A big day for a little man

March 16, 2018
Written by: Kaye Lee
141 Replies

It was a big day yesterday for our newly minted Home Affairs Minister, Peter Dutton.

Firstly, Dutton’s hand-picked choice to head his paramilitary Border Force, a colleague from his days as a Queensland copper, was finally sacked for using his position to get his girlfriend a job and for not disclosing the relationship. Quaedvlieg is obviously held to a higher standard than Barnaby Joyce who just took a self-imposed temporary demotion for the same thing.

Then we hear that, after meeting with Bob Katter’s son-in-law, who happens to be one of the largest gun importers in the country, Dutton is considering forming an advisory board where the gun lobbyists decide on the suitability of legislation.

That’s like letting the aluminium smelters advise us on emissions reduction or the cotton farmers advise us on water management. Or letting the mining companies devise a mining tax that costs them nothing.

But this is about more guns in our society – a move that could change Australia forever because once the dam is broken, there is no going back.

And then to round off a big day for a little man, we witnessed the ridiculous farce of the Minister, purely on the basis of a television show he watched, offering to rescue “white” South African farmers from the “horrific circumstances” and “persecution” they are facing in their country.

“I do think, on the information that I’ve seen, people do need help and they need help from a civilised country like ours,” Mr Dutton said.

Except no-one asked for his help. The farmers responded by saying that, surprisingly, they don’t want to walk away from their homes and livelihoods.

The South African government were furious. Who are you calling uncivilised?

They hauled in Canberra’s High Commissioner for a diplomatic ticking off, demanding that Dutton retract his comments.

And that doesn’t even address the blatant racism in Dutton’s stupid comments.

Dutton was voted worst health minister ever by people in the industry. As Immigration Minister, he has been singularly unable to find a solution for the resettlement of refugees trapped on Manus and Nauru. The deal with the US was negotiated by Turnbull, not Dutton.

He is a proven liar, telling us that a disturbance on Manus Island was caused by locals reacting to asylum seekers luring their children away for evil purposes, when, in fact, the asylum seekers gave the child some fruit and it was drunken military arguing over a football pitch who started shooting at the refugees.

There have been countless scathing reports and reviews on the dysfunction in the DIBP detailing the lack of management and due process.

Dutton walked out on Kevin Rudd’s Apology to the Stolen Generation. He has made innumerable gaffes – joking about islands in the Pacific being inundated, calling a journalist a mad fucking witch in a text in support of a sexual harasser, which he then sent to the journalist by mistake.

The list of ineptitude is long. In fact, I cannot think of one achievement, one positive contribution, that Dutton has made in over 16 years suckling on the public teat, other than expanding his property portfolio.

So why has this inadequate politician been made the most powerful man in the country? Why is he touted as a future leader for the Liberal Party?

It’s got me beat.

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David BruceMarch 16, 2018 at 9:21 am

Maybe Dutton and Trump have the same Minders? They both have the same Ethics instructors…

Rat Matrix (RatMatrix)March 16, 2018 at 9:30 am

Quote -: “So why has this inadequate politician been made the most powerful man in the country? Why is he touted as a future leader for the Liberal Party?”

Because he has Truffle’s nuts in a vice. No other reason.

Michael ByrneMarch 16, 2018 at 9:39 am

Because people keep voting for them. Dixon keeps voting for Dutting and the Aus public keep voting for Liberal. It would be a nice change if we could trust that the alternative was better.

helvityniMarch 16, 2018 at 9:40 am

Dutton must see himself as a civilized man.. Methinks more like delusional…what does our PM think? How does any truly civilized person anywhere in the world judge him..

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 9:43 am

October 2015….

“We are not run by factions,” Mr Turnbull said, a statement met with laughter and groans from the audience [Liberal Party members at the New South Wales state council]

“Well, you may dispute that, but I have to tell you, from experience, we are not run by factions, nor are we run by big business, or by deals in back rooms.”

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-10/liberal-party-owes-abbott-an-enormous-debt-turnbull-says/6843816

Yeah….right.

He also said Tony Abbott had “achieved great things, great reforms, great commitments.”

“He has helped build the future of our economy, he has helped ensure the prosperity of our children and grandchildren and our nation and our party and I say to you as his successor, all of us owe him an enormous debt.”

Uh huh….

I wonder if Malcolm would like to rethink those statements.

Andrew SmithMarch 16, 2018 at 9:49 am

I assume his role now is to sideline PHON, Conservatives etc. in QLD and shore up the ‘white working class’ vote for the LNP, and his own seat? Good news is that he would be precluded from the national LNP leadership during and after securing a bridgehead in QLD as he would be unpalatable to most normal Liberals interstate?

helvityniMarch 16, 2018 at 9:58 am

Is he going to apologise to South African Government regarding his uncivilized comments….?

etnorbMarch 16, 2018 at 9:58 am

Sadly this poor excuse for a politician is nothing but a cruel heartless, lying inept, obscenely over-paid so-called “liberal” (I use the term loosely!), who must have a been a bloody horrible copper if what he says & does now is any indication of what a lousy so-called “human” (?) he really is! Sadly just another typical Federal Liberal bastard!

Ricardo29March 16, 2018 at 10:00 am

Scott Ludlam’s piece in the Grauniad this morn is worth a read (I would link to it if I knew how) but one of the messages is, would Labor be much different? We all know governments love a bit of control and how much better if it was introduced by your predecessors? Given Labor’s lack of opposition to, or overt support for, many of these impositions on our freedoms I am not optimistic. Another of Scott’s words: tell your Labor members what you want.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 10:04 am

Ricardo,

Right click on the address bar and copy it, then come to this page, left click on the add comment section to get your cursor there (as usual), and then right click paste.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/15/our-government-is-boiling-the-water-we-swim-in-but-we-can-still-jump-out

diannaartMarch 16, 2018 at 10:14 am

Peter Dutton is caring, empathetic and helpful – so long as you are white.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 10:22 am

If you are a Christian English-speaking white gun-toting male – Peter’s your man.

Michael TaylorMarch 16, 2018 at 10:30 am

helvityni, I doubt very much that Dutton will apologise. It’s not his style. Besides that, he’s too much of a bastard.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a hateful, evil, heartless man in Australian politics.

diannaartMarch 16, 2018 at 10:33 am

Indeed Kaye Lee

Although I am sure if the white, gun-toting men are “properly” married to white, gun-toting(?) women he will support them as well – you know, family “values”.

Miriam EnglishMarch 16, 2018 at 10:34 am

Thank you Kaye. I am so delighted to hear things are falling apart for that degenerate Dutton. I predict he won’t last beyond the next election. The voters in his electorate will discard him like the foul piece of human garbage he is. And I’m hoping his presence as a high-profile part of the LNP will help to destroy them.

Barnaby Joyce has already dirtied their name badly, and the idiot hilariously refuses to shut up and let it pass. Abbott has been sharpening his knives for when Turnbull next has his back turned, and he would make the LNO utterly unelectable. Julie Bishop has shown herself to be a high-fashion hypocrite who can’t do her job properly. Turnbull’s lies about fibre-to-the-home internet not being necessary were shown for what they are when it turned out that he has fibre to his home. The scandalous vote on whether gays can have full rights exposed the viciousness of the right-wing religious bigots, which when they lost, were indulged with another chance to renew and extend homophobic discrimination through Ruddock’s absurd “Religious Freedom Review”. (Does anybody seriously have any doubt what noted homophobe Ruddock will decide?) At every turn this government has used divisive tactics, boosting hatred and racism, doing everything they can to tear apart our comfortable society.

The Keystone Kops had more grace, dignity, honor, and sense of purpose than this malevolent shambles of a government.

The only remaining hope they have is a massive propaganda assault by Murdoch, but the more Rupert misuses that power, the more people become immune to it.

I am soooo looking forward to this government exiting the parliament with boot-marks firmly imprinted on their over-indulged behinds. Let’s hope Labor is up to the job.

Miriam EnglishMarch 16, 2018 at 10:40 am

Oops… “LNO” should be “LNP”. Sorry

helvityniMarch 16, 2018 at 10:46 am

…agree Michael, no apologies will be forthcoming. PM can smile and be happy and non-committal as Michaelia and Peter are doing the dirty work for him… he’s not reining them in… It’s only for the Labor ‘sinners’ to do the apologizing…( Dastiary, Senator Kim etc.)

PS Have you been on holidays…?

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 10:46 am

Ah yes, “family values”.

Peter Dutton’s effrontery knows no bounds.

His first marriage lasted a few months. He then had a child out of wedlock. And then the following year he married another woman who is his current wife.

All of which would be entirely unremarkable except for Dutton saying on radio “we’ve sat here taking a morals lecture from Bill Shorten in relation to Barnaby Joyce over the last few weeks and people know that there’s a history of problems in Bill Shorten’s personal life, Tony Burke’s personal life. And to be lectured by the Labor Party really sticks in the craw.”

Actually. the Labor Party made a particular point of NOT moralising, but Peter has never let the truth spoil what he thinks might be a good attack.

He really has lowered the bar.

JohnFMarch 16, 2018 at 10:55 am

Hundreds of Rohingya men and women from Myanmar have begun to learn the skills required to become white South African farmers, in the hope it will allow them access to Australia.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said he would be happy to reassess their applications once they had learned their new skill.

Rohingyas To Reskill As White South African Farmers, In Last Desperate Attempt For Refugee Status

townsvilleblogMarch 16, 2018 at 11:01 am

So the Queensland coppers mate finally got the elbow but collected half a million dollars of tax payers (mainly workers) money on his way out. What a shame the media has to highlight these things before this entrenched corrupt government will act, corrupt in my humble opinion anyway.

townsvilleblogMarch 16, 2018 at 11:03 am

The Roingya can go to South Africa, the general public don’t want them here, we’re full already!

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 11:14 am

townsvilleblog,

There are many people who disagree with you.

Linking to the article I wrote yesterday about young people’s concerns and attitudes….

