13 July 2016

Royal Commission or ICAC

| John Hargreaves
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ICAC

I was thinking about the Royal Commission into the construction unions recently and the current call for a Royal Commission into the banks and a couple of things struck me as relevant.

Firstly, the Heydon Commission was a political animal designed to go after a particular union. Fess up, guys, you know that’s the truth. Sure some issues were exposed and rightly so. But some poor quality assertions have been made, some botched investigations have been made and all in all, it has been a monumental waste of money. The same investigations could have been made by the Crime Commission or a joint activity between the AFP and State and Territory Police Forces who already have the powers to charge for offences.

Secondly, the call for a Royal Commission into the banks is too narrow. Sure banks are colluding and gouging. Sure banks have had their share of scandals recently. But insurance companies are in the frame also. So are health funds. Where is the Royal Commission into those businesses?

ASIC is portrayed by the conservatives as having enough power to prosecute, to require witnesses to incriminate themselves, to delve deeply into the entrails of business to address corruption and malpractice. Well, if it has the powers, why haven’t they been used to date? The elimination of $120 million may have had a bit to do with that and now Mr Morrison is going to give it back to them!

ASIC has had the powers since forever and before the removal of the money so why, again, haven’t they moved on corrupt business practices? Where is ASIC in the Palmer nickel mine affair? MIA.

Some people have called for a federal ICAC. There may be some merit in this as it would broaden the scope of attack on corruption across all sectors, business, governance and unions. Let’s see how this plays out.

For an ACT perspective, the suggestion of having an ICAC isn’t new. I refer readers to a report from the ACT Legislative Assembly Standing Committee on Justice and Community Safety into a proposed bill for a Commission for Integrity in Government, moved by the late Trevor Kaine in 1999.

That Committee, of which I was Deputy Chair, looked into the bill and conducted an inquiry which included discussions with a range of agencies with this type of policing powers. These included the Ombudsman, the Auditor-General, the NSW ICAC and the NSW Parliamentary Committee on ICAC.

The inquiry was essentially about integrity in governance in the ACT, but it had its genesis in a suggestion from Mr Kaine that we have an ICAC here. I can recall discussing the matter with him and we agreed that our jurisdiction was too small for such an agency, that corruption was not rife here, present but not rife. Nonetheless he wanted the inquiry into government practices to ensure that we had protection against corruption over government contracts. And so the inquiry was limited to this aspect.

We received advice that an ICAC was unnecessary, the powers of the Auditor-General and Ombudsman should be strengthened and the police should be more pro-active. Essentially, that the protections were there but we were not using them effectively enough.

I’m not sure that we do have the protections against corruption in business so maybe a Royal Commission into the business sector generally, like the one into the unions, across the country would be a good idea. Or maybe a federal ICAC. But having a federal ICAC is fraught with legislative dangers. The Constitution is one of them. The section on free trade between the states often limits jurisdiction for federal intervention.

More conjugation is needed perhaps.

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Tenpoints said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

I hate the Libs, I’m a progressive. I also hate Labor’s entanglement with the pokies.

No one hates like a leftie.

What a load of tosh! Both sides can be ludicrously over the top, but the right is the one that nearly always ultimately turns to violence, because it needs to as a minority trying to control the majority.

My experience as Election Booth Captain was everybody could talk to everyone else, even joke except for the two Liberals, who were afraid that someone might make them do something unnatural, like actually think for once instead of spout sound bites.

…like “No one hates like a leftie”. 😀

Haha. You gotta be kidding, right? On this site, you are the last one I would trust for character references 🙂

TracyS said :

Evil_Kitten said :

Disagree. It is all about being in the tent, being on the playing field and being involved. It is also about putting yourself up for criticism or praise. It is all about not being afraid to do the things you must do.

I agree that it is a brave move to put yourself in the public eye like this.
We have had some notably brave people who have made a big difference
– Bob Brown stands out as one of the bext hgere
– Pauline Hanson was extremely disruptive to the corrupt Lib/Lab political duopoly.
– Penny Wong is doing a great job, attempting to inject some actual intelligence into Australian politics.
– Nick Xenophon and Tony Windsor have similarly done a great job, each in their own way, at trying to bring the government of this country into line with what this country actually needs and wants.

Evil_Kitten said :

The sad part of politics today in the ACT, is that the Assembly is pilloried instead of respected and successful people are reluctant to bring their talents into that arena.

There would be a couple of reasons for this, but they all flow from the fact that Canberrans do not need party-based shenanigans, party-favourite parachutees, and the pointless and expensive and completely unnecessary Westminster-system setup for the Assembly, which was setup that way in order to benefit the politically-corrupt Lib/Lab duopoly.

