The Attorney-General labelled Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan a "Christmas turkey” and said he was surprised by comments Mr Swan made during a press conference on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday when he joined Prime Minister Julia Gillard and high-profile Labor members in railing against any move to make voting in Queensland elections voluntary.
Is there any level they wont stoop to?
Is jbp back in power?
wow, they must be nervous about all their members defecting to clive's new party eh?
Voting isnt a right, its a responsibility. we all live in our state and country, we should all be required (by law) to vote on who runs it.
A new discussion paper released by Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie canvasses views on electoral reforms ranging from scrapping compulsory voting to public funding of elections.
Mr Bleijie says the State Government has no firm position on scrapping compulsory voting.
I always assumed requiring people to vote was some sort of insurance that people aren't forcibly prevented from voting.
eg. Say Bribie Island was polling heavy for the Pink Party well the Purple party who is government sets up all the voting booths on the mainland and closes the bridge after ensuring a token number of known purple party voters are off the island or postal voted.
Unlikely here today ...
But I am sure many tinpot countries do similar.
I always assumed requiring people to vote was some sort of insurance that people aren't forcibly prevented from voting.
eg. Say Bribie Island was polling heavy for the Pink Party well the Purple party who is government sets up all the voting booths on the mainland and closes the bridge after ensuring a token number of known purple party voters are off the island or postal voted.
Unlikely here today ... But I am sure many tinpot countries do similar.
scooter, just remember that there were no plans at all to revoke uranium mining
You mean Open up? Or Stop?
You realize that Labor Government (Federal) are the ones that recently changed all the regulations around Uranium mining, right? To make it easier to mine Uranium. (Which, IMO is a good thing) QLD Was just building on what the Federal (Labor) government was encouraging.
I'm 100% against the removal of compulsory voting. I would hate to see it abolished and I don't think it would be a good thing, not by a long shot. But these media articles are beat ups. In a review they review stuff, the fact that it's there means that it falls under the purview of the review even if there was absolutely Zero intention to change it, it's still technically in the review. So idiots run with a Doom and Gloom story, because that generates outrage and thus page clicks.
The argument in favour of compulsory voting is pretty thin. Keep in mind that it's not compulsory to vote, it's only compulsory to get your name checked off - an informal ballot is perfectly legal.
Though if it does become non-compulsory and an individual decides not to vote, IMO they lose the privilege of whinging about who gets voted into power.
But these media articles are beat ups.
Correct. Any self respecting journalist would recognise the real story isn't with compulsory voting, it's buried further down: The review will also consider a ban on political donations from corporations and unions.
I hate voting because I dont think either party repesents me in any shape or form. They're both conservative white folks running around screaming about and arguing about topics that aren't issues. Blah blah, I don't want to be forced to vote for the shit heads. WIsh they'd change how preferential voting is done.
you are aware that there are more than two partys,
if people got away from the "i dont like lnp/labor so i'll vote lnp/labor", and really looked at a) who if the person that is representing them, and not just which party they belong to b) looked at the other partys to see if they meet your feelings
I reckon it would have been a vastly different result
It might be semantics, but in other democracies voter turnout and efforts to convince people to get out there is looked upon as a gauge on the voting process so it can be useful.
I'm also amused by the insulting argument that people would become confused if state voting was non-compulsory and federal voting was compulsory. The public can be trusted to choose which bunch of dropkicks to vote into office, but they can't be trusted to understand whether they do or don't need to be somewhere on a particular day?
Where do you ppl who claim Compulsory Voting is some kind of Utopia get your evidence from ?
Had to laugh Swanny and Gillard were suddenly 'available' to proclaim that it was an attack against Democracy.
This from the two that brought us the Carbon Tax they both swore they wernt going to implement.
Voting isnt a right, its a responsibility. we all live in our state and country, we should all be required (by law) to vote on who runs it.
Not really. I reckon don't let people vote if they don't want to. But if they start whining, ask to see the proof they voted. If they didn't tell them to fuck off. As far as I'm concerned, politicians should go out like a lot of other countries and actually earn some votes rather than just harassing me at the polling booth and doing fuck all either side of that day. Compulsory voting gives you lazy politicians and sheeple who vote without even understanding what they're voting for.
More empty rhetoric from you FaceMan, diluted even further by the fact that we know you don't vote.