” One question that drew young people together on a common sentiment concerns refugees. When proposed the statement “I would welcome refugees in…”, most respondents answered “my country”, “my neighbourhood” and “my city”, and over one-fourth indicated “my home”. Young people’s empathy and strong propensity for social inclusion is humbling, reminding us that refugees are humans in need. ….young people see refugees as a potential gift to a nation and empathy is only a natural extension of that positive and constructive attitude. Only 7.4% of respondents would not welcome refugees in their country.”

If you don’t want Rohingya refugees here then we probably should stop training the military that are persecuting them, If you don’t want refugees coming then we should stop bombing other countries. We should take urgent action on climate change. We should address inequality and give far more foreign aid to help developing countries evolve. We should stop buying cheap goods produced by slave labour. We should stop adding to the number of weapons in the world.

If you want population growth to stop, then educate and empower women and lift people out of poverty.

Ill fares the landMarch 16, 2018 at 11:27 am

I have, for a while now, been formulating a notion that most people in power are a toxic combination of a rabid desperation for that power and an abject inability to use that power intelligently. The examples are endless – watch Trump, Xi Jinping, Putin, the a**hole in your office that is promoted to a high-power role way beyond their skill level; the boofheads who drive SUV’s, or worse, the men in suits driving dual cab utes who are belligerent and bellicose towards other motorists (because they need to and they can), the UK and its thuggish colonial past, the US and its bullying, both overt and covert in countless other countries (Hawaii, Guatemala, Haiti ….), Dutton, Cash, Joyce, Harvey Weinstein, Don Burke – the list is endless. It is mostly male, although there are plenty of women who deserve to be on the list as well (but a woman bully is usually more subtle and devious than her male counterparts – but no less dangerous for the damage they can inflict). In Dutton’s case, he is a nobody, so it must be proposed his lust for power is the result of some deep well of inadequacy that lurks within, but we can also see that in terms of intellect, he is, at best, stunted – he doesn’t realise how stupid and vacuous he appears EVERY time he opens his mouth. How do facts get so twisted in his mental filters to lead to such tripe eschewing from his agape mouth? His rise to power points to him being surrounded by others who are are least as stupid as him – he can’t have risen to power on his own, but clearly his supporters have Turncow’s coglioni in a vice-like grip.

Jan TrewhellaMarch 16, 2018 at 11:35 am

With every day that Dutton spends in his mega portfolio I become more and more uneasy about the direction our country is heading in. Under the radar, until his actions are exposed by a leak or by sheer luck, he appears to do everything within his power to make the lives of the refugees on Manus Island, Nauru, in Australia on bridging visas or in Indonesia awaiting their turn for an humanitarian visa, as miserable, lacking in proper care and facilities and soul destroying as possible.

If a range of non-Government groups and ordinary citizens weren’t watching closely, I’ve no doubt he’d ship them off home with barely a second thought for their fates. He lacks any empathy for the legitimacy of their situation, constantly refers to them as “illegal” entrants when they are legitimate refugees who had every right to misguidedly seek asylum in Australia believing it to be safe and welcoming to people fleeing torture, persecution and potential death.

Instead he incarcerates them. He tries to silence anyone with real knowledge of how they are being treated and of dangers they are facing on a daily basis. He waits until the last moment to move critically ill Refugees to Australia for medical treatment – hence for some treatment has come too late. He threatens rather than negotiates, possibly because he doesn’t believe these refugees who came here on rickety boats, are worthy of negotiation and consultation.

He makes it as difficult as possible for those refugees already in Australia to obtain a visa and he makes it nigh on impossible for them to move from bridging visas to residency visas – particularly if they came here on a rickety boat!

Now he is helping to put forward Citizenship Legislation that contains an English proficiency requirement that might challenge some of his colleagues not to mention himself at times with an apparent view to disenfranchising a large number of refugees from poorer, non-English speaking countries. But not “white” South Afrikan farmers who he gleaned were worried about their security from a TV program!

Of course none of the Hazara, Syrian, Afghanistani, Iranian, Iraqi, Sri Lankan Tamil, Kurdish, or other Refugees incarcerated in the Australian Detention Centres that he is responsible for have any reason to be worried about their security……. To confirm the truth of their claims, even the Village idiot could turn his or her TV News on every night and watch the horror reality show being played out before them. But not Dutton. He doesn’t believe their claims. What a dangerous dill.

Now he wants to run a “Gun Advisory Group” to advise on Gun Policy in Australia. I believe that Dutton’s behaviour and his utterances define him as a fascist with a fondness for the time of “white” picket fences. Multiculturalism is not a term that rolls easily or frequently off his tongue and his over the top response to Sudanese/African “gang” violence that allegedly “left us too afraid to go out” was as close to a racist rant as I have heard from a so-called Minister for Immigration since John Howard found it difficult to say the word “multiculturalism” when referring to Australia’s population in the mid 1980s.

That Dutton is highly Conservative, ambitious, determined and supported by an equally ambitious and determined Secretary of Department is not in question.

That he has demonstrated time and time again, an inability to perceptively read or assess the politics and the electorate’s temperature on a range of sensitive issues is also not in question. He has also demonstrated by his decisions and actions, a total lack of empathy with people who are suffering, people who are in need and the disadvantaged.

He has shown us again and again that he has a strong streak of inhumanity and a willingness to be cruel and brutal for no good reason. He is ready to lie to suit his purpose and to pursue those lies even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. He has also used questionable judgement on a range of matters during his tenure in this role because it is driven from his deeply held prejudices and desire to win at all cost. In debates, he doesn’t listen to others so much as waits for them to stop speaking before he states his the points he wants to make again.

In his quest to browbeat into submission the offshore refugees, it is possible that he my have broken so international laws that Australia signed up to. As the Minister for Home Affairs with so many portfolio areas reporting to him, he is responsible for much that has gone wrong in Immigration portfolio and will no doubt be called to account for any further fall-out that should emerge from his current decisions and actions even if he doesn’t appear to be able to see any in his future at the present time. So short-sighted……..

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 11:38 am

The Liberal Party claim to be a meritocracy and then promote people like Dutton and Cash. Turnbull claims that they don’t do backroom deals yet refuses to release the deal done with the Nationals. He claims they are not run by big business but their only policy is a tax cut for big business. They say that wages must rise but do everything in their power to keep them low. They say we can’t lessen people’s retirement income whilst abandoning the scheduled increase in the superannuation guarantee. If they want to talk about the number of people affected by Labor’s policy, EVERY worker’s retirement savings was affected by that decision.

helvityniMarch 16, 2018 at 11:43 am

JohnF

,…and how hard have the white African farmers been towards their black brothers…? How have we treated the Aboriginal people here?

townsvilleblog, you want to send the brown skinned Rohingya people to South Africa, where do you want to settle the Syrians….?

Michael TaylorMarch 16, 2018 at 11:55 am

No holidays for me, helvityni. Been down in Melbourne having surgery.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 11:57 am

helvityni,

I had the same thought. Dutton could have added the inducement that we have our black people under control. We take their money from them, we take their children from them, and we lock them up for heinous crimes like stealing biscuits and not paying fines. We promote alcohol and gambling and fast food and them blame them for succumbing to the white man’s disease.

I would despair except for the many wonderful people who work so hard to make this world a better place. Sadly, they have to waste time fighting against our politicians who truly seem to have forgotten what their role actually is.

New England CockyMarch 16, 2018 at 12:06 pm

Perhaps the ultimate irony would be for the Liarbrals to call for a spill and put up Dutton as the preferred alternative PM to lead the Party into a fascist future after discontinuing Federal elections to preserve the regime. Now whereabouts in European history has that happened before???? Was it Italy in the 1920s or Germany after 1935?????

The strong alternative after 30 failed polls would be to immediately call a double dissolution election and for Muddles Turdball to resign during the shortest possible election campaign.

John LordMarch 16, 2018 at 12:07 pm

Pulled that together rather well. Ones jaw drops when you look at the individidual Ministers.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 12:13 pm

Jan Trewhella,

Thank you for that excellent comment which reminded us of so many more of Dutton’s failures.

stephengb2014March 16, 2018 at 12:26 pm

What makes a facist is the need to see a particular race as superior to all other races.

Even the muslims don’t see themselves as a superior race (superior theology yes)

The extremists on both the Left and Right of politics can easily develop into a dictatorship, but it takes a racist to make a dictatorship a facist dictatorship. (Actually the muslim extremists like ISIS are probably on about racial purety too.)

This latest display of racism by dutton just demonstrates just how close he (and obviously other in the LNP including their supporters)are to white supremacist ideology.

I have no doubt that he, and others in the LNP, are monitoring the comments in AIMN and on social media, does that tell me that they think they have support for these divisive, racist, homophobic statements.

Yes it does!

Frank SmithMarch 16, 2018 at 12:31 pm

I do wish that people would refrain from calling the totally inhumane mammal known as Dutton a “he” – Dutton is an “it”!

There are two monsters running Home Affairs now – Dutton and the Departmental Secretary, Mike Pezzullo – both overly ambitious, ego-driven, inhumane and very dangerous nasties.

So Roman’s $500,000 holiday has ended. No doubt in addition to throwing half-a-million down the drain on Roman’s holiday, we taxpayers have also had to pay a big supplement to the Acting Commissioner whilst this all dragged on. It is beyond comprehension that this “affair” has taken so long to resolve and cost us taxpayers so much. For their inaction, Pezzullo should follow Roman out the door, quickly followed by Dutton.

jimhazMarch 16, 2018 at 12:38 pm

“Dutton and his father founded the business Dutton Holdings, which was registered in 2000. Dutton Holdings operated under six different Trading and Business Names” Dutton also worked for his father at the same time he was a cop.

Whenever I’ve seen small businesses create multiple trading names then the probably of tax avoidance or avoidance of private liability due to shonkiness is very high.

“Dutton married his first wife when he was 22 years of age; however, the marriage ended after a few months”.