If we had 18 Tony Windsors and a ban on “political staffers” and other such waste, we’d have a local government capable of concentrating on delivering services without the party-based theatre we currently have.

Yes, Tony Windsor has done very well (for Tony Windsor).

Evil_Kitten said :

Disagree. It is all about being in the tent, being on the playing field and being involved. It is also about putting yourself up for criticism or praise. It is all about not being afraid to do the things you must do.

I agree that it is a brave move to put yourself in the public eye like this.
We have had some notably brave people who have made a big difference
– Bob Brown stands out as one of the bext hgere
– Pauline Hanson was extremely disruptive to the corrupt Lib/Lab political duopoly.
– Penny Wong is doing a great job, attempting to inject some actual intelligence into Australian politics.
– Nick Xenophon and Tony Windsor have similarly done a great job, each in their own way, at trying to bring the government of this country into line with what this country actually needs and wants.

Evil_Kitten said :

The sad part of politics today in the ACT, is that the Assembly is pilloried instead of respected and successful people are reluctant to bring their talents into that arena.

There would be a couple of reasons for this, but they all flow from the fact that Canberrans do not need party-based shenanigans, party-favourite parachutees, and the pointless and expensive and completely unnecessary Westminster-system setup for the Assembly, which was setup that way in order to benefit the politically-corrupt Lib/Lab duopoly.

If we had 18 Tony Windsors and a ban on “political staffers” and other such waste, we’d have a local government capable of concentrating on delivering services without the party-based theatre we currently have.

John Hargreaves10:48 am 04 May 16

buzz819 said :

dungfungus said :

Just for the record, I was for 22 years a Right wing hard man, than I left the faction and became a sweetheart…

I like how people say this sort of thing as if it enhanced their credibility.

What it really means is that at least one of your political outlooks was/is poorly thought-out.
(At least one, that is…)

Disagree. It is all about being in the tent, being on the playing field and being involved. It is also about putting yourself up for criticism or praise. It is all about not being afraid to do the things you must do.

The sad part of politics today in the ACT, is that the Assembly is pilloried instead of respected and successful people are reluctant to bring their talents into that arena.

For the record, I was at the end of a public service career of nearly 30 years and brought some experience in public sector management into that place. Stanhope brought law expertise and Quinlan brought financial expertise.

Across the Chamber now and you will see Steve Doszpot bring a wealth of experience in media and community (mainly sport) expertise, Hanson has Army experience of some years. Dat’s all folks!

John Hargreaves10:43 am 04 May 16

rommeldog56 said :

If only the Liberals were in power:

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/ethanol-in-fuel-laws-linked-to-substantial-manildra-donations/7368734

I checked the link. Thank you. So… from 2010, .. federally, the Coalition got $1,188.000, Labor $536,000 and in NSW, the Coalition got $153,000 and Labor got $1123,000.

Well now, how about that?

Maya123 said :

Happy to answer two charges; they being that no one hates like a leftie and the one about conflict of interest.

I have experienced hatred from the conservative right based on personal attack of the most vile. I have also being the subject of vicious vituperation from my own, but let me refer you to the recent iterations of the NSW Liberal Party – they are eating their own young.

The bile coming from the Liberal factions in NSW is rather nasty so don’t anyone pontificate tome about the NSW Labor Right as being the most horrid of all political entities. Not nice folks but they’re not alone out there.

The Libs are not the angelic lot that some would l like to believe. The assassination of Gary Humphries, from the reports of my mates inside the tent, was dreadful in its violence.

As for the conflict of interest, there is no conflict of interest at all. The pokies provide a community chest to the overall community and contribute to sporting activities, elderly support groups, and political discourse.

The Libs and Greens both accept donations from the Club industry. But they don’t have it as transparent as the Labor Party.

Further, the Labor Club is owned by its members not the ALP. The law requires this. The benefits flow to the members of the Labor Club Group. Donations to the ALP are transparent and disclosed to members in the AGM Annual Report in addition to disclosure under the Electoral Act, unlike the real estate revenue from the Libs..

Also, what part of The “Labor” Club don’t you get?

I am a member of the following clubs around town: The Southern Cross Club, the Hellenic Club, the Labor Club, the Burns Club, Eastlake Football Club, the Irish Club, the Weston (formerly Royals) Club and the Vikings Club.

As a member of these clubs I use their amenities, funded in large part by the poker machine revenue.

Come on Matt, tell us the clubs you belong to. Tell us if you use the clubs for entertainment off the back of so called problem gamblers.

Finally, it is the Labor Government here in town which is reducing the number of machines, has removed smoking from inside the premises, introduced note size limitations, has introduced levies for problem gambler support, mandated training for bar and machine staff in detecting and dealing with patrons with issues.

