19 April 2016

I want to go on Q&A

| John Hargreaves
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What is it about the conservative right wing zealots in this country that they have to have vendettas about unions, Labor Party people and the disadvantaged?

Is it in their DNA?

The number of royal commissions which have come and gone targeting unions and the Labor Party are too numerous to mention, have cost tens of millions of dollars and for what?

Blatant electioneering and political scaremongering, that’s what.

The conservative PM gets into a tailspin in the polls so what do they do? Create straw monsters. They engage in wars far away from our borders, they scarify the poor terrified asylum seekers who need our assistance, they beef up the rhetoric around national security and they create bluff and bluster around those commie, lefty pinkos who threaten our very existence. They target the unions, and their leaders because obviously they are corrupt and violent.

This PM is using the royal commission as a blunt political instrument on a selective basis and not to expose corruption across the board.

Did Peter Reith have to front a royal commission when he brought attack dogs to the wharves? Did he or any of his mates have to answer questions about plum jobs on big salaries with big companies in areas to do with former portfolios? What about the corruption behind the jobs for the boys? The Libs wrote the text book on it.

Have any of our large head contractors been summoned to examine their role in putting pressure on long distance transport drivers which end all too often in deaths on the highway? Have any of the big companies been summoned to be asked why they offered bribes in and outside Australia? What about predatory pricing of Coles and Woollies? What about price collusion by petrol companies? Where are the royal commissions looking into these things?

Was Tony Abbott asked to explain why he rorted the system to attend someone’s wedding but paid the money back? Were any of his colleagues who diddled the books to fly to non-parliamentary events but paid the money back when they got sprung? Only poor Peter Slipper, but then he was a target of the conservatives because he was a Liberal rat.

To the untrained observer, this latest royal commission has the smell of a dead cat about it. Witch hunt is too nice a description for it. It is biased, blatantly political, and is examining issues which are a decade old. This is all about a distraction for the PM. It is about controlling the stories in the media. It is not about justice, it is about creating a rotting carcass and showing all the kiddies what it looks like.

The country’s economics are delicate, the plight of the disadvantaged is still perilous, the lot of pensioners is under threat, the jobs of thousands of people in civil service are heading south, the safety of our environment is under threat and the issue of climate change just won’t go away.

What are the PM and his cronies doing? They’re chasing those pinko bully-boys, they’re stopping the 4000 asylum seekers from invading our shores, they’re saving the western world by shedding the blood of our young soldiers in a faraway war in a faraway land, they’re protecting our morality by not allowing a debate of the same sex marriage issue.

They’re protecting our freedom of speech by denying those with contrary views and opportunity to express them in public, they’re accusing the ABC of left wing bias and doing everything to shut down the programs that displease them, all the while allowing right wing zealots like Alan Jones, Ray Hadlee, Andrew Bolt and Janet Albrechtsen free rein.

Mr Abbott’s latest incursion into the independence of the ABC wherein he wants to be the executive producer of current affairs programs and determine where within the ABC given programs sits, surely is a blatant attack on the public broadcaster, the like of which we have never seen.

To all those out there who would criticise me for my views, let me say that I would go on Q&A in a flash and debate any one of those warmongering zealots. But most of you critics hide behind noms de plume and let fly in social media outlets. I put my name to my views and invite criticism or discussion. I don’t reckon Abbott would let me go on Q&A. He’d shut me down.

Bring on the election. Let’s see what the people really think…. Mr Abbott can stop people expressing their views which he dislikes but he can’t stop the ultimate expression – that of the vote!

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JustThinking said :

MR ABBOTT made horrible statements about women years ago when he wanted to and to me….”once an abuser, always an abuser” I think they actually teach everyone that nowadays.
Any man (or woman) who will abuse another to gain or show power will never be anything more than an abuser.
I’m not left, right or in the middle. I do know an abuser when I see it though.

I would like you to back up that claim about Abbott. At least two examples please.

JustThinking11:10 pm 19 Jul 15

watto23 said :

Completely agree, get rid of the tax exempt status for everyone. I include charities hear, because they are being run like a business now, especially the charity collection companies that employ the chuggers. Same for churches. If you have a legitimate claim for something being tax free you put it through your tax return.

Just finished working for a CHARITY where almost everything of any value went home with the staff. One guy took it home and sold it on ebay, tax free. REMOVE Charities from the tax-free exempt as the money the staff make from working there is amazing.

JustThinking7:37 pm 19 Jul 15

MR ABBOTT made horrible statements about women years ago when he wanted to and to me….”once an abuser, always an abuser” I think they actually teach everyone that nowadays.
Any man (or woman) who will abuse another to gain or show power will never be anything more than an abuser.
I’m not left, right or in the middle. I do know an abuser when I see it though.

watto23 said :

dungfungus said :

rubaiyat said :

dungfungus said :

rubaiyat said :

The Liberals have been very careful this time not to let this “royal commission” get out of hand like the one they conducted into h building unions which exposed the endemic corruption of the building companies who were conspiring to rig bids to government contracts.

If this royal commission was genuinely trying to root out corruption it would be following up on the Eddie Obeid investigations and ALL the politicians and “well known businessmen” involved, many of them Liberal or Libera; supporters.

