does “Gillard’s Praetorian Guard” insist there’s no story, her fawning spaniels agree, with the PM, that there is no evidence of wrongdoing. This is not so; there is clear evidence that Julia Gillard neglected to inform the police of an admitted fraud”she says so herself—and that is misprision. Even though Misprision of a Felony was abolished as a listed crime in Victoria in 1981, it is still an obvious wrongdoing.
Deadman
16 Nov 12 at 11:48 am
If someone should have died of something long ago, but didn’t, they probably didn’t have it.
Dr Faustus
16 Nov 12 at 11:56 am
Dr quiet so
Bronson
16 Nov 12 at 12:05 pm
Do phone companies still hold call records from 1993?
Steve of Ferny Hills
16 Nov 12 at 12:06 pm
There’s another outcome, and it’s still the most likely: Gillard stonewalls on any further answers on the grounds that she’s already answered all the questions, the police refuse to follow any further investigations (but cuff and jail Blewett), and at the next election a blizzard of negative advertizing against Tony Abbott is not answered forcefully and the electorate gives Gillard 50% plus 1 independent. Back in power and the REAL cover up can begin.
Ed Snack
16 Nov 12 at 12:07 pm
People without a sense of shame can often blindside us. They do things that we just wouldn’t expect. That’s one tactical advantage they have. Maybe that is Abbott’s problem. He expects Gillard to have a sense of shame.
Dangph
16 Nov 12 at 12:07 pm
Title for Julia’s memoirs ……. “Booty and The Greek”
Leigh Lowe
16 Nov 12 at 12:10 pm
I read somewhere, I think at Smith’s blog, that Phillips Fox represented the big building firm and happened to send the shakedown cheque so it was refunded to them instead of direct to the builder.
DaveF
16 Nov 12 at 12:16 pm
” and at the next election a blizzard of negative advertizing against Tony Abbott is not answered forcefully and the electorate gives Gillard 50% plus 1 independent”
That looks more and more likely these days, unfortunately. The RC into the Catholic Church will come just at the ‘appropriate’ time for Labor, is my guess.
candy
16 Nov 12 at 12:17 pm
How the hell did the Bullshitting Greek get 100 grand?
I thought he was just rubbish at building front fences.
DaveF
16 Nov 12 at 12:17 pm
Grace Collier talks to Chris Smith.
Token
16 Nov 12 at 12:17 pm
Dangph, thats it exactly. He’s playing by Queensbury rules, she is scratching at her opponents groin. The Libs need an Albrechtson or Miranda Devine on team to scratch back.
Jannie
16 Nov 12 at 12:34 pm
The best outcome would be an ICAC for the Commonwealth.
Econocrat
16 Nov 12 at 12:37 pm
The Gillard and AWU Soap Opera: How will it end?
THE nation’s chief law maker Nicola Roxon is totally satisfied the prime minister did not act improperly over the setting up of a union slush fund.
Well that’s a surprise.
AG Roxon of course has no conflicts of interest in the matter.
It will end with hosanahs to Gillard as Australia’s first female PM and parks and university colleges named in her honour, as occurred with Gough.
Myrrdin Seren
16 Nov 12 at 12:38 pm
Take heart candy. Labor is very good at politics, but they cannot totally control the cycle. And Labor generally stuff up everything they touch, that wont change because its in their DNA.
Jannie
16 Nov 12 at 12:38 pm
If anyone is interested the World Today on the ABC is running a very long discussion on euthanasia. There mustn’t be any big news today…
I really wonder how they sleep at night.
[the frigging Greek got a payout!]
DaveF
16 Nov 12 at 12:39 pm
The World Today also ran a story in which Senator Doug Cameron called upon Australia to use its Security Council seat to solve the “Power Imbalance” between Israel and Gaza! Unbelievable.
Cold-Hands
16 Nov 12 at 12:48 pm
Oops. Wrong fred.