Share with us your membership and your side’s record on this issue…

As I have said, I’m not against the clubs. I don’t want to ban pokies although I welcome a reduction in numbers, but it’s a bloody curious situation when the casino isn’t allowed to have any, isn’t it?

If you must know, and you don’t because it’s irrelevant, I’m a member of several clubs (Raiders, Magpies, Canberra Club, the RUC, Southern Cross, Irish Club, etc.) and your response, filled with vitriol, has done nothing to remove the perception of corruption from the arrangement between the ALP Government and the Labor Clubs.

I also frequent many non-club venues, too, and I think it is a huge conflict for pokies money to be spent on club renovations as a “community” spend.

dungfungus said :

Just for the record, I was for 22 years a Right wing hard man, than I left the faction and became a sweetheart…

I like how people say this sort of thing as if it enhanced their credibility.

What it really means is that at least one of your political outlooks was/is poorly thought-out.
(At least one, that is…)

John Hargreaves5:45 pm 02 May 16

A_Cog said :

rommeldog56 said :

Mordd said :

I doubt nilrem is actually a progressive. It’s very easy to hide behind a pseudonym on the internet and pretend to be something.

Hi Maria. Since the first 2 post I have seen from you are about people not using their real names here, I’ll bite.

– Canberra is a small town. Given some of the vitriol I have seen expressed on RiotACT over the years, I can understand people wishing to remain anonymous.
– In Canberra, many people work in jobs where their personal opinions are often suppressed for professional reasons. RiotACT is an outlet for these opinions
– If people used real names, what would stop people impersonating others, or misquoting them, using their comments against them IRL, quoting them out of context etc?

Sure, anonymity encourages people to say things they wouldn’t say publicly. Or to say things which aren’t true, or are only one side of the story.

That’s what makes it interesting.

Well expressed Justin (or whatever your real name is).

Thanks Justin for being honest

John Hargreaves5:43 pm 02 May 16

dungfungus said :

Maya123 said :

Happy to answer two charges; they being that no one hates like a leftie and the one about conflict of interest.

I have experienced hatred from the conservative right based on personal attack of the most vile. I have also being the subject of vicious vituperation from my own, but let me refer you to the recent iterations of the NSW Liberal Party – they are eating their own young.

The bile coming from the Liberal factions in NSW is rather nasty so don’t anyone pontificate tome about the NSW Labor Right as being the most horrid of all political entities. Not nice folks but they’re not alone out there.

The Libs are not the angelic lot that some would l like to believe. The assassination of Gary Humphries, from the reports of my mates inside the tent, was dreadful in its violence.

As for the conflict of interest, there is no conflict of interest at all. The pokies provide a community chest to the overall community and contribute to sporting activities, elderly support groups, and political discourse.

The Libs and Greens both accept donations from the Club industry. But they don’t have it as transparent as the Labor Party.

Further, the Labor Club is owned by its members not the ALP. The law requires this. The benefits flow to the members of the Labor Club Group. Donations to the ALP are transparent and disclosed to members in the AGM Annual Report in addition to disclosure under the Electoral Act, unlike the real estate revenue from the Libs..

Also, what part of The “Labor” Club don’t you get?

I am a member of the following clubs around town: The Southern Cross Club, the Hellenic Club, the Labor Club, the Burns Club, Eastlake Football Club, the Irish Club, the Weston (formerly Royals) Club and the Vikings Club.

As a member of these clubs I use their amenities, funded in large part by the poker machine revenue.

Come on Matt, tell us the clubs you belong to. Tell us if you use the clubs for entertainment off the back of so called problem gamblers.

Finally, it is the Labor Government here in town which is reducing the number of machines, has removed smoking from inside the premises, introduced note size limitations, has introduced levies for problem gambler support, mandated training for bar and machine staff in detecting and dealing with patrons with issues.

Share with us your membership and your side’s record on this issue…

Just to set the record straight John, I referred my comment about the hate of a leftie to Nilrem.
I wouldn’t think you are a leftie; more a softie.
Nilrem has since declared on another thread that he is also a Green.

Just for the record, I was for 22 years a Right wing hard man, than I left the faction and became a sweetheart…

A_Cog said :

rommeldog56 said :

Mordd said :

I doubt nilrem is actually a progressive. It’s very easy to hide behind a pseudonym on the internet and pretend to be something.

Hi Maria. Since the first 2 post I have seen from you are about people not using their real names here, I’ll bite.

– Canberra is a small town. Given some of the vitriol I have seen expressed on RiotACT over the years, I can understand people wishing to remain anonymous.
– In Canberra, many people work in jobs where their personal opinions are often suppressed for professional reasons. RiotACT is an outlet for these opinions
– If people used real names, what would stop people impersonating others, or misquoting them, using their comments against them IRL, quoting them out of context etc?

