Well that went well

December 16, 2015
Written by: Kaye Lee
84 Replies

Australian delegation to the Middle East

Who, in their right mind, would send Christopher Pyne, Bronwyn Bishop and Tim Wilson to the West Bank to help with the peace process? I could not think of three more annoying people.

Unsurprisingly, the Palestinian Education Minister called the group “rude” and said they had “false information” and were “not well educated”.

“I thought the Minister of Innovation would come with innovative ideas, but instead he came with a list of complaints.”

According to Tim Wilson, the group “quizzed” the Palestinian Prime Minister and Education Minister about a range of topics though Christopher Pyne was very quick to say he didn’t quiz anyone whilst admitting that other members of the delegation were “more robust”.

One wonders at the choice of sending freedom boy when his religious freedom summit in November didn’t go so well when he forgot to invite any Muslim or Aboriginal representatives.

The 20 or so participants at the event, which was closed to the public, included representatives from the Anglican Church, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, two rabbinical peak bodies, Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, Sikhs, Buddhists and other faiths, as well as a representative of the atheist association and a representative of the Church of Scientology.

The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (Muslims Australia), the Islamic Research and Educational Association, the Lebanese Muslims Association, the High Islamic Council of Australia (Darulfatwa) and the Islamic Council of Victoria all said they were not aware of, or invited to, the event.

Free Trade Agreements

The government is spending $10 million spruiking the China Free Trade Agreement but MYEFO would tend to indicate it is nothing to be boasting about.

Since the budget, there has been a $3.8 billion write-down in receipts over the forward estimates “primarily due to reduced tariff receipts associated with the China‑Australia Free Trade Agreement.”

But they will improve “jobs and growth”… right? It appears not.

GDP growth forecasts have been decreased significantly.

Scott Morrison is claiming the creation of 340,000 jobs over the last 12 months. According to the ABS, “Over the past 12 months, trend employment has increased by 293,300.”

Whichever figure you use, individuals and other withholding tax has been written down by $300 million (0.2 per cent) in 2015‑16 and $11.8 billion across the forward estimates, “reflecting ongoing weakness in collections, a weaker outlook for wages growth and lower population growth.”

Despite supposedly creating 71,400 jobs last month, aggregate hours worked in all jobs decreased by 12.7 million hours and labour force underutilisation is 14.3% (16.6% for females).

But are companies doing better due to our FTAs?

Company tax receipts have been written down by $1.1 billion (1.6 per cent) in 2015‑16 and $12.1 billion over the forward estimates, “mainly owing to weaker expected mining profitability associated with lower commodity prices.”

How about investments?

Business investment fell 6.3 per cent in 2014‑15 as resource investment continued to decline. Non‑mining business investment grew modestly in 2014‑15. The outlook for 2015‑16 is more subdued than forecast at Budget as the transition towards broader‑based growth is materialising at a slower pace than previously anticipated. The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Capital Expenditure Survey indicates weak investment intentions.

But surely our exports are booming with a low Aussie dollar and the opening up of new markets?

“In 2015‑16, rural exports are expected to fall as a result of adverse weather conditions associated with El Niño and as beef producers enter a period of restocking.”

Terms of trade?

“In the May budget the terms of trade in 2015-16 was expected to fall 8.5%; now it is expected to fall 10.5%. And while the budget hoped next year would see the terms of trade stabilise and indeed rise 0.75%, now 2016-17 expects to see another 2.25% fall.”

It seems the negatives from the FTAs have been felt immediately but any benefit is yet to appear.

The NBN

Finding out anything specific about Malcolm’s dogs breakfast NBN is difficult because it is off budget and information requests, including those by Senate Committees, are met with the “commercial in confidence” brick wall.

But under the Statement of Risks in MYEFO it confesses that we are being sued because of Malcolm’s tinkering.

“The termination of the funding agreement with OPEL Network Pty Ltd has resulted in the Australian Government being a party to legal action brought by OPEL Networks Pty Ltd (in Liquidation) (OPEL) and Optus Networks Pty Ltd (Optus) in relation to an agreement under the Broadband Connect Infrastructure Programme. OPEL is a joint venture between Optus and Elders Telecommunications Infrastructure Pty Ltd. The outcome of that litigation is unknown as the proceedings are ongoing.”

Even though there will no longer be any brownfield FttP rolled out, the government refuses to release the modelling we paid for that gave the cost of continuing with FttP, quoting the usual excuse, c-in-c.

And Malcolm promised transparency?

All in all, things aren’t going that well but that’s what happens when you choose your delegates unwisely, rush free trade agreements, and destroy nation building infrastructure just because you didn’t think of it. But that’s Coalition politics for you.

Like what we do at The AIMN?

You’ll like it even more knowing that your donation will help us to keep up the good fight.

Chuck in a few bucks and see just how far it goes!

Your contribution to help with the running costs of this site will be gratefully accepted.

You can donate through PayPal or credit card via the button below, or donate via bank transfer: BSB: 062500; A/c no: 10495969

Post Views: 260

84 comments

Login here

Register here

Bronte ALLANDecember 16, 2015 at 4:13 pm

Who in their right mind would send prissy Pyne–speak no sense, Bronwyn bighair–use no sense, & Tim Wilson (?)–have no idea? This sounds like something Tony abscess would do! WTF?? And these 3 specimens are obviously very Religious?

Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 4:27 pm

This could be the start of Bronnie’s campaign to save the world from terrorism. Gawd help us.

Matters NotDecember 16, 2015 at 4:35 pm

Bronwyn went there with her helicopter gunship to fight the terrorists. Freedom Boy to give lectures on human rights while Pyne, the Fixer, was there to fix territorial disputes.

I read that Bisgop the Elder was paying for her flights (why I’m not certain – possibly a bit gun shy at the moment) but I am unsure who was picking up the tab for expenses and the like. Anyone know? Were they invited? If so by whom?

Who paid for the Freedom Boy? And in what capacity was he there?

LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 5:05 pm

Perhaps someone was hoping something would happen to make them disappear?

mars08December 16, 2015 at 5:07 pm

“I could not think of three more annoying people… “

Good grief!!??!? Kaye Lee, surely you’re just being lazy… Try harder. /sarcasm

WallyDecember 16, 2015 at 5:15 pm

It really is little wonder why the LNP voters deny facts and bury their heads in the sand, the truth is too bloody scary.

If you caught a quick glimpse of Bronwyn Bishop you could be excused for thinking you had just spotted Witchy Poo.

Matters NotDecember 16, 2015 at 5:20 pm

One wonder whether these ‘aggressors’ fall within the ambit of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill? Will they be ‘held’ and subject to close questioning on their return? After all the legislation speaks of subjecing foreign fighters and individuals who have been in conflict areas to a range of augmented controls upon their return to Australia.

They seem to tick the boxes.

paul walterDecember 16, 2015 at 5:31 pm

Mars, it’s a pretty good example of what a reasonable person would suggest, if asked who comes to mind…three utter cranks.

donwrefordDecember 16, 2015 at 5:45 pm

Could a more inappropriate trio be found? the 3 are the most boring and tedious one can imagine? if you desire a disconnected from the self you would choose this lot? are the Liberals just inept? the mind boggles.