A conservative copper ending a marriage after a few months – this points to both severe personality and judgement problems.

Terry2March 16, 2018 at 12:40 pm

Kaye

The Liberal Party claim to be a meritocracy….. I thought the word they were looking for was mediocracy

noun: mediocracy; plural noun: mediocracies

a dominant class consisting of mediocre people, or a system in which mediocrity is rewarded

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 12:46 pm

Frank,

That’s only one example of waste, among many.

The court case that Michaelia Cash is fighting to prevent disclosing who knew what in tipping off the media about the AWU raid has cost Australian taxpayers $600,000 so far.

“the Commission is paying multinational law firm Ashurst Australia at least $463,089 to defend it – almost double the original $240,000 estimate… the Fair Work Ombudsman also engaged outside counsel to respond to subpoenas served on it late last year. The costs to date of that legal work “are approximately $135,000″, a Fair Work Ombudsman spokesman said.

The AWU’s case is scheduled to go to trial at the end of the month but is likely to be deferred – because of the ongoing AFP probe – at a hearing on March 19.”

https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/michaelia-cash-could-face-court-over-raids-as-union-seeks-subpoenas-20180315-p4z4hw.html

A backlog of 26 compensation claims from asylum seekers and the Immigration department’s own staff cost the government $230,000 in legal fees and “case management costs” last financial year

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/claims-against-immigration-dept-cost-government-230k-in-legal-fees-but-no-compensation-paid

NINE charity workers have been offered an estimated $1 million in compensation by the Turnbull Government and a statement of regret after they were sacked and deported from Nauru.

http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/deported-nauru-save-the-children-charity-workers-offered-1-million-compensation/news-story/114eeabcc79b877ff3232e9870aa5a1a

A huge class action against the federal government on behalf of 1900 asylum seekers detained on Manus Island has reached settlement, with Australia agreeing to a huge compensation payout of $70 million.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/06/13/government-to-pay-massive-compensation-to-manus-asylum-seekers_a_22140754/

And I haven’t even got to Michael Lawler’s “sick leave”, George Brandis’ diary, the defence of Nigel Hadgkiss, and the $30 million inexplicably gifted to Rupert Murdoch’s Fox….

Andrew SmithMarch 16, 2018 at 12:48 pm

I would never assume the Liberal Party is acting in its own interests or for any real constituency; many Lib and NP rusted on voters I know in Victoria are quite moderate and roll their eyes…..another in Sydney whose wife works for a NSW Lib MHR complained openly of the ‘nativist’ policies LNP were sleep walking into……

The fact is John Howard got the ball rolling, albeit within some bounds, after the leadership frustrations of the 1980s while concurrently the Libs (and branches) were being hollowed out in favour of IPA, fossil fuel and related lobby, NewsCorp, corporate sponsors, evangelical Christians etc. and adopting nativist tactics from the US GOP for electoral campaigning and government.

Such tactics, as highlighted by the Cafe con leche Republicans years ago, warned about the anti-immigration and eugenics links in the US, stated they were being sold ‘nativism’ as a tactic to defeat Democrats, when in fact it’s simply the re-branding of old WASP eugenics ideology or class system.

The same anti-immigration and anti trade agreement network in the US has been advising Trump, and Brexit supporters…..

Glenn BarryMarch 16, 2018 at 1:32 pm

Dutton is a stunning indictment of Turnbull’s so-called leadership and complete lack of judgement

Steve LaingMarch 16, 2018 at 1:36 pm

I would personally like to thank Mr Dutton for so explicitly revealing how racist he is. He can call it however he likes, but being unable to recognise that looking for means to fast track white farmers who might be killed or thrown off their land into Australia, but not offer that same sanctuary to those from Rohingya or Syria who were farmers and have actually been thrown off their land, often at gunpoint, quite categorically masts his true colours to the wall.

What is even more revealing is that this blatant racism hasn’t been fully called out by the media. I’m fairly certain that many progressive politicians have opinions on Dutton’s latest brain fart, but you wouldn’t hear such from much of the MSM who tend to only report progressive politicians when they believe it leaves them open to attack. Of course, these politicians may be distracted by a by-election and a state one, but even so, the silence is deafening.

Is it any wonder that explicit racism is on the rise in this country when our leaders fail to react to one of their own expounding policy on the hoof based on what is clearly exaggerated alt-right propaganda?

David1March 16, 2018 at 1:37 pm

Excellent article Kaye Lee, it has encouraged many comments in the main supportive as it deserved, bringing on a discussion that deserves a far wider audience.
I will post on Twitter and encourage other readers to to do likewise on their choice of social media

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 1:46 pm

The Chief Medical Officer and Surgeon General who was responsible for overseeing healthcare and medical treatment of asylum seekers and refugees resigned in September last year.

The Australian National Audit Office has released multiple scathing reports critical of departmental processes in the DIBP.

“The Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s management of the garrison support and welfare services contracts at the offshore processing centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea (Manus Island) has fallen well short of effective contract management practice.

In the absence of a plan, assurance processes such as the inspection and audit of services delivered, has not occurred in a systematic way and risks were not effectively managed. In addition, the department has not maintained appropriate records of decisions and actions taken in the course of its contract management. As a consequence, the department has not been well placed to assess whether its service strategies were adequate or fully met government objectives.

Performance measurement under the framework relied heavily on self-assessments by providers and the department performed limited independent checks. Delays in the department’s review of self-assessments and the provision of feedback on contractor performance eroded the link between actual performance and contract payments.

$1.1 billion was approved by DIBP officers who did not have the required authorisation; and for a further $1.1 billion there was no departmental record of who authorised the payments.

Substantial contract variations totalling over $1 billion were made without a documented assessment of value for money.

Previous ANAO audits of the department’s contract management have found that: its contracting framework had not established clear expectations of the level and quality of services to be delivered; and its ability to monitor the performance of contractors was compromised by a lack of clarity in standards and performance measures and reliance on incident reporting to determine when standards were not being met. This audit has identified a recurrence of these (and other) deficiencies, which have resulted in higher than necessary expense for taxpayers and significant reputational risks for the Australian Government and the department. The audit recommendations are intended to address the significant weaknesses observed in DIBP’s contract management practices.”

https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/offshore-processing-centres-nauru-and-papua-new-guinea-contract-management

So what should we do? I know, let’s give Dutton and Pezzullo more things to stuff up.

ZathrasMarch 16, 2018 at 1:49 pm

Roman Quaedvlieg’s “$500,000 holiday” should be remembered along with Kathy Jackson’s partner Michael Lawler, who availed himself of 9 months sick leave on full pay of his $435,000 per annum salary. However he resigned a day before he was supposed to defend his use of that leave. He simply chose to take the money and run.

Coincidentally Roman was also in uniform in the Queensland police force at the same time as Dutton and it’s a strange coincidence that they find themselves working together again years later.

Politics and political appointments are a murky world. The Libs sure know how to pick the best appointees.
At least they share the same passion for self-interest and personal greed.

JaquixMarch 16, 2018 at 1:59 pm

Spot on Kaye Lee. The answer is of course that Turnbull lets Dutton get away with it because hes too weak to do anything else. Duttons fingerprints also all over the draconian laws theyre putting up where we will have to register our Italian grandmothers as foreign agents. And the other one where journos will be clapped in jail for writing up whistleblower stories. He is a complete menace. If we had a half way decent media in this country, the headlines would be all over this.

breesthevaleMarch 16, 2018 at 2:07 pm

++
Mindless dolts.

I’m convinced Obergruppenfuhrer Dudd would love nothing more than to be able to run the whole of Australia as a big detention centre – right down to having patrols of outsourced blackshirts roaming the streets.

There’s a Phd for someone in this – is the human race evolving into psychopaths? The only way to survive amongst them is to be one.

WillMarch 16, 2018 at 2:08 pm

Australia is a beautiful country unfortunately being run at present by a pack of inept fckwits and the list of these disgraceful self serving megalomaniacs is long. Abbott, cash, Dutton Joyce etc. Turnbull donating over a million to his own party. Abbott knighting a prince for fcks sake, Dutton just being as nazi because that’s how he thinks. Julie bishlop promoting jewellery for friends on the world stage. Thanks Australian voters for all you’ve done to make Australia a better place. And go and fcking reap what you sow. Well you that voted for them that is.

johnoMarch 16, 2018 at 2:22 pm

Well said Kaye and commenters.

johnoMarch 16, 2018 at 2:46 pm

Also well done to Di Natale for calling a spade a spade or dutton a racist.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 3:09 pm

Dutton said his concern was raised by watching a “documentary”. Well not really.

As it turns out, Miranda Devine wrote of the kinship between Australians and “our oppressed white, Christian, industrious, rugby and cricket-playing Commonwealth cousins”, saying that they would “integrate seamlessly”.

Another News Corp column by Caroline Marcus connected the situation to a broader picture of what she described as “reverse racism”, writing that “the truth is, there are versions of this anti-white, vengeance theme swirling in movements around the western world, from Black Lives Matter in the US to Invasion Day protests back home”.

The same day, on American “race realist” website, VDare, Leo Hohmann, the author of a recent book on the supposed “stealth invasion” of the west by Muslim immigrants, was saying that the farmers have “their collective heads on the block”.

Stories on the alleged persecution of white farmers have also been posted in March on far right sites from Richard Spencer’s AltRight.com to American Renaissance.

Alt right darling, Lauren Southern, is preparing a documentary on the issue. Fellow alt right auteur Faith Goldy, sacked from Rebel Media after palling around too much with white supremacists in Charlottesville, described South Africa as the movement’s “flavour of the month”.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/16/peter-duttons-offer-to-white-south-african-farmers-started-on-the-far-right

So now you know where the most powerful man in our country gets his “facts”.

And I’m pretty sure he didn’t discuss this with anyone else (maybe Steve Ciobo who must be feeling a goose) but he goes straight to the Telegraph and 2GB to tell the world what he’s gonna do.

