Following my blog from yesterday on the Prime Minister’s announcement of an election on 14 September we find that Craig Thomson MP has been arrested and now bailed for 150 fraud offences. While Thomson is entitled to a presumption of innocence (and is claiming innocence), I can’t imagine the Police arresting a Federal MP without overwhelming evidence.
Today’s events do make yesterday’s announcement by the Prime Minister seem curious. Did she know that Thomson was about to be arrested? If so, why?
The two main explanations for the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday of a 14 September election date are:
- to prevent a by-election being held should a sitting MP resign between now and the election
- to prompt Tony Abbott to release more policies and trap him by using the resources of government to analyse and attack those policies.
On the first, I do not find it persuasive. If on 14 September 2010 (when she was re-sworn as Prime Minister following the 2010 election), she had announced the next election to be 14 September 2013, it would have the same effect. Had she done so, no one would be saying that no by-election could be held since the election date was known. While there are no formal guidelines (the Speaker is the responsible officer), the then Speaker said in 1946
The guiding principle in fixing the date of a by-election has always been to hold the election as early as possible so that the electors are not left without representation any longer than is necessary (House of Representatives Practice).
If a vacancy occurred in the next few weeks, it would be a stretch for the Speaker to deny the relevant voters a representative for over 7 months.
On the second, Tony Abbott should make clear that the election campaign does not commence until the Government is in caretaker mode. By convention this commences when writs are issued by the Governor General dissolving the House of Representatives and setting an election. But these are only conventions – the Prime Minister could declare that the caretaker period commences today. Thus Tony Abbott should declare that he will not be bullied by the Prime Minister – if she wants the election campaign to start, she should move the government to caretaker mode. After all, election campaigns in other countries (and in Australian states with fixed dates) do not formally commence when the previous election has been declared.
UPDATE
Craig Thomson should immediately resign from Parliament – it is untenable that an MP charged with 150 counts of fraud should remain in parliament. He has a presumption of innocence when he goes to trial, of course, but there is no such presumption for remaining as an MP. As Slipper is also charged with fraud, he too should resign. After all, why should their constituents have to bear the cost of MPs who are focused on defending themselves in Court rather than focused on the business of representing their constituents?
UPDATE (2)
The AEC website only gives information about by-elections to 1981. The closest by-election to a general election since 1981 was on 14 July 2001 which was 119 days short of the general election of 10 November 2001. That’s 17 weeks. For a 14 September 2013 election, that would be 18 May 2013.
That may be part of it, but there’s more to come. There are strong rumours Bruce Wilson is about to be arrested and extradited to Victoria. Implicating Juliar is a distinct possibility.
Then there’s the Slipper fraud charges. It won’t look good for her if he goes down.
With the date announced, she can potentially deflect a lot of the static from all those.
DavidLeyonhjelm
31 Jan 13 at 5:56 pm
Agree.
The first is not an option given he can be pried from the seat in the first place. it will not be a good look denying people representation. All sorts of hell can be played with that.
Second is such a easy argument for Abbott to bat away I wonder if they really thought it would fly.
Bottom line I reckon she got spooked by knwing Thomson was coming up and potentially Slipper was sick of it and was going to quit. But again she misread the tea leaves and stuffed the politics.
What people have to do is not look at Gillard through a prism of intellect or competence. She is a fool. Her Scottish lapdog is also a fool. They are tactically and strategically poor. I always think the worst now and the worst is they had no real idea what they were doing but did something anyway – sort of like how they have governed.
Mark
31 Jan 13 at 5:58 pm
The farout weird election date and c.thomson’s arrest seems a pretty big co-incidence, to my mind.
candy
31 Jan 13 at 6:01 pm
I agree that TA should keep the Lib policies close until at least within a normal campaign time. With one qualification- I would not trust the Lying Slapper not to change her mind and spring a sooner date so the Libs should have all of their policies ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Biota
31 Jan 13 at 6:05 pm
I don’t see how. All of these feed into the instability of the government. From a public sense, maybe a little. From a ‘votes on the floor’ sense, it has no effect at all.
If anything I think the announcement of an election date is more likely to create a FU resignation of one or more MPs.
I agree that Tony Abbott shouldn’t start into election campaign mode. He should say something ‘I’m going to spare the public until the actual campaign starts when the Prime Minister goes to the GG’.
brc
31 Jan 13 at 6:11 pm
Hi Cats,
I am currently in the midst of an argument regarding the fiscal irresponsibility of the Rudd/Gillard governments, and I want to highlight federal Revenue & Expenditure of their time in office vs. the previous 10 or so years. I do realise the accounting practices changed, but there were some data sets that adjusted for this?
Would any of you kind folks be able to point me to where I can get the data?
My sincere gratitude and humble apologies for hijacking the thread, please do carry on
[Look at the current MYEFO statistics - http://budget.gov.au/2012-13/content/myefo/html/13_appendix_d.htm - Sinc]
RhikoR
31 Jan 13 at 6:27 pm
I disagree. He could at the very least promise, if he were to be elected, a Royal Commission of Enquiry into Union corruption (which would also lasso in corrupt ALP members), and also a strong statement of strengthening our innate freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
If the Coalition were to present a strong pro-freedom, corruption busting message, then there would be few (aside from the terminally rusted on) who would disagree with them.
It also means that Abbott would have to ensure that EVERY candidate the Libs and Nats put up for election would need to be squeaky clean.
A Lurker
31 Jan 13 at 6:31 pm
Thommo is an uninteresting side show, the delicious main game is the alleged fraudulent witnessing of a power of attorney in Perth.
The alleged facts are simple and devastating.
Lets see which standard method is used to avoid prosecuting the alleged perp.