WallyDecember 16, 2015 at 5:45 pm

“I could not think of three more annoying people… “

Donald Trump, Tony Abbott and Gina Rinehart would be right up there with them.

keertiDecember 16, 2015 at 5:48 pm

“I could not think of three more annoying people—–I could! They’re 2 years old though!

PopsieJDecember 16, 2015 at 6:00 pm

And henceforth the LNP shall be known as The Monty Python Disconnected from Reality Party.

cowper133December 16, 2015 at 6:01 pm

Agree entirely Kaye, most inappropriate people to send. This is another example of Turnball’s poor decision making! Will we ever see good government, decent decisions or positive outcomes from this lot? I doubt it!

brickbobDecember 16, 2015 at 6:08 pm

Coming to a movie house near you””” The Three Stooges Go To Palestine.

Michael LaceyDecember 16, 2015 at 6:49 pm

well Kay Lee that just shows how much contempt they have for the plight of the Palestinians!

mars08December 16, 2015 at 6:52 pm

Dutton! Why not send Dutton?

Haven’t the Palestinians suffered enough? For the sake of their youngsters, I hope that Bishop was wearing a burqa or similar during the visit.

LozDecember 16, 2015 at 6:59 pm

It was a strange trio indeed! Maybe it was just to get them out of the country to give some respite to the remaining strange mob.

Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 7:32 pm

They were visiting Jerusalem for two days as part of an annual Australia-UK-Israel leadership dialogue. I wouldn’t want any of those three to lead me anywhere! Arrogance is NOT a leadership quality I admire.

Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 7:38 pm

Brian Loughnane was there too for some unknown reason. Tim Wilson said it was Bronwyn that did the grilling

Bronwyn Bishop quizzing the Palestinian Education Minister in a delegation led by @CPyne … pic.twitter.com/JaMaVLJ9o4

— Tim Wilson (@TimWilsonMP) December 13, 2015

Miriam EnglishDecember 16, 2015 at 9:12 pm

I like Lee’s explanation: “Perhaps someone was hoping something would happen to make them disappear?”
I laughed aloud when I read that. I can imagine many people in Canberra breathing a sigh that they’d gone overseas and hoping some “terrible” fate would befall them.

The LNP is truly starting to look like they have completely lost the plot. One screw-up after another. Can’t even blame it on Abbott anymore. They just keep shooting themselves in the foot. There doesn’t seem to be a genuine interest in Australia’s well-being or a desire to actually learn about the topics they preside over. Everything is P.R., style, ideology, and no actual substance. They don’t seem to even read their own portfolio backgrounder information. They seem to think it’s some kind of game — strut around, act important, get lots of choice benefits for yourself, insult people and move on. What a strangely repellent bunch of people they are.

Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 9:32 pm

Aren’t they though. I am so uninspired by the lot of them.

mark delmegeDecember 16, 2015 at 9:33 pm

assclowns

paul walterDecember 17, 2015 at 12:15 am

The ferrying of journalists and others to Isreal…nothing duplicitous involved in these junkets? Pfftttt!!

mmc1949December 17, 2015 at 12:17 am

Annoying hardly begins to describe that trio.
However, would any other trio have been less ignorant? I doubt it.
The government is steadfastly pro-Israel.
Compared to its reporting of all things Arab-Israeli, the MSM is a paragon of impartiality when reporting on ALP-LNP issues, such is its pro-Israel bias.
To get news from a Palestinian viewpoint, or from more neutral observers, you really have to go off-piste, so to speak, in news-land, or look to academics.
If anyone in the LNP gets information from anywhere other than the pro-Israel lobby or the MSM, I’d love them to put their hands up.

BilalDecember 17, 2015 at 12:29 am

It would be interesting to know just what they had to say about the ethnic cleansing of East Jerusalem by extremist Jewish colonists and the ghetto-isation of Hebron. Insulting the Palestinians might be part of the LNP game but they might not have noticed that the world has changed and they are putting our international standing at risk.

mars08December 17, 2015 at 12:32 am

We still have an “international standing”…? Really?

WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 12:53 am

mars08

“We still have an “international standing”…? ”

Totally agree I thought Abbott totally trashed us to the point of Australian politics being the main focus of international cartoonists.

Kate MDecember 17, 2015 at 5:40 am

Excellent article as always. I would dispute only one point – and this is nitpicking – I do think Tony Abbott still beats all three in the ‘annoying’ category. And I’m pretty sure iDutton would give any of these three a run for their money in a race for most annoying! BUT that is splitting hairs.

It will be interesting to see what the new year brings – when people have had a break and the dust starts to settle around Turnbull’s leadership – with more facts and figures emerging to give concrete indications of his performance as a leader. So far, as you point out, the indicators are really no better than Abbott’s. The real test will be when he and ScoMo bring down their first budget. The question is – will they be brave enough to go to the polls after the budget or will they go earlier in the year before the Australian public cottons on that things have not really changed.

Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 6:40 am

You know what’s really annoying, I am now thinking of all the most annoying people, and there’s a lot of them. When I try to think of who we should have sent to Jerusalem and Palestine, I can think of several who may offer some help, but none of them are politicians. Waleed Aly, Gillian Triggs, Julian Burnside are a few who come to mind because they are in the public eye but I am sure we have many people who would serve us far better in the situation.

PilotDecember 17, 2015 at 7:31 am

Stone the crows!!! Any 3 Australians would have been better than the 3 stooges Mal sent. We could’ve sent 3 RA supporters and got a better result! Here’s my 3 – iDutton, Christenson, Abetz. Hell, throw Hastie in there, what about Brandis. Tones could’ve run around the place in his budgee smugglers, peeped under burqas and warned them about death cults.

Wicked witch, Tinman and Scarecrow = our 3 humans rights specialists…. Good GRIEF!!!! One wonders whether they went there with cattle prods supplied by the nats…… What was Mal thinking? Top up the Witch’s travel allowances cash can? Show Wilson what the World looks like? Get The Fixer out of the country to give us a bit of relief?

Sending cats to a dog show is always a great idea………….

Great article Kaye!

Glenn KDecember 17, 2015 at 7:55 am

Oh for Gawd’s sake, can this government do anything more to make us look like a nation of halfwits on the world stage? How obscene is this! – pigs with their snouts in the trough is bad enough, but shitting and farting on the world stage whilst they’re feeding on our tax dollars takes it to a new level. Please bring on an election.

RossleighDecember 17, 2015 at 8:00 am

Well, if anything could bring about some sort of agreement between Israel and Palenstine, a small starting point could be the idea that Bronwyn Bishop and Christopher Pyne should be barred from any future visits.

Clean livinDecember 17, 2015 at 8:16 am

Really people! Be positive. Whilst they are over there, they are not over here. As for making us look stupid, well, Tony is a hard act to beat….