You are required to do this because at a point in Australia's history, they (they being politicians, the ones elected to represent the people, welcome to democracy) believed that it was to the benefit of the country. If you really don't want to turn up it's not like you'll be killed or imprisoned, you can always just pay the tiny $20 fine if you prefer.
Living in a free country doesn't mean you can just do whatever you like, you still have to abide by the laws set out by/for the country you're living in, otherwise it would just be chaos. You're also required not to break the speed limit, murder people, or evade paying taxes, does that also mean you're not free? (though you probably disagree on the last one anyway)
I'm not saying voting should be compulsory or not – if the majority of the people want to change the law so it's not then that's fine too – but to imply that compulsory voting goes against the concept of a free country is just emotive rhetorical rubbish.
Voting isnt a right, its a responsibility. we all live in our state and country, we should all be required (by law) to vote on who runs it.
See to me that statement is just plain stupid. I also suspect that if it was Labor saying lets scrap it you would agree with it.
People get put into positions of responsibility because they are fit to handle it. I believe there are plenty of 18+ people who are not fit to make an informed decision on who should be running the country.
Voting isn't compulsory in a lot of other countries and they do pretty well, The UK, US, most of Europe - they also have very high voter turnouts for the most part.
first voting won't be compulsory, next voting will be on a week day so that workers are more likely to miss it, anything to put things in favour of newman's demographic, what a little shit
LOL at people upset because they might not have to vote. I bet if voting wasn't compulsory you'd be whinging if Newman decided to make it so you had to.
I think Compulsory voting is a good thing, it stops Australia becomming like the US. Where parties have to lean far left or far right and get their hardcore supports to vote which makes governments far left or right because of promises they tell.
On the other hand, there is no one I would vote for in any state for Federal Parliament. They are not worth my vote. I would vote for Rudd though.
I predict I will cop crap from other users here for linking Rudd.
I think Compulsory voting is a good thing, it stops Australia becomming like the US. Where parties have to lean far left or far right and get their hardcore supports to vote which makes governments far left or right because of promises they tell.
IMO if your augment is true then its actually a good one for removing compulsory voting. Politics in AU is way too centrist.
Yeah, it would be great to have some parties that had views they fought for rather than trying not to offend anyone. The parties are too worried about winning elections rather than progressing the country one way or another. The changes between left and right is what keeps things in balance while still moving forward.
I think Compulsory voting is a good thing, it stops Australia becomming like the US. Where parties have to lean far left or far right and get their hardcore supports to vote which makes governments far left or right because of promises they tell.
In theory the westminster system is meant to be 3 cornered. Relying on a left and right party, and a center of swinging voters.
How does the left or the right split a pie 3 ways, by offering the middle a big chunk of pie.
I think Compulsory voting is a good thing, it stops Australia becomming like the US. Where parties have to lean far left or far right and get their hardcore supports to vote which makes governments far left or right because of promises they tell.
This makes no sense, since the Democrats aren't a far-left party but the Republicans are a far-right party.
I simply do not understand bitching about compulsory voting. The fact that taking ten minutes out of a a day every now and then is so inconvenient? Furthermore, you are merely required to get checked off which indicates you have exercised that right to vote or not vote.
I frankly think that not voting should also strip you of other rights, such as use of government provided services. This might include public transport, education systems and consumer protection services/advice.
I frankly think that not voting should also strip you of other rights, such as use of government provided services. This might include public transport, education systems and consumer protection services/advice.
yer raven, i could be onboard for that. you dont want to vote? sure, you dont get access to government provided services.
Our voting system is so fundamentally flawed it is a joke.
Remove preferential voting and return it to either "for" or "against".
If I don't want candidate A to receive my vote, I shouldn't have to vote against them by voting for candidate B whom I equally have no confidence in, same with any other candidate put forward.
Simply, A vote, MY vote, should be able to be cast how I want it to be recorded and reconciled. If I wish to record a negative vote against a candidate so at the end of the day, the negative votes detract from their overall count.
Gods forbid a smaller less mainstream candidate get a level playing field should something like this be empowered.
That is Democracy, not this farce we are all forced to consume.
Oh wait, it won't cause they know it would annihilate their comfy hold on the status quo.
I simply do not understand bitching about compulsory voting. The fact that taking ten minutes out of a a day every now and then is so inconvenient? Furthermore, you are merely required to get checked off which indicates you have exercised that right to vote or not vote.
is it govt's role to go around forcing people to exercise their rights? are we really free if we are being forced tro exercise a right under threat of punishment?