Also where the Liberal Party gets all its funding from considering it has so few members it has trouble even manning tolling booths, and seems strangely and counter productively vindictive to Rupert Murdoch’s media competitors and the green energy sector that is downgrading coal shares.

Glad you mentioned this.
The Shorten cheer squad has been echoing continually that the Royal Commissions initiated by the coalition (aka The Government) will cost the taxpayers $80 million. The “taxpayers” of course don’t include the trade union movement. It is time their tax exempt status concession was revoked.

Won’t happen because the Liberal Party and all their “Phony” “Think” Tanks will also lose their tax exempt status. As will every single other “Not For Profit” organisation including the Red Cross.

btw Where is this Bill Shorten “cheer squad”?

I don’t have a problem with all those entities losing their tax status – include the churches as well.
The point I was making was the hypocrisy of the unions” apologists.
The Shorten “cheer squad” can be heard any-time on the ABC or read daily in any Fairfax Media publication.

Completely agree, get rid of the tax exempt status for everyone. I include charities hear, because they are being run like a business now, especially the charity collection companies that employ the chuggers. Same for churches. If you have a legitimate claim for something being tax free you put it through your tax return.

Probably the best idea the Greens have ever had was to either get rid of or restrict political donations in general. Why should a company or organisation that have a lot of money be able to donate to a political party to ensure policy fits in with what they want. We end up having to vote for two parties with policies to suit their donors, many of which rarely have the greater good of the country as their main goal. I’ve been called a leftie on here, but I’m definitely no unionist, they are as bad as the big companies that control the other side of politics.

Glad we can agree on the really important things. There would be no more budget deficits if this was done.

dungfungus said :

rubaiyat said :

dungfungus said :

rubaiyat said :

The Liberals have been very careful this time not to let this “royal commission” get out of hand like the one they conducted into h building unions which exposed the endemic corruption of the building companies who were conspiring to rig bids to government contracts.

If this royal commission was genuinely trying to root out corruption it would be following up on the Eddie Obeid investigations and ALL the politicians and “well known businessmen” involved, many of them Liberal or Libera; supporters.

Also where the Liberal Party gets all its funding from considering it has so few members it has trouble even manning tolling booths, and seems strangely and counter productively vindictive to Rupert Murdoch’s media competitors and the green energy sector that is downgrading coal shares.

Glad you mentioned this.
The Shorten cheer squad has been echoing continually that the Royal Commissions initiated by the coalition (aka The Government) will cost the taxpayers $80 million. The “taxpayers” of course don’t include the trade union movement. It is time their tax exempt status concession was revoked.

Won’t happen because the Liberal Party and all their “Phony” “Think” Tanks will also lose their tax exempt status. As will every single other “Not For Profit” organisation including the Red Cross.

btw Where is this Bill Shorten “cheer squad”?

I don’t have a problem with all those entities losing their tax status – include the churches as well.
The point I was making was the hypocrisy of the unions” apologists.
The Shorten “cheer squad” can be heard any-time on the ABC or read daily in any Fairfax Media publication.

Completely agree, get rid of the tax exempt status for everyone. I include charities hear, because they are being run like a business now, especially the charity collection companies that employ the chuggers. Same for churches. If you have a legitimate claim for something being tax free you put it through your tax return.

Probably the best idea the Greens have ever had was to either get rid of or restrict political donations in general. Why should a company or organisation that have a lot of money be able to donate to a political party to ensure policy fits in with what they want. We end up having to vote for two parties with policies to suit their donors, many of which rarely have the greater good of the country as their main goal. I’ve been called a leftie on here, but I’m definitely no unionist, they are as bad as the big companies that control the other side of politics.

starting your piece with an insult . you’ve lost already.

why do we need royal commissions into Unions ?

The police are dealing with Julia Gillard but I suspect nothing will happen as the unions are quiet efficient at sweeping up due to generations of experience.

Show me one Liberal who has accepted money to represent people then behind their back secretly broker a deal to cut wages in 1/2 and receive at least $500,000 ( that’s what we know about, it could easily be 10/20 times this amount) to further his own career.

Obviously you are rusted on old Labor supporter and are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Over the last few years Labor representatives have been involved in multi millions of dollars worth of rorts, ripp offs and a amazing memory loss .

Remarkedly Labors memory doesn’t fail when they have to suddenly declare forgotten money from 10 years ago that can be traced.

MERC600 said :

John I’d reckon if you were to send to Q&A your RiotAct pieces, you’d be a shoe-in. ( or is that shoo in )

No footwear is allowed on Q&A unless John Howard is one of the panel.

John I’d reckon if you were to send to Q&A your RiotAct pieces, you’d be a shoe-in. ( or is that shoo in )

Honestly, a pox on both their houses.

AWU and for what we know other unions (but definitely not all) part fund themselves by taking payments willingly from employers in exchange for not going as hard as they should for their members.

Liberals are happily blowing tax-payer funds in an attempt to get dirt on Labor.