ZathrasDecember 17, 2015 at 8:33 am

Perhaps the purpose of sending those particular representatives was to sabotage any progress toward a peaceful settlement, demoralise the Palestinians and deter any future consideration for them seeking refuge in Australia.

It’s almost as if the intention was to make things worse – not better.

KyranDecember 17, 2015 at 8:39 am

Curioser and curioser, indeed. Maybe they were there to give money to Israel under our new innovation mentality.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-17/israel-to-become-start-up-hotspot-for-australian-entrepreneurs/7035520

A tad odd that the above story became secondary to the story of bronny doing what she does best. Being arrogant, ignorant, bombastic and overly impressed with her delusions of adequacy. Smoke and mirrors, people, smoke and mirrors.
Thank you Ms Lee. Take care

Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 8:43 am

The one thing these three people share is unwarranted arrogance. None of them have ever achieved anything other than scoring very high paying jobs for doing nothing, but they are all unbelievably certain of their own worth and certain that their ill-informed/for sale IPA opinions are the way to go, mainly because they are too stupid to think for themselves beyond where their own bread is buttered.

Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 8:45 am

It is worth noting that James Packer recently moved to Israel. Perhaps they went there to get their instructions.

Neil of SydneyDecember 17, 2015 at 9:43 am

But under the Statement of Risks in MYEFO it confesses that we are being sued because of Malcolm’s tinkering.

I think that is wrong. The Howard govt signed contracts with Opel to bring broadband to regional areas. The Rudd govt broke the contract soon after winning govt. Broadband Connect Infrastructure Programme was a Howard govt programme.

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/210894/government_kills_opel_broadband_network/

PopsieJDecember 17, 2015 at 10:12 am

Bronwyn Bishop is Effie Trinket from the The Hunger Games. Kaye Lee please call Bronnie, Effie Trinket from now on. and for you who do not know Effie Trinket was the make up white plastered make up, over the top, govt agent
I honestly despair with this govt, the only thing I can think of is it is some sort of game to see how much they can insult the electorate,but then it is said a country gets the country it deserves. Dont cry for Australiana would be good background music

WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 11:11 am

Neil of Sydney

“Rudd govt broke the contract soon after winning govt”

OPEL failed to meet the contract requirements of providing coverage to 90% of identified under-served premises, their plans showed they would only cover 72% of identified under-served premises. But Nos who cares if there is a shortfall in services the LNP manage to sell us short all the time, it is a minor technicality and we wouldn’t want the facts to influence our judgement.

http://www.itnews.com.au/news/conroy-pulls-the-plug-on-1-billion-opel-broadband-project-107235

Could we apply the LNP preference for contractors to the way we engage members of government? It has plenty of merit, imagine if we could withhold payment from members of government who have failed to serve the people and/or fulfil their role. For the lack of effort and dismal results delivered by the Abbott/Turnbull government they would owe money, the public purse would save a bloody fortune.

Möbius EckoDecember 17, 2015 at 11:20 am

Not only that Wally under this dismal L&NP government the cost of outsourcing and consultants to undertake the work of the public servants they sacked has exceeded the cost of the public service.

No surprise that a great majority of those consultants and out sourced entities are friends, ex-Liberals or donors to the Liberal party.

Yet in opposition they had the gall to have a go at Labor for jobs for the boys, when Rudd gave more jobs to ex-Liberals than any previous PM. The moment Abbott got into power he did nothing but give jobs and contracts to the boys, and they are still racking them up. Hypocrisy reigns supreme in the Liberals and their supporters.

Adrianne HaddowDecember 17, 2015 at 11:23 am

What a bunch of lack lustre, talentless grunts, these LNP favourites are.

I thought Australia had gotten over its culture cringe, but here we are sending off the worst of the worst into the world, to ‘represent’ (????) our ‘government’ (????). Bazza Mckenzie would be proud.

I suppose that’s what nepotism does to any enterprise.

Or is this all part of the ‘Great Australian Fire Sale’? One last jaunt before China really takes control.

Neil of SydneyDecember 17, 2015 at 12:23 pm

it is a minor technicality and we wouldn’t want the facts to influence our judgement.

The main point i was trying to make was that i think Kaye is wrong. WE are being sued because Rudd broke a legally signed contract not “because of Malcolm’s tinkering”.

And Opel disputes the Rudd govt that it could not reach 90% of people in rural areas.

Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 12:48 pm

Thanks NoS.

I incorrectly said the litigation was due to Malcolm’s tinkering. That was a wrong assumption on my part.

diannaartDecember 17, 2015 at 1:11 pm

OK Kaye Lee, while I admit I have not paid much attention to the news lately – for health and safety reasons…. come on…. ‘fess up… you’re pulling my leg….. Christopher Pyne, Bronwyn Bishop and Tim Wilson went to the West Bank to help with the peace process????? – this never happened. I am in complete denial, I won’t believe it until at least 97% of the entire world tells me it is so.

Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 1:50 pm

Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 1:53 pm

That’s Brian Loughnane, Credlin’s husband, there too.

BacchusDecember 17, 2015 at 2:11 pm

Kaye Lee

As Wally pointed out, the OPEL litigation is a result of yet another Liberal broadband project not meeting requirements – your only error was the useless minister responsible was Helen Coonan, not Malcolm.

diannaartDecember 17, 2015 at 2:16 pm

Dunno wot I wuz thinkin’…. I actually thought politics would be less silly with the ousting of Tony Abbott…. yeah, I know, too much for my level of aptitude.

Slinking back into cave…

Neil of SydneyDecember 17, 2015 at 2:33 pm

Bacchus

Did you read my link?

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/210894/government_kills_opel_broadband_network/

With the OPEL plan dead, Labor will now focus its attentions on its $4.7 billion National Broadband Network. The NBN, a partnership with the private sector, plans to deliver broadband to 98 percent of Australians within five years.

Whatever happened to Labors 2007 election promise to build an NBN costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013?

stephengb2014December 17, 2015 at 4:00 pm

Come on it’s not rocket science

The reason for these 3 or 4 ?

It was their turn in the trough !

NOW it all makes sense – ‘right’?

WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 5:26 pm

Neil of Sydney

“Whatever happened to Labors 2007 election promise to build an NBN costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013?”

I think Mr NO (Tony Abbott) had a big influence on the finish date by blocking legislation in parliament several times. This is just one of the LNP oppositions attempts to derail the NBN. http://www.smartcompany.com.au/technology/information-technology/17073-20101020-coalition-moves-to-block-nbn-with-private-members-bill–demands-cost-benefit-analysis.html

You cannot blame Labor for not keeping promises that have been stopped or stalled by the parliamentary process Neil, that is absurd.

A short time ago Turnbull told us the Telstra copper network was in good condition but they have purchased 1,800kms of copper cable to make the NBN work, What dickhead would install 1800km of 19th century copper cable instead on fibre? The only difference in cost is the purchase price of the cable and that is minimal, installation costs are similar.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/nbn-co-buys-1800-kilometres-of-copper-to-make-malcolm-turnbulls-fibretothenode-network-work-20151020-gke5oy.html

BacchusDecember 17, 2015 at 5:29 pm

Don’t bother Wally – we’ve been over this thousands of times with the brain-dead one from Sydney. He just keeps coming back with the same inane crap as always 😉

BacchusDecember 17, 2015 at 5:37 pm

Wally

If you want to see where the discussion will go, check here from 2010. 😉

WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 5:42 pm

Neil of Sydney

Split the post so the SPAM filter doesn’t reject the post for having to many links to the facts.