Alfonso
31 Jan 13 at 6:36 pm
Lurker
Good point. I’ve thought that too. I don’t understand why they haven’t suggested a royal commission into union corruption. The impact would be to also potentially neuter the unions when they politic against the Libs.
the libs can then just turn around and say…. “well they would say that of course as they are concerned about the inquiry we’re proposing”.
The libs should also promise to remove the handling of super from the unions and to deal with them under similar sanctions as corporations. They should also force the unions to get their members vote for political donations and advertising.
Just go after them until their bleeding from every hole including their pours. Just destroy them.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 6:40 pm
The PM would undoubtedly favour a premature election campaign. Labor has a considerable resource advantage while the government is not in caretaker mode.
Leo G
31 Jan 13 at 6:49 pm
Abbott said in his press Club speech today that he would go after union corruption, at the same time as supporting unions who were trying to do a good job by their members.
While not a Royal Commission, he was clear about his intent.
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 6:50 pm
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 6:57 pm
Abott shouldn’t go in hard on union corruption during the campaign. They have too much money and will cook up a work-choices-like scare campaign as a big distraction.
Biota
31 Jan 13 at 6:59 pm
Helen
That’s softcockery of the worst order. How does he know they all aren’t fiddling the books unless there’s a thorough investigation? And why say anything about “good” unions.
He’s an asshat at times.
He needs to create the impression they’re all crooks, which undoubtedly most are and then let the Liars Party defend them. After the stuff coming out of the NSW corruption inquiry, Creeper on bail looking at 150 charges and any day now Slappergate about to blow up, he ought to be keeping his cards very close to his chest and allow the Liars Party to go around defending their paymasters. That would really go down well in punterland.
Abbott has a really great issue here to use. It’s a jackhammer aimed at the unions and the Liars Party chest. Turn the fucking thing on and get jacking.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 6:59 pm
Abbott should most definitely state that he considers the election campaign to start when the writs are issued by the GG. Any resignation of an MP prior to that should trigger a by-election in that seat. Nor should Abbott allow himself to be railroaded into the finer financial policy details before writs bring on a caretaker period. He should concentrate on outlining the failings of this Labor government while developing and indicating the new and achievable vision the Coalition could offer. He should be big on the ‘vision thing’ and scathing of Labor’s financial mismanagement and inability to deliver their flawed visions.
He should also cut that ‘um’ which arrives usually before his first word is out.
Gillard will stew very nicely in her own juice.
I think they will realise their only hope is Kevni and bring it on. The smell of Thompson, Slipper and the old S & L days boyfriend will scare the voters too much for her to stay.
Even with the Women’s Weekly* and all the trained trick ponies of the wimmyn’s love media on her side, the stench is overpowering and getting worse.
* I get one of these delivered as a freeby due to some property thing I purchased. It really is a rag devoted to the Labor viewpoint and unquestionned left-feminism. e.g. latest edition has pic of Tony Abbott in fire-fighters’ gear, and four ‘comments from readers’. Three are anti-Abbott, saying he is doing a stunt and grand-standing. Only one points out he is a trained firefighter. Not one actually praises him for his efforts (which is contrary to what most people actually think). Whatever Abbott does, these female ‘journalists’ graduated from the Labor luvvie universities Swill Schools of Lefty-Fem Journalism will have it in for him and will slant the messages to reflect badly on him. Another example of the lefty-fem culturally-embedded approach: there is a big article on a new TV presenter in her early forties, in which she delivers the message that girls can willy-nilly ‘have it all’, wilfully dismissing the sub-text implications of her own failed marriage and lightly-glossed likely childless and husbandless future with regard to ‘having it all’. Great news, girls, you too can have fifteen minutes of fame as a so-so TV presenter as long as you give up much else you might later regret. It’s not actually this particular case that I object to (good on her in some ways) but the general failure of the magazine to recognise its particular mode of slanting stories to encourage the lefty-fem vision, as naturally, most exemplified by Julia and her married lovers.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) B.
31 Jan 13 at 7:00 pm
Biota… you really think that’s not in the pot? Are you kidding? that’s one of the fist cards they’ll play.
You neuter that by painting them as a bunch of crooks supporting the Liars Party for obvious reasons.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 7:01 pm
There is a historic opportunity here to smash the organizational base of Labor and of Leftism. Howard had the last chance in 2004-2007 and didn’t take it. Abbott must completely dismantle Leftism as an institutional force – keep the wages system for now, so that the wuckers don’t jump into the arms of Ludwig, but do away with Ludwig and co.
Fisky
31 Jan 13 at 7:04 pm
Of course Thomson SHOULD resign. Even if he is never convicted under criminal law, there are stacks of forensic evidence which prove to a reasonable standard (maybe even beyond reasonable doubt), that he is corrupt and just plain bent.
His farcical dishonesty, combined with the arrogant back in your face threats, should prove beyond reasonable doubt he is unfit to represent the people in parliament. But it just proves this is the new normal.
Actually I think its democracy thats buggered. You get dishonesty like Gillard, Thomson, Slipper, Windsor, Oakshott because democracy is now an auction for todays consumption paid for by future generations.
Jannie
31 Jan 13 at 7:05 pm
If Abbott played this right, he could absolutely devastate the Liars Party attack on him. Every time those liars come up with a Miss Oginy angle, his response should go to the corrupt heart of the party and their paymaster.
Talk about how this is such a huge issue and one of the reasons why vital things like productivity hasn’t basically flatlined.
This is his most angle to the campaign. And he shouldn’t be alone. Hockey has really improved over the past year. He’s got his groove and from point of view punter listen to him and like him. He should also use this angle.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 7:07 pm
That’s attractive Mark.