I'd much rather our electoral system be changed so that we have a lot more true democratic voting on issues - not a blanket representative democracy.
At least, say, 15 to 20 issues should be put to public ballot every year. That way we don't have to put up with these fuckwit politicians who you agree with on, say, one massive, critical issue that's more important than everything else, but then completely fuck you on 19 other issues. Hell, I know: Every year every senator can either propose or sponsor an issue to be voted on by the public. Every bill to be voted on must have a sponsor and two seconders/co-sponsors, and each senator can only sponsor one public bill.
This would mean we end up with 25 public bills - okay, so maybe you make it a smaller number by some method, but you get the idea.
I think a lot of people find voting pointless because of the go nowhere party politics here. Obviously this isn't a new theory but I think if voting weren't compulsory then it would be good to see a difference in voter turnout reflecting how strongly the nation actually feels about issues or people.
If you feel like meh, whoever wins we lose and voter turnouts dropped significantly then perhaps there would be more incentive for truly unique and independent policy be proposed. I definitely feel it is currently too easy for incumbent candidates to just get by on, 'well they have to vote for someone!'
More likely it would just give those in the system something else to take advantage of. It's not like the US political system is a shining example of perfect democracy.
I believe there are better options to improve democarcy than debating about compulsory voting which in my view is a circle jerk distraction from the real issues. What's required in my view is a total restructure of Government in Australia and severe punishable rules that apply to politicians (elected representatives) when it comes to accountability and conduct whilst in office.
We should review too the overall make up of political parties and I believe even the shape of the nation should be under review in respect to local, state and federal boundaries and obligations to better reflect the age we now live in, the information age requires different thinking.
There are heaps of other issues I could ramble on with but compulsory voting is nowhere near any of my idea of "top" issues.
is it govt's role to go around forcing people to exercise their rights? are we really free if we are being forced tro exercise a right under threat of punishment?
Are we really free if we're forced to pay tax? Or obey road rules? Or sell products to people that they can use without risk of death?!@!
Voting is part of the (tiny tiny) price you are asked to pay by our government and our society for living in the awesome civilsation that we have here today.
Need to be able to vote no confidence IMO. With no method to legitimately state that no candidate represents your views you are being forced to vote for a candidate that you do not truly support.
It'd never happen though because politicians don't like knowing that people don't like them.
Are we really free if we're forced to pay tax? Or obey road rules? Or sell products to people that they can use without risk of death?!@!
I am wondering if you are intentionally trolling, Trog. Those are all legislated social obligations (conditions of consuming society) however casting a ballot is an indvidual right to be represented. Is every person required to obtain a driver's license? Is every person required to drink alcohol once they turn 18? You have completely misrepresented the question by making those comparisons.
Saying someone is legally compelled to vote as part of their social compact sounds like what it was like living in Saddam's Iraq or North Korea.
Freedom means minimising the govt's role in forcing people to do thing on fear of imprisonment.
I wonder if it would be better with no political parties and every MP is independent and have rounds of voting to see who gets the top job with good ideas.
Thats the same as not voting under the Electoral Act. A deliberate Informal Vote is a violation of the Act.
yes, but knowing your vote is also a violation so what you going to do
Secret Ballot ... they can't charge you unless you are stupid enough to tell them.
Actually it's not a violation, at least according to the AEC: (re. Mark Latham suggesting people leave their ballots blank last election)
Protest vote plea not illegal
There was some speculation his "ultimate protest'' at the end of last night's segment could see him charged for breaching section 329A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act.
But an Australian Electoral Commission spokesman said there was nothing to prosecute.
He confirmed that the Commonwealth Electoral Act did not contain an explicit provision prohibiting the casting of a blank vote, even though it was "obviously a wasted vote".
I can't tell if infi's being sarcastic like faceman is when he sometimes mockingly imitates himself, or if getting older is just always going to be a series of depressing realisations that the people with their hand anywhere near politics are absolute nutjobs.
Under the Electoral Act, the actual duty of the elector is to attend a polling place, have their name marked off the certified list, receive a ballot paper and take it to an individual voting booth, mark it, fold the ballot paper and place it in the ballot box.