A smart operator who was being sued by someone would try to negotiate a settlement with that party before making another deal with them but not Turnbull. Optus was a major stakeholder in OPEL but Malcolm had no qualms making another deal with Optus despite the pending legal action, a deal that paid good money for network assets that have already been deemed to need replacement so the NBN can meet the speed requirements.

NBN Co has taken ownership of Optus’ HFC cable network valued at “substantially the same” as the two company’s $800m 2011 deal http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/nbn-co-telstra-and-optus-reach-deal-for-copper-and-hfc-networks/news-story/7650e2c567b99eb936ccccc91411cca9

Remember the cool $800 million NBN Co dropped on buying the Optus HFC network? Leaked documents have revealed that the NBN Co is thinking about replacing it entirely. Why? Because it’s such crappy infrastructure.

NBN Might Have To Replace Optus’ Messy, Broken Cable Network

The government should be suing Optus for selling them infrastructure that was not up to standard.

The problem here all started when John Howard sold Telstra, should never have happened. Thousands of mum and dad investors would not have been burnt, NBN would not have to buy back antiquated infrastructure and we would probably have decent Internet coast to coast by now. By the time Turnbulls NBN is completed it will already be antiquated and from all accounts it will be well over budget..

WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 5:57 pm

Bacchus

Have come across NoS in the past, he is very similar to the local LNP voters in my area, they never let the facts get in the way of making an absurd comment. When all else fails they bury their heads in the sand again, blame everything on Labor or search for something with a grain of substance that they can twist to support (in their mind anyhow) their stance. The Liberals must hand out blinkers at every function so none of their supporters can look at the big picture.

Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 8:51 pm

On 15 November 2005 Telstra, the owner of the national copper network, announced a plan to upgrade its ageing networks, including a rollout of a fibre to the node (FTTN) network. At the time, the Federal Government was the majority shareholder of Telstra, but the plan did not involve any additional government investment. The rollout was later abandoned after the Howard Government refused to exempt the new network from laws requiring third party access.

WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 9:52 pm

Kaye Lee

Thanks Kaye you are correct Howard had already screwed up before he put the nail in the coffin and sold off Telstra.

Just so NoS understands what could have been!,

If the Howard Government had given Telstra exclusive rights to sell services on the network they intended to install and pay for we would already have an Internet system equal if **not better than the Turnbull NBN that is still ?? years away from completion and costing tax payers more than Labors fttp. **Telstra’s fttn would not include the crappy Optus’ HFC cable that Turnbull paid $800 million for..

What a fantastic insight into the future the Liberal party did not have back then and now the LNP are (excuse my language but sometimes it is the only way to emphasise the point) stuffing it up and wasting tax payers money again. You can excuse 1 stuff up, in some circumstances 2 but this is the third time this bunch of incompetent **fools have screwed up.

**I had a better definition but it is extremely impolite.

Sen Nearly IleDecember 18, 2015 at 1:39 am

What gave me the giggles was the fixer making it clear he acted very diplomatically but the others may have been robust.
Strange that the Palestinian called the fixer’s diplomacy ‘a list of complaints’.

Pingback: Well that went well – » The Australian Independent Media Network | olddogthoughts

Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 18, 2015 at 9:23 am

I know it’s sort of off-topic in one sense, but sending Christopher Pyne and Tim Wilson would have made far more sense if Wyatt Roy had also gone, so the two older chaps could show him a few new “ropes” so to speak. It wasn’t as though they went to do much more than see if they could do anything to get a piece.

As I see it anyway.

Neil of SydneyDecember 18, 2015 at 10:56 am

You cannot blame Labor for not keeping promises that have been stopped or stalled by the parliamentary process Neil, that is absurd.

You obviously do not know what happened. Labor took a policy to the 2007 election to build broadband costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013. It went nowhere. It was a lie because nobody wanted to build it.

The current policy is NBN Mark 2 thought up on the back of a napkin on a plane flight from Sydney to Melbourne.

RoswellDecember 18, 2015 at 12:32 pm

Neil, it is against my better judgement to address you, especially after I’ve suggested to others that they ignore you completely, but I would like you to answer a question.

Can you kindly come up with a list of broken promises and cost blow-outs from the CURRENT government? There are many, of course, so you will be kept busy.

I would also like to hear you express your outrage about them.

If your answer is simply just another repeat of the same old rubbish you post 99% of the time then I’m happy for the comment to sit in spam and never see the light of day.

mars08December 18, 2015 at 12:40 pm

Ahhh Roswell, I see what you did there! You sneaky dog…. you went all Full Metal Donald Rumsfeld on NoS…

RoswellDecember 18, 2015 at 12:46 pm

Indeed. There’s enough data out there to keep him busy for a fortnight.

mars08December 18, 2015 at 12:52 pm

@Roswell… actually I was thinking of Rumsfelds trite “an absence of evidence is not evidence of absence” statement.

An absence of NoS isn’t evidence that he tried and failed…

Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm

Roswell in respect of your earlier note, I was under the impression that Kneel off Siderney was to be simply ignored.

RoswellDecember 18, 2015 at 2:14 pm

You are of course right, Sir. I am guilty of double standards. I guess I just got sick of the load of crap from him sitting in the spam folder so I threw down the challenge. I admit now that I shouldn’t have.

Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 18, 2015 at 2:26 pm

In admitting your error/s you are accepting responsibility for it/them.

Go fourth my son, and in seeking the truth, watch out for thurds kneeling around, likewise in search of forgiveness. 🙂

Kaye LeeDecember 18, 2015 at 7:59 pm

The trip to Palestine may not have gone well but it is really just something for Tim to put on his CV.

It seems the IPA are fighting over who gets to have retiring Victorian Senator Michael Ronaldson’s job and freedom boy is putting his hand up.

“Institute of Public Affairs deputy director James Paterson, indigenous advocate Sean Armistead, Freedom Commissioner Tim Wilson and Jane Hume, who is already the party’s number three candidate for the Senate in 2016, are being discussed for the position.”

ChrisDecember 18, 2015 at 9:47 pm

Hmmm playing up to the Pro-Israel lobby for personal gain ? I’m sure that never happens. Very interesting point Kaye.

Neil of SydneyDecember 19, 2015 at 11:36 am

Can you kindly come up with a list of broken promises and cost blow-outs from the CURRENT government? There are many, of course, so you will be kept busy.

So i am only allowed to post under your standards.

You have just proved to me that lefties are natural totalitarians.

RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 12:14 pm

Warning! Dickhead alert!

paul walterDecember 19, 2015 at 12:19 pm

The skies have darkened.

paul walterDecember 19, 2015 at 12:20 pm

Come on Neil, not even ONE mistake?