Cold-Hands
16 Nov 12 at 12:49 pm
We are talking about the same Ms Roxon who received the AWU files and account after Wilson & Gillard were forced to leave their organisations, so she has absolutely no conflict of interest in this matter…
Token
16 Nov 12 at 12:56 pm
Collier’s is a great article.
How will it end? Julia will get away with it, as always, and the opposition will be left floundering because they have no idea how to sell Abbott’s leadership. Labor to win the next election.
Uber
16 Nov 12 at 12:59 pm
Uber, the real game here is to get unions and union super funds to have the same rules and regulations as corporations.
Most of these crimes could not have occured and prosecutions would be manditory if the entities had to live by the same rules as organisations covered by the Corporations Law.
Token
16 Nov 12 at 1:02 pm
Pickering reckons Blewitt is coming back to spill the beans and take the consequences.
I can’t see it myself.
DaveF
16 Nov 12 at 1:05 pm
This is fucking easy; someone with balls has to say outside parliament that Gillard is a crook; then let her sue them for defamation.
cohenite
16 Nov 12 at 1:08 pm
“The whole affair indicates Julia Gillard’s weird sense of ethics”
Obviously Julia thinks ethics is a county next to “thuthics”. What nefarious activities was Julia up to when she was supposed to be attending ethics lectures?
The Beer Whisperer
16 Nov 12 at 1:11 pm
“Surely an interpretation Machiavellian beyond contemplation!”
Not beyond contemplation at all. The writing’s on the wall. A Royal Commission into unions was looking more and more certain if Labor loses the next election. The only way to stop it is to already have a Royal Commission into something else already in train. I think they would like it to go for 10 years until no one cares any more about Julia Who?
The Beer Whisperer
16 Nov 12 at 1:20 pm
Didn’t the shakedowns and fraud occur in VIC and WA? Aren’t there current Liberal state governments in these states?
C’mon guys roll the Royal Commission dice and get this thing happening.
DaveF
16 Nov 12 at 1:23 pm
I would not call the current Liberal gov in Vic anything other than Labor-light.
During the stand-offs at Baida and the Grollo development Red Ted proved he has all the backbone of a jellyfish when it comes to taking on unions when they are over-reaching.
Token
16 Nov 12 at 1:33 pm
See the Pickering Post. Pickering has been saying exactly that for months. He has publicly invited her and her former employer to sue him. It won’t happen because if any or all of them do then it’s all out in the open and the game is up.
Septimus
16 Nov 12 at 1:34 pm
But of course. Cosa Nostra has always specialised in Protection Rackets don’t you know.
Viva
16 Nov 12 at 1:36 pm
That Baida strike was disgusting. Loony communist THR was here defending the union thugs. A security guard was assaulted leaving the complex and THR and the ALPBC and the like accused the security guard of assault.
If you get hit on the way to your car, your car gets people clinging on like left wing loons and you push people out of the road to defend yourself, you’re a jackbooted thug.
.
16 Nov 12 at 1:42 pm
DaveF
Problem with that is the companies/directors would be on the hook for engaging in a corrupt practice as well.
The corruption in WA was enormous, you could (for instance) completely fuck over a rival construction company with the assistance of a workplace dispute or 2…
thefrollickingmole
16 Nov 12 at 1:44 pm
I agree with that but WA could step up. After all the government supplied some/all of the funds.
Absolute cowardice.
Oh no, she can’t launch any defamation action. Discovery would hang her.
DaveF
16 Nov 12 at 1:45 pm
OK mole good points.
DaveF
16 Nov 12 at 1:56 pm
Never mind any conflict of interest, what about any CONVERGENCE of interest.
Bruce
16 Nov 12 at 3:43 pm
Grace Collier
Quite so.
kae
16 Nov 12 at 3:45 pm
How will it end? Hopefully with Gillard standing in front of a mirror saying “do prison stripes make my arse look big?”
rugbyskier
16 Nov 12 at 4:15 pm
gillardarse has never done a single thing that was not a benefit to itself.
johninoxley
16 Nov 12 at 4:16 pm
Septimus says:
Pickering has done good work but can be dismissed as a fringe item; I mean someone with gravitus, like one of the soft-cocks in the coalition.