Sure, anonymity encourages people to say things they wouldn’t say publicly. Or to say things which aren’t true, or are only one side of the story.

That’s what makes it interesting.

Well expressed Justin (or whatever your real name is).

I’m just curious if Maria is Police Minister Joy Burch’s former chief of staff, Maria Hawthorne – if not then this is a perfect example of why real names can be easily confused as well. If it is one and the same, well it’s a lot easier for someone with an already public profile (ie: the #1 search result in google when searching that name) to use their real name on here in the first place.

rommeldog56 said :

Mordd said :

I doubt nilrem is actually a progressive. It’s very easy to hide behind a pseudonym on the internet and pretend to be something.

Hi Maria. Since the first 2 post I have seen from you are about people not using their real names here, I’ll bite.

– Canberra is a small town. Given some of the vitriol I have seen expressed on RiotACT over the years, I can understand people wishing to remain anonymous.
– In Canberra, many people work in jobs where their personal opinions are often suppressed for professional reasons. RiotACT is an outlet for these opinions
– If people used real names, what would stop people impersonating others, or misquoting them, using their comments against them IRL, quoting them out of context etc?

Sure, anonymity encourages people to say things they wouldn’t say publicly. Or to say things which aren’t true, or are only one side of the story.

That’s what makes it interesting.

Well expressed Justin (or whatever your real name is).

justin heywood12:51 pm 01 May 16

Mordd said :

I doubt nilrem is actually a progressive. It’s very easy to hide behind a pseudonym on the internet and pretend to be something.

Hi Maria. Since the first 2 post I have seen from you are about people not using their real names here, I’ll bite.

– Canberra is a small town. Given some of the vitriol I have seen expressed on RiotACT over the years, I can understand people wishing to remain anonymous.
– In Canberra, many people work in jobs where their personal opinions are often suppressed for professional reasons. RiotACT is an outlet for these opinions
– If people used real names, what would stop people impersonating others, or misquoting them, using their comments against them IRL, quoting them out of context etc?

Sure, anonymity encourages people to say things they wouldn’t say publicly. Or to say things which aren’t true, or are only one side of the story.

That’s what makes it interesting.

dungfungus said :

Maya123 said :

Happy to answer two charges; they being that no one hates like a leftie and the one about conflict of interest.

I have experienced hatred from the conservative right based on personal attack of the most vile. I have also being the subject of vicious vituperation from my own, but let me refer you to the recent iterations of the NSW Liberal Party – they are eating their own young.

The bile coming from the Liberal factions in NSW is rather nasty so don’t anyone pontificate tome about the NSW Labor Right as being the most horrid of all political entities. Not nice folks but they’re not alone out there.

The Libs are not the angelic lot that some would l like to believe. The assassination of Gary Humphries, from the reports of my mates inside the tent, was dreadful in its violence.

As for the conflict of interest, there is no conflict of interest at all. The pokies provide a community chest to the overall community and contribute to sporting activities, elderly support groups, and political discourse.

The Libs and Greens both accept donations from the Club industry. But they don’t have it as transparent as the Labor Party.

Further, the Labor Club is owned by its members not the ALP. The law requires this. The benefits flow to the members of the Labor Club Group. Donations to the ALP are transparent and disclosed to members in the AGM Annual Report in addition to disclosure under the Electoral Act, unlike the real estate revenue from the Libs..

Also, what part of The “Labor” Club don’t you get?

I am a member of the following clubs around town: The Southern Cross Club, the Hellenic Club, the Labor Club, the Burns Club, Eastlake Football Club, the Irish Club, the Weston (formerly Royals) Club and the Vikings Club.

As a member of these clubs I use their amenities, funded in large part by the poker machine revenue.

Come on Matt, tell us the clubs you belong to. Tell us if you use the clubs for entertainment off the back of so called problem gamblers.

Finally, it is the Labor Government here in town which is reducing the number of machines, has removed smoking from inside the premises, introduced note size limitations, has introduced levies for problem gambler support, mandated training for bar and machine staff in detecting and dealing with patrons with issues.

Share with us your membership and your side’s record on this issue…

Just to set the record straight John, I referred my comment about the hate of a leftie to Nilrem.
I wouldn’t think you are a leftie; more a softie.
Nilrem has since declared on another thread that he is also a Green.

Apolgies to Nilrem. It was another leftie I was referring to.

Blen_Carmichael10:24 am 01 May 16

Maya123 said :

I have experienced hatred from the conservative right based on personal attack of the most vile. I have also being the subject of vicious vituperation from my own…

As opposed to non-vicious vituperation?