WallyDecember 19, 2015 at 12:27 pm

Don’t we all have to abide by the rules of wherever we post comments?

“Warning! Dickhead alert!”

How bloody true Roswell

RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 12:49 pm

Wally, I don’t know what came over me in approving the dickhead’s comment. Maybe I thought we all needed a laugh.

His comment certainly provided it.

Neil of SydneyDecember 19, 2015 at 1:22 pm

The biggest mistake the Coalition has made was making Turnbull leader. The man hang around for 6 years like a bad smell just so he could become PM. And 54 of the Coalition traitors voted for him.

I now no longer have a party to vote for. I live in outer Sydney. I hope the Nats run in my seat because i do not want Turnbull to win the next election.

Cost blowouts/broken promises? Lots of broken promises but no cost blow outs that i know of. But no major broken promises like Labor did on 2007. Rudd promised a NBN in 2007 costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013. It was a major lie.

Lots of minor lies by Abbott. But i guess i minor lie is no different to a major lie. What is your point? If a politician tells a lie we should not vote for them?

paul walterDecember 19, 2015 at 2:54 pm

You have a sense of humour. That is nice. How about something a bit adult, next time?

RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 3:13 pm

That would be out of his league, Paul.

WallyDecember 19, 2015 at 5:19 pm

Rosswell and Neil of Sydney

You both agree on something the Libs are not worth voting for but for very different reasons.

Roswell – “Why would anybody want to re-elect this government?” https://theaimn.com/why-would-anybody-want-to-re-elect-this-government/

Neil – “I now no longer have a party to vote for. I live in outer Sydney. I hope the Nats run in my seat because i do not want Turnbull to win the next election.”

Roswell wins by 25++++ valid reasons.

RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 5:50 pm

Wally, it’s not hard to win an argument against that imbecile.

mars08December 19, 2015 at 6:06 pm

It’s much easier to win when they insist on showing off their synchronised swimming skills… on the hurdles track.

Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 20, 2015 at 9:40 am

I’ve just worked it out about kneel off siderney. He’s misrepresenting himself. It should be kneel off St Mary’s.

Return to home page

Login here Register here

Bronte ALLANDecember 16, 2015 at 4:13 pm

Who in their right mind would send prissy Pyne–speak no sense, Bronwyn bighair–use no sense, & Tim Wilson (?)–have no idea? This sounds like something Tony abscess would do! WTF?? And these 3 specimens are obviously very Religious?
Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 4:27 pm

This could be the start of Bronnie’s campaign to save the world from terrorism. Gawd help us.
Matters NotDecember 16, 2015 at 4:35 pm

Bronwyn went there with her helicopter gunship to fight the terrorists. Freedom Boy to give lectures on human rights while Pyne, the Fixer, was there to fix territorial disputes.

I read that Bisgop the Elder was paying for her flights (why I’m not certain – possibly a bit gun shy at the moment) but I am unsure who was picking up the tab for expenses and the like. Anyone know? Were they invited? If so by whom?

Who paid for the Freedom Boy? And in what capacity was he there?
LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 5:05 pm

Perhaps someone was hoping something would happen to make them disappear?
mars08December 16, 2015 at 5:07 pm

“I could not think of three more annoying people… “

Good grief!!??!? Kaye Lee, surely you’re just being lazy… Try harder. /sarcasm
WallyDecember 16, 2015 at 5:15 pm

It really is little wonder why the LNP voters deny facts and bury their heads in the sand, the truth is too bloody scary.

If you caught a quick glimpse of Bronwyn Bishop you could be excused for thinking you had just spotted Witchy Poo.
Matters NotDecember 16, 2015 at 5:20 pm

One wonder whether these ‘aggressors’ fall within the ambit of the Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill? Will they be ‘held’ and subject to close questioning on their return? After all the legislation speaks of subjecing foreign fighters and individuals who have been in conflict areas to a range of augmented controls upon their return to Australia.

They seem to tick the boxes.
paul walterDecember 16, 2015 at 5:31 pm

Mars, it’s a pretty good example of what a reasonable person would suggest, if asked who comes to mind…three utter cranks.
donwrefordDecember 16, 2015 at 5:45 pm

Could a more inappropriate trio be found? the 3 are the most boring and tedious one can imagine? if you desire a disconnected from the self you would choose this lot? are the Liberals just inept? the mind boggles.
WallyDecember 16, 2015 at 5:45 pm

“I could not think of three more annoying people… “

Donald Trump, Tony Abbott and Gina Rinehart would be right up there with them.
keertiDecember 16, 2015 at 5:48 pm

“I could not think of three more annoying people—–I could! They’re 2 years old though!
PopsieJDecember 16, 2015 at 6:00 pm

And henceforth the LNP shall be known as The Monty Python Disconnected from Reality Party.
cowper133December 16, 2015 at 6:01 pm

Agree entirely Kaye, most inappropriate people to send. This is another example of Turnball’s poor decision making! Will we ever see good government, decent decisions or positive outcomes from this lot? I doubt it!
brickbobDecember 16, 2015 at 6:08 pm

Coming to a movie house near you””” The Three Stooges Go To Palestine.
Michael LaceyDecember 16, 2015 at 6:49 pm

well Kay Lee that just shows how much contempt they have for the plight of the Palestinians!
mars08December 16, 2015 at 6:52 pm

Dutton! Why not send Dutton?

Haven’t the Palestinians suffered enough? For the sake of their youngsters, I hope that Bishop was wearing a burqa or similar during the visit.
LozDecember 16, 2015 at 6:59 pm

It was a strange trio indeed! Maybe it was just to get them out of the country to give some respite to the remaining strange mob.
Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 7:32 pm

They were visiting Jerusalem for two days as part of an annual Australia-UK-Israel leadership dialogue. I wouldn’t want any of those three to lead me anywhere! Arrogance is NOT a leadership quality I admire.
Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 7:38 pm

Brian Loughnane was there too for some unknown reason. Tim Wilson said it was Bronwyn that did the grilling

Bronwyn Bishop quizzing the Palestinian Education Minister in a delegation led by @CPyne … pic.twitter.com/JaMaVLJ9o4

— Tim Wilson (@TimWilsonMP) December 13, 2015
Miriam EnglishDecember 16, 2015 at 9:12 pm

I like Lee’s explanation: “Perhaps someone was hoping something would happen to make them disappear?”
I laughed aloud when I read that. I can imagine many people in Canberra breathing a sigh that they’d gone overseas and hoping some “terrible” fate would befall them.