This is beyond ridiculous.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 3:39 pm

Dutton is not the only fool on this bandwagon……

Steve Ciobo, Ian Goodenough, Andrew Hastie, Andrew Laming and David Leyonhjelm have all jumped on board with several other Liberals posting graphic images of white farmers who have apparently been beaten and a flyer describing the group as the “persecuted minority nobody cares about”.. (though I reckon Ciobo is regretting it considering the backlash – the others are too stupid to know)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-16/persecuted-white-south-african-farmers-resettlement-gaining-mom/9556098?section=politics

ZathrasMarch 16, 2018 at 3:41 pm

Dutton watched a documentary for his information, Greg Hunt consults Wikipedia for his in-depth knowledge, George W Bush claims he heard God tell him to invade Iraq, Donald Trump fires anybody who doesn’t agree with him (or his most recent lie) and the Russians are so inept at assassination they do it in such an elaborate and contrived way that could possibly implicate only themselves(!).

The world is certainly in good hands.

Also, somebody should also remind Caroline Marcus at News Corpse that there is no such thing as “reverse racism”. Racial oppression comes from the dominant social and racial group and is directed downward at minorities. It doesn’t “trickle up”.

Jon ChestersonMarch 16, 2018 at 3:46 pm

Got me beat too… this whole bloody circus!

By the circus mob misled?
How will the debt be spread?
Bones of little children,
baked bread and broken,
the Federation dead.

Our neo-biblical dystopia! https://allpoetry.com/poem/13161632-Malco-Turbo-and-the-Bent-Apostles-by-Barddylbach

jimhazMarch 16, 2018 at 3:54 pm

Lets not be too biased. Dutton has reasons – attack the proactive nature of his comments

http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/world-economy/bury-them-alive-white-south-africans-fear-for-their-future-as-horrific-farm-attacks-escalate/news-story/3a63389a1b0066b6b0b77522c06d6476

jimhazMarch 16, 2018 at 3:56 pm

[Also, somebody should also remind Caroline Marcus at News Corpse that there is no such thing as “reverse racism]

That is 100% false. Of course their is reverse racism. People are people and 21st century racism is merely groups protecting their identity. That is what “cultural appropriation” is based on.

Jon ChestersonMarch 16, 2018 at 3:57 pm

Meanwhile everybody seen the new beaut Telegraph adverts to the Beatles ‘A Day in the Life’?

I wonder what Paul McCartney thinks of this, we can’t ask John?

And I wonder how much of the Australian $30 million Turnbull gave to Murdoch and News Corp in return for favours undisclosed, paid exclusively for these adverts. So we are paying to advertise Mudoch’s crap to ourselves… Clever, ingenious, devilishly cunning, brutal and blatant… Take a bow Turnbull!

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 4:34 pm

jimhaz,

The point is that no-one asked for his help.

AfriForum, a rights group representing primarily the white Afrikaner minority, said it was not in favour of mass emigration.

Chief executive Kallie Kriel also said the group was not going anywhere.

“Our future is in Africa, not elsewhere,” he said.

I am sure there are still problems in South Africa……

More than two decades after white-minority rule ended in South Africa, most of its profitable farms and estates are still owned by white people, and about 95 percent of the country’s wealth is in the hands of 10 percent of the population.

A 2017 audit by the government shows whites own 72 percent of farmland yet, according to the 2011 census, they make up less than 9% of the population.

But that is NOT Peter Dutton’s concern.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 4:51 pm

The reason the white supremacists are pushing this now is because, in late February, South African lawmakers agreed to the principle of land expropriation without compensation, and will review the Constitution to cater for this.

“Parliament’s Constitutional Review Committee will report back to lawmakers on changes to section 25 of the Constitution by Aug. 30.”

The farmers are less in fear of their lives as in fear of losing their gravy train. They don’t want to leave very lucrative businesses where, as Gina reminds us, people get paid less than $2 a day, to come here and have to actually work themselves or pay decent wages to those they employ.

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 5:04 pm

I just looked up the the minimum wages for employees in the Farm Worker Sector of South Africa. For a 9 hour day they are paid less than $15

http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/downloads/legislation/sectoral-determinations/basic-conditions-of-employment/farmwagemarch17.pdf

Ray Hadley, in his interview with Dutton, said there were “reports that one white farmer is murdered every week”.

That’s bad if true but Medecins Sans Frontieres reports more than 10,000 Rohingya have been killed in the past six months – close to 400 people a week. But Dutton assures us it is safe for them to be forcibly returned to Myanmar.

PhilMarch 16, 2018 at 6:16 pm

What an odd term is racism. Implies there’s another race other than the human race.

Methinks Dutton’s megaphonic lament is much about ‘skinism’ – in his case specifically ‘whiteskinism’.

What Dutton, the hapless 2GBists and the Murdoch punditry are telling us is that their noxious brand of politics is on the ropes. What we are seeing is the rounding of the wagons for a final stand against the advancing forces of cosmopolitanism, justice and social democracy.

Fear and prejudice are powerful motivators and seems to me that the Turnbull mob has nothing left in its arsenal so its fear and prejudice in spades from here until the election.

KronomexMarch 16, 2018 at 8:17 pm

Of course Trembles the Meek and Cowardly isn’t going to say anything against Heinrich Dutton because he could remove him virtually with a snap of his fingers. So he’ll keep his arse cheeks greased and ready for the parking of the right wing nutters bicycles.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/16/turnbull-refuses-to-condemn-or-support-duttons-comments-on-south-african-farmers

Anyone else get the feeling that Heinrich is going to make a run at removing Truffles?

John O'CallaghanMarch 16, 2018 at 8:48 pm

I read this morning,i think it was the SMH,i think,i read so many am not sure,that Dutton and the Govt have pressured the AEC to change the boundries in Dixon because Dutton holds it on a wafer margin and will probably lose his seat…. is that legal?

Max GrossMarch 16, 2018 at 8:53 pm

Does Dutton hold some juicy dirt on Turnbull and/or other senior LNP figures? Why else would this malicious moron still be hanging around?

Kaye LeeMarch 16, 2018 at 9:08 pm

John O’Callaghan,

I am not sure about this morning but this is from September last year….

Dutton retained the seat with a narrow 1.6 per cent margin at the 2016 election. The LNP suggested a series of changes to Dickson’s boundaries that would have boosted Mr Dutton’s margin to 2.9 per cent. Only some of the changes have been adopted, with Dickson gaining around 4,000 voters in the suburbs of Bridgeman Downs and McDowall from neighbouring Lilley. This increases the LNP margin from 1.6 per cent to an estimated 2.0 per cent.

The same changes lift the Labor margin in Lilley from 5.3 per cent to 5.9 per cent.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-29/draft-federal-electoral-boundaries-for-queensland-released/8999904

Miriam EnglishMarch 16, 2018 at 11:35 pm

Dutton will be dropped at the next election. The people in his electorate are turning against him. GetUp have targeted him pretty strongly (doubtless this is why they are now in the crosshairs). His actions have been laid bare to the voters there. I seriously doubt Dutton has a future.

Stephen BraileyMarch 16, 2018 at 11:58 pm

Dutton is perfect fit for the LNP in that he is both vicious and stupid. This makes him very easy to manipulate and happy to take orders from the billionaires who run the Liberal/National Party. Bigotted and racist too…it really brings to the forefront the kinds of values LNP voters aspire to?!

Cool PeteMarch 17, 2018 at 1:50 am

If this isn’t proof that Dutton is not only racist, but incompetent, I don’t know what is.

Frank SmithMarch 17, 2018 at 9:42 am

The word on the street around Brisbane is that Dutton is looking to jump ship into a safer LNP seat after “its” near death experience following a GetUp campaign in Dickson in 2016. Dutton has a host of negatively geared investment properties so it would be simple to claim to be a resident in a different electorate.

Kaye LeeMarch 17, 2018 at 10:55 am

FORMER journalist Ali France will be Labor’s candidate to take on Peter Dutton at the Federal Election.

Ms France is a disability advocate and motivational speaker.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-government/labor-preselects-ali-france-for-peter-duttons-seat-of-dickson/news-story/f5454c53f14f8d121c1e9d85d78495e9

She was the communications manager for Carbon Media, a Brisbane-based indigenous production company, before a bad accident which saw her lose her leg

She is the daughter of a former Queensland MP.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/shes-his-world-mp-spends-daughters-birthday-at-hospital-bedside-20110513-1elkw.html

She is an impressive candidate.

https://www.facebook.com/AliFranceSpeaker/

diannaartMarch 17, 2018 at 11:34 am

Frank

Dutton has a host of negatively geared investment properties so it would be simple to claim to be a resident in a different electorate.

Do they have to actually “reside” for a fixed amount of time? Whatever. No wonder it’s (mostly) LNP who scream hysterically at the suggestion of cracking down on negative gearing rorts. Such residences enables further infection from the overly privileged virus.

Regional ElderMarch 17, 2018 at 1:59 pm

Thanks Kaye Lee for your article which has led off a discussion about this appalling politician

The Saturday Paper’s editorials in recent weeks have been stunning in their criticism of what is wrong in Australia at the present time.

. The one on Peter Dutton is no exception

https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/2018/03/17/waving-the-white-tag/15212052005953

David EvansMarch 17, 2018 at 3:52 pm

So why aren’t the “White South African Farmers/ refugees” being welcomed back into the countries from where they originated? Maybe there are strong reasons? Like murder, beatings, land theft, etc etc in their SA history? If dunderhead really wants to help them, and Australia, he should go with them? I am sure he would be a great asset, a welcome addition to good governance, anywhere but Australia….dutton, just go you prick!

John LordMarch 17, 2018 at 6:55 pm

A wonderful example in getting the most out a minimum of words. Loved it.