Maya123 said :

…but let me refer you to the recent iterations of the NSW Liberal Party – they are eating their own young.

And it’s time for the cliches.

Maya123 said :

The assassination of Gary Humphries, from the reports of my mates inside the tent, was dreadful in its violence.

Assassination? “Dreadful in its violence”? What sort of violence are we talking about here, John? Sawing off limbs? Dropping apparatchiks out of aeroplanes? Exiling dissidents to the Simpson Desert?

Maya123 said :

The pokies provide a community chest to the overall community and contribute to sporting activities, elderly support groups, and political discourse.

Goodness me, I never realised. How on earth did we cope with life’s little trials before pokies came on the scene? No sporting activities, no elderly support groups. I can remember my family huddling around a dwindling fire. It was a bitter winter, and our blankets were threadbare and few. “I want political discourse!”, my father would cry. “If only we had recourse to a casino gambling machine.” Spellbound, I asked my father to elaborate. “They would provide a community chest to the overall community and elderly support groups!” I never forgot that day, and the look of hope in his eyes.

Maya123 said :

As for the conflict of interest, there is no conflict of interest at all.

Absolutely, not. No conflict of interest. Zero, zilch.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/senator-nick-xenophon-likens-act-labors-reliance-on-pokies-revenue-to-intravenous-drip-20150607-ghiqj3.html

Maria_Hawthorne6:50 pm 30 Apr 16

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

I hate the Libs, I’m a progressive. I also hate Labor’s entanglement with the pokies.

No one hates like a leftie.

I doubt nilrem is actually a progressive. It’s very easy to hide behind a pseudonym on the internet and pretend to be something.

Maya123 said :

Happy to answer two charges; they being that no one hates like a leftie and the one about conflict of interest.

I have experienced hatred from the conservative right based on personal attack of the most vile. I have also being the subject of vicious vituperation from my own, but let me refer you to the recent iterations of the NSW Liberal Party – they are eating their own young.

The bile coming from the Liberal factions in NSW is rather nasty so don’t anyone pontificate tome about the NSW Labor Right as being the most horrid of all political entities. Not nice folks but they’re not alone out there.

The Libs are not the angelic lot that some would l like to believe. The assassination of Gary Humphries, from the reports of my mates inside the tent, was dreadful in its violence.

As for the conflict of interest, there is no conflict of interest at all. The pokies provide a community chest to the overall community and contribute to sporting activities, elderly support groups, and political discourse.

The Libs and Greens both accept donations from the Club industry. But they don’t have it as transparent as the Labor Party.

Further, the Labor Club is owned by its members not the ALP. The law requires this. The benefits flow to the members of the Labor Club Group. Donations to the ALP are transparent and disclosed to members in the AGM Annual Report in addition to disclosure under the Electoral Act, unlike the real estate revenue from the Libs..

Also, what part of The “Labor” Club don’t you get?

I am a member of the following clubs around town: The Southern Cross Club, the Hellenic Club, the Labor Club, the Burns Club, Eastlake Football Club, the Irish Club, the Weston (formerly Royals) Club and the Vikings Club.

As a member of these clubs I use their amenities, funded in large part by the poker machine revenue.

Come on Matt, tell us the clubs you belong to. Tell us if you use the clubs for entertainment off the back of so called problem gamblers.

Finally, it is the Labor Government here in town which is reducing the number of machines, has removed smoking from inside the premises, introduced note size limitations, has introduced levies for problem gambler support, mandated training for bar and machine staff in detecting and dealing with patrons with issues.

Share with us your membership and your side’s record on this issue…

Just to set the record straight John, I referred my comment about the hate of a leftie to Nilrem.
I wouldn’t think you are a leftie; more a softie.
Nilrem has since declared on another thread that he is also a Green.

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

I hate the Libs, I’m a progressive. I also hate Labor’s entanglement with the pokies.

No one hates like a leftie.

What a load of tosh! Both sides can be ludicrously over the top, but the right is the one that nearly always ultimately turns to violence, because it needs to as a minority trying to control the majority.

My experience as Election Booth Captain was everybody could talk to everyone else, even joke except for the two Liberals, who were afraid that someone might make them do something unnatural, like actually think for once instead of spout sound bites.

…like “No one hates like a leftie”. 😀

justin heywood1:21 pm 30 Apr 16

from Tom McIlroy, Canberra Times, Feb 2015

…. new disclosure reports confirming the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union and the Labor clubs as the biggest sources of party funding.

And here we have yet another post from our most regular ALP stalwart deriding investigations into the CFMEU and obfuscating about the role of pokie money (i.e. Labor Clubs) in Labor’s finances.

No conflict of interest here, no sir.