Her reign, and Rudd’s, is one of unilateral decisions. Comrade Short ‘un Bill reminded of that yesterday, appearing as a stunned mullett before the cameras. He is a senior minister who did not know his government had decided an election date.
By comparison – Hawke’s government was characterised by Ministers bringing proposals before Cabinet for discussion, review, amendment and adoption or rejection, before any announcements.
For all the grand egos strutting that stage they had the mature good sense to recognise the value of colleagues discussing and agreeing on serious business decisions. Hawke, the first of the presidential style prime ministers, was smart enough to not play out that style off camera.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
31 Jan 13 at 7:10 pm
That’s true, Fisk. That comes much late when the punters have been methodically explained the benefits of a market based system in wages etc. It will take a long time, but it can be done.
He needs to kill them by dismantling their structure and money pot limb by limb.
Destroying the public sector unions is a prime job. How the fuck are there unions when it’s taxpayer money. Leave essential services union well alone though.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 7:11 pm
Did Thommo get pre-selection by throwing free sex to Union heavy weights to lock in factional voting blocks? Will Gillard investigate and de-select any ALP MP who has used sex to gain preselection?
John Comnenus
31 Jan 13 at 7:12 pm
But he has said it now, JC so he wont be breaking a promise when he does it after the election.
He also said he was going to fully reinstate the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 7:14 pm
oops has basically flatlined.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 7:15 pm
That would be perhaps hypocritical
WhaleHunt Fun
31 Jan 13 at 7:15 pm
It needs to be a core angle of the campaign, Helen. He can turn it into a positive too by angling it so that the punters understand a clean of these thugs will ultimately be great for the country…. which of course means them.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 7:17 pm
Prior to the last NSW election I commented over at the late but in some strange way lamented now ex blog ,LP.
The comment was to the effect that once the NSW Right had slipped from power all manner of corruption would come bubbling up as the protection of office was lost.
I’m ready to bet London to a brick that the same will occur later this year federally.Once the extent becomes clear , the shock will last a long long time…..
John Cowperthwaite
31 Jan 13 at 7:18 pm
I thought Thompson was on suicide watch? How come he is fit enough to attend court? Surely his doctor will explain that he is too ill to be arraigned or whatever the correct term is?
WhaleHunt Fun
31 Jan 13 at 7:21 pm
JC
That means bringing unions under the same legal structure as Companies. Who could morally argue against that?
I think he is being very smart here, by appealing as you say to the honesty of the average punter.
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 7:22 pm
hmmmm… considering health issues, are there not two doctors in the whole country not willing to do the right thing about committing this crazy and a couple of others to an asylum? Fix the numbers in the house pronto?
WhaleHunt Fun
31 Jan 13 at 7:24 pm
Presumably not. You don’t hand out free sex in 2003, 2004 and 2005 for a preselection in 2007.
It is being reported that one of his bail conditions that he not contact anyone who is alleged to have paid for sex. I am not sure how that would work unless there were some actual names in the charge.
But perhaps bail conditions can include injunctions against contacting unknown, unnamed persons.
Grey
31 Jan 13 at 7:25 pm
It’s the ALP and Unions we’re talking about here. Anything is possible and whatever it takes.
Gab
31 Jan 13 at 7:26 pm
Actually I think union thugs probably do
JamesK
31 Jan 13 at 7:27 pm
Grey,
In a marginal seat you get pre-selected well out. When did Thommo get pre-selected. Was his pre-section lubricated by free sex for factional union heavyweights?
John Comnenus
31 Jan 13 at 7:27 pm
Surely you jest.
jupes
31 Jan 13 at 7:28 pm
To which is added nudge, nudge wink, wink.
The men in her life are an interesting lot. Who and what will happen next.
stackja
31 Jan 13 at 7:28 pm
Gab, last time you had that image up, it made me feel ill, now it makes me laugh!
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 7:28 pm
Hey, he looks good behind bars, Helen. Brings out his eyes, it does.
Gab
31 Jan 13 at 7:29 pm
All I am saying is even assuming that handing out free sex is an inducement that carries weight with the Dobell preselection committee, it is likely that the free sex would handed out in some proximity to the preselection and not a full electoral cycle before.
Anyway, it is entirely up to Craig Thomson if he wants to clear himself, he hasn’t shown much appetite for it so far. But it is not exactly rocket science what happened.
Grey
31 Jan 13 at 7:30 pm
Thanks very much for the link Sinc (heh). It seems so obvious now…..
RhikoR
31 Jan 13 at 7:36 pm
So Grey, it is possible that Thommo did throw brothel freebies around to help his preselection?
John Comnenus
31 Jan 13 at 7:37 pm
Fair dinkum Grey you can do better than that.
Spin man spin!
jupes
31 Jan 13 at 7:37 pm
If you’ve seen the boat races these union types are sporting, you’d understand what an inducement having sex with a human is.
Infidel Tiger
31 Jan 13 at 7:40 pm
Of course it is possible, but presumably if he did so, it must have been with his own money. As I don’t think 2002 is going to help for a pre-selection in 2007.
It is also possible Tony Abbott sold his arse to get pre-selection. I think both possibilities are equally likely.
Grey
31 Jan 13 at 7:42 pm
Now that the police have brought charges, can we now have anyone in FWA who had anything to do with the Thomson fiasco, sacked? The police did in 18 months what FWA couldn’t do in close to 4 years. If the AG’s rejection of the FWA brief wasn’t sufficient grounds for sacking, then this surely is!
Keith
31 Jan 13 at 7:43 pm
A deceitful lying witch every day of every week.