Andrew SmithMarch 17, 2018 at 7:21 pm

Kaye Lee has already posted article from Guardian’s Jason Wilson:

‘The myth of ‘white genocide’ is a disturbing example of how alt-right ideology is mainstreamed and sold as policy’

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/mar/16/peter-duttons-offer-to-white-south-african-farmers-started-on-the-far-right

I presume Mr. Wilson has been researching the (the long standing) white nativist movment in the US via the human rights NGO Southern Poverty Law Centre SPLC which has been investigating for decades:

‘In the nearly 30 years since the Southern Poverty Law Center has been monitoring the American radical right we’ve seen a major shift in the nature of organized groups that specialize in vilifying certain people because of their race, ethnicity or other characteristic.

In the beginning, they were the usual suspects: Klan factions, neo-Nazi groups, black separatists, racist skinheads and the like.

We’re in a different world today. Hate has gone mainstream. Today, the purveyors of hate don’t always burn crosses or use racial slurs. They might wear suits and ties. They might have sophisticated public relations operations. They might even testify before Congress.’ (or be members of parliament, academics, journalists..both willing dupes and useful idiots.).

https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/03/23/hate-groups-center-immigration-studies-want-you-believe-they’re-mainstream

wamMarch 17, 2018 at 8:47 pm

(“It’s got me beat”????)
He may be a complete ‘r’sole in my eyes but he is zealous in carrying out his orders. He is good at his job. He has the understanding, of the Australian culture, needed for success in his job. He is consistent and true to his beliefs. QED a minister and a leader in the LNP!

If given a choice between a Rohingya refugee, an Iranian asylum seeker and a white farmer? Is it racist or bigoted to prefer one over the other two?
Dutton’s (and society’s) choice is clearly based on the usual trilogy – race/religion/assimilation .

What would be Di’s boys’ choice,? Labor’s??? Kaye’S and her readers’???

As for guns? Have we not seen the evidence of the farmer’s lobby in Tasmania? Do you not read the posts of Australians who support the septic 2nd amendment? It beats me why anyone would want an assault rifle that will send a bullet which can penetrate a steel helmet at over half a kilometre? They simply say you want to punish good honest respectable gun owners for the cause of a few disturbed people. But the real reason was revealed in the recent death of an Australian in Cambodia.
These are intelligent people lord john and they vote lnp and for trump.

David1March 17, 2018 at 11:52 pm

Wam…you said ‘If given a choice between a Rohingya refugee, an Iranian asylum seeker and a white farmer? Is it racist or bigoted to prefer one over the other two?’
..that was after …’He may be a complete ‘r’sole in my eyes but he is zealous in carrying out his orders’
ok the latter first…explain who is giving him orders? the wanking racist prik doesn’t receive orders, he gives them, he is the big cheese of the Super Ministry. Turnbull is supposed to be his boss, that joke has worn thin.

Then your first comment…have you not read the thread of the conversation here? or do you gleefully seek out something in Johns initial articles, to use your absurd and I regard as offensive Lord John reference.. Perhaps you were a serf in another life and. can’t get used to living in a civilised society,unlike the Rohinga who would dearly love to but in the racist Dutton world, they are the wrong colour and religion, so he prefers they spend their days in squalor and suffering in camps not fit for pigs let along humans.
i try to ignore your ramblings, however there are times when ignore is impossible. perhaps you are a refugee your self, or just not au fait with the English language. Whatever, you have a problem.

Michael TaylorMarch 18, 2018 at 1:09 am

Wam, I’m not convinced that intelligent people vote for the LNP or Trump.

I prefer to think that most of them are gullible morons. Deplorables, even.

diannaartMarch 18, 2018 at 11:43 am

Michael

Then we have an excess of deplorable gullible morons.

I’m not so sure about levels of intelligence, as with religion, very intelligent people believe the most stupid things. Of course being stupid certainly helps – never going to dispute that.

It is fair to posit that some of Trump’s voters (not to be confused with Trump supporters) wanted a disruptor. Intelligent people, completely dismayed by a corporatist Democratic party and further disillusioned by the machinations against Bernie Saunders by his own party. What was left to vote for? Not much by way of independent parties and individuals in the USA – ironic given the mantra of “home of the brave and land of the free”.

Do these disillusioned voters regret voting for Trump? Maybe, or perhaps, they are simply waiting and seeing if Trump proves to be enough of a disrupter that both the Republicans and Democrats take some time out for a good hard look at themselves. I not going to hold my breath however.

Self-reflection and giving up of one’s own ‘righteousness’ does not occur very often.

Also many people will refuse to admit to ever making mistakes, even to their own disadvantage.

diannaartMarch 18, 2018 at 11:45 am

WTF is Di?

wamMarch 18, 2018 at 12:27 pm

Well said David,
yes I am unable to express myself clearly enough to satisfy many of the readers in this blog.
Yes I am laughing at Lord John for many of his views on the uneducated Australian peasants. Yes I read the threads and yes I have problems trying to avoid hypocrisy,
I read pretty well anything here with a passion for my version of ‘a fair go’.

Are you so insulted by my reference to choosing an immigrant as to ignore the effect of such a comparison or deign to answer?

Taylor Michael,
I was a classroom teacher for 30 years mostly in darwin teaching in the T streams, with 2M (in a streamed school A B C…..M) full of boomers as my first homeroom class.
My friends on facebook are the ‘uneducated morons’ who elected fraser, little johnnie, the rabbott and trumballs. But they also elected Hawke, keating, the lemon and nearly gillard? Will they elect bill? Yes if he gives then some ammo to combat the slogans and bullshit of the son of a small car who has doubled the debt????
ps
Di
ludd
bran
sim
kim
s are the new pragmatic face of the greens who are worth 50% of the slimy Xs???

paul walterMarch 18, 2018 at 12:27 pm

Stuff you put on clothes to make it a different colour.

diannaartMarch 18, 2018 at 12:41 pm

Very droll. Paul…

…and not really helping

However, wam’s stream of consiciousness has help to edify…

Di as in Di Natali

Here was I wondering if Di’s boys was something like “Mrs Brown’s Boys”…

Given that the Greens have (almost) 50% ratio of men and women, am still at a loss as to the use of “Di’s boys”.

No doubt everything will become clear in the “fullness of time” – once had a boss who used to lerve that phrase – autocratic bitch.

corvus boreusMarch 18, 2018 at 12:51 pm

wam,
“If given a choice between a Rohingya refugee, an Iranian asylum seeker and a white farmer? Is it racist or bigoted to prefer one over the other two?”

The choice would only truly be ‘racist’ or ‘bigoted’ if the preferential selection were made based upon prejudicial factors like race or religion, rather than more relevant distinctions like the comparative demonstrated need for refuge of asylum.

Miriam EnglishMarch 18, 2018 at 1:00 pm

wam, I get so tired of rabid Labor supporters attacking the Greens, especially when you’re still talking about Scott Ludlam months after he resigned (he and Larissa Waters being the only parliamentarians with sufficient integrity to do so immediately they realised the problem).

If Labor has problems then perhaps Labor should lift their game. Maybe you should focus on them and the repellent LNP.

I hope Labor do win the next election, but they won’t be able to if their supporters spend much of their time whingeing about the Greens instead of defeating the LNP by pushing Labor to improve. If Labor loses the next election it will likely be because of Murdoch’s massive propaganda, and because Labor didn’t rise to the occasion.

Dutton, Abbott, Joyce, and the rest of the shady crew are almost handing the election to Labor. If Labor continues to side with the LNP on things like Adani’s giant mine, boosting religious schools at the expense of public ones, illegally keeping refugees in concentration camps, the TPP, theft of money from indigenous programs, incarceration of indigenous children on minor offenses, participating in wars against poor people overseas, and more, then they won’t be able to blame anybody except themselves.

Michael TaylorMarch 18, 2018 at 1:31 pm

wam, I sincerely hope you weren’t an English teacher.

paul walterMarch 18, 2018 at 1:38 pm

Miriam, an honestly offered one for you, If you haven’t read it already:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/17/how-two-third-party-insurgencies-pulled-up-short-in-australias-super-saturday

I don’t agree with everything Murphy says but the article is another piece in the ongoing puzzle, to me.

For my part, am fed up with Greens and Labor sniping at each other while the conservatives get off scott free, 50/50, but there it is ,evidence of a split in non conservative politics that is counterproductive and won’t heal because not enough people want that, for their own selfish reasons.

Divide we fall.

Mick ByronMarch 18, 2018 at 2:16 pm

Miriam EnglishMarch 18, 2018 at 1:00 pm
Re Scott Ludlam

“(he and Larissa Waters being the only parliamentarians with sufficient integrity to do so immediately they realised the problem).”
hardly immediately. Since he first was made aware 3 years ago

“Despite his denial of any knowledge about his Kiwi citizenship, a citizen started a petition on Change.org three years ago, raising questions about Senator Ludlam’s citizenship.

“Scott Ludlams (sic) refusal (under Freedom of Information request) to provide his Form RN renouncing his New Zealand citizenship before being elected raises serious questions about his legality as a Member f Parliament,” the petition states.

“Is this man really so incompetent that he can’t even himself as an immigrant obey Constitutional Law 101? A technicality is a technicality but it’s the law.”

Explaining why the request would have been rejected, Mr Ludlam’s office said a Freedom of Information laws only apply to ministers or departments, not to individual senators.”

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/business/work/senator-scott-ludlams-whistleblower-revealed-as-wa-barrister/news-story/779c0a3c296dd362dcdec80b1531bd37

diannaartMarch 18, 2018 at 3:17 pm

What did Miriam say, very clearly?

” I get so tired of rabid Labor supporters attacking the Greens, especially when you’re still talking about Scott Ludlam months after he resigned …..”

@ Mick Byron March 18, 2018 at 2:16 pm

So your point is?

Continuing to slag off the Greens, while the LNP wreck the joint?