It is not the case, as some people have claimed, that it is only compulsory to attend the polling place and have your name marked off, and this has been upheld by a number of legal decisions:
High Court 1926 – Judd v McKeon (1926) 38 CLR 380
Supreme Court of Victoria 1970 – Lubcke v Little [1970] VR 807
High Court 1971 – Faderson v Bridger (1971) 126 CLR 271
Supreme Court of Queensland 1974 – Krosch v Springbell; ex parte Krosch [1974] QdR 107
ACT Supreme Court 1981 – O’Brien v Warden (1981) 37 ACTR 13
I agree with infi on all counts so far here, really compulsory voting is fairly nonsensical. Why should you force someone to vote who does not even have the slightest in politics. They'll just tick whatever without thinking on what representation they would like. I would do away with the state/territory governments to while at it.
Are we really free if we're forced to pay tax? Or obey road rules? Or sell products to people that they can use without risk of death?!@!
You're free to choose not to do those things, go live off the grid, build your own road and drive as fast as you want on it. Well until someone else feels free to tell you to get the fuck off their land and then feels free to get the police to assist with it.
I guess what's more free, living in anarchy where anyone abides by their own creed and some people go around mecilessly looting, ripping off, and killing, while others huddle together building a new society where they can feel free from fear.
edit: on topic: Not voting is not a good solution to the problem of donkey votes.
Honestly wouldn't you rather that politicians were forced to create a differential list each year by the end of their campaign which you get as a cheatsheet on vote day: 2 colums for the major parties and how they differentiate, major point by major point, or another sheet which says the minor parties and the side they'll swing their votes for.
edit2: The biggest issue i have with voting is the whole cognitive dissonance thing which ends up putting me into either not voting at all or throwing a worthless and meaningless vote which doesn't represent my view at all.
I agree with infi on all counts so far here, really compulsory voting is fairly nonsensical. Why should you force someone to vote who does not even have the slightest in politics. They'll just tick whatever without thinking on what representation they would like. I would do away with the state/territory governments to while at it.
It is about making sure the working class vote. A lot of people who normally wouldn't work weekends wouldn't get a chance to vote if it wasn't compulsory.
Voting is like jury duty. It is your responsibility to the community you live in.
Saying someone is legally compelled to vote as part of their social compact sounds like what it was like living in Saddam's Iraq or North Korea.
This is one of the great infis.
I don't know how a person could physically type this out, move their mouse cursor over the Post Message button and then click without their brain having an aneurysm to try and stop the body from doing something so stupid. But hey, infi.
if you don't pay the failure to vote fine, a warrant would be issued for your arrest. the next time you get pulled over by the cops they will have a grounds to arrest you.
is this really the society we want, where we can be detained for not voting? the real threat to our freedom and democracy is empowering government to imprison us for trivial matters.
i am in favour of people having a choice. government is FORCE.
I think it's ironic that fpot defends a policy of compelling people to vote by threat of fine or imprisonment with more abuse and insults. this is how leftists the world over defend their authoritarian viewpoints.
i must be having an aneurysm because holy shit I want to be able to choose if I have to vote. military dictatorships imprison people they don't agree with, democracies say "you go for it mate."
as to the argument about the working class - are you implying they are stupid or defenseless. I give credit to every voter to be able to make the right choice. and what's it saying for their capability if they have to be forced to vote - are they then even fit to vote in the first place.
the argument for compulsory voting is so full of holes it should never have existed in the first place. the very essence of being free is to choose not to do something.
Whenever you run out of rhetoric drivel to post you start insulting so I wouldn't go crying irony so soon if I were you.
I have no strong viewpoints on compulsory voting so like always you are just making shit up as usual. If someone really doesn't want to vote they can just post an informal vote. If they are too lazy to drive down the road they can just pay the $20 fine. If I really had to pick a side I'd say to do away with compulsory voting but who really cares? This is one of those things that just makes the partisans bubble up to the surface as they flail and froth to the tune of whichever party is their little favourite - you and spook Some Fat Bastard being the prime example of this.
But hey, you are going very well so just keep comparing compulsory voting to Iraq and North Korea.
hey, i am not pro any party in particular. i am just a lover of commonsense and governments that help me to look after myself and my family (and the kruddler because he gave me all that free money).
Don't worry Spook, you are just the closest thing that matches infi's blind devoted love to a political party that we have on this forum. Except you go for labor. You are nowhere near as bad as him.
