24 December 2006

SMH lays the boot into the Comrade

| johnboy
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Sometimes when confronted by the insane one starts to doubt one’s own judgement.

So it was reassuring to see (thanks to Thumper) that the SMH has run two editorials, one by Miranda Devine and the other one by Michael Duffy expressing similar opinions of Mr. Stanhope’s continued tenure as Chief Minister of the ACT despite the coronial findings against him.

In future, should a magistrate make findings against you, we advise you learn from Our Brave Leader’s example and simply declare the findings to be wrong. See how far you go without an army of taxpayer funded lawyers and media campaigns to back you up.

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Our beloved leader just can’t stand being criticised. He didn’t like the Auditor-General’s report on Rhodium (in which Tu Pham had a bit of a go at the two shareholders – Stanhope and Gallagher). Stanhope subsequently lashed out at the Auditor-General for having the temerity to criticise him. Stanhope also didn’t like Coroner Doogan’s report. Again, he saw major flaws in this more recent attempt to hold him or his government accountable. Our Chief Minister is very thin skinned. He is keeping the Liberals “competitive” (well almost!) through his arrogance.

OK, friend of a friend type deal, but after the fires I was told that a helicopter was over the site of the McIntyres Hut fire soon after ignition. He apparently radiod back that it was about the size of a house, did they want him to put it out? No, came the answer, its 4.30(pm), we’ll get it in the morning.

A fatal decision!

Devine writes populist, simplistic crap. When I find myself agreeing with her, it’s a wake-up call that there’s more to the story.

Was Stanhope really responsible? I keep seeing another man who dropped the ball big-time. If a goof like me could predict what would happen 2 weeks out from it, why was he still vacillating the very morning it struck?

Barking, I think we’re talking about two different things. I’m talking about the real politics of getting Stanhope removed from his job before the next election – which is that the people in his party will be scared for their jobs. Otherwise, he ain’t going anywhere. It’s the reality of majority government.

You’re talking about … well, I don’t know what you’re talking about, apart from that you believe Miranda is the hotness. Which suggests your new years resolution might be “I will pay a visit to the optometrist”.

Thanks for your comment Cameron. I did say in my original post that Maria Doogan was unable to examine the detail of the McIntyres Hut fire. I have been involved in helping Wayne West run a separate case in the Magistrates Court on that particular issue. Koperburg’s lawyers tried to get that case joined with the ACT Class action. We were able to stop that happening as it would have resulted in uneccessary complications. Koperberg’s defence was finally presented, as ordered by the Court, on 15 December. Much of the action is based on the “suggestion” that the McIntyres Hut fire was inaccessible to the firefighters which is plain rubbish. I am informed that Wayne and other volunteer firefighters drove up and around the fire on those early days.

barking toad10:00 pm 24 Dec 06

…”when you’re defending your argument with…..”

etc

What the fuck are you on about? What argument?

Again I say, don’t fret about the messenger because he/she doesn’t suit your political persuasion. Listen to what’s being said.

You get some cred by saying that nohope “should would walk over this one” but then you you fuck up by suggesting your main concern is that “he’s seriously threatening a few of the more marginal candidates retaining their jobs”.

That’s the critical issue isn’t it. Cover thy arse and don’t do anything that may cost a seat.

Anyway, have a Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

And make a New Year resolution :

“I will stop making silly comments on RA – and Miranda is so tEh hOtnEsS”

Barking, I’ve been here for yonks, and I’m not a stanhope acolyte. Personally, I think Stanhope should walk over this one, and if he doesn’t, the other Labour members of the assembly should be looking at mechanisms to replace him. Because he’s seriously threatening a few of the more marginal candidates retaining their jobs.

I’d strongly doubt that either labour or liberal would be returning a majority government next term – which could mean that we get some very interesting types holding the balance of power next time around.

However, when you’re defending your argument with “well, Miranda Devine believes the same as me”, you’re not picking your backup from the best and the brightest…

Agree with simbo, seepi et al – MD is not a high calibre journo (personally I think she is a histrionic weirdo). And Mr Duffy has a blatant right-wing agenda. So we could expect their combined opinions to be scathing.
I think the Chief Minister and his team of clodhoppers should be more concerned about those (like me) that voted him in, who (like me) will now vote him out.

barking toad5:48 pm 24 Dec 06

Don’t be soft booma and just attack the messenger.

The message is clear. Regardless of your opinion of the postman.

Gee, Miranda Devine, now there’s an authoritative source (not)

Teddy Bear – the Coroner couldn’t deal with many aspects of the fire before it crossed into the ACT’s borders as it was outside of her jurisdiction. It didn’t become ‘relevant’ to the report until it was in the ACT.

barking toad12:24 pm 24 Dec 06

Don’t know what your point is simbo but you sound like a nohope acolyte.

And seepi, the time duration since his inept handling of an emergency doesn’t absolve him of responsibility. His efforts to stop/delay the enquiry and subsequent report warrant his resignation in any case.

The report just demonstrates that party hacks who’ve had their snouts in the political trough from the time they step out of university with an arts/law degree can’t handle a real job and will usually be found wanting when faced with the reality of community leadership. Contrast the inaction of the mayor with proper leadership shown in preparing Tharwa village for the emergency.

this is also a very slow news time. They have seized on a newsworthy story and blown it up a bit in importance.

If you really think he should resign then the slowness of the process is a bit of a worry. The fires are almost 4 years ago now.

I’ll just point out, JB, that saying “oh, I must be okay becuase Miranda Devine agrees with me” isn’t the most sensible of ploys…

I congratulate subscribers for many interesting comments in the various sections on this site on the Stanhope Govt’s response to the Coroner. Would like to comment on some of them. A deficiency of the inquest is that Maria was not able to go into the detail of the Macintyres Hut fire. If it had been put out or controlled on the 8th January then we would probably not have had the firestorm. Talking to various firies in the area seems to reveal that the fire could have been put out at that point. The Wayne West case against Koperburg may reveal background to this. A similar situation occured at Tumut where the fire was first noticed at around 8.15 am but the first firefighting units didn’t arrive until 12.30pm. Then there were delays until a fire-management plan was received. Communications systems, Section 44 issues (what size a fire needs to be before various resources are thrown at it Commonwealth rather than State cost) and delivery of fire management plans are always going to cause us problems until the bureaucratic issues are solved. As for taking notes of meetings, I have been in many intensely busy areas and disputes and always took notes, if not at the time then shortly afterward. I did the same for a week after I lost my home and possessions in the fires and still have those notes. There is no excuse for not taking notes in a emergency services situation. As for memory loss, this is a typical lawyers ploy. The memory loss occurred in the early stages of the inquiry, not more recently as one subscriber suggested.

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