Mick Gold Coast QLD
31 Jan 13 at 7:44 pm
Abott shouldn’t go in hard on union corruption during the campaign. They have too much money and will cook up a work-choices-like scare campaign as a big distraction.
Abbott needs to be very careful about going after this or that group. He has made it perfectly clear that his goal is to put forward positive ideas. If he takes on the attack dog game again I think that will provide more ammunition for his opponents than what the unions can do.
It is a sad thing and I don’t like it, it is one of the reasons I think modern political processes are so ridiculous, but IMAGE matters. Obviously the coalition are very aware of this, hence the image change this year. Abbott doesn’t need to kick heads, he needs to put forward a forward looking image for Australia. He is doing that, don’t encourage him to be distracted from that!
John H.
31 Jan 13 at 7:45 pm
Hey Grey, I thought the sex freebies were thrown around from 2003-2006. Pre-section early 2007. You be the judge.
John Comnenus
31 Jan 13 at 7:45 pm
Of course it was. Because if there is one thing Thomo is known for it is using his own money.
Idiot.
jupes
31 Jan 13 at 7:46 pm
Hi Everyone! I was intrigued by the conditions of Thommo’s bail…..specifically that he NOT contact anyone he has paid for sex. I presume that this means that the plod have uncovered a “lady” to testify. What a HOOT!
Dexter Rous
31 Jan 13 at 7:49 pm
An elector in Dobell should issue a wit of mandamus against the Speaker in the High Court directing the issue af a writ.
Econcrat
31 Jan 13 at 7:50 pm
” But it is not exactly rocket science what happened.”
Hey Grey, what exactly happened? It’s very curious, if you could fill us in, would appreciate it, promise I won’t tell ..
candy
31 Jan 13 at 7:54 pm
Grey is right. It is not rocket science. Thommo was throwing free sex around, quite possibly to the factional heavyweights who control pre-selection. At around this time he decided to seek pre-selection. Obviously there is no connection.
John Comnenus
31 Jan 13 at 7:59 pm
Thopson in the Ben Fordham interview admitted that he approved the payment of around $2,000 to a Brothel. He went on to say that he didn’t know what it was for. So it’s already beyond dispute that he is loose with union money. Of course he should resign he will, but at the last possible chance to save his super. Given the quality of the bloke and how the ALP treat the voters with contempt it would be on the steps if the courthouse prior to the handing down of a judgement.
Honesty
31 Jan 13 at 8:03 pm
Grey is a fuckwit.
More importantly, stealing shagger’s bail conditions would indicate that the police have identified the females who had sex with shagger or his mates. How good is that?
Tiny Dancer
31 Jan 13 at 8:03 pm
The Obeid corruption is getting stroy received airplay in the 73.0 report.
Why not tie the chipmunk (Carr) into with Obeid? It was a slapper that promoted him after all.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 8:05 pm
An ACA reporter flew to London to interview a lady of the night who had once worked in Oz. They supplied her details to the police who apparently interviewed her. That’s from 2gb.
Honesty
31 Jan 13 at 8:06 pm
Yeh thanks Mick.
And I agree wholeheartedly. I don’t have to agree with everything governments do but I and will howl at the moon with the best of them at stuff that goes against my grain but I do demand they at least do it with a modicum of thought and competence.
The actual use of a time granted by a short flight and the back of an envelope for planning the NBN was an actual highlight in the Rudd government for probity. At least they wrote something down and spent approximately an hour deciding to spend around $80 billion (at a guess when all done). Good for them and all
Mark
31 Jan 13 at 8:06 pm
So c. Thomson will go to jail and never divulge who he treated?
candy
31 Jan 13 at 8:11 pm
Mark 5:58 pm
I suspect she’s like a few under 30s I’ve heard of/met in the last few years.
Sly, cunning, a liar, not too good with the truth.
kae
31 Jan 13 at 8:21 pm
Ignore greys.
Greys thinks he has the inside scoop on who short Kennedy and Greys also said the chairman of a large German Bank- Commerzebank. told him over drinks that Tony Hodges had saved Europe.
Greys makes Birdie’s conspiracy theories credible in comparison.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 8:21 pm
Hey Greys, who’s on first?
JC
31 Jan 13 at 8:22 pm
I am still shocked by the apparent “rustadon” status of the love media. If they won’t call “it’s time” on this lot, when will they ever? Oh wait, they’ll do that as soon as possible after the next coalition government is elected.
Steve Kates’ post “Lessons From The American Election” may have overstated the media love-in a tad, but he’s on the right track. It seems to be a parallel situation here. No properly functioning democracy without at least a significant proportion of honest media.
blogstrop
31 Jan 13 at 8:26 pm
Bob Ellis has the case all worked out.
“I know him, and I like him, and I believe him guiltless on every count. “
ken n
31 Jan 13 at 8:27 pm
mark @ 8.06pm,
Sure, but billions are so easy to deal with … and, if we’re talking end cost dollars, even $80 Billion may be conservative for this folly.
Septimus
31 Jan 13 at 8:27 pm
Yes, but he also needs to lay the grounds for a mandate.
It might be good enough for TLS to lie her way into power, but it is not good enough for Real People. He needs to outline – if not specify in extreme detail – what he intends.
Holding Unions to account “along the lines of companies” would strike a popular nerve and more than cover the absolute cleanout that is required.
mct
31 Jan 13 at 8:29 pm
Abbott would be insane to openly declare war on the unions – does anyone remember the way the unions attacked LNP over Workchoices. Do you think they wouldn’t do the same if Abbott openly called for a royal commission?