Mick ByronMarch 18, 2018 at 3:29 pm

diannaart
What was written re Ludlam was incorrect and I was pointing that out to Miriam English
Scott allegedly “resigned with sufficient integrity to do so immediately they realised the problem”
He had over 3 years knowledge that he at least needed to do due dilligence
3 years is hardly “immediately”
Your blind defence of the Greens apparently doesn’t allow you to read what is written .
“” I get so tired of rabid Labor supporters attacking the Greens, especially when you’re still talking about Scott Ludlam months after he resigned ”
I didn’t raise or even mention Ludlam, simply responded to a comment and pointing out fact is hardly an attack,

Now your Greens response to me . now that’s an attack 😀

paul walterMarch 18, 2018 at 3:52 pm

Go away, Mick. No way should he or the rest of them have had to resign.

diannaartMarch 18, 2018 at 4:00 pm

I think you are missing the point – Scott Ludlam has resigned, many dual citizens in both Labor and the LNP have not resigned.

However, rather than playing “who’s to blame for the s. 44 cock-up and all it’s many ramifications” Labor, and the Greens could stop sniping at each other and move on – just a thought.

Also if you believe my comment was an “attack” – I suggest, with all due respect, you check out the definition of the word.

Am not and never have been a member of the Greens.

Joseph CarliMarch 18, 2018 at 4:11 pm

Att’n : Mick Byron…: “The Cabal of Complicity”..

“. . . To enter such communities and hold views in conflict with the status quo (listed above) is to court social pariahism. For although you may be of the opinion that you have just had a “heated discussion” with only one member of the community …. because such a member “went to school with … “, “grew up with … “, “played football with … “, “drank with … “, “did a season shearing with … “, “works with … “, or just plain “is related to … ” , it won’t be long, regardless if the culprit is despised, hated, reviled or spurned by nearly every other single individual in the entire cabal ….. YOU will “have the problem”.

Because the one grain, perhaps the only grain of carved-in-stone knowledge in such communities is that its very weakness is its’ strength, so each is complicit in backing-up, right or wrong, innocence or guilt, with silent dismissal or wilful disdain, its’ “in-house” member.

It is the strength of their denial, it is their unifying fear of “divided they fall”, for each individual, lacking a worldly confidence, distrusting worldly knowledge, has no solid footing, but is fixed in the matrix of all .. it is the age-old maxim of “honour among thieves” …. so take on one, you take on all!

It is The Cabal of Complicity. “

Miriam EnglishMarch 18, 2018 at 5:27 pm

Paul, I agree completely. That’s why I said I hope Labor win the next election. I hope Labor and the Greens can get over this ridiculous feud which benefits only the LNP. Now I’m off to read the Guardian article you pointed to (thanks for the link).

Mick Byron, you offer the Telegraph as evidence of anything? That worthless gossip rag? I’m almost inclined to think that anything they print must automatically be the opposite of what they say. If there is any genuine evidence that Scott Ludlam knew of the conflict earlier then I’m happy to remove the word “immediately”, but it doesn’t change the thrust of what I was saying.

Joe, you are not seriously suggesting that Mick is getting his knuckles rapped for disagreeing with me merely because I’m (and I can hardly type this for laughter) one of the “in crowd”? Seriously? That’s a first. No. I think Mick is being pulled up for missing the point and trying to add flames to the stupid feud.

corvus boreusMarch 18, 2018 at 5:29 pm

For those who would rather talk about ex-senator Ludlum than uber-minister Dutton, yes, he neglected due dilligence upon the obvious problem of him being a kiwi by birth, got caught out and felt compelled to resign. Silly him.
I feel more sympathy for Larissa Waters; hers was a case of poor legal advice concerning the time-lapse between the passing and enactment of amendments to Canadian dual-citizenship laws at the time of her birth.

Now, would anyone care to offer some comment or suggestion concerning the increasingly disturbing powers and conduct of the fish-eyed sociopath in charge of the Home-Affairs uber-ministry?
The one who is inflaming domestic and international tensions through temperate and often racially divisive remarks?
The one who is advocating that gun-pushers have a role in dictating firearms legislation?
The one whose personal crony appointment as commissioner for BF was involuntary fired for personal misconduct?
Yeah, Dutton’s probably not important or interesting enough to warrant priority of discussion..

Miriam EnglishMarch 18, 2018 at 5:41 pm

Oh dog! The LNP has taken South Australia??? Bastards. 🙁
How could the people be so stupid?
Jay Weatherill was doing so much good there.
Watch the place nosedive now with LNP in charge.

(Oops! Sorry about the derailment.)

That makes Dutton even more scary. If LNP who did so much to screw over SA can end up winning that state, perhaps he can end up as PM. Holy crap!!!

Joseph CarliMarch 18, 2018 at 11:20 pm

Miriam.. ; ” Joe, you are not seriously suggesting that Mick is getting his knuckles rapped for disagreeing with me merely because I’m (and I can hardly type this for laughter) one of the “in crowd”? Seriously? ”

Well, Miriam..I may be mistaken, but you and several others DO seem to complain against a selected “target” in a group cluster…like a gang of bullying youths picking on their intended victim…One as the “informed accuser, one as the abusing youngest throwing a stone or two and one as the “authoritative figure” standing close but aloof and in control of her “charges”. . .
Of course, I may be wildly mistaken, and if so I do apologise..and unreservedly so . . .

Kaye LeeMarch 19, 2018 at 6:00 am

I suggest you start working on your apology Joe. That is the greatest load of clap trap I have ever heard. It demeans you.

“the “authoritative figure” standing close but aloof and in control of her “charges”. . .” WTF? Get a grip man.

Miriam EnglishMarch 19, 2018 at 9:53 am

A gang of bullies??? A bit silly, Joe. You might like to re-read the exchange above.
So, was that offer of an apology genuine?

Joseph CarliMarch 19, 2018 at 1:36 pm

” was that offer of an apology genuine?”……Oh Miriam!..ye of little faith!

jimhazMarch 19, 2018 at 1:49 pm

Dutton might get back in. If long term residents are being driven out of the Electorate of Brisbane into Duttons electorate due to housing costs or a feeling of a loss of the Australian identity, as has occurred in Sydney, they will vote for him.

Miriam EnglishMarch 19, 2018 at 2:50 pm

Joe, so was that a “no”, then?

jimhaz, unfortunately I fear you may be partially right. I worry that this might be a deliberate strategy by the LNP to worsen people’s circumstances, add fear (especially racist fear of other people) in order to push them to be more right-wing. It freaks me out that they might also be using a long-term strategy of reducing education and health to heighten ignorance and the pressures upon people over generations, also moving people to vote more right-wing. Well-educated, happy people tend to vote for humane, left-leaning governments. To some degree I discount your point about “feeling of a loss of the Australian identity”. It’s true that people can feel that way, and they will then tend to vote for more right-wing, nationalist, racist leaders, but the feeling is entirely imaginary, conjured totally from racist bullshit, just as people can react badly to believing some among them are witches — it is a fiction that can have dire results.

Joseph CarliMarch 19, 2018 at 3:30 pm

Miriam. . .
“Patience is a virtue,
Possess it when you can,
For it is seldom in a woman . . .”

BUT..if you are deserving of such, I..for one am ever willing to throw my self on a knee and implore the forgiveness of gentle woman’s mercy…Why!..I’d be as passionate as that untitled Pushkin poem..:

“I loved you, and that love, to die refusing,
May still – who knows! – be smouldering in my breast.
Pray, be not pained – believe me, of my choosing
I’d never have you troubled nor yet distressed.
I loved you mutely, hopelessly and truly,
With shy yet fevered tenderness aglow;
Mine was a jealous passion and unruly…
May heaven grant another loves you so!”………….Alexander Pushkin 1829.

FreethinkerMarch 19, 2018 at 3:46 pm

A lot of entertainment and humor in this thread, then again in consideration to the author, going back to the topic will be the right thing to do

diannaartMarch 19, 2018 at 3:56 pm

Indeed Freethinker

It is always humorous to generalise about women with abundant claims from days of yore.

Yes, a return to topic is in order, which is about a man behaving dreadfully.

Joseph CarliMarch 19, 2018 at 4:02 pm

Ah!!….” . . . and baby makes three.” .. Wikipedia..: ” And Baby Makes Three is a 1949 American romantic comedy directed by Henry Levin and starring Robert Young, Barbara Hale, and Robert Hutton.”

I had to bait the hook twice, but I think I proved my assertion….sorry, Miriam…no apology for now…just the Pushkin poem..and surely..Pushkin would suffice?

FreethinkerMarch 19, 2018 at 4:05 pm

diannaart, you got me wrong and I not blame you, it is my lack of communication skills
I have high regards and respects for woman I have been educated like that by my father, I just try to break the conversation which IMHO it is not constructive and mentioned humor in reference on the way that both parties reply to each other, close to the question time in our federal parliament.
What ever “defect”we can find in woman will be equal or worse in men, unfortunately diannaart is a fault in the humans AKA rational animals.
I guess that some times it is better to let “the punches” pass over the head and let things settle in their own way.

diannaartMarch 19, 2018 at 4:11 pm

Freethinker

Then could you please consider not endorsing your little mate’s anachronistic attitude to women?

Is that too much to ask?

Alan LuchettiMarch 19, 2018 at 4:16 pm

Every criticism you make of him looks like a recommendation to a 21st century Lib. He fits the mould perfectly.

diannaartMarch 19, 2018 at 4:20 pm

On the topic of “trinities”

Mungo MacCallum writes:

Unholy trinity suffers a setback
The sacking of Roman Quaedvlieg is only a minor impediment to Dutton’s plan…
…. lavishly uniformed bureaucrat will have to be replaced, no doubt at vast expense. And Dutton’s very well-paid éminence grise – Home Affairs departmental head, the almost insanely ambitious Mike Pezzullo – is surely already on the case looking for someone equally arrogant and brutal.

Dutton’s quest for power has so far gone pretty well: the various amalgamations to his empire now run to a workforce of some 23,000, making it one of the biggest bureaucracies in Canberra and one of the least accountable. The magic formula, “we stopped the boats,” is seen to justify any excess, any outrage.

