This week a by-election in Miranda delivered a hefty kick in the butt to Barry O'Farrell's state government. This seat changed hands when the voters reinstalled Labor's Barry Collier as their member with a swing of 27% - reversing the 21% swing that delivered the seat to Liberal Graham Annesley at the 2011 state election.
A number of factors can be blamed for their ire. Restructuring the rail system delivered a forty percent cut to services at Janalli and Como stations, and budget cuts resulted in the closing of some fire stations and hospital services. Many people thought that the suburb was being over developed to the detriment of local home owners.
Perhaps the biggest reason for the voting swing can be attributed to the fact that their member had chosen to resign from parliament - to take up a more lucrative position as CEO of the Gold Coast Titans, saddling them with the cost and need for a by-election.
Annesley was the state Sports minister but it seems that his heart was not in the job. His interests were elsewhere - and people complained that he was rarely seen in the electorate. He broke the first golden rule of politics - and that is " availability " !
This certainly does not herald a similar result at the next state election, but it does give a warning to Barry O'Farrell that the voters will not be taken for granted. Members are expected to serve their electorates and the government needs to take care with it's policies and ensure that changes to existing systems do not have unexpected local results.
It also delivers a warning that sitting members need dedication to the task the voters have bestowed on them with their votes. Being a member of state parliament is a full time job - and delivering anything less than that will be judged adversely when the voters next deliver their verdicts !
Monday, 21 October 2013
Sunday, 20 October 2013
The " Human Headline " !
Here we go again ! Derryn Hinch - the man known as the " Human Headline " is in the news again for breaching a court imposed suppression order and publishing details about Jill Meagher's killer.
This " serial lawbreaker " has been ordered to pay a $ 100,000 fine within 90 days - or face 50 days in prison. If he chooses the prison option, he may find it a particularly " unpleasant experience " as his rantings have made him very unpopular with many of his fellow prisoners.
Of course thumbing his nose at the law is what keeps Hinch's ratings high and justifies the big salary he earns as a " media celebrity ", and because of his fame the bench leans over backwards to keep him out of prison.
In 2011 he was in trouble for naming sex offenders subjected to suppression orders. He served that prison time by way of home detention, because he was recovering from a liver transplant. He has never shown the slightest remorse for his actions - and he continues to ignore suppression orders.
To some people, he must seem like a champion defending their rights, but in reality this is just " theatre " designed to keep his name before the public and we can expect his legal team to take up their violins and bewail the risk he would face if he has to serve time behind bars - with violent criminals who would seek to do him harm.
Hinch is 69 years old - and perhaps he has traded on his fame keeping him out of prison too often. There is every liklihood that if he is granted mercy in this current case, within weeks or months he will again be in the headlines - and before another court.
Eventually, reality has to catch up with serial lawbreakers !
This " serial lawbreaker " has been ordered to pay a $ 100,000 fine within 90 days - or face 50 days in prison. If he chooses the prison option, he may find it a particularly " unpleasant experience " as his rantings have made him very unpopular with many of his fellow prisoners.
Of course thumbing his nose at the law is what keeps Hinch's ratings high and justifies the big salary he earns as a " media celebrity ", and because of his fame the bench leans over backwards to keep him out of prison.
In 2011 he was in trouble for naming sex offenders subjected to suppression orders. He served that prison time by way of home detention, because he was recovering from a liver transplant. He has never shown the slightest remorse for his actions - and he continues to ignore suppression orders.
To some people, he must seem like a champion defending their rights, but in reality this is just " theatre " designed to keep his name before the public and we can expect his legal team to take up their violins and bewail the risk he would face if he has to serve time behind bars - with violent criminals who would seek to do him harm.
Hinch is 69 years old - and perhaps he has traded on his fame keeping him out of prison too often. There is every liklihood that if he is granted mercy in this current case, within weeks or months he will again be in the headlines - and before another court.
Eventually, reality has to catch up with serial lawbreakers !
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Political point scoring !
