19 July 2012

Hargreaves calls on Hanson to be a Gentleman. Can we handle the truth?

| johnboy
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Yesterday Colonel Hanson put out a unusual media release telling the Public Accounts Committee how to suck eggs.

ACT Shadow Health Minister Jeremy Hanson has written to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, calling on all members not to run interference in tomorrow’s health data scandal hearing. Mr Hanson said in earlier Estimates hearings on the scandal, Labor and Greens members denied Canberrans the answers they deserve by filibustering to protect Katy Gallagher.

“The Canberra Liberals are the only party which is committed to getting to the bottom of this health scandal, which saw almost 12,000 Emergency Department records falsified,” Mr Hanson said.

“In earlier Estimates hearings on the scandal, Labor and Greens Estimates Committee members ran interference to protect Katy Gallagher, going completely against the democratic basis of Committee hearings.

I can’t recall a parliamentarian lecturing a parliamentary committee on how to conduct its affairs, let alone doing it via media release.

In reply Committee member John Hargreaves has had a whack:

“The press release issued yesterday by Mr Hanson, under orders from Mr Seselja, was just another attempt by an arrogant Opposition to intimidate and bully members of the Public Accounts committee, said Mr Hargreaves

“At recent Estimate hearings, Liberal committee members Coe and Smyth, abdicated their responsibilities by allowing Mr Seselja, and especially Mr Hanson, to harass and talk over witnesses. As for a fair go, they monopolised over 60% of question time during a recent public hearing, continued Mr Hargreaves.

“As a committee member, I would call on Mr Hanson to behave like a gentleman and not attack and intimidate witnesses, said Mr Hargreaves

“I would remind Mr Hanson of Standing Order 235, that his appearance at today’s public hearing is by leave of the Committee, and that leave can be withdrawn if his behaviour again becomes intolerable”

Today would be fun if the webstream was made properly accessible. (ie usable for purposes of satire and ridicule)

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HiddenDragon12:48 pm 20 Jul 12

To add to my earlier comments, I believe there are serious issues of executive and administrative competence and accountability involved in this matter, and it would be a great shame if those issues got lost, and the story – in the eyes of many Canberrans – became something along the lines of “nasty, power-hungry men yell at nice lady”. That is why I think the Liberals need to take a logical, measured approach in pursuing this matter, and also need to follow-up with a positive alternative.

colourful sydney racing identity9:53 am 20 Jul 12

KimBelco said :

Gee SnapperJack, I’ll be anyKim you want me to be – Kim Sattler, Kim Jong-Un, Kim Jong-Il, Kim dotcom, Kim Bassenger or Kim Kardashian. You just name it.

Can you be Kim Hughes?

It is incredible to me that we can have a senior public servant earning more money than any of us will ever see commit multiple cases of systemic fraud and the opposition whose responsibility it is to make the government accountable are the ones in the firing line for doing their job. I’m no particular fan of the liberal party but I am astounded that they are being criticised for raking people over the coals for the data doctoring scandal. In other jurisdictions the public servant would have been immediately sacked and the Minister would be for the high jump. We happen to live in bizzaroland where scrutiny is wrong, taking responsibility is unheard of and heaven help you if you happen to ask a difficult question to a female during committee hearings.

devils_advocate9:21 am 20 Jul 12

KimBelco said :

Gee SnapperJack, I’ll be anyKim you want me to be – Kim Sattler, Kim Jong-Un, Kim Jong-Il, Kim dotcom, Kim Bassenger or Kim Kardashian. You just name it.

Responsiveness: Exceeds expections.
Apolitical service: Requires development.

Gee SnapperJack, I’ll be anyKim you want me to be – Kim Sattler, Kim Jong-Un, Kim Jong-Il, Kim dotcom, Kim Bassenger or Kim Kardashian. You just name it.

I’m going to miss Jono …….

PantsMan said :

Flippant said :

KimBelco said :

Jeremy “head kicker” Hanson, your type of politics has no place in the ACT.You are a bully and have no respect for the legislature or its processes. Your recent behaviour in the estimates hearing was pure sewer politics and is a new low in ACT politics – http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2009/comms/estimates50.pdf. It shows just how unprofessional your side of politics is. Of course, the Canberra Liberals have no policy detail or vision as your tired, neglected website shows. Goddammit, it hasn’t been updated since the last election in 2008. Jeremy, you are pathetic, just a wannabe politician from a party who will always be irrelevant in the ACT.