The LNP is truly starting to look like they have completely lost the plot. One screw-up after another. Can’t even blame it on Abbott anymore. They just keep shooting themselves in the foot. There doesn’t seem to be a genuine interest in Australia’s well-being or a desire to actually learn about the topics they preside over. Everything is P.R., style, ideology, and no actual substance. They don’t seem to even read their own portfolio backgrounder information. They seem to think it’s some kind of game — strut around, act important, get lots of choice benefits for yourself, insult people and move on. What a strangely repellent bunch of people they are.
Kaye LeeDecember 16, 2015 at 9:32 pm

Aren’t they though. I am so uninspired by the lot of them.
mark delmegeDecember 16, 2015 at 9:33 pm

assclowns
paul walterDecember 17, 2015 at 12:15 am

The ferrying of journalists and others to Isreal…nothing duplicitous involved in these junkets? Pfftttt!!
mmc1949December 17, 2015 at 12:17 am

Annoying hardly begins to describe that trio.
However, would any other trio have been less ignorant? I doubt it.
The government is steadfastly pro-Israel.
Compared to its reporting of all things Arab-Israeli, the MSM is a paragon of impartiality when reporting on ALP-LNP issues, such is its pro-Israel bias.
To get news from a Palestinian viewpoint, or from more neutral observers, you really have to go off-piste, so to speak, in news-land, or look to academics.
If anyone in the LNP gets information from anywhere other than the pro-Israel lobby or the MSM, I’d love them to put their hands up.
BilalDecember 17, 2015 at 12:29 am

It would be interesting to know just what they had to say about the ethnic cleansing of East Jerusalem by extremist Jewish colonists and the ghetto-isation of Hebron. Insulting the Palestinians might be part of the LNP game but they might not have noticed that the world has changed and they are putting our international standing at risk.
mars08December 17, 2015 at 12:32 am

We still have an “international standing”…? Really?
WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 12:53 am

mars08

“We still have an “international standing”…? ”

Totally agree I thought Abbott totally trashed us to the point of Australian politics being the main focus of international cartoonists.
Kate MDecember 17, 2015 at 5:40 am

Excellent article as always. I would dispute only one point – and this is nitpicking – I do think Tony Abbott still beats all three in the ‘annoying’ category. And I’m pretty sure iDutton would give any of these three a run for their money in a race for most annoying! BUT that is splitting hairs.

It will be interesting to see what the new year brings – when people have had a break and the dust starts to settle around Turnbull’s leadership – with more facts and figures emerging to give concrete indications of his performance as a leader. So far, as you point out, the indicators are really no better than Abbott’s. The real test will be when he and ScoMo bring down their first budget. The question is – will they be brave enough to go to the polls after the budget or will they go earlier in the year before the Australian public cottons on that things have not really changed.
Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 6:40 am

You know what’s really annoying, I am now thinking of all the most annoying people, and there’s a lot of them. When I try to think of who we should have sent to Jerusalem and Palestine, I can think of several who may offer some help, but none of them are politicians. Waleed Aly, Gillian Triggs, Julian Burnside are a few who come to mind because they are in the public eye but I am sure we have many people who would serve us far better in the situation.
PilotDecember 17, 2015 at 7:31 am

Stone the crows!!! Any 3 Australians would have been better than the 3 stooges Mal sent. We could’ve sent 3 RA supporters and got a better result! Here’s my 3 – iDutton, Christenson, Abetz. Hell, throw Hastie in there, what about Brandis. Tones could’ve run around the place in his budgee smugglers, peeped under burqas and warned them about death cults.

Wicked witch, Tinman and Scarecrow = our 3 humans rights specialists…. Good GRIEF!!!! One wonders whether they went there with cattle prods supplied by the nats…… What was Mal thinking? Top up the Witch’s travel allowances cash can? Show Wilson what the World looks like? Get The Fixer out of the country to give us a bit of relief?

Sending cats to a dog show is always a great idea………….

Great article Kaye!
Glenn KDecember 17, 2015 at 7:55 am

Oh for Gawd’s sake, can this government do anything more to make us look like a nation of halfwits on the world stage? How obscene is this! – pigs with their snouts in the trough is bad enough, but shitting and farting on the world stage whilst they’re feeding on our tax dollars takes it to a new level. Please bring on an election.
RossleighDecember 17, 2015 at 8:00 am

Well, if anything could bring about some sort of agreement between Israel and Palenstine, a small starting point could be the idea that Bronwyn Bishop and Christopher Pyne should be barred from any future visits.
Clean livinDecember 17, 2015 at 8:16 am

Really people! Be positive. Whilst they are over there, they are not over here. As for making us look stupid, well, Tony is a hard act to beat….
ZathrasDecember 17, 2015 at 8:33 am

Perhaps the purpose of sending those particular representatives was to sabotage any progress toward a peaceful settlement, demoralise the Palestinians and deter any future consideration for them seeking refuge in Australia.

It’s almost as if the intention was to make things worse – not better.
KyranDecember 17, 2015 at 8:39 am

Curioser and curioser, indeed. Maybe they were there to give money to Israel under our new innovation mentality.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-17/israel-to-become-start-up-hotspot-for-australian-entrepreneurs/7035520

A tad odd that the above story became secondary to the story of bronny doing what she does best. Being arrogant, ignorant, bombastic and overly impressed with her delusions of adequacy. Smoke and mirrors, people, smoke and mirrors.
Thank you Ms Lee. Take care
Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 8:43 am

The one thing these three people share is unwarranted arrogance. None of them have ever achieved anything other than scoring very high paying jobs for doing nothing, but they are all unbelievably certain of their own worth and certain that their ill-informed/for sale IPA opinions are the way to go, mainly because they are too stupid to think for themselves beyond where their own bread is buttered.
Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 8:45 am

It is worth noting that James Packer recently moved to Israel. Perhaps they went there to get their instructions.
Neil of SydneyDecember 17, 2015 at 9:43 am

But under the Statement of Risks in MYEFO it confesses that we are being sued because of Malcolm’s tinkering.

I think that is wrong. The Howard govt signed contracts with Opel to bring broadband to regional areas. The Rudd govt broke the contract soon after winning govt. Broadband Connect Infrastructure Programme was a Howard govt programme.

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/210894/government_kills_opel_broadband_network/
PopsieJDecember 17, 2015 at 10:12 am

Bronwyn Bishop is Effie Trinket from the The Hunger Games. Kaye Lee please call Bronnie, Effie Trinket from now on. and for you who do not know Effie Trinket was the make up white plastered make up, over the top, govt agent
I honestly despair with this govt, the only thing I can think of is it is some sort of game to see how much they can insult the electorate,but then it is said a country gets the country it deserves. Dont cry for Australiana would be good background music
WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 11:11 am

Neil of Sydney

“Rudd govt broke the contract soon after winning govt”

OPEL failed to meet the contract requirements of providing coverage to 90% of identified under-served premises, their plans showed they would only cover 72% of identified under-served premises. But Nos who cares if there is a shortfall in services the LNP manage to sell us short all the time, it is a minor technicality and we wouldn’t want the facts to influence our judgement.

http://www.itnews.com.au/news/conroy-pulls-the-plug-on-1-billion-opel-broadband-project-107235

Could we apply the LNP preference for contractors to the way we engage members of government? It has plenty of merit, imagine if we could withhold payment from members of government who have failed to serve the people and/or fulfil their role. For the lack of effort and dismal results delivered by the Abbott/Turnbull government they would owe money, the public purse would save a bloody fortune.
Möbius EckoDecember 17, 2015 at 11:20 am

Not only that Wally under this dismal L&NP government the cost of outsourcing and consultants to undertake the work of the public servants they sacked has exceeded the cost of the public service.