Old Fridgie
31 Jan 13 at 8:30 pm
Captain’s pick, naming the election date,appointing Carr, all very consultative compared to Rudd. At least Rudd had a kitchen cabinet, Gillard’s choices seem to be more determined by the drinks cabinet.
Splatacrobat
31 Jan 13 at 8:37 pm
“If you’ve seen the boat races these union types are sporting, you’d understand what an inducement having sex with a human is.”
IT you owe me a glass of cider & a keyboard clean….still pissing myself.
gnasher
31 Jan 13 at 8:41 pm
Good to see Madam Slush keeping to her good record of a disaster a week. Is she going for a disaster a day?
Day 1 – Week 1: ex-Trade Union Party member arrested.
Forester
31 Jan 13 at 8:41 pm
I agree, don’t release policies until the government agrees to go into caretaker mode.
Based upon the experience of recent state elections government lawyers will now be working day and night to lock the Commonwealth into contracts to fiscally bind the nation.
The sooner they go into caretaker mode, the better for the country.
Token
31 Jan 13 at 8:43 pm
Ken N “Bob Ellis has the case all worked out.
“I know him, and I like him, and I believe him guiltless on every count. “
Flashback to Beatty and Nuttal..da eyeball test..
Steve of Glasshouse
31 Jan 13 at 8:48 pm
At least a Royal Commission would be independant and would be able to make directions for criminal prosecutions, unlike Fair Work Australia that is an adjunct of the unions. Remember the Costigan Royal Commission?
Of course the unions would rage against a Royal Commission but once convened it would be a rollercoaster ride to oblivion for any guilty parties.
Splatacrobat
31 Jan 13 at 8:49 pm
Forester..”Good to see Madam Slush keeping to her good record of a disaster a week. Is she going for a disaster a day?
Day 1 – Week 1: ex-Trade Union Party member arrested.”
Just think of a perverted Advent Calendar…
Steve of Glasshouse
31 Jan 13 at 8:50 pm
That is why we need a royal commission. Someone with the powers to investigate how Fair Work sat on the case for 4 years who the judiciary actually have to answer to.
Token
31 Jan 13 at 8:53 pm
Absolutely just don’t pre-empt anything prior to the election, once in power then smash the corrupt pack of bastards.
Old Fridgie
31 Jan 13 at 8:57 pm
Does this include his wife?
Splatacrobat
31 Jan 13 at 8:58 pm
If Slipper and Shagger leave Parliament, there doesn’t have to be a by election for the ALP government to fall. The Coalition would have the numbers to succeed in a no confidence vote in a House of 148 members.
So don’t worry about by elections SInc
Rococo Liberal
31 Jan 13 at 9:00 pm
Shorter Bob, “Craig paid for one of my roots”.
Steve of Ferny Hills
31 Jan 13 at 9:01 pm
Not me – I’m not worried.
Sinclair Davidson
31 Jan 13 at 9:05 pm
Lol
He never is. Sinc has the libertarian view. They’re all rotten.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 9:07 pm
It seems extraordinary that someone, with as much evidence against them as Thomson has, is going to plead not guilty.
How do you even defend a case like that?
Do you go for character attacks or keep them out? The stuff that could be dragged in if they are allowed…
2dogs
31 Jan 13 at 9:08 pm
Hey RL, theoretically in that situation, PM Abbott wouldn’t need to call an election, right? He wins the confidence of the house and becomes the new PM.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 9:09 pm
FFS people stop whistling to him to come over here. You all know how that ends up. Leave him alone… for our sake.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 9:11 pm
Yes Rococo, Gillard will struggle to get the numbers on the floor to fight off no confidence votes if Slipper and or Thomson are away any sitting days attending court and preparing defences with their barristers.
If your a Labor back bencher, Oakeshot,Windsor, or Bant 100% attendance will be strictly enforced.
I can see it now……Latest order issued by Labor Chief Whip:
Even if someone has to go to hospital for dialysis I want the fucker to to be in the chamber with the machine next to their seat so they can save Gillard’s arse!
Splatacrobat
31 Jan 13 at 9:14 pm
I’m pretty sure electorate would rather vote for the next government, not a ‘no confidence’ thing. It’s really up to the people.
candy
31 Jan 13 at 9:15 pm
Announcing a RC into union corruption now is a good idea. The unions will squeal no matter what, but more importantly it will be a signal to those voters who hate labour but aren’t yet ready to say it out loud, that its time to start talking. The momentum would be unstoppable.
Rousie
31 Jan 13 at 9:15 pm
It’s too early to load the royal commission gun. Better to wait until Shagger is found guilty, and build on the outrage from that. Even better if any skerrick of the AWU thing finds its way into a courtroom somewhere. Let the ICAC thing in NSW wind up and roll it all into a big ‘let’s clean up the unions’ movement in the same way Honest Johnnie nicked all the guns while the pitchforks were waving.
All that needs to be said now is that Abbott stands for hardworking australians and honest unions, and thinks there are some rule changes that can be done to clamp down on corruption. They can hardly attack him for that.
I think we should all raise a toast to Shagger Thomson. Never in the field of Political Comment have so many bloggers dined out on the actions of so few credit card slips.
brc
31 Jan 13 at 9:21 pm
If they lost the Thomson and Slipper votes I think it would be more fun to just let them struggle their way through the rest of the parliamentary year, suffering defeat after defeat in the house.
brc
31 Jan 13 at 9:23 pm
On Steve Price there was a mention of the leadership challenge being from Shorten and Cobet. (made by Senator Abbetz on the authority of an ALP MP.)
What do you think about that. Is that why Shorten looked so stunned on the telly?
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 9:24 pm
Combet, Combet
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 9:24 pm
I hope it’s Combett, Helen. He’s a first rate dickhead.