Maya123 said :

… let me refer you to the recent iterations of the NSW Liberal Party – they are eating their own young.

I present Exhibit B: Julia Gillard v Kevin Rudd.

John Hargreaves12:35 pm 30 Apr 16

Happy to answer two charges; they being that no one hates like a leftie and the one about conflict of interest.

I have experienced hatred from the conservative right based on personal attack of the most vile. I have also being the subject of vicious vituperation from my own, but let me refer you to the recent iterations of the NSW Liberal Party – they are eating their own young.

The bile coming from the Liberal factions in NSW is rather nasty so don’t anyone pontificate tome about the NSW Labor Right as being the most horrid of all political entities. Not nice folks but they’re not alone out there.

The Libs are not the angelic lot that some would l like to believe. The assassination of Gary Humphries, from the reports of my mates inside the tent, was dreadful in its violence.

As for the conflict of interest, there is no conflict of interest at all. The pokies provide a community chest to the overall community and contribute to sporting activities, elderly support groups, and political discourse.

The Libs and Greens both accept donations from the Club industry. But they don’t have it as transparent as the Labor Party.

Further, the Labor Club is owned by its members not the ALP. The law requires this. The benefits flow to the members of the Labor Club Group. Donations to the ALP are transparent and disclosed to members in the AGM Annual Report in addition to disclosure under the Electoral Act, unlike the real estate revenue from the Libs..

Also, what part of The “Labor” Club don’t you get?

I am a member of the following clubs around town: The Southern Cross Club, the Hellenic Club, the Labor Club, the Burns Club, Eastlake Football Club, the Irish Club, the Weston (formerly Royals) Club and the Vikings Club.

As a member of these clubs I use their amenities, funded in large part by the poker machine revenue.

Come on Matt, tell us the clubs you belong to. Tell us if you use the clubs for entertainment off the back of so called problem gamblers.

Finally, it is the Labor Government here in town which is reducing the number of machines, has removed smoking from inside the premises, introduced note size limitations, has introduced levies for problem gambler support, mandated training for bar and machine staff in detecting and dealing with patrons with issues.

Share with us your membership and your side’s record on this issue…

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

I hate the Libs, I’m a progressive. I also hate Labor’s entanglement with the pokies.

No one hates like a leftie.

dungfungus said :

“Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.”

I’ve found that at the Burns Club as well. The pokies lounge is usually deserted but the all-you-can-eat restaurant is always packed.

I would think that ten diehard pokie addicts at the machines is pretty bad, actually!

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

I don’t have a problem with the rest of the club industry. I have a problem with perceived conflicts of interest. Answer the charge.

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

I hate the Libs, I’m a progressive. I also hate Labor’s entanglement with the pokies.

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

How about you address what was said, rather than create your usual straw man arguments. Which part of what Matt said was not true?

dungfungus said :

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

John, i love a Liberal bash as much as the next guy, but to be fair, your party affiliation is well known on this site because of your former position in the assembly. Matt’s is not as well known because he is merely a candidate at the moment. A simple search of his name on the RA site though brings up “Liberal Candidate for Ginninderra …. in the 2012 election” so it’s not exactly as if he’s hiding his party affiliation on here, he just doesn’t post or comment as much recently as you do John. Love having you on here John but you gotta be fair to the other side, i don’t agree with what he says either but I will defend him over being accused of hiding his bias when you don’t have clear evidence of that. Cheers 🙂

John Hargreaves5:11 pm 27 Apr 16

dungfungus said :

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

Typical Liberal response. How about you tell the readers of your political affiliation and they can judge whether you have an individual opinion or just pushing the party line. I reckon the latter.

You ignore the rest of the club industry because it suits you to bash the Labor Clubs to injure the Labor Party. Honesty is usually a good way to go.

John Hargreaves5:08 pm 27 Apr 16

JC said :

gooterz said :

JC said :

gooterz said :

Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.

I was recently sitting in a pokies room (the music elsewhere in the place was awful) and I observed a 30-ish guy who was playing a $1-a-pull pokie machine and he had over 300 credits. He lost them all, and I saw him twice feeding 4 or 5 more $100 notes into the machine. I reckon I saw him put $1,000 into it all up.

Where was that given that the machines in the ACT only take $20 notes?

The Oaks at Neutral Bay.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-26/woman-urinated-on-at-groovin-the-moo-criticises-security/7358072

Don’t go there, it’s an unfriendly drunk-making factory.

Agreed and it is in NSW were the rules are different.

JC said :

gooterz said :

JC said :

gooterz said :

Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.