No surprise that a great majority of those consultants and out sourced entities are friends, ex-Liberals or donors to the Liberal party.

Yet in opposition they had the gall to have a go at Labor for jobs for the boys, when Rudd gave more jobs to ex-Liberals than any previous PM. The moment Abbott got into power he did nothing but give jobs and contracts to the boys, and they are still racking them up. Hypocrisy reigns supreme in the Liberals and their supporters.
Adrianne HaddowDecember 17, 2015 at 11:23 am

What a bunch of lack lustre, talentless grunts, these LNP favourites are.

I thought Australia had gotten over its culture cringe, but here we are sending off the worst of the worst into the world, to ‘represent’ (????) our ‘government’ (????). Bazza Mckenzie would be proud.

I suppose that’s what nepotism does to any enterprise.

Or is this all part of the ‘Great Australian Fire Sale’? One last jaunt before China really takes control.
Neil of SydneyDecember 17, 2015 at 12:23 pm

it is a minor technicality and we wouldn’t want the facts to influence our judgement.

The main point i was trying to make was that i think Kaye is wrong. WE are being sued because Rudd broke a legally signed contract not “because of Malcolm’s tinkering”.

And Opel disputes the Rudd govt that it could not reach 90% of people in rural areas.
Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 12:48 pm

Thanks NoS.

I incorrectly said the litigation was due to Malcolm’s tinkering. That was a wrong assumption on my part.
diannaartDecember 17, 2015 at 1:11 pm

OK Kaye Lee, while I admit I have not paid much attention to the news lately – for health and safety reasons…. come on…. ‘fess up… you’re pulling my leg….. Christopher Pyne, Bronwyn Bishop and Tim Wilson went to the West Bank to help with the peace process????? – this never happened. I am in complete denial, I won’t believe it until at least 97% of the entire world tells me it is so.
Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 1:50 pm
Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 1:53 pm

That’s Brian Loughnane, Credlin’s husband, there too.
BacchusDecember 17, 2015 at 2:11 pm

Kaye Lee

As Wally pointed out, the OPEL litigation is a result of yet another Liberal broadband project not meeting requirements – your only error was the useless minister responsible was Helen Coonan, not Malcolm.
diannaartDecember 17, 2015 at 2:16 pm

Dunno wot I wuz thinkin’…. I actually thought politics would be less silly with the ousting of Tony Abbott…. yeah, I know, too much for my level of aptitude.

Slinking back into cave…
Neil of SydneyDecember 17, 2015 at 2:33 pm

Bacchus

Did you read my link?

http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/210894/government_kills_opel_broadband_network/

With the OPEL plan dead, Labor will now focus its attentions on its $4.7 billion National Broadband Network. The NBN, a partnership with the private sector, plans to deliver broadband to 98 percent of Australians within five years.

Whatever happened to Labors 2007 election promise to build an NBN costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013?
stephengb2014December 17, 2015 at 4:00 pm

Come on it’s not rocket science

The reason for these 3 or 4 ?

It was their turn in the trough !

NOW it all makes sense – ‘right’?
WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 5:26 pm

Neil of Sydney

“Whatever happened to Labors 2007 election promise to build an NBN costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013?”

I think Mr NO (Tony Abbott) had a big influence on the finish date by blocking legislation in parliament several times. This is just one of the LNP oppositions attempts to derail the NBN. http://www.smartcompany.com.au/technology/information-technology/17073-20101020-coalition-moves-to-block-nbn-with-private-members-bill–demands-cost-benefit-analysis.html

You cannot blame Labor for not keeping promises that have been stopped or stalled by the parliamentary process Neil, that is absurd.

A short time ago Turnbull told us the Telstra copper network was in good condition but they have purchased 1,800kms of copper cable to make the NBN work, What dickhead would install 1800km of 19th century copper cable instead on fibre? The only difference in cost is the purchase price of the cable and that is minimal, installation costs are similar.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/nbn-co-buys-1800-kilometres-of-copper-to-make-malcolm-turnbulls-fibretothenode-network-work-20151020-gke5oy.html
BacchusDecember 17, 2015 at 5:29 pm

Don’t bother Wally – we’ve been over this thousands of times with the brain-dead one from Sydney. He just keeps coming back with the same inane crap as always 😉
BacchusDecember 17, 2015 at 5:37 pm

Wally

If you want to see where the discussion will go, check here from 2010. 😉
WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 5:42 pm

Neil of Sydney

Split the post so the SPAM filter doesn’t reject the post for having to many links to the facts.

A smart operator who was being sued by someone would try to negotiate a settlement with that party before making another deal with them but not Turnbull. Optus was a major stakeholder in OPEL but Malcolm had no qualms making another deal with Optus despite the pending legal action, a deal that paid good money for network assets that have already been deemed to need replacement so the NBN can meet the speed requirements.

NBN Co has taken ownership of Optus’ HFC cable network valued at “substantially the same” as the two company’s $800m 2011 deal http://www.news.com.au/technology/online/nbn/nbn-co-telstra-and-optus-reach-deal-for-copper-and-hfc-networks/news-story/7650e2c567b99eb936ccccc91411cca9

Remember the cool $800 million NBN Co dropped on buying the Optus HFC network? Leaked documents have revealed that the NBN Co is thinking about replacing it entirely. Why? Because it’s such crappy infrastructure.

NBN Might Have To Replace Optus’ Messy, Broken Cable Network

The government should be suing Optus for selling them infrastructure that was not up to standard.

The problem here all started when John Howard sold Telstra, should never have happened. Thousands of mum and dad investors would not have been burnt, NBN would not have to buy back antiquated infrastructure and we would probably have decent Internet coast to coast by now. By the time Turnbulls NBN is completed it will already be antiquated and from all accounts it will be well over budget..
WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 5:57 pm

Bacchus

Have come across NoS in the past, he is very similar to the local LNP voters in my area, they never let the facts get in the way of making an absurd comment. When all else fails they bury their heads in the sand again, blame everything on Labor or search for something with a grain of substance that they can twist to support (in their mind anyhow) their stance. The Liberals must hand out blinkers at every function so none of their supporters can look at the big picture.
Kaye LeeDecember 17, 2015 at 8:51 pm

On 15 November 2005 Telstra, the owner of the national copper network, announced a plan to upgrade its ageing networks, including a rollout of a fibre to the node (FTTN) network. At the time, the Federal Government was the majority shareholder of Telstra, but the plan did not involve any additional government investment. The rollout was later abandoned after the Howard Government refused to exempt the new network from laws requiring third party access.
WallyDecember 17, 2015 at 9:52 pm

Kaye Lee

Thanks Kaye you are correct Howard had already screwed up before he put the nail in the coffin and sold off Telstra.

Just so NoS understands what could have been!,

If the Howard Government had given Telstra exclusive rights to sell services on the network they intended to install and pay for we would already have an Internet system equal if **not better than the Turnbull NBN that is still ?? years away from completion and costing tax payers more than Labors fttp. **Telstra’s fttn would not include the crappy Optus’ HFC cable that Turnbull paid $800 million for..