Kim this is an absolute disgrace, yet again we see ACT public servants forgetting their position exists to service this community and instead commit fraud fudging emergency records and servicing their own interests. The Canberra Liberals are at least displaying a level of outrage that more Canberrans should be feeling and that I certainly feel.

11 years of one government it is time for change but when the largest industry in this town some 19,000 fear that change and form a considerable vote for the present what hope does the ACT have for that change?

Jeremy fire away these insidious ‘servants’ must be held to task and the Government leading them must take responsibility. After all who is leading who?

Is Kim an ACT Govt pube?

Is it the infamous Kim Sattler? Has she left Unions ACT and now selling astroturf?

ToastFliesRED4:45 pm 19 Jul 12

can we handle the truth? hmmm let me see, I guess the answer is “only if we want to”. there is another thread on riotact which asks the Libs to have a Minister for Health only dedicated to heatlh, so this is the same model as in the late 1990’s where the Liberal party Chief Minister was not only that but Minister for Health and treasurer?

Labor is no better given their antics in opposition at the time, so guess what people???? we have to deal with politics and politicians, seemingly all of whom have the propensity to bend the truth and forget history when it is to their advantage. there is much discussion here every now and then about oxygen theives and to me politicians are the worst of all, not only as they are still breathing but they have much more supposed influence over the general media reading populace than the thankfully occasional Mully or whatever.

the question is not whether you can handle the truth but if the truth ever comes out will any of us be able to actually recognise it

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd4:11 pm 19 Jul 12

I think Hanson is the only liberal in the entire country I like.
He gets to the point.
He also knocked on my door once and was very pleasant to talk to. He then talked to e again at Coleman court and I told him I’m sorry but until zed is gone I’m not really interested in anything you have to say. He took note on my grievances and said good day.

KimBelco said :

Flippant said :

Kim this is an absolute disgrace, yet again we see ACT public servants forgetting their position exists to service this community and instead commit fraud fudging emergency records and servicing their own interests. The Canberra Liberals are at least displaying a level of outrage that more Canberrans should be feeling and that I certainly feel.

Jeremy fire away these insidious ‘servants’ must be held to task and the Government leading them must take responsibility. After all who is leading who?

I particularly like page 62 of the transcript where Jeremy “headkicker” Hansen, after all his insinuations and confected outrage, is forced to admit that he had previously written a letter to Katy Gallagher’s sister acknowleging her exemplary skills as a nurse at the Canberra Hospital. When questioned about this little omission, he became quite defensive and confused.Poor Jeremy, he is a little out of his depth as Shadow Health Minister and has a habit of getting confused. Jeremy Hanson and Brendan Smyth take great pleasure in trashing the ACT health system but the nurses, doctors and other professionals who work in the system are hard working, dedicated and caring.

What have we had from the Canberra Liberal party Flippant? Just in the last year we have had an investigation into the Canberra Liberal’s taking advantage of a loophole and the theft of $10,000 of government charity money allocated to Canberra’s most needy which resulted in them reluctantly repaying the money, An investigation into the misuse of taxpayer’s money into the administration of the Liberal party’s office which resulted in findings of administrative incompetence in Zed Seselja’s office, an investigation into the misuse of taxpayer’s money into the photocopying of Liberal party invitations resulting in the Zed Seselja reluctantly apologising to ACT taxpayers and just recently, Vicki Dunne and Alistair Coe forced to pay back taxpayer’s money following an investigation into the misuse of public funds to print election pamphlets. What next.

Kim… 12,000 Emergency Department records falsified is this acceptable?

Flippant said :

Kim this is an absolute disgrace, yet again we see ACT public servants forgetting their position exists to service this community and instead commit fraud fudging emergency records and servicing their own interests. The Canberra Liberals are at least displaying a level of outrage that more Canberrans should be feeling and that I certainly feel.

Jeremy fire away these insidious ‘servants’ must be held to task and the Government leading them must take responsibility. After all who is leading who?

I particularly like page 62 of the transcript where Jeremy “headkicker” Hansen, after all his insinuations and confected outrage, is forced to admit that he had previously written a letter to Katy Gallagher’s sister acknowleging her exemplary skills as a nurse at the Canberra Hospital. When questioned about this little omission, he became quite defensive and confused.Poor Jeremy, he is a little out of his depth as Shadow Health Minister and has a habit of getting confused. Jeremy Hanson and Brendan Smyth take great pleasure in trashing the ACT health system but the nurses, doctors and other professionals who work in the system are hard working, dedicated and caring.