I was recently sitting in a pokies room (the music elsewhere in the place was awful) and I observed a 30-ish guy who was playing a $1-a-pull pokie machine and he had over 300 credits. He lost them all, and I saw him twice feeding 4 or 5 more $100 notes into the machine. I reckon I saw him put $1,000 into it all up.

Where was that given that the machines in the ACT only take $20 notes?

The Oaks at Neutral Bay.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-26/woman-urinated-on-at-groovin-the-moo-criticises-security/7358072

Don’t go there, it’s an unfriendly drunk-making factory.

Oops, wrong link.
https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/The+Oaks+Hotel/@-33.8327101,151.2173576,17z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0x122cedc0ad227cbe

gooterz said :

JC said :

gooterz said :

Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.

I was recently sitting in a pokies room (the music elsewhere in the place was awful) and I observed a 30-ish guy who was playing a $1-a-pull pokie machine and he had over 300 credits. He lost them all, and I saw him twice feeding 4 or 5 more $100 notes into the machine. I reckon I saw him put $1,000 into it all up.

Where was that given that the machines in the ACT only take $20 notes?

The Oaks at Neutral Bay.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-26/woman-urinated-on-at-groovin-the-moo-criticises-security/7358072

Don’t go there, it’s an unfriendly drunk-making factory.

John Hargreaves10:10 am 27 Apr 16

JC said :

gooterz said :

Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.

I was recently sitting in a pokies room (the music elsewhere in the place was awful) and I observed a 30-ish guy who was playing a $1-a-pull pokie machine and he had over 300 credits. He lost them all, and I saw him twice feeding 4 or 5 more $100 notes into the machine. I reckon I saw him put $1,000 into it all up.

Where was that given that the machines in the ACT only take $20 notes?

gooterz said :

This is an interesting exercise.

Look up the zoning for your neighbourhood. These range from RZ1 single dwelling blocks with some dual occupancy, RZ2 blocks allow multi unit low rise development no apartments, RZ3 is low rise higher density, RZ4 medium density and RZ5 is high density.

Then google map your neighbourhood. You can see the block boundaries in the map view and the aerial photo in satellite view.

Particularly illuminating is if you have RZ1/RZ2 zoning as these are low rise and the plan is self evident.

New RZ1 blocks are restricted to a 65% plot ratio which is the total areas to exterior walls of all levels added up divided by the block area.

Older RZ1 blocks have further restrictions placed on them and a much lower plot ratio of 50%.

Now look at the satellite photo of what are 2 storey houses on older blocks and try and figure out how exactly did they get approval to almost cover the site with building.

It might also be illuminating to see who the builder was and who obtained the planning approval for the buildings.

I haven’t got time for all that so please illuminate me.

This is an interesting exercise.

Look up the zoning for your neighbourhood. These range from RZ1 single dwelling blocks with some dual occupancy, RZ2 blocks allow multi unit low rise development no apartments, RZ3 is low rise higher density, RZ4 medium density and RZ5 is high density.

Then google map your neighbourhood. You can see the block boundaries in the map view and the aerial photo in satellite view.

Particularly illuminating is if you have RZ1/RZ2 zoning as these are low rise and the plan is self evident.

New RZ1 blocks are restricted to a 65% plot ratio which is the total areas to exterior walls of all levels added up divided by the block area.

Older RZ1 blocks have further restrictions placed on them and a much lower plot ratio of 50%.

Now look at the satellite photo of what are 2 storey houses on older blocks and try and figure out how exactly did they get approval to almost cover the site with building.

It might also be illuminating to see who the builder was and who obtained the planning approval for the buildings.

Yeah… Banning pubs from having pokies while clubs are allowed to have them. Banning the casino from having pokies. The Labor Club holding onto the old workers club site until the planning classification of the land between Civic and the ANU had changed, allowing the Labor Club to receive a higher price when they decided to sell. The currently proposed development behind the Belconnen Labor Club. Nothing to see here.

gooterz said :

Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.

I was recently sitting in a pokies room (the music elsewhere in the place was awful) and I observed a 30-ish guy who was playing a $1-a-pull pokie machine and he had over 300 credits. He lost them all, and I saw him twice feeding 4 or 5 more $100 notes into the machine. I reckon I saw him put $1,000 into it all up.

Blen_Carmichael1:03 pm 26 Apr 16

gooterz said :

Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.

And this proves what, please?

“Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.”

I’ve found that at the Burns Club as well. The pokies lounge is usually deserted but the all-you-can-eat restaurant is always packed.

I am someone that would support a federal ICAC being implemented – to me, it is close to lunacy that here is not some sort of anti-graft, anti-corruption agency that has oversight over the whole of the Commonwealth Government, as well as the elected Members of Parliament.