He always appears angry and about to explode. Douchebag he is.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 9:31 pm
Oh F I spelt it wrong again anyway Sen Abetz swore on the life of his little dog which is very dear to his wife that the story was true. Apparently the numbers were coming fast.
Helen Armstrong
31 Jan 13 at 9:34 pm
Or not.
It’s taken nearly five years of investigations to charge him. Do you really think a verdict will be reached during the first term of the Abbott government?
jupes
31 Jan 13 at 9:47 pm
According to his lawyer (ABC radio news), Thomson has been charged with misappropriating money to buy an icecream.
C.L.
31 Jan 13 at 9:49 pm
Splatter “I can see it now……Latest order issued by Labor Chief Whip: Even if someone has to go to hospital for dialysis I want the fucker to to be in the chamber with the machine next to their seat so they can save Gillard’s arse!”
plus the paramedics on call and all DNR orders rescinded..
Steve..mulling over whether DNRs have any worth with pithed ALP members..
Steve of Glasshouse
31 Jan 13 at 9:52 pm
The Coalition would still only muster 73 seats in a 148 seat House.
Katter doesn’t want an early election cause he wants maximum time to get his Banana Bender Party running. And all of the others will back Gillard to the hilt. (Sometimes I hold out hope for Wilkie jumping ship….)
Even providing a Speaker, Gillard will have 74-73…
MDMConnell
31 Jan 13 at 9:52 pm
We don’t want end this early. I want to see where this clusterfuck comes to rest.
Infidel Tiger
31 Jan 13 at 9:57 pm
What I want to know is if there is a policy in the ALP regarding free ice-creams in exchange for pre-selection.
Truth will out!
Grey
31 Jan 13 at 9:57 pm
JC the best description of Combet is as a Pecksniffian parson, Pecksniff, the moralising wowser — Combet to a T-except for any virtue or class – imagine that crass thug squiring the ABC’s lovely Jacinta about , shows ABC ladies have appalling taste
Tintarella di Luna
31 Jan 13 at 9:58 pm
Lawyers are getting more like The Chaser every day.
blogstrop
31 Jan 13 at 9:59 pm
Grey 7:30pm
Surely you understand that certain sinecures and jobs for the boys (and girls) have been handed out to ALP people who have, in the past, carried out certain favours for certain ALP people?
kae
31 Jan 13 at 10:02 pm
Not that I have any first hand experience, but I would prefer my lawyer to be, you know, plausible.
Steve of Ferny Hills
31 Jan 13 at 10:09 pm
Tinterella
I honestly don’t get that match up.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 10:10 pm
kae 8:21 pm
I left a bit off…
Sly, cunning, a liar, not too good with the truth and thick as two short planks.
kae
31 Jan 13 at 10:10 pm
misappropriating money to buy an icecream
Typical attempt at misdirection, as well as a fallacy or irrelevance. Even in Thomson were charged with “misappropriating funds in order to cure children with cancer and make the world a wonderful, happier place in general” it would still be a charge of misappropriating funds, and that’s wrong.
Deadman
31 Jan 13 at 10:11 pm
Where’s Fisk the little scamp,this has his finger prints all over it
Tal
31 Jan 13 at 10:13 pm
The nasty side of JC says… let it rip for another election cycle because it’s been an hysterically funny ride.
I wanna see if they still fuck up everything single thing they touch for another 3 years.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 10:13 pm
“I get one of these delivered as a freeby due to some property thing I purchased. It really is a rag devoted to the Labor viewpoint and unquestionned left-feminism. ”
Whatever happened to recipes and fashion? No wonder the “weekly” is a monthly. How very lefty newspeak.
The Beer Whisperer
31 Jan 13 at 10:15 pm
Sorry JC I just couldn’t stand that much hilarity and fun.
Tintarella di Luna
31 Jan 13 at 10:17 pm
Even if someone has to go to hospital for dialysis I want the fucker to to be in the chamber with the machine next to their seat so they can save Gillard’s arse!
That would b a pretty big job.
Entropy
31 Jan 13 at 10:20 pm
Wait, wait, wait.
Was it Shagger…. or his doppelganger (the doppelganger who broke into his house – undetected – stole his wallet, used his credit card, ID and signature to procure services and then broke back into his house and replaced the wallet)?
I saw that they’d blurred his face in the arrest footage on some of the channels. Hilarious.
kae
31 Jan 13 at 10:20 pm
Joe,I kinda agree with ya,history will damn this PM
Tal
31 Jan 13 at 10:21 pm
Kae, the whole thing sounds like a head injury yeah?
Tal
31 Jan 13 at 10:23 pm
I suppose they have to think of the children! think of the children!
Tintarella di Luna
31 Jan 13 at 10:24 pm
I say Madam speaker in chair will have fun time for next seven months.
I ask the ALP?
stackja
31 Jan 13 at 10:27 pm
They’re just clowns.
The glasses thing is just hilarious.
On the news earlier this evening, a dog started viciously barking at Gillard as she comforted its owner somewhere during her flood photo-op tour.
C.L.
31 Jan 13 at 10:30 pm
I’m sure that’s code for blowjobs.
.
31 Jan 13 at 10:38 pm
The stinking pile of shit that is the unions and the ALP is about to tumble down in ’13.
We will remember it as a great year.
Lazlo
31 Jan 13 at 10:41 pm
“Thopson in the Ben Fordham interview admitted that he approved the payment of around $2,000 to a Brothel. He went on to say that he didn’t know what it was for. ”
It could have been anything. Brothels are well known for their macramé, raising money for African orphans, that sort of thing.