Meanwhile the country is going down the toilet and there doesn’t seem to be anybody willing to drop partisanship to do anything about it. In fact, the opposite is true. Politicians manipulate and intentionally generate tribalism so that people look at the other side as evil but dutifully neglect to look critically at their own scabrous underbelly.

Perhaps you can explain where this hypocrisy is that you “are pointing out”?

dungfungus said :

I don’t have a problem with all those entities losing their tax status – include the churches as well.
The point I was making was the hypocrisy of the unions” apologists.
The Shorten “cheer squad” can be heard any-time on the ABC or read daily in any Fairfax Media publication.

Really?! So show me this “cheering”.

At most they are merely polite to Shorten and treat him as an uninvited fixture.

rubaiyat said :

dungfungus said :

rubaiyat said :

The Liberals have been very careful this time not to let this “royal commission” get out of hand like the one they conducted into h building unions which exposed the endemic corruption of the building companies who were conspiring to rig bids to government contracts.

If this royal commission was genuinely trying to root out corruption it would be following up on the Eddie Obeid investigations and ALL the politicians and “well known businessmen” involved, many of them Liberal or Libera; supporters.

Also where the Liberal Party gets all its funding from considering it has so few members it has trouble even manning tolling booths, and seems strangely and counter productively vindictive to Rupert Murdoch’s media competitors and the green energy sector that is downgrading coal shares.

Glad you mentioned this.
The Shorten cheer squad has been echoing continually that the Royal Commissions initiated by the coalition (aka The Government) will cost the taxpayers $80 million. The “taxpayers” of course don’t include the trade union movement. It is time their tax exempt status concession was revoked.

Won’t happen because the Liberal Party and all their “Phony” “Think” Tanks will also lose their tax exempt status. As will every single other “Not For Profit” organisation including the Red Cross.

btw Where is this Bill Shorten “cheer squad”?

I don’t have a problem with all those entities losing their tax status – include the churches as well.
The point I was making was the hypocrisy of the unions” apologists.
The Shorten “cheer squad” can be heard any-time on the ABC or read daily in any Fairfax Media publication.

John, have you thought of turning your focus to bonsai. I think it would suit you.

dungfungus said :

rubaiyat said :

The Liberals have been very careful this time not to let this “royal commission” get out of hand like the one they conducted into h building unions which exposed the endemic corruption of the building companies who were conspiring to rig bids to government contracts.

If this royal commission was genuinely trying to root out corruption it would be following up on the Eddie Obeid investigations and ALL the politicians and “well known businessmen” involved, many of them Liberal or Libera; supporters.

Also where the Liberal Party gets all its funding from considering it has so few members it has trouble even manning tolling booths, and seems strangely and counter productively vindictive to Rupert Murdoch’s media competitors and the green energy sector that is downgrading coal shares.

Glad you mentioned this.
The Shorten cheer squad has been echoing continually that the Royal Commissions initiated by the coalition (aka The Government) will cost the taxpayers $80 million. The “taxpayers” of course don’t include the trade union movement. It is time their tax exempt status concession was revoked.

Won’t happen because the Liberal Party and all their “Phony” “Think” Tanks will also lose their tax exempt status. As will every single other “Not For Profit” organisation including the Red Cross.

btw Where is this Bill Shorten “cheer squad”?

rubaiyat said :

The Liberals have been very careful this time not to let this “royal commission” get out of hand like the one they conducted into h building unions which exposed the endemic corruption of the building companies who were conspiring to rig bids to government contracts.

If this royal commission was genuinely trying to root out corruption it would be following up on the Eddie Obeid investigations and ALL the politicians and “well known businessmen” involved, many of them Liberal or Libera; supporters.

Also where the Liberal Party gets all its funding from considering it has so few members it has trouble even manning tolling booths, and seems strangely and counter productively vindictive to Rupert Murdoch’s media competitors and the green energy sector that is downgrading coal shares.

Glad you mentioned this.
The Shorten cheer squad has been echoing continually that the Royal Commissions initiated by the coalition (aka The Government) will cost the taxpayers $80 million. The “taxpayers” of course don’t include the trade union movement. It is time their tax exempt status concession was revoked.

The Liberals have been very careful this time not to let this “royal commission” get out of hand like the one they conducted into h building unions which exposed the endemic corruption of the building companies who were conspiring to rig bids to government contracts.

If this royal commission was genuinely trying to root out corruption it would be following up on the Eddie Obeid investigations and ALL the politicians and “well known businessmen” involved, many of them Liberal or Libera; supporters.

Also where the Liberal Party gets all its funding from considering it has so few members it has trouble even manning tolling booths, and seems strangely and counter productively vindictive to Rupert Murdoch’s media competitors and the green energy sector that is downgrading coal shares.

John, you sound as if you are campaigning again.
All very well for you to say “bring on the election, let’s hear what people really think…..”
Could I suggest you stand again as a Federal candidate in the 2016 election and at least Canberra people will let you know what they think about you?
As for Q&A, I sure Phony Jones would give you a guernsey on the panel as you seem to tick all the boxes.

Blen_Carmichael7:52 am 13 Jul 15

“I don’t reckon Abbott would let me go on Q&A. He’d shut me down.”

I doubt it, John, I don’t think he’s ever heard of you.

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