What have we had from the Canberra Liberal party Flippant? Just in the last year we have had an investigation into the Canberra Liberal’s taking advantage of a loophole and the theft of $10,000 of government charity money allocated to Canberra’s most needy which resulted in them reluctantly repaying the money, An investigation into the misuse of taxpayer’s money into the administration of the Liberal party’s office which resulted in findings of administrative incompetence in Zed Seselja’s office, an investigation into the misuse of taxpayer’s money into the photocopying of Liberal party invitations resulting in the Zed Seselja reluctantly apologising to ACT taxpayers and just recently, Vicki Dunne and Alistair Coe forced to pay back taxpayer’s money following an investigation into the misuse of public funds to print election pamphlets. What next.

Tetranitrate3:32 pm 19 Jul 12

PM said :

PantsMan said :

Flippant said :

KimBelco said :

Jeremy “head kicker” Hanson, your type of politics has no place in the ACT.You are a bully and have no respect for the legislature or its processes. Your recent behaviour in the estimates hearing was pure sewer politics and is a new low in ACT politics – http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2009/comms/estimates50.pdf. It shows just how unprofessional your side of politics is. Of course, the Canberra Liberals have no policy detail or vision as your tired, neglected website shows. Goddammit, it hasn’t been updated since the last election in 2008. Jeremy, you are pathetic, just a wannabe politician from a party who will always be irrelevant in the ACT.

Kim this is an absolute disgrace, yet again we see ACT public servants forgetting their position exists to service this community and instead commit fraud fudging emergency records and servicing their own interests. The Canberra Liberals are at least displaying a level of outrage that more Canberrans should be feeling and that I certainly feel.

11 years of one government it is time for change but when the largest industry in this town some 19,000 fear that change and form a considerable vote for the present what hope does the ACT have for that change?

Jeremy fire away these insidious ‘servants’ must be held to task and the Government leading them must take responsibility. After all who is leading who?

Is Kim an ACT Govt pube?

Sounds like a pube.

If it quacks like a duck…

neanderthalsis3:20 pm 19 Jul 12

PantsMan said :

Flippant said :

KimBelco said :

Is Kim an ACT Govt pube?

I was looking for the “Written and (possibly) authorised by the ACT labor Party, Canberra.” under the diatribe.

Only the most blinkered Labor member would not see the grubby hands of the Minister at the time all over this.

PantsMan said :

Flippant said :

KimBelco said :

Jeremy “head kicker” Hanson, your type of politics has no place in the ACT.You are a bully and have no respect for the legislature or its processes. Your recent behaviour in the estimates hearing was pure sewer politics and is a new low in ACT politics – http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2009/comms/estimates50.pdf. It shows just how unprofessional your side of politics is. Of course, the Canberra Liberals have no policy detail or vision as your tired, neglected website shows. Goddammit, it hasn’t been updated since the last election in 2008. Jeremy, you are pathetic, just a wannabe politician from a party who will always be irrelevant in the ACT.

Kim this is an absolute disgrace, yet again we see ACT public servants forgetting their position exists to service this community and instead commit fraud fudging emergency records and servicing their own interests. The Canberra Liberals are at least displaying a level of outrage that more Canberrans should be feeling and that I certainly feel.

11 years of one government it is time for change but when the largest industry in this town some 19,000 fear that change and form a considerable vote for the present what hope does the ACT have for that change?

Jeremy fire away these insidious ‘servants’ must be held to task and the Government leading them must take responsibility. After all who is leading who?

Is Kim an ACT Govt pube?

Sounds like a pube.

Flippant said :

KimBelco said :

Jeremy “head kicker” Hanson, your type of politics has no place in the ACT.You are a bully and have no respect for the legislature or its processes. Your recent behaviour in the estimates hearing was pure sewer politics and is a new low in ACT politics – http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2009/comms/estimates50.pdf. It shows just how unprofessional your side of politics is. Of course, the Canberra Liberals have no policy detail or vision as your tired, neglected website shows. Goddammit, it hasn’t been updated since the last election in 2008. Jeremy, you are pathetic, just a wannabe politician from a party who will always be irrelevant in the ACT.

Kim this is an absolute disgrace, yet again we see ACT public servants forgetting their position exists to service this community and instead commit fraud fudging emergency records and servicing their own interests. The Canberra Liberals are at least displaying a level of outrage that more Canberrans should be feeling and that I certainly feel.