Spook born and bred labor supporter, his parents voted lab and brought him up that way
He never had a chance, similar to religious people indoctrinating tbeir kids early in lice
My 80 year old father votes National Party as he's an old jackeroo from the channel country. My 78 year old mum is a swinging voter who was born and raised on a dairy farm so has a tendency to vote LNP so I don't know how your formula equates to reality.
some fat bastard is infi's labor loving equivalent wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy worse than spook
what amuses me most is half you dicks on this forum are just as partisan towards your own political party but don't have the balls to admit your posts are as predictable as infi, mine and/or spooks. Hypocrites fucking galore.
I may not agree with all of infi's views and opinions but I have absolute respect for the fact he passionately advocates them. There would be no debate if there were no passionate people. Often it's the really passionate people from all spectrums of life with differing points of view coming together that end up making a difference.
How was Newman not honest ?
The ALP built a bloated Public Service with juicy pay deals that are unsustainable especially with a ton of debt.
Cant say I agree with everything Newman does but you couldnt call him a plodder.
Id rather see someone taking action than someone wasting taxpayers money.
Someone needs to go to Jail over QLD Healths Payroll.
$250 million blown out to over a billion.
Our Taxes had to cover that.
You keep forgetting what a wonderful country we live in at the moment. People are unlikely to be detained or discouraged from voting.
Make it non compulsory and all of a sudden who knows what road works might occur prevent someone from voting. And if you think politicians aren't up for a bit of manipulating the electorate ... one word ... gerrymander
And I think both sides would be up for abusing it. As much and LNP and labor dislike each other, they both need each other. They don't sure as shit don't want a third politic party getting any real traction.
Sure it's a paranoid view ... but why remove a check that every who is eligible had to oportunity to vote ? I don't understand why you would trade that in for pure laziness.
I'd rather an extra checkbox added that said "no vote cast" so that we could accurately see and remove those informal and or donkey votes. It would have the same effect as make it voluntary and retains a check.
Yeah I am pretty sure infi would just let the system run its course when his corrupt mate Santo was Aged Care minister because he hasn't shown himself to be a total morally bankrupt cunt or anything.
there is nothing for the public service to fear there will not be a change to the current policy on uranium mining We are 100bil in debt No-one's being sacked in the public service
if that isn't being dishonest, at best it isn't being true to your word,
facey, newman/lnp are not as clean as you tout when it comes to the truth
Fpot you sound ignorant. Have you ever built a business from a block of vacant dirt. Do you have any idea how many levels of government regulation, overview and scrutiny are involved? You sound like someone who just read an internet article and now thinks they actually know something.
secondly, your comment has no relevance to the OP. You are rambling.
If Newman is so corrupt where are the CMC charges? Bligh admitted during the election campaign that she knew she couldn't make her slurs stick. Smear and lies from a rotten party desperate to win, and now spook perpetuates it. Sad...
I am proud that Campbell has gotten on with the cuts needed to make Qld healthier.
there will not be a change to the current policy on uranium mining
You keep bringing that up. You know it was Federal Labor government that significantly changed the rules and regulations right? I know you do, I've told you before. After such a significant and incredible change (by the Federal LABOR government) it would be folly to no review your own states standing.
there is nothing for the public service to fear
He went to the election on the promise of cutting staff. Most have been contracts ending and voluntary redundancies.
We are 100bil in debt
No one said that, they said that we would head that way of nothing was done about the rampant and stupid miss spending and fuckups by the previous government.
No-one's being sacked in the public service
We kind of covered this one already . But here;
“Despite all the hype and the hysteria, not one permanent employee has been ‘sacked’ as a result of the budget process,” he said.
The ALP were deceptive about the financial position of the State.
There were two options.
Increase Taxes
Make cuts
You think Newmans cuts are bad wait till The Coalition dismantle the ALPs bloated Government. Starting with the Dept of Climate Change and Fair Work Australia.
and of course everything to do with the Carbon Tax.
I think we should set up some kind of Nuremberg trial for the ALP and Oakshot and Windsor and The Greens.
If Newman is so corrupt where are the CMC charges? Bligh admitted during the election campaign that she knew she couldn't make her slurs stick. Smear and lies from a rotten party desperate to win, and now spook perpetuates it. Sad...
yes, just because someone didnt get caught, it totally means they didnt do anything inappropriate!
yes, just because someone didnt get caught, it totally means they didnt do anything inappropriate!
guilty until proven innocent, cool story.