At the height of this weeks fire storm destroying homes and sending people to evacuation centres, Greens MP Adam Brandt was trying to turn this disaster to his advantage by tweeting that " Tony Abbott's carbon tax plan will mean more bushfires for Australia ".
That completely ignores the long history of this country. The Australian summer is a fire lottery. We have a mix of wet and dry summers and on occasion the combination of low humidity, a high temperature and wind from the wrong direction comes together with a spark that sets the bush ablaze.
That has been a recurring experience, dating back to past centuries before there was the slightest concern about things like the amount of C02 in the atmosphere.
The people who have their homes in areas prone to bushfires would see the irony of Adam Brandt point scoring as the fires burn. It is the Greens - the very political party he represents - which is opposed to the fuel reduction plans that reduce the severity of these fires.
In particular, Greens in local government put obstacles in the way of back burning when the conditions are right to reduce the natural fuel load. Their ecological outlook favours fossils and fauna over people's homes and lives.
Australia will always be a high fire danger country. We have an expanding population and that means more housing will encroach ever outwards. The only practical defence is constant effort to keep fuel loads in the bush under control and have well trained fire crews ready to deal with fire before it becomes an unstoppable force.
That requires the Greens to change their policies !
That completely ignores the long history of this country. The Australian summer is a fire lottery. We have a mix of wet and dry summers and on occasion the combination of low humidity, a high temperature and wind from the wrong direction comes together with a spark that sets the bush ablaze.
That has been a recurring experience, dating back to past centuries before there was the slightest concern about things like the amount of C02 in the atmosphere.
The people who have their homes in areas prone to bushfires would see the irony of Adam Brandt point scoring as the fires burn. It is the Greens - the very political party he represents - which is opposed to the fuel reduction plans that reduce the severity of these fires.
In particular, Greens in local government put obstacles in the way of back burning when the conditions are right to reduce the natural fuel load. Their ecological outlook favours fossils and fauna over people's homes and lives.
Australia will always be a high fire danger country. We have an expanding population and that means more housing will encroach ever outwards. The only practical defence is constant effort to keep fuel loads in the bush under control and have well trained fire crews ready to deal with fire before it becomes an unstoppable force.
That requires the Greens to change their policies !
Friday, 18 October 2013
A ticking bomb !
It must be an unnerving thought to any driver to know that they are sharing the road with a hundred people driving heavy vehicles - who have been falsely certified to drive.
Evidence is appearing that a heavy vehicle assessor was exchanging driving license certification for bribes of up to two thousand dollars - and that in many cases training log books were a sham and the person falsely qualified was not in any way tested.
The danger to others is obvious. It takes judgement and skill to safely control these big rigs at speed on the highways, and getting them safely to their final destination in city traffic requires far more competence than can be learned just driving a car.
Hopefully, the Roads and Maritime services ( RMS ) which is the new name for the old RTA - will be retesting all heavy vehicle drivers certified by this assessor to weed out those without the skill to hold a heavy vehicle license.
This incident also sounds a warning about the temptation that goes hand in hand with the granting of power. Most people are basically honest, but the power to grant a covetted reward brings with it the opportunity to abuse that power in exchange for money.
Just as the skill of the applicant is being tested by the assessor, the honesty of the assessor should be periodically tested to ensure that the necessary standards are being maintained.
It would not be unreasonable for a random percentage of those passed to be retested by senior management. It is a fact of life that power corrupts - and the only way to fight that risk of corruption is to ensure that the risk of exposure is constant.
This incident proves that this safeguard is lacking !
Evidence is appearing that a heavy vehicle assessor was exchanging driving license certification for bribes of up to two thousand dollars - and that in many cases training log books were a sham and the person falsely qualified was not in any way tested.
The danger to others is obvious. It takes judgement and skill to safely control these big rigs at speed on the highways, and getting them safely to their final destination in city traffic requires far more competence than can be learned just driving a car.
Hopefully, the Roads and Maritime services ( RMS ) which is the new name for the old RTA - will be retesting all heavy vehicle drivers certified by this assessor to weed out those without the skill to hold a heavy vehicle license.