11 years of one government it is time for change but when the largest industry in this town some 19,000 fear that change and form a considerable vote for the present what hope does the ACT have for that change?

Jeremy fire away these insidious ‘servants’ must be held to task and the Government leading them must take responsibility. After all who is leading who?

Is Kim an ACT Govt pube?

KimBelco said :

Jeremy “head kicker” Hanson, your type of politics has no place in the ACT.You are a bully and have no respect for the legislature or its processes. Your recent behaviour in the estimates hearing was pure sewer politics and is a new low in ACT politics – http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2009/comms/estimates50.pdf. It shows just how unprofessional your side of politics is. Of course, the Canberra Liberals have no policy detail or vision as your tired, neglected website shows. Goddammit, it hasn’t been updated since the last election in 2008. Jeremy, you are pathetic, just a wannabe politician from a party who will always be irrelevant in the ACT.

Kim this is an absolute disgrace, yet again we see ACT public servants forgetting their position exists to service this community and instead commit fraud fudging emergency records and servicing their own interests. The Canberra Liberals are at least displaying a level of outrage that more Canberrans should be feeling and that I certainly feel.

11 years of one government it is time for change but when the largest industry in this town some 19,000 fear that change and form a considerable vote for the present what hope does the ACT have for that change?

Jeremy fire away these insidious ‘servants’ must be held to task and the Government leading them must take responsibility. After all who is leading who?

colourful sydney racing identity2:09 pm 19 Jul 12

Hargreaves calls on Hanson to be a Gentleman

You couldn’t make that up.

Next thing he will be lecturing him on the dangers of drink driving 🙂

KimBelco said :

Jeremy “head kicker” Hanson, your type of politics has no place in the ACT.You are a bully and have no respect for the legislature or its processes. Your recent behaviour in the estimates hearing was pure sewer politics and is a new low in ACT politics – http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2009/comms/estimates50.pdf. It shows just how unprofessional your side of politics is. Of course, the Canberra Liberals have no policy detail or vision as your tired, neglected website shows. Goddammit, it hasn’t been updated since the last election in 2008. Jeremy, you are pathetic, just a wannabe politician from a party who will always be irrelevant in the ACT.

Thanks for the link – makes the govt look right corrupt.

Honestly, any other Australian jurisdiction (in this current age) would have seen Katy resign by now. This is Joh’s Queensland stuff here.

Jeremy “head kicker” Hanson, your type of politics has no place in the ACT.You are a bully and have no respect for the legislature or its processes. Your recent behaviour in the estimates hearing was pure sewer politics and is a new low in ACT politics – http://www.hansard.act.gov.au/hansard/2009/comms/estimates50.pdf. It shows just how unprofessional your side of politics is. Of course, the Canberra Liberals have no policy detail or vision as your tired, neglected website shows. Goddammit, it hasn’t been updated since the last election in 2008. Jeremy, you are pathetic, just a wannabe politician from a party who will always be irrelevant in the ACT.

HiddenDragon1:18 pm 19 Jul 12

The desire of the Liberals to keep this issue alive is understandable, but at this stage of the game, they should be saying more about what they will do differently, and how that might improve things. A start might be a commitment to have a Minister for Health who has no other ministerial responsibilities, and who would be advised and assisted by high-calibre staffers who have real knowledge and experience of the issues. Given that Health consumes a large and growing chunk of the ACT Budget, which is putting increasing pressure on the bottom line, there may be real benefit in having a Minister who is allowed the opportunity truly to come to grips with this challenging portfolio. An important part of a new Minister’s brief should be relations with the Commonwealth and NSW Governments in this field.

While Mr Hargreaves may not be the best-placed member of the Assembly to lecture others about seemly behaviour and the avoidance of arrogance, in this instance the Liberals would do well to heed the essence of what he says and not overplay their hand.

Looks like “I Live in Macgregor” is doing an excellent job of parodying himself 🙂

I live in Macgregor10:46 am 19 Jul 12

Nice post Johnboy. Web stream might not be properly accessible “for the purposes of satire and ridicule” but if you follow @noeltowell on twitter, it looks like Messrs Hanson & Smythe are doing a pretty good job of parodying the stereotypical ACT Liberal tactics of 1) looking for the worst possible story about a Canberra service or facility and then 2) blaming public servants and ACT Labor (and their relatives and/or acquaintances) for the exaggerated negativity & Canberra-bashing in ACT Liberal statements.

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