Who, apart from Barnaby would have the guts to do this?
Gillard has admitted to forging a public document, the Application for Association; that’s lying under oath.
Blewitt has asserted Gillard was not present when he signed the POA; if she signed the POA claiming she witnessed Blewitt’s signature, that’s lying under oath.
There are a host of other issues which vary from criminal offences, avoiding stamp duty, to manifest defects of character such as not keeping proper legal records.
Why doesn’t someone say something?
cohenite
16 Nov 12 at 4:28 pm
How will it end?
With most of us wondering: “Who shot JR?”
boy on a bike
16 Nov 12 at 4:53 pm
max49
16 Nov 12 at 5:21 pm
I can see why you spend so much time on climate change.
You’re a clown when it comes to being a lawyer.
steve from brisbane
16 Nov 12 at 5:23 pm
Practising law is inherently comical; the problems which come your way range from the bizarre to the absurd; my considered opinion is that you would present at the absurd end of the continuum.
But seriously, are you saying that lying under oath is not a criminal offence? Or are you just being absurd.
cohenite
16 Nov 12 at 5:33 pm
No need to worry, team. Gillard is screwed.
She tried to kill the story with blather, and the fucktards in the press gallery and ABC bought in to her little game.
But too many other people have seen through her. Now, every dog is barking about it. Even the Age has caught up with the story.
Michael Smith made an allegation of criminality to the Victoria Police today, regarding the POA.
The story will keep growing. She’s goneski.
I am the Walrus koo koo k'choo
16 Nov 12 at 5:34 pm
By the way – that is not a death threat. Although the Labor Party is currently pushing the line that Abbott was the gunman.
boy on a bike
16 Nov 12 at 5:42 pm
Indeed, ‘witnessing’ the POA was terminal….no escape because it’s all on paper, there is no alternative explanation.
The timing of the charge will be the subject of much interesting negotiation between the OPP and the Labor party.
Not a sitting PM, surely.
She will resign before then, which gives us Rudd vs Abbott.
Alfonso
16 Nov 12 at 5:54 pm
I just read the full text of Grace Collier’s article in the Fin. Holy crap, she gives Gillard both barrels. She clearly believes something is about to blow on this story.
tbh
16 Nov 12 at 5:59 pm
For over a year I’ve been saying exactly that on my blog, and I’ve been saying so on Twitter to Gillard herself.
Similarly, I’ve been saying that the pornerastic member for Dobell is a crook. I hope that he sues me because I look forward to the discovery process.
As someone who’s already brought private (but unsuccessful) prosecutions against politicians—including Sen. Milne—I’m also seeking funding for privately prosecuting our duplicitous PM.
Deadman
16 Nov 12 at 6:01 pm
I think it will be Crean vs Abbott..
max49
16 Nov 12 at 6:02 pm
It reminds me a bit of the last days of Kevin Rudd.
It was completely obvious that Rudd’s prime ministership was failing, and that a challenge was imminent.
And yet when it happened the press gallery and ABC were caught completely by surprise.
They had no idea, because they really didn’t want to know about it. Heads buried in the sand.
They will be similarly surprised when Gillard gets the chop.
Hopefully, some serious questions will be asked about the value-’add’ of Seccombe, Grattan, Oakes, Tingle, Cassidy, Crabbe, Hartcher et al.
No wonder their product can’t be given away. Their audience is way ahead of them.
I am the Walrus koo koo k'choo
16 Nov 12 at 6:04 pm
With regard to Smith’s allegations of criminality to the Victorian Police Service, I cannot stress highly enough that the Royal Commission into Child Abuse is not focused on the Catholic Church – or, at least, not only on the Catholic Church.
The Commission is also likely to be interested in people - some misogynistic in their behaviour – who are themselves Catholics.
Dr Faustus
16 Nov 12 at 6:06 pm
“The Commission is also likely to be interested in people – some misogynistic in their behaviour – who are themselves Catholics.”
What are you implying re the MSM / Labor version of Abbott?