The Beer Whisperer
31 Jan 13 at 10:41 pm
Ya know what I’m thinking, this has overtones of Skanky Ho. We need Homer here right now to explain to the readership what the NSW Right means by the word ice-cream.
(Sinc, can we bring back Homer for this debate (only) as I think it’s absolutely necessary.)
JC
31 Jan 13 at 10:45 pm
Never unify your opposition. Never. Abbott made the right move. Played right he has a good case that the unions that loudly protest are Bad Unions. If he can get that idea established he’s as good as won that battle.
wreckage
31 Jan 13 at 10:48 pm
Lollipop, lollipop.
Steve of Ferny Hills
31 Jan 13 at 10:48 pm
Yes, the poms in ’65 thought it was some cute little schoolgirly song. Much like jellyroll I guess.
Lazlo
31 Jan 13 at 10:54 pm
No no no.
Homer says that the brothel also doubles up as an ice cream parlor.
In any event let Homer explain it.
There is some 5 or 6 meanings to the term
skanky hoice cream. for the recors (sic) I think he was referring tothe one involving a mistress of a taiwanese dictatorgelati with a cherry on top. This is somewhat known in the NSW right.JC
31 Jan 13 at 10:55 pm
You really think this is how the favours-and-obligations economy works?
wreckage
31 Jan 13 at 10:59 pm
Tal
31 Jan 13 at 10:21 pm
ya think? Look at Whitlam, the useless sack of ego is still deified by most of the media. I stopped listening to JJJ back in the day when Gough was interviewed by some airhead (Angela Katerns I think her name was) and she spent the first couple of minutes gushing on about how she and all her friends agreed he was the greatest PM eva!! He lapped it all up of course.
Anyway, in fifty years time Gillard will be a short entry in Who’s Who saying “First Female Prime Minister, 2010-2013″. It might say she was born in Wales and immigrated to Australia, and have her birth and death dates, but that would be it.
The only possible way it could say it would say anything else would be if she was the first prime minister to do something else amazingly significant for a PM, like being arrested.
entropy
31 Jan 13 at 10:59 pm
The fact that the money also involved employing someone to give it a good lick is of little consequence.
nic
31 Jan 13 at 11:02 pm
Add: convicted and jailed for two years in 2014 as an accessory to fraud while an Officer of the Court.
Lazlo
31 Jan 13 at 11:03 pm
Sshhhhh – don’t tell JC. Once he hears there are $12 blow jobs down in Melbourne he’ll be here faster than you can say Jeff Jackson.
Grey
31 Jan 13 at 11:04 pm
You really are a disgusting filthy pervert Greys. There’s something seriously fucked up about you.
JC
31 Jan 13 at 11:08 pm
Steve of Ferny Hills; Wasn’t ‘My Boy Lollipop’ the song Slippery Pete warbled hopefully while ogling Ashby’s freckle with an eye to being rove to advantage?
Mk50 of Brisbane
31 Jan 13 at 11:12 pm
JC, it’s not ‘Greys’!
It’s ‘Gheyboy’.
Mk50 of Brisbane
31 Jan 13 at 11:13 pm
Once he hears there are $12 blow jobs down in Melbourne he’ll be here faster than you can say Jeff Jackson.
The problem with that joke is that no one thinks it’s really the case, and there’s no faux pas that you can link to that would override that perception. Please try harder.
John Mc
31 Jan 13 at 11:13 pm
Tintarella, Combet reminds me of Uriah Heep not actually obsequious but creepy he never looks a happy chappy. BTW Your song got a go in Love is all you need
min
31 Jan 13 at 11:22 pm
You probably men “through”?
Lazlo
31 Jan 13 at 11:22 pm
Should look to nautical terms, Laz.
lotocoti
31 Jan 13 at 11:40 pm
If Combet gets up then that election night panel of Reith, Kroger & Joyce will be a scream.
Rousie
31 Jan 13 at 11:51 pm
Please, no…
mct
1 Feb 13 at 2:08 am
So Anna Burke will decide whether the government lasts until September:
You think Burke won’t stonewall if she doesn’t have an explicit constitutional obligation to sanction a by-election? You’re a clown, George.
Tom
1 Feb 13 at 5:04 am
An Eskimo takes his car into the repair shop when it breaks down. The mechanic tells the Eskimo to go for a walk while he works out what is wrong. The Eskimo walks around and buys himself an ICE CREAM before going back to see the mechanic. When he returns the mechanic says IT LOOKS LIKE YOU’VE BLOWN A SEAL. The embarrassed Eskimo says, NO IT WAS ONLY AN ICE CREAM – HONEST.
John Comnenus
1 Feb 13 at 5:07 am
I thought CL was making a joke about the ice cream, but no:
“His lawyer says one of the counts against his client is for buying an ice cream for $12.”
LOL… if his lawyers think this is worth mentioning, then they’re as much clowns as Gillard’s PR mob. One charge of fraud might pertain to purchasing an ice cream – but many are for hiring prostitutes.
The fact that one charge was (alleged) for an ice cream is meaningless… in fact it demonstrates how he used the funds without a second thought.
Secondly, as someone else mentioned, it does’t matter whether he (mis)used the funds to donate to charity: fraud is fraud – it wasn’t his money
And is it just me, or is $12 an expensive ice cream? I mean, obviously we’re not talking a Macca’s cone here, but still…
Fleeced
1 Feb 13 at 5:57 am
In Victoria it takes 4 years to charge a pollie for rorting union members to the tune of a hundred grand.
In South Australia it takes a couple days to charge a British actor for not wearing a bicycle helmet.
We live in a strange country.