This incident also sounds a warning about the temptation that goes hand in hand with the granting of power. Most people are basically honest, but the power to grant a covetted reward brings with it the opportunity to abuse that power in exchange for money.
Just as the skill of the applicant is being tested by the assessor, the honesty of the assessor should be periodically tested to ensure that the necessary standards are being maintained.
It would not be unreasonable for a random percentage of those passed to be retested by senior management. It is a fact of life that power corrupts - and the only way to fight that risk of corruption is to ensure that the risk of exposure is constant.
This incident proves that this safeguard is lacking !
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Drink container deposit scheme.
New South Wales is considering imposing a deposit on all bottles and cans sold in this state. The customer can then claim a partial refund if the container is returned to a collection centre. The aim is to reduce the litter we see when drink containers are disposed of carelessly.
A similar scheme has been in place for decades in Adelaide, but as usual the devil is in the detail. We have yet to see how many collection centres will be involved - and precisely where they will be located.
It is expected that this scheme will be self financed. Each and every drink container will attract a twenty cent deposit at the point of sale - and the customer will get a ten cent refund when it is returned. It is estimated that this will cost the average household about $ 300 a year.
The big question is whether the average person will bother to go to the trouble of reclaiming those ten cent refunds, or if this will morph into just another tax with little tangible results.
It also offers a huge opportunity for a national charity to be innovative and gain a source of income. The idea of distributing a plastic rubbish bag to every home in Sydney - and asking the residents to donate used drink containers as their charity donation - would have appeal to many people.
A monthly pickup - street by street - would involve a staggering amount of money when the potential number of items at ten cents each is taken into consideration.
A final decision on this scheme has not yet been taken, but opportunity is knocking on the door and these days charity financing is big business. Now is the time for an innovative CEO to take a new approach by way of broader horizons.
Much more innovative than simply paying for television time - and asking the public for money !
A similar scheme has been in place for decades in Adelaide, but as usual the devil is in the detail. We have yet to see how many collection centres will be involved - and precisely where they will be located.
It is expected that this scheme will be self financed. Each and every drink container will attract a twenty cent deposit at the point of sale - and the customer will get a ten cent refund when it is returned. It is estimated that this will cost the average household about $ 300 a year.
The big question is whether the average person will bother to go to the trouble of reclaiming those ten cent refunds, or if this will morph into just another tax with little tangible results.
It also offers a huge opportunity for a national charity to be innovative and gain a source of income. The idea of distributing a plastic rubbish bag to every home in Sydney - and asking the residents to donate used drink containers as their charity donation - would have appeal to many people.
A monthly pickup - street by street - would involve a staggering amount of money when the potential number of items at ten cents each is taken into consideration.
A final decision on this scheme has not yet been taken, but opportunity is knocking on the door and these days charity financing is big business. Now is the time for an innovative CEO to take a new approach by way of broader horizons.
Much more innovative than simply paying for television time - and asking the public for money !
Wednesday, 16 October 2013
A " Tactical Silence " !
It is often said that the law has more twists and turns than a double jointed Rattlesnake ! That is certainly the situation that has evolved from our new " Right to Silence " laws.
The Asian and Middle Eastern crime gangs of Sydney have been frustrating police by refusing to name the person who just shot them. They refuse all comment - and this leads to later revenge when they return the favour and more bullets are sprayed in Sydney streets. All police investigations are met with a wall of silence.
The parliament passed a new law that required the police to issue an official warning to those about to be questioned, telling them that if they later used a different story or an alibi in court, that would be " viewed adversely " if it conflicted with their silence when interviewed.
The sticking point seems to be the requirement that this special caution must be made in the presence of a legal practitioner who is acting for the defendant at that time.
We are now finding a reluctance of lawyers to attend those arrested and become available for that caution to come into effect, in which case it has no bearing when the case goes to court.
This seems to come into conflict with the right of the accused to have legal counsel guide them to avoid self incrimination.