Alfonso
16 Nov 12 at 6:22 pm
“Our Prime Minister has no more time for the AWU scandal; she has a country to ruin” There fixed if for you Grace.
Tintarella di Luna
16 Nov 12 at 6:54 pm
Badly, I hope for all the thieving, rent-seekers, self-servers and most especially for the sexist-misogynist-magnet, Gillard.
Tintarella di Luna
16 Nov 12 at 6:57 pm
What is the nature of the association which you have suggested between Catholic misogynists and child abuse?
Leo G
16 Nov 12 at 6:58 pm
Alfonso: I’m speculating that, as the dogs bark louder about the AWU debacle, Team Gillard is going to need to ratchet up the distraction.
Dr Faustus
16 Nov 12 at 7:02 pm
Good on you Deadman; but unfortunately what I said about Pickering also applies to you.
One of the softcocks in the coalition has to stand outside parliament and declare that Australia has a crook for a PM; nothing less will suffice. Otherwise the logjam with Thomson will seem like a formula 1 race compared to the delays of Gillard filtering through the system.
cohenite
16 Nov 12 at 7:14 pm
Swiftly and righteously.
Gab
16 Nov 12 at 7:20 pm
Think your right Gab..might be sooner than we think..
max49
16 Nov 12 at 7:27 pm
How will it end? With the fat lady singing.
Samuel J
16 Nov 12 at 7:30 pm
Fat arse going bat shit I would think..
max49
16 Nov 12 at 7:31 pm
Followed by an Ellis breakdown…in a superior way of course…
max49
16 Nov 12 at 7:35 pm
“might be sooner than we think..”
You’re the hopeful one, max49, that’s really nice … but j.gillard looks too well protected to me, by unions and so on. While the Newspoll is 50/50 or thereabouts they’ll protect her.
candy
16 Nov 12 at 7:46 pm
Gillard is Australia’s Nixon – minus the foreign policy skills.
Samuel J
16 Nov 12 at 7:51 pm
You may well be right Candy ,but every day there is more coming out,the msm are starting to take it up and she has a hammering to face in parliament next week from Bishop and a few other ladies from the right I would think..stop her playing the gender card..In addition a lot in the party would like to cut her throat and if they can convince the back bench it will be less catastrophic without her..mmm
max49
16 Nov 12 at 7:54 pm
Notwithstanding the efforts of Pickering and Deadman, I think you are correct cohenite. That seems to be what is needed now. Maybe the Shadow Attorney-General, George Brandis, should stand up and be counted. Followed immediately by any number of the other members of the Opposition Front Bench doing the same.
Septimus
16 Nov 12 at 7:57 pm
In case not mentioned above here’s what Julie Bishop has to say
http://www.juliebishop.com.au/transcripts/1149-sky-news-viewpoint-with-chris-kenny.html
well worth reading
val majkus
16 Nov 12 at 7:58 pm
Bishop is one smart cookie and seemed to have gillard rattled last at qt.Julie has even more amo now…
max49
16 Nov 12 at 8:04 pm
“and if they can convince the back bench it will be less catastrophic without her..mmm”
maybe, but while the polls are level, I’m guessing they’ll all shut their eyes to the lies/fraud. It’s what their ministers do these days,and l.Oakes and m. Grattan think j.gillard is the best thing since sliced bread …
candy
16 Nov 12 at 8:05 pm
I’m sure the polls are fiddled and the Lab party would know this..one thing I’ve learn t on the cat is to check the second best poll,the bookies.At this point they seem to have lab behind although I haven’t checked it for a few days…
max49
16 Nov 12 at 8:10 pm
Don’t know about polls being fiddled max49, things like that i don’t know if would happen here in Australia …seems a liitle shonky?
candy
16 Nov 12 at 8:35 pm
When I say fiddled I mean the area the type of people the canvass.eg if I only canvassed industrial areas I would probable get a Lab result..
max49
16 Nov 12 at 8:42 pm
DaveF, the fence looked like a tiny little picket fence to me, as well as the rest of the house, wouldnt have wasted too much money on renos. Anyway bet the big greek b..lsh….ter is living very well on a disability pension (he has bad back probably from the renos)per favour of the Australian Government. Probably has dual citizenship, very convenient.Also Timmy (aka cinderfella) is probably getting RSI from too many blow waves, fetching newspapers (havent trained the dog yet) and making cuppa teas, then has to rest his back on the couch. What’s that programme I’ve never seen Stepford Wives or Cougars? Life is never dull in Labor Time.
delfino
16 Nov 12 at 9:13 pm
Dual citizenship needs to be stopped, a guy his age should have been able to decide what his nationality is by now.