What a fantastic insight into the future the Liberal party did not have back then and now the LNP are (excuse my language but sometimes it is the only way to emphasise the point) stuffing it up and wasting tax payers money again. You can excuse 1 stuff up, in some circumstances 2 but this is the third time this bunch of incompetent **fools have screwed up.

**I had a better definition but it is extremely impolite.
Sen Nearly IleDecember 18, 2015 at 1:39 am

What gave me the giggles was the fixer making it clear he acted very diplomatically but the others may have been robust.
Strange that the Palestinian called the fixer’s diplomacy ‘a list of complaints’.
Pingback: Well that went well – » The Australian Independent Media Network | olddogthoughts
Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 18, 2015 at 9:23 am

I know it’s sort of off-topic in one sense, but sending Christopher Pyne and Tim Wilson would have made far more sense if Wyatt Roy had also gone, so the two older chaps could show him a few new “ropes” so to speak. It wasn’t as though they went to do much more than see if they could do anything to get a piece.

As I see it anyway.
Neil of SydneyDecember 18, 2015 at 10:56 am

You cannot blame Labor for not keeping promises that have been stopped or stalled by the parliamentary process Neil, that is absurd.

You obviously do not know what happened. Labor took a policy to the 2007 election to build broadband costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013. It went nowhere. It was a lie because nobody wanted to build it.

The current policy is NBN Mark 2 thought up on the back of a napkin on a plane flight from Sydney to Melbourne.
RoswellDecember 18, 2015 at 12:32 pm

Neil, it is against my better judgement to address you, especially after I’ve suggested to others that they ignore you completely, but I would like you to answer a question.

Can you kindly come up with a list of broken promises and cost blow-outs from the CURRENT government? There are many, of course, so you will be kept busy.

I would also like to hear you express your outrage about them.

If your answer is simply just another repeat of the same old rubbish you post 99% of the time then I’m happy for the comment to sit in spam and never see the light of day.
mars08December 18, 2015 at 12:40 pm

Ahhh Roswell, I see what you did there! You sneaky dog…. you went all Full Metal Donald Rumsfeld on NoS…
RoswellDecember 18, 2015 at 12:46 pm

Indeed. There’s enough data out there to keep him busy for a fortnight.
mars08December 18, 2015 at 12:52 pm

@Roswell… actually I was thinking of Rumsfelds trite “an absence of evidence is not evidence of absence” statement.

An absence of NoS isn’t evidence that he tried and failed…
Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm

Roswell in respect of your earlier note, I was under the impression that Kneel off Siderney was to be simply ignored.
RoswellDecember 18, 2015 at 2:14 pm

You are of course right, Sir. I am guilty of double standards. I guess I just got sick of the load of crap from him sitting in the spam folder so I threw down the challenge. I admit now that I shouldn’t have.
Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 18, 2015 at 2:26 pm

In admitting your error/s you are accepting responsibility for it/them.

Go fourth my son, and in seeking the truth, watch out for thurds kneeling around, likewise in search of forgiveness. 🙂
Kaye LeeDecember 18, 2015 at 7:59 pm

The trip to Palestine may not have gone well but it is really just something for Tim to put on his CV.

It seems the IPA are fighting over who gets to have retiring Victorian Senator Michael Ronaldson’s job and freedom boy is putting his hand up.

“Institute of Public Affairs deputy director James Paterson, indigenous advocate Sean Armistead, Freedom Commissioner Tim Wilson and Jane Hume, who is already the party’s number three candidate for the Senate in 2016, are being discussed for the position.”
ChrisDecember 18, 2015 at 9:47 pm

Hmmm playing up to the Pro-Israel lobby for personal gain ? I’m sure that never happens. Very interesting point Kaye.
Neil of SydneyDecember 19, 2015 at 11:36 am

Can you kindly come up with a list of broken promises and cost blow-outs from the CURRENT government? There are many, of course, so you will be kept busy.

So i am only allowed to post under your standards.

You have just proved to me that lefties are natural totalitarians.
RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 12:14 pm

Warning! Dickhead alert!
paul walterDecember 19, 2015 at 12:19 pm

The skies have darkened.
paul walterDecember 19, 2015 at 12:20 pm

Come on Neil, not even ONE mistake?
WallyDecember 19, 2015 at 12:27 pm

Don’t we all have to abide by the rules of wherever we post comments?

“Warning! Dickhead alert!”

How bloody true Roswell
RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 12:49 pm

Wally, I don’t know what came over me in approving the dickhead’s comment. Maybe I thought we all needed a laugh.

His comment certainly provided it.
Neil of SydneyDecember 19, 2015 at 1:22 pm

The biggest mistake the Coalition has made was making Turnbull leader. The man hang around for 6 years like a bad smell just so he could become PM. And 54 of the Coalition traitors voted for him.

I now no longer have a party to vote for. I live in outer Sydney. I hope the Nats run in my seat because i do not want Turnbull to win the next election.

Cost blowouts/broken promises? Lots of broken promises but no cost blow outs that i know of. But no major broken promises like Labor did on 2007. Rudd promised a NBN in 2007 costing only $4.7B and to be finished by 2013. It was a major lie.

Lots of minor lies by Abbott. But i guess i minor lie is no different to a major lie. What is your point? If a politician tells a lie we should not vote for them?
paul walterDecember 19, 2015 at 2:54 pm

You have a sense of humour. That is nice. How about something a bit adult, next time?
RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 3:13 pm

That would be out of his league, Paul.
WallyDecember 19, 2015 at 5:19 pm

Rosswell and Neil of Sydney

You both agree on something the Libs are not worth voting for but for very different reasons.

Roswell – “Why would anybody want to re-elect this government?” https://theaimn.com/why-would-anybody-want-to-re-elect-this-government/

Neil – “I now no longer have a party to vote for. I live in outer Sydney. I hope the Nats run in my seat because i do not want Turnbull to win the next election.”

Roswell wins by 25++++ valid reasons.
RoswellDecember 19, 2015 at 5:50 pm

Wally, it’s not hard to win an argument against that imbecile.
mars08December 19, 2015 at 6:06 pm

It’s much easier to win when they insist on showing off their synchronised swimming skills… on the hurdles track.
Sir ScotchMisteryDecember 20, 2015 at 9:40 am

I’ve just worked it out about kneel off siderney. He’s misrepresenting himself. It should be kneel off St Mary’s.

Nuclear Energy: A Layperson's Dilemma

The Australian Defence Formula: Spend! Spend! Spend!

Religious violence

Can you afford to travel to work?

A Ghost in the Machine

Faulty Assurances: The Judicial Torture of Assange Continues

Spiderwoman finally leaving town

New research explores why young women in Australia…

Well that went well

Like this:

Related Articles

84 comments

Leave a Reply

The Harman Undertaking

New Zealand is under siege by the Atlas Network

Share this:

Like this:

Related Articles

84 comments

Leave a Reply