The excuses trotted out by pollies every time someone brings up the option say it all to me – if the pollies have nothing to hide, then surely they have nothing to fear from an ICAC with appropriate powers. But ever getting the agreement to make this happen seems unlikely – perhaps if there was a hung parliament as a result of the upcoming election, and someone that holds the balance of power is willing to put it on the agenda, then it might become a possibility. Outside of that, I just can’t see it ever actually happening.

At the ACT level, you can easily argue that we need a similar body, but like Liability says, in such a small jurisdiction, its going to be exceptionally difficult to successfully operate such a model. That isn’t to say there isn’t a strong need for oversight in some degree – too many things go on in the Territory that appear to me to be more than just a ‘co-incidence’, and one shouldn’t underplay the ability of such an agency to at least strike fear in those pushing the boundaries. But maybe we would be better working with what we have, or if a federal ICAC ever happens, finding a way to leverage off their capabilities.

John Hargreaves9:59 am 26 Apr 16

dungfungus said :

Speaking of ethical issues and protecting people – John, I’m curious to know, what is your position today on ACT Labor making so much money from pokies, given that poker machines target the most socially disadvantaged? You champion the vulnerable and disadvantaged, don’t you, on every front? What was your record as a legislator, on the pokies?

How easy it is to misrepresent the facts. You don’t acknowledge that the Libs receive funds from the Southern Cross and Vikings Clubs, you don’t acknowledge that the Greens accept money from the CFMEU who derive some of their community funds from the Tradies Group.

You don’t acknowledge that the Labor Club Group has anti problem gambling processes in place, unlike the pubs who have none. You don’t acknowledge that it is not the Labor Party who “owns” the Labor Club but rather the membership. The law demands this.

You don’t acknowledge that the Labor Party has only 2000 members (still triple that of the Libs or Greens) but the Labor Club Group has tens of thousands of members, most of whom are not members of the party.

You don’t acknowledge that the Labor Club Group is open about how it applies its funds and is transparent to its membership. You don’t acknowledge what real estate holdings the Libs have and how they have a conflict of interest in the promotion of planning laws.

You don’t acknowledge the attempt by the Labor Party to divest itself of any ongoing dependence on poker machines by the creation of the 73 Foundation which has as its main source of income the major child care player in the country.

You merely trot out the tired old mantra of the Labor Party existing on the back of the 1600 problem gamblers in the ACT, not acknowledging that perhaps the other clubs also trade on those same backs.

My record on the pokies was to encourage clubs to have an alternative income stream, to allow the freedom of choice for the majority of members and to have stringent processes for the identification and the referrals necessary for identified problem gamblers.

Incidentally, I played in my band at a club recently and went into the pokie lounge to have a post gig drink. There were no more than 10 people playing the machines at that time of the evening.

John Hargreaves9:48 am 26 Apr 16

Maya123 said :

Probably a bit before your time John, but you may be aware that around 1989 or thereabouts the ACT Government established the ACT Government Investigations Unit to investigate corruption and malpractice within and against the ACT Government. That failed miserably and was disbanded after several years.

The Director of the unit at the time said that it was impossible for the unit to do its job properly due to political interference.

I suspect that in a place as small as the ACT any local ICAC or equivalent will suffer the same fate. We are just too small to successfully run something like an ICAC. Everybody knows everybody and you can’t keep anything secret. No career public servant would want a job there, for fear of upsetting someone that may be the delegate that looks at their job application some time down the track.

Good points indeed. the smaller the jurisdiction the easier (it would seem) to police corruption in government. Policing corruption in the private sector is another issue altogether if the police aren’t on their game or it is seen as a victimless crime.

When I came to Canberra I was alerted to the acronym “G&C”.
I was told to use lot’s of it when dealing with governments.
I assumed “G&C” meant “Goodwill and Cooperation”.
Many frustrating years I found out it actually meant “Graft & Corruption”
Not my cup of tea but it keeps the wheels turning for some.

Speaking of ethical issues and protecting people – John, I’m curious to know, what is your position today on ACT Labor making so much money from pokies, given that poker machines target the most socially disadvantaged? You champion the vulnerable and disadvantaged, don’t you, on every front? What was your record as a legislator, on the pokies?

Probably a bit before your time John, but you may be aware that around 1989 or thereabouts the ACT Government established the ACT Government Investigations Unit to investigate corruption and malpractice within and against the ACT Government. That failed miserably and was disbanded after several years.

The Director of the unit at the time said that it was impossible for the unit to do its job properly due to political interference.

I suspect that in a place as small as the ACT any local ICAC or equivalent will suffer the same fate. We are just too small to successfully run something like an ICAC. Everybody knows everybody and you can’t keep anything secret. No career public servant would want a job there, for fear of upsetting someone that may be the delegate that looks at their job application some time down the track.

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