Carpe Jugulum
16 Nov 12 at 9:16 pm
Clive Palmer – are you a soft cock? Do you have brass ones?
Here is your chance to show that you are not a complete waste of space that you have been showing you are recently… Clive Palmer? Hear me?
Arnost
16 Nov 12 at 9:20 pm
Thanks Val, that was a thoroughly absorbing read.
My opinion of Julie Bishop has improved considerably.
Mk50 of Brisbane
16 Nov 12 at 10:14 pm
“I did nothing wrong”
How has she done wrong? Oh, let me count the ways.
Presumably her firm had rules or protocols for the protection of all , to be checks on each other and of course to make their bread and butter.
She broke those rules not the least because she kept her work for Wilson a secret, for 3 years or more, until they sprung her.
Wasn’t it wrong to convince the WA Commissioner that the entity she requested he incorporate was indeed a fit for the state’s rules, when all along she knew it was NOT as she told her partners in the “exit Interview” it was a “slushie” designed for individual gain
Wasn’t it wrong if Blewitt is telling the truth, to witness a Power of Attorney doco without being present to see it signed by the assignee? He signed it in Perth so where was she?
and what of Blewitt’s claim it was back dated–ooh ah, that’s not cricket ..BTW, Michael Smith told the Vic Pol that he was alerted to that CRIME and they are investigating!
Wasn’t it wrong to mislead the parliament by trying to pass off not coughing up the goods t the AWU or police(leaving aside mark Latham’s warped idea of loyalty,it behoves anyone knowing of a crime to tell)when she broke off with Wilson,seeing she was lawyer who would know all about the law operates re misprision of a felony?
Wasn’t it wrong all along the line to disadvantage the long standing client the AWU, by her actions in favour of Wilson, and she sure has never shown any public regret for the unionists dudded, just as she hasn’t with the ones dudded by Thomson and Williamson–just what is the culture of unionism and the ALP these days, is it still as shady as this saga suggests?
Then there are the questions about the conveyancing, the 5 grand–at approx the time she was renovating…ah, Pm , the EVIDENCE is mounting and as you are not a steeplechase horse soon you won’t be able to jump it, or even get round it!
Fess up, let’s get someone with an active conscience and some ethics and morals to lead us and move on, and maybe Smith and Milne can find new jobs since neither deserved to be “cut down” by you or your hitman for anything they did.
Jazza
17 Nov 12 at 7:09 pm
I completely disagree. Gillard subscribes to Graham Richardson’s ethos of “whatever it takes”.
There are 6 reasons why she would hastily call a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse, notwithstanding the fact that it is an abhorrent problem. She has had the opportunity to do this for 2 years, and yet she chose this week. Why?
1. it smears Tony Abbott by association.
2. there are possible implications for Rudd stemming from the Heiner Affair
3. it makes it loook like she is “doing something”
4. it provides her government with an endless source of gut- wrenching stories of abuse and cover up, to be leaked to a willing media (ABC) at opportune moments, to suck the life from other stories that might be gaining traction
5. it provides more plum appointments for ‘associates’ from her past. It will be most interesting to see who is appointed to the Commissioner roles. It also is likely to result in a string of cases for her former employer, who rushed out a press release on the day of the announcement.
6. it provides potential leverage against the Catholic faction in her party – the faction the stymied her on gay marriage. Who wants to predict that Labor goes into the next election supporting gay marriage?
A
18 Nov 12 at 12:57 am