Thus when the question arose about if, how and when South African farmers might be forced to leave their land, Dutton did not hesitate. These were the real refugees, he proclaimed, persecuted and threatened by a ruthless government. The only proper course would be to bring them to Australia where they would, being white, Christian and Anglophone (apart from those who only spoke Afrikaans – and surely they could learn), become model productive citizens….

https://www.themonthly.com.au/blog/mungo-maccallum/2018/19/2018/1521418284/unholy-trinity-suffers-setback

Joseph CarliMarch 19, 2018 at 4:37 pm

Look..I’m in agreeance with diannaart and Freethinker on this and we ought to go back to live and let live and also back to the subject at hand…OK?…I’m on board…

paul walterMarch 19, 2018 at 4:40 pm

Funny how his career tracks Abbott’s. He will go further, then imploded should he reach such a position as requires actual knowledge thought and judgement.

FreethinkerMarch 19, 2018 at 4:52 pm

diannaart, Joseph have the legimate right to express his views and I do not prepared to endorse or not his views.
Turn the page, please.

corvus boreusMarch 19, 2018 at 5:47 pm

I, for one, am happy to talk about the topic of this article, rather than trying to incite and inflame discord amongst the community by talking total twaddle about fictitious cabals committing imaginary gang attacks.
What exactly was that subject again?

diannaartMarch 19, 2018 at 5:47 pm

Further to my comments (above) regarding little man Dutton, he is also working on establishing a “firearms advisory council” – like he doesn’t have enough to do what with controlling Australia’s borders, immigration, torturing refugees by keeping them in indefinite detention…

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/15/peter-dutton-considering-request-for-gun-importers-to-review-rule-changes

Peter Dutton meeting with Laura Patterson from the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia and Nioa official David Briggs in Brisbane last month

“you caint talk to a man with a shotgun in his hand…”

Miriam EnglishMarch 19, 2018 at 5:54 pm

Paul, let’s hope you’re right. The danger, of course, is that Dutton will cause a lot of damage in his rise to the point of his implosion, and will leave a great big mess to be cleaned up.

Joe, you seem to pretend a gentlemanly pose while sneering. Not a good look.

I put my hopes in GetUp and other activist organisations persuading people in Dutton’s electorate to vote him out.

helvityniMarch 19, 2018 at 5:56 pm

This constant back-page bickering will drive commenters away from AIM; I have witnessed it happening on other blogs…

Here you have many new blogs daily, turn the page as Freethinker suggests…

corvus boreusMarch 19, 2018 at 6:28 pm

diannaart,
Mungo’s article referenced Mike Pezzullo as part of an unholy trinity. Apt.

Mike is like the ultimate in opportunistic and ambitious career bureaucrats, with an especially ruthless hawkish attitude and a special interest in military hardware, cyber-warfare and psy-ops.
In defense, Pezzullo is a big fan of ‘regional force projection’ (Mike helped put the bomber into Beazley), and subsequently, in his role as customs and immigration bigwig under both ruling parties, he has recommended and helped implement some of the most brutal injustices that Australia has ever perpetrated.

Now, as the hand of the Dutton, Pezzullo’s flower has well and truly bloomed.
.http://www.canberratimes.com.au/national/public-service/mike-pezzullos-pending-pay-day-as-home-affairs-chief-20180204-h0tjj1.html

Kaye LeeMarch 19, 2018 at 6:29 pm

Joseph,

You come on here “talking total twaddle about fictitious cabals committing imaginary gang attacks” (thanks cb)

You admit to deliberately baiting people “I had to bait the hook twice, but I think I proved my assertion”

And now you want us to get back on topic.

Well gladly, but at least own your part in derailing it.

diannaartMarch 19, 2018 at 7:24 pm

@ corvus boreus

Pezzullo another so full of himself, he believes he has been selected on merit. Our Public Service needs a good shot of diversity and a complete oil-change as does our parliament.

These people really believe they are above accountability, hardly role models – unless we want a nation of unapologetic narcissists.

Cathy SutcliffeMarch 19, 2018 at 7:41 pm

So much to say about ol’Pete. Everyone has done a fine job. He is the most dangerous person in this country, and we should start a fund to send him over to the Yanks, where he would feel so much more at home. I do wonder though, how someone as dispicable as he keeps his place in government. Who the hell votes for him? They need shaming. Seriously! He is one scary scab on the skin of the conservative disease that not only needs a’pickin, but should be amputated with the limb it festers on. He, and men like him, have brought out a certain kind of Hate in me, which did not exist before. All I know is I will slap his face if I ever get close enough, and would happily do my penance for it. I truly dispise this BASTARD.

Kaye LeeMarch 19, 2018 at 8:09 pm

The ANAO has produced several reports that were absolutely scathing about Pezzullo’s handling of his department. There have also been reports commissioned by the DIBP, both internal and external, and they have all been hugely critical. He was also deputy chief of staff to Kim Beazley.when he lost the unloseable election in 2001.

When Pezzullo took over the DIBP, thirty members of the Senior Executive Service, more than a quarter of the total, left the department. It was an exodus unmatched in the public service in a generation.

https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2018/february/1517403600/james-button/dutton-s-dark-victory

corvus boreusMarch 19, 2018 at 9:31 pm

With (reserved) apologies for the contextual irrelevance, I shall, before falling into my fart-sack, put up something entirely off-topic, purely with the desire to provoke and elicit emotional reactions.

Here is some footage of a deathbed reunion between two old friends;

Goodnight all.

Miriam EnglishMarch 19, 2018 at 10:28 pm

Corvus, that’s the kind of empathy that appears to be lacking in Dutton. I feel sorry for him. He probably has no idea what he’s missing out on. (See what I did there? I made it so your video was still on topic. 🙂 )

Thank you for the link. I’ve saved the video into my “uplift” folder, even though it makes me sad, it’s encouraging too. It makes me feel that the days of creatures like Dutton surely must be numbered.

At further risk of derailment, here is one of my favorite uplifting videos. It never fails to choke me up.

It shows levels of concern for others that must be entirely out of reach of people like Dutton.

corvus boreusMarch 20, 2018 at 7:03 am

Helvityni (16/3 9:58am, 10:46am),
You referenced the lack of likelihood that Dutton would ever apologize for his divisive and provocative statements, and decried his political colleagues for their refusal to refute his conduct. I couldn’t agree more.

When politicians, or people for that matter, say things that are both inaccurate and offensive, and obstinately refuse to retract or apologise, then they should be called out on their bullshit by their colleagues and peers.

Similarly, I also believe that we should endeavor to do so in our own lives, otherwise our demands for greater standards of integrity in political behavior might seem a bit hollow, even hypocritical.

corvus boreusMarch 20, 2018 at 7:38 am

KL,
An ABC overview from January 2017 summarizing various ‘problems’ the National Audit Office found in the conduct of the dept of Immigration and Border protection with regard to the funding and operation of offshore detention centres.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-17/audit-alleges-offshore-detention-contracts-mismanaged/8188190

Kaye LeeMarch 20, 2018 at 8:25 am

Joe’s comments were insulting on so many levels, not least of which was his dismissive assertion that “each individual, lacking a worldly confidence, distrusting worldly knowledge, has no solid footing.”

I would be more than happy to debate him mano a mano on pretty much any topic and we shall see who lacks confidence and knowledge.

Joseph CarliMarch 20, 2018 at 8:34 am

Here you go, Kaye….Context….context…seeing as how you probably didn’t take the time to read when first posted here…Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got an article to write.

https://theaimn.com/the-cabal-of-complicity/

Kaye LeeMarch 20, 2018 at 8:37 am

cb,

The ANAO reports weren’t the only ones critical of the Department.

“A recent survey of employees working for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) has revealed a department-wide decline in morale.

This shift has been attributed to a damming lack of confidence in both Australian Border Force (ABF) Commissioner Roman Quaedvlieg, and what has been described as Mike Pezzullo’s “problematic culture of command and control.”

The report also cites an ongoing shift away from focusing on assisting people, towards a primarily enforcement-based approach, as well as a lack of communication from senior management.”

https://absoluteimmigration.com/dibp-staff-survey-reveals-failing-morale-and-problematic-culture-of-command-and-control/

Kaye LeeMarch 20, 2018 at 8:39 am

Joe, was there a reason you posted your article again in the comments section and how is it in any way relevant to your insulting accusations on this thread? (I hope you don’t mind that I shortened it to the link)

The “context” here is a discussion about Peter Dutton and also how people are tired of Labor and the Greens fighting each other, both of which have nothing to do with your homily.

Joseph CarliMarch 20, 2018 at 8:46 am

Jesus!…you’re really looking for a “scrap’ aren’t you..well you are out of luck…perhaps you better send in one of your “lieutenants” to stir the pot..If you read the article you will see toward the end the “offending lines” in context to the larger piece..
Now, please..go in peace and may you always have a fire burning in your hearth and a warm pair of slippers nearby.

But the “context” of YOUR gripe was about Miriam’s slighting of Mick Byron disagreeing with a comment made about The Greens senator…:

“diannaart
What was written re Ludlam was incorrect and I was pointing that out to Miriam English
Scott allegedly “resigned with sufficient integrity to do so immediately they realised the problem”
He had over 3 years knowledge that he at least needed to do due dilligence
3 years is hardly “immediately”
Your blind defence of the Greens apparently doesn’t allow you to read what is written .
“” I get so tired of rabid Labor supporters attacking the Greens, especially when you’re still talking about Scott Ludlam months after he resigned ”
I didn’t raise or even mention Ludlam, simply responded to a comment and pointing out fact is hardly an attack,

Now your Greens response to me . now that’s an attack 😀 ”

It’s not always about YOU, you know..

Kaye LeeMarch 20, 2018 at 8:50 am

No Joseph, I am not looking for a scrap. An apology would have been appropriate but I am not expecting that either.