Fortunately, this " special caution " need does not apply to minor matters and will only come into affect where the investigation involves serious indictable offences that would involve a sentence of five years or more prison time.
Unfortunately, determining just what level of offence is involved is not usually crystal clear - until after the interview has taken place !
The Asian and Middle Eastern crime gangs of Sydney have been frustrating police by refusing to name the person who just shot them. They refuse all comment - and this leads to later revenge when they return the favour and more bullets are sprayed in Sydney streets. All police investigations are met with a wall of silence.
The parliament passed a new law that required the police to issue an official warning to those about to be questioned, telling them that if they later used a different story or an alibi in court, that would be " viewed adversely " if it conflicted with their silence when interviewed.
The sticking point seems to be the requirement that this special caution must be made in the presence of a legal practitioner who is acting for the defendant at that time.
We are now finding a reluctance of lawyers to attend those arrested and become available for that caution to come into effect, in which case it has no bearing when the case goes to court.
This seems to come into conflict with the right of the accused to have legal counsel guide them to avoid self incrimination.
Fortunately, this " special caution " need does not apply to minor matters and will only come into affect where the investigation involves serious indictable offences that would involve a sentence of five years or more prison time.
Unfortunately, determining just what level of offence is involved is not usually crystal clear - until after the interview has taken place !
Monday, 14 October 2013
Voting equality ?
Bill Shorten has won the leadership of the Australian Labor party, but many will question the " Vote value " that was applied to that victory.
For the first time, the rank and file members of the ALP branches were a part of choosing the party leader and the 30,426 people who were eligible cast their vote across all Australian states. The result was 18,230 for Anthony Albanese - and 12,196 for Bill Shorten. Clearly, Albanese won the popular vote.
The 86 parliamentarty members of the Labor Caucus also voted on their choice of a leader, but here the result was very different. Bill Shorten gained the majority - and then the percentages of both the branch and caucus votes were joined together - to give Shorten a 55 to 52 % victory.
That was not exactly the old hallowed principle of every vote having an equal value, as we endorse when we mere mortals go to a Federal election to choose which form of government will run the country.
Each caucus vote is heavily weighted and far superior in value to the vote cast by the individual branch members - and each of those caucus members owes his or her allegience to a " faction " - so the choice of leader was once again in the hands of the notorious factions - and very little has really changed.
Bill Shorten is a creature of the " right " and Anthony Albanese comes from the " left " faction. In the past, the selection of ministers and the allocation of portfolios was in the hands of the faction bosses and settled in smoke filled rooms - behind closed doors.
Kevin Rudd ended that when he demanded the right to make those choices at his discretion. The outlook of the leader now has a more direct bearing on which way the party charts it's course.
Obviously, the wishes of the vast rank and file is not the determining factor in modern Labor politics !
For the first time, the rank and file members of the ALP branches were a part of choosing the party leader and the 30,426 people who were eligible cast their vote across all Australian states. The result was 18,230 for Anthony Albanese - and 12,196 for Bill Shorten. Clearly, Albanese won the popular vote.
The 86 parliamentarty members of the Labor Caucus also voted on their choice of a leader, but here the result was very different. Bill Shorten gained the majority - and then the percentages of both the branch and caucus votes were joined together - to give Shorten a 55 to 52 % victory.
That was not exactly the old hallowed principle of every vote having an equal value, as we endorse when we mere mortals go to a Federal election to choose which form of government will run the country.
Each caucus vote is heavily weighted and far superior in value to the vote cast by the individual branch members - and each of those caucus members owes his or her allegience to a " faction " - so the choice of leader was once again in the hands of the notorious factions - and very little has really changed.
Bill Shorten is a creature of the " right " and Anthony Albanese comes from the " left " faction. In the past, the selection of ministers and the allocation of portfolios was in the hands of the faction bosses and settled in smoke filled rooms - behind closed doors.
Kevin Rudd ended that when he demanded the right to make those choices at his discretion. The outlook of the leader now has a more direct bearing on which way the party charts it's course.
Obviously, the wishes of the vast rank and file is not the determining factor in modern Labor politics !
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