Kind of reminds me of that time the liberal party ran a smear campaign against Peter Slipper.
yeah the one where he admitted to using vulgar terms to describe female genitalia and then resigned in disgrace - the same one where the Commonwealth Govt made a payout to James Ashby in settlement of his claim for failure to provide a safe workplace. ;)
All smear hey.... Slipper is a pig and he himself even realised it in the end.
as for the staff cuts, he stated there would be changes, and I will give you that he hasn't out and out lied regarding sackings, or a lessening of front line staff, but has he been true to his word, no, there has been a lessen of frontline staff, he moved the bar so remove more people,
how about the pledge for a police chopper, he said there would be one, he said that all his pomises were "fully funded" instead of what most people would have thought would happen (ie funding given to the QPS to get a chopper) what really happened was he said they could have one, but only if it fitted in the current funding to the QPS
a little sneaky if you ask me
it is like when your younger, pleding to mum and dad for a NES, because even tho you have been saving all your pocket money, you know by the time you'll have enough there will be a game cube, so when your mum and dad say for xmas would you like to get a NES, you think you'll be getting one, xmas roll by, and you open the box, and inside there is a note saying "save you pennies, and you can get one)
scooter, how does a change at fed level relate to the FACT newman stated on a number of time there would not be a change in policy
"I take this opportunity to reaffirm my statements, made before the last election, that the State Government has no plans to approve the development of uranium in Queensland, " Mr Newman wrote on October 11.
After that, the landscape surrounding Uranium significantly changed. AFTER THAT. When things change, like say, massive policy changes handed down from a Labor Federal government, suddenly No Plans turns into. NOW THAT EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WE SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE A NEW LOOK.
You don't seem to be upset at Labor about it, which is weird. They're the ones that that made Uranium mining a possibility in QLD, and the rest of Aus.
it is like when your younger, pleding to mum and dad for a NES,
It's not like that at all. Keeping your Mum/Pop scenario. It's Mum and Dad telling you're not allowed to play video games. So you don't buy a Game Cube. THEN, mum and dad not only allow you to play games, but they buy you 10 of them... and a Game Cube to play them on. Suddenly your policy of 'I cant play games and I cant get games or a console because I'm not allowed, so I wont bother' turns into "Fuck Yeah, game time."
how about the pledge for a police chopper,
You mean the one funded by state funds (through QPS) that even the Police Unuion are happy with? Thats the one you're talking about?
Yesterday, Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers, who praised the LNP's promises during the election campaign, said he was confident funding would be found for the helicopters.
"With more than $15 million underspent in the QPS budget in the last financial year, there is plenty of room to accommodate this vital law and order commitment," Mr Leavers said.
"We need to remember that the QPU has campaigned for almost 10 years to have a police helicopter and the previous QPS budget underspends more than allowed for this vital policing resource."
"I take this opportunity to reaffirm my statements, made before the last election, that the State Government has no plans to approve the development of uranium in Queensland, " Mr Newman wrote on October 11.
After that, the landscape surrounding Uranium significantly changed. AFTER THAT. When things change, like say, massive policy changes handed down from a Labor Federal government, suddenly No Plans turns into. NOW THAT EVERYTHING IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT WE SHOULD PROBABLY TAKE A NEW LOOK.
You don't seem to be upset at Labor about it, which is weird. They're the ones that that made Uranium mining a possibility in QLD, and the rest of Aus.
sorry, it didn't change so rapidly in a week
also, it isn't like there hasn't been mining in other states, the laws that the fed changed really didn't affect our rules regarding mining in qld, we have always (as a state) had the option to mine, however it was a stance taken by past governments that we wouldn't in this state
in fact the only ones who made it possible to mine in this state was the LNP,
It would be nice if you stopped your little LNP love, and woke up a little bit
the only reason I can see is that businesses would profit short term, and long term we all will suffer, a case of good for a few, but bad for many
Nope, Labor actually had the papers around for a while. But no-one could know which way they would eventually fall (Opposition from Greens made it hard to call) And like any good government (Note, not the current Labor Federal or Past QLD Labor ones) the LNP already had scenarios in place so that they could act quickly with clarity. Unlike the former Labor QLD Government... who barely managed to flop around like a 1/2 dead fish on the deck of a boat.
You don't know what you're talking about if you think that the laws changed by the fed government didn't really affect Uranium mining in QLD (and other states.)