What sort of reaction where you expecting when you made your inflammatory comments – feminine acquiesence?

FreethinkerMarch 20, 2018 at 8:51 am

I have to read the name of this blog to make sure that I am not in a sport blog with tic for tac comments.
Just for the respect and consideration of the admin, can you please turn over the page?

corvus boreusMarch 20, 2018 at 8:51 am

Kaye Lee,
Completely ignoring the subject of an article to make a presumptive dismissal of the overall worth of a group of other contributors is, to my view, arrogant and insulting behavior, very poor form.
Going out of your way to falsely accuse an author, on their own thread, of indulging in group bullying, well, that goes beyond inconsiderate, discourteous or disrespectful, that’s just straight up trolling.

Joseph Carli,
Not really my place to say, but I’ll say it anyway.
Talk topic or piss off.

Kaye LeeMarch 20, 2018 at 9:15 am

“It’s not always about YOU, you know..”

You are correct. Nothing in the article was about me. But your comments were very much about me, Miriam and diannaart.

Desist from the personal attacks and we won’t have a problem.

paul walterMarch 20, 2018 at 10:24 am

I agree with Kaye and found “Mick Byron’s” comments an innane attempt at derail. Can I suggest some of you pack in complicity with this.

Miriam EnglishMarch 20, 2018 at 11:15 am

Corvus, in your comment (March 20, 2018 at 8:51 am) did you accidentally misplace the sentences under Kaye’s name when you intended them to be directed to Joe? I’m having a heck of a time trying to work out how they could possibly fit Kaye’s words, yet they perfectly describe Joe’s.

The article was written by Kaye.

After wam made a slur against the Greens (March 18, 2018 at 12:27 pm) I reacted against it (March 18, 2018 at 1:00 pm), appealing for progressives to work together against the real enemy. Mick Byron tried (March 18, 2018 at 2:16 pm) to divert the comment by quoting the Telegraph’s attack on Scott Ludlam. (The Telegraph!) Dianna responded (March 18, 2018 at 3:17 pm) to Mick, pointing out that he’d missed the main points of my comment in his rush to slur the Greens further. Joe then stepped in (March 18, 2018 at 4:11 pm) to comfort Mick that he shouldn’t worry about being bullied by a group of weak women. His words were quite objectionable.

In part: It is the strength of their denial, it is their unifying fear of “divided they fall”, for each individual, lacking a worldly confidence, distrusting worldly knowledge, has no solid footing, but is fixed in the matrix of all .. it is the age-old maxim of “honour among thieves”…

When I disagreed good-humoredly (March 18, 2018 at 5:27 pm) with his statement he worsened it (March 18, 2018 at 11:20 pm) by comparing (presumably Kaye, Dianna, and me) to “a gang of bullying youths picking on their intended victim”. Then pretended to dangle an apology, if he was wrong. (He was wrong.)

He then attempted to provoke a response by saying that patience is seldom a trait of women (March 19, 2018 at 3:30 pm), but all he got was a couple of short non-aggressive replies. However Joe somehow misinterpreted them as attacks and felt he could retract any offer of an apology because he now thought he was proven right (March 19, 2018 at 4:02 pm), while everybody else was left scratching their heads, wondering at his thought processes.

Joe sees himself as a worldly gentleman, but he’s been acting like an old world sexist. I thought Joe was better than this. I’m disappointed.

Kaye LeeMarch 20, 2018 at 11:27 am

Miriam,

I don’t think Joe realises how dismissive he is or how he has stereotyped women or how often he projects his expectations of what women should be.

Even things like this…

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I got an article to write.”

That says to me, in the context of this exchange, ‘Your feelings about what I have written about you aren’t important. Why waste my time with your responses to my perfectly worded description of you. Now stop interrupting me because I have more important things to be doing, unlike you who should settle down by the fire with some warm slippers. Here’s a poem for you, now off you go, there’s a pet’

PS I think, whilst cb’s words were directed to me, they weren’t about me

KyranMarch 20, 2018 at 11:58 am

There is a name that has been popping up a lot and is referenced in your article. Robert Nioa.

“The proposal to establish the committee was put to Dutton during a private meeting with representatives from gun importer Nioa and the Shooting Industry Foundation of Australia (Sifa).
A lobbying outfit whose directors include some of Australia’s largest gun dealers, Sifa has only five members and represents a departure from the membership-driven model of most shooting groups in Australia. But what it lacks in numbers it makes up for in funding and influence.
Financial disclosures published with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission show that Sifa’s five members pumped $768,000 into the group in the 2016-17 financial year.
Among the members is Robert Nioa, the managing director of the largest small arms importer in Australia.
Aside from being a major donor to his father-in-law, the independent federal MP Bob Katter, Nioa’s company receives millions of dollars in defence contracts from the Australian government and Nioa himself is well connected politically.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/18/tim-fischer-warns-nra-inspired-firearms-lobby-targeting-australias-gun-laws

The Nioa company was one of the winners in the recent announcement of the defence contract in Queensland. Their website is interesting in the number of contracts they ‘win’.

https://www.nioa.com.au/

I’m not suggesting anything untoward here. Given this government’s aversion to transparency, it is worth keeping an eye out for Nioa though, both the individual and the company. My guess is they will be winning significant subsidies from the government under our new weapons policy and will continue to donate to political parties and will continue to sit on advisory panels and will continue to win government contracts. With an absolute conviction that it’s all legit.
With regard to the removal of oversights, there have been a few interesting articles about how things are ‘fudged’.

Audit ambit: more scrutiny on federal contract deals

https://www.governmentnews.com.au/2018/03/experts-flag-lack-of-accountability-in-procurement-contracts/

We are so far beyond farce, it really isn’t amusing anymore. Having said that, there was a really good interchange on one of the Guardian articles over the weekend between ‘nemesis56’ and ‘SleuthforTruth’ which I think should be sloganized nationally to see how it goes.
“GetUp is essential to take the dick out of Dickson.”
“He’ll be fuhrerious when he loses.”
“I would have also thought they were integral in getting the dicks out of Dickensian.”
Thank you Ms Lee and commenters. Take care

Kaye LeeMarch 20, 2018 at 3:24 pm

And just to add to the scathing reports tally, there was a staff survey done in May last year, just before Roman Quaedvlieg went on leave and before Malcolm Turnbull announced Dutton’s super ministry, where “Australian Border Force staff delivered a scathing assessment of their senior leaders”.

Fewer than one in three said senior staff set a clear, strategic direction. Only 22 per cent said their communication was effective.

Acting Commissioner Mr Outram said he had “forced” senior executives to meet more frequently with frontline staff.

The staff census is conducted across the public service annually, and since 2014, the immigration department’s results have been among the worst.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-20/border-force-staff-scathing-assessment-of-senior-management/9565924

corvus boreusMarch 21, 2018 at 6:42 am

Kyran,
Thank you for that additional information.
Robert Nioa and his SIFA buddies definitely warrant watching.
As well as pushing their agenda by seeking to influence government policy in advisory bodies, the gun industry lobbyists are also seeking to loosen firearms regulations by ‘pragmatically’ funding the campaigns of parties and candidates of the far-right fringe.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/07/australian-gun-lobby-donations-rightwing-minor-parties-weaken-reforms-control

Miriam English,
I am aware that this article was authored by Kaye Lee, if the name didn’t give it away the informational quality would.
To clarify, my comment to her (20/3 8:51) was my observational assessment of the contemptible behavior to which she (and others, yourself included) has been subjected, not in any way an accusation regarding her own conduct.
Just another humble minion showing solidarity with the matriarch of the cabal. 😉

Miriam EnglishMarch 21, 2018 at 9:58 am

Corvus, thanks. My apologies, fellow minion. 😀

The far right getting involved in guns is disturbing. At some point a half-wit will shoot a whole lot of people and cause a backlash against guns again. Hopefully it never gets that far though. What the hell can those idiots be thinking? And creating the beginning of an authoritarian police-state structure with concentrated power and decisions that can’t be questioned, along with all the secrecy… do these morons have even the briefest acquaintance with history?

Extremely important: NEVER give power to people who are obsessed with it.

I’m not sure whether it becomes even more important if those people are stupid. Dutton and Pezzullo don’t seem to be well endowed with brains. Maybe it would be even scarier if they were very smart.

MatthewCMarch 22, 2018 at 3:40 pm

Peter Dutton says
“If people think I’ll cower or take a backwards step due to their fake news criticism they’ve got another thing coming.”

I read the above on a Guardian article (https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/22/south-africa-risks-food-shortages-if-white-farmers-go-to-australia-nationals-mp-says), and it made me think about he behaves so much like a little insecure man. So I googled “Peter Dutton Little Man” and saw that I wasn’t the first with the idea.

My first comment in here…

jimhazMarch 22, 2018 at 4:01 pm

If Dutton was to bring the SAers to be Animal Farmers, and expel the snowflakes, they would praise him as

“Our Leader, Berkshire boar Napoleon Dutton, Father of All Righties, Terror of Lefties, Protector of the Sheep-fold, Rich persons’ Friend”

Turnbull as Mr Jones better be careful

“Napoleon
One of the leaders among the pigs, Napoleon is a “large, rather fierce-looking Berkshire boar” that is up for sale. He is the only Berkshire boar on the farm. He is “not much of a talker” and has “a reputation for getting his own way”. Napoleon expels Snowball from the farm and takes over. He modifies his opinions and policies and rewrites history continually to benefit the pigs. Napoleon awards special privileges to the pigs and especially to himself. For example, he dines on Mr. Jones’s fine china, wears Mr. Jones’s dress clothes, and smokes a pipe. As time goes on, Napoleon becomes a figure in the shadows, increasingly secluding himself and making few public appearances. Eventually, Napoleon holds a conciliatory meeting with the neighboring human farmers and effectively takes over Mr. Jones’s position as dictator. Napoleon represents the type of dictator or tyrant who shirks the common good, instead seeking more and more power in order to create his own regime”

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