Bruce
1 Feb 13 at 7:39 am
He may well do, he strikes me as someone who has deep convictions and he may think that, to a degree, he is keeping Thompson and Slipper in Parliament. For that reason, if one of them goes, he might back a vote of no confidence. Sportsbet show he has good odds, he could enhance this by taking the higher moral ground.
After all, he knocked back a new hospital for some repairs to the old one.
Helen Armstrong
1 Feb 13 at 7:44 am
Also I think Intellectual Julia (glasses) made a mistake to say she knew nothing. I came in on the end of Bolt saying on Price that he knew quite some time (days?) before.
Either Gillard needs to sack her incompetent Press Secretary, or Gillard is operating in a genuine vacuum of information, which is very scary for the country of which she is Prime Minister.
Helen Armstrong
1 Feb 13 at 7:52 am
Tintarella:
Now give credit where it is due, Big T.
e
As a senior member of the ALP Shagger has never been a moppet wrangling rock-spider of a p3ddo-file.
Unlike Milton Orkopoulos.
Unlike Bill D’Arcy.
Unlike Keith Wright.
Unlike Terry Martin.
Unlike Bernard Finnigan.
And unlike Bob Collins.
We need a Royal Commission into p3ddo-files that INCLUDES the ALP.
Mk50 of Brisbane
1 Feb 13 at 7:56 am
Will September never come?
“a racy, romantic romp”
Septimus
1 Feb 13 at 8:08 am
There is something perverse in the fact the government is discussing ways to keep the citizens of a number of electorates unrepresented in parliament for many months.
That amounts to taxation without representation.
Token
1 Feb 13 at 8:15 am
Lazlo
Oops. Sorry. Nautical slang.
Rope is reeved through pulleys AKA blocks. Rove is past tense of reeve in this useage.
A lifting system is composed of rope rove (or reeved) through, say, a triple-wheel block to form a ‘threefold purchase’. A threefold purchase has a sixfold mechanical advantage.
The purchase is, therefore, ‘rove to advantage’.
In the slang term, the conversation might go:
“How’d you go with that girl last night, Smokey?”
“Rove to advantage.” (ie: got laid)
“Well done that man. Rivets?”
Answer would be ‘one’ (normal sex), ‘two’ (normal sex plus blowjob/s) or ‘three’. Rivets fill holes, you see.
Nautical slang is its own world.
Mk50 of Brisbane
1 Feb 13 at 8:19 am
I hope he really, really enjoyed those prostitutes.
Kruddler
1 Feb 13 at 8:42 am
JC at 9:11 – No risk of that. Ellis does not leave his cave. He needs to be in control. Banning those he disagrees with.
Still fun to read. I still can’t decide if his stuff is one big joke or if he is seriously deluded.
ken n
1 Feb 13 at 8:50 am
He’s as nutty as a squirrel on crack.
Mk50 of Brisbane
1 Feb 13 at 8:59 am
John Comnenus
1 Feb 13 at 5:07 am
Your joke
54 seconds of YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OpuuAa7gdE
Mike of Marion
1 Feb 13 at 9:04 am
or
As nutty as Linda Lovelace’s chin
Splatacrobat
1 Feb 13 at 9:26 am
Bob Ellis
I think he might be on
tosomething.Tapdog
1 Feb 13 at 9:45 am
News on Thommo via Bolta:
The rubber gloves are a nice touch. Who ever said NSW police don’t have a sense of humour?
Bruce
1 Feb 13 at 10:01 am
OH&S Bruce, doctor’s do not tend to share lunch with flu patients, why would cops want to have personal contact with a man with such a prodigious stimulated fecundity?
No wait, it was a man who looked exactly like him, with the same signature.
Remember that Gillard has full confidence in this imploding black hole of a failure.
.
1 Feb 13 at 10:05 am
Think they have to wear protective gloves because some criminals have concealed needles.
There’s no reason to treat c.Thomson any differently, tiny tiny chance he could have been suicidal too.
candy
1 Feb 13 at 10:17 am
I wouldn’t handle Thommo without gloves either, never know where he’s been.
Gab
1 Feb 13 at 10:19 am
He could also be a walking WMD lab of communicable diseases.
.
1 Feb 13 at 10:20 am
Bruce there are times when cops are worth their weight in gold. Rubber gloves? Good one boys.
Aliice
1 Feb 13 at 10:24 am
I just finished a very enjoyable scroll through the comments about Thomson. Great stuff! Keep it up folks.
Popular Front
1 Feb 13 at 11:07 am
A cricket club I played at used to use “Ice-Cream at 3 o’clock” which insinuated that there was someone attractive at 3 of the clock
Ice-Cream = something/someone I’d lick
Maws
1 Feb 13 at 11:18 am
Rubber gloves eh? Is there any truth in the rumor that Slippery Pete has just fronted up to Wyong Court and demanded equal treatment?
Lew
1 Feb 13 at 11:24 am
Surely any judge will let him off due to the political aspect. They do that don’t they?
face ache
1 Feb 13 at 11:51 am
My ” hubris and disingenuity” meter is nearly off the dial.
face ache
1 Feb 13 at 12:02 pm
“Abott shouldn’t go in hard on union corruption during the campaign. They have too much money and will cook up a work-choices-like scare campaign as a big distraction.”
@Biota – the unions are gonna run that campaign with every cent at their disposal anyway before the next election.
No reason to hold back
ugh
1 Feb 13 at 4:42 pm
I am sure the NSW Police like being referred to as “Goons”
That’s sure going to help Thomson!
Is Shagger’s lawyer for real? It’s like watching a really bad movie – you know it is terrible but nonetheless you are glued to it because of it’s awfulness. The man is a flip – I wonder who is paying him?
Winnedge
1 Feb 13 at 5:02 pm