Nope, Labor actually had the papers around for a while. But no-one could know which way they would eventually fall (Opposition from Greens made it hard to call) And like any good government (Note, not the current Labor Federal or Past QLD Labor ones) the LNP already had scenarios in place so that they could act quickly with clarity. Unlike the former Labor QLD Government... who barely managed to flop around like a 1/2 dead fish on the deck of a boat.You don't know what you're talking about if you think that the laws changed by the fed government didn't really affect Uranium mining in QLD (and other states.)
so wait, if the LNP had the plans done in the event that there was a change to the fed laws,
then Newman out and out lied when he said that they (LNP) had no plans
Having plans and having the intention to act on them are 2 very separate things.
I have a plan in place in case I ever lose my job or have a horrible accident which forces me to quit work. Doesn't mean I'm going to enact it, just means I'm prepared in case I have to. I currently have no plans to ever use that backup plan, it's still a good idea to have it.
I could make a snipe here, about the people that fail to plan for possible future outcomes, but it would be a little too easy.
scooter, he said he had no plan, he put that in writting, he maintain that view right up till the end (and stated that view more than once)
when someone says they have no plans, "Having plans and having the intention to act on them are 2 very separate things." means fuck all, because having no plans means just that HAVING NO PLANS!, he worded it a number of different ways, and after the fact he claimed it was a surpise and they had to act
they didn't have to act, and that is my point,
it would be akin to saying that you have no plans on fucking your wifes sister, but putting everything in place in case you get the chance
just because you have the chance, doesn't mean you need to take the chance
And he didn't copuis, he had no intention to change the (then) rules.
Then he didn't change anything, Then Labor changed a whole bunch of stuff, then as any smart person would do, because of the completely new environment surrounding mining, they took a new look. Which resulted in what we have today.
just like Bligh had no plans to sell assets... you get the drift?
she didn't back flip a week after reconfirming the point in writting, and she made alot of mistakes which i think came about more because of her ministers, (I think she showed great leadership during times of need, but her management was far from great)
newman seems more about media sound bites, and looking like a leader, but have you spoken to the guy one on one?, he seemed pretty hollow to me (and that goes back to before he was mayor)
scooter, he did change, he allowed it, there was nothing that said it couldn't stay the same, other than greed
Seems like it'd be irresponsible to at least not have considered a course of action for if things change. I mean, thats what risk management is all about isn't it? You come up with all these things that could go wrong or could change, and then you come up with some strategies or plans for if those situations happen. Doesn't mean you're intending to enact those plans, or hoping those situations happen, but its still smart to plan for it.
aren't the current EU rules that it has to go back to the country that mined it?
You just make a condition of sale that the person buying it deals with the waste. Why would we offer to store nuclear waste after some other country got all the benefit of it?
It could happen but It is also pretty easy to deal with.
They're not all pinko commies at The Drum. They're just as likely to run vapid articles from Chris Berg of the IPA and vitriolic rants from Peter Reith, as they are to give Mungo MacCallum type lefties a show for example.
After an investigation lasting nearly nine months, the Australian Federal Police said it had served Mr Slipper with a summons "in relation to three offences of Dishonestly Causing a Risk of a Loss to the Commonwealth".
The alleged offences would breach the Commonwealth Criminal Code, if proven, and carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.
^ These allegations stem from 2009 before those allegations of cabcharges brought by Ashby during his farcical sexual harrasment case. These are from when he was firmly an LNP member and endorsed and supported by TA.
Fuck you are a moron. I'm laughing at the hypocrisy of the lnp who also knew he was dirty yet only went after slipper when he defected. To criticise labor over and above the lnp is really a steaming pile of shit. Plus you're a fuckwit.
Did I say that. Criticise labor all you like but to ignore the lnp and their involvement in slipper is disingenuous at best and downright hypocritical and dishonest at worst .
Plenty of scumbags in the lnp. Reith with his multi-thousand dollar rorts, Woolridge with the CAT Scan scam, ministers with travel rorts and breaches and then we had the Fitzgerald inquiry which gaoled numerous N/LP coalition ministers. Yeah the LNP, all virtuous and angelic.
I haven't read this thread, but I currently work in one of the large departments. Some major shit is going on at the moment and I'm not going to talk about it here, but you will probably hear about it after this Friday. It's not high level people, but the dodgyness of this shit would make people extremely pissed off, especially if you work in the public service.
its more of a self serving middle management thing, but certainly a waste of tax payers money to appease a particular MP and DGs etc (though they aren't involved and not in any way to blame). a true dog and pony show.
PM
WWW