Jim Chalmers’ $23 billion GST commitment to WA recognises State’s crucial role in economy
Katina CurtisThe West Australian
Thu, 18 May 2023 2:00AM
Comments
Credit: The West Australian

The Budget papers contain a $23 billion demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to WA, Jim Chalmers says as he highlights the State’s importance to Australia’s continued prosperity.

That’s the amount of extra GST revenue flowing WA’s way over the next four years because of the 70¢ floor.

The Treasurer will reiterate Labor’s commitment to the 2018 GST deal when he addresses the Leadership Matters forum on Thursday.

“Given the contribution that WA makes to the national economy, to national revenue, it’s only right that you get your fair share,” he will say, according to a draft version of his speech.

Dr Chalmers has been under pressure from east coast Premiers and economists to alter or scrap the deal, which also includes “no worse off” payments to other States during a six-year transition phase set to end in mid-2027.

But he says he is proud of and committed to a deal that rectified a situation where WA received just 10¢ on every dollar of GST revenue raised in the State.

Without it, WA would have received just $900 million in GST payments in 2023-24, instead of the $6.52 billion included in the Budget.

“I hope that demonstrates that we will always try to do what’s right by Western Australians,” Dr Chalmers says.

The barbarian and backward Eastern Staters may approach, bearing their tribute…

https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2023/05/sexist-nsw-greens-not-one-male-mp.html

Re : the Voice

If only voters would take the time to read the Uluru Statement they might come to some understanding of the further implications of constitutional recognition. To start with, the referendum was finally triggered by this very event, when enough significant heavies in the Aboriginal hierarchy came to an agreement. So the Statement is a very relevant signpost to the future.

For me, the most concerning intention is for a Treaty/Treaties and consequent reparations. Treaties forever define a racial division within our country with a consequent distinction in political intervention. Reparations speaks for itself – undefined compensation for loss of a virtual continent – for that, as far fetched as it sound – is the implication. Forget the limited reach of Native Title and other Land Rights. This will potentially extend Aboriginal title beyond anything previously imagined.

They want some imagined version of the Yolgnu makarrata – a supposed sitting down after battles and disputes & resolving issues. Sorry guys – it’s a couple hundred years too late for that. But, of course, this view seems no longer to be current in the West.

https://www.ga.gov.au/scientific-topics/national-location-information/landforms/australian-landforms-and-their-history

Thank you for that, Topender! We have travelled in campers all over Oz & are forever fascinated with the landforms, and particularly the age of the place. Our own valley (actually a canyon) is enclosed by massive sandstone escarpments from the Triassic era. One of the main watercourses running through the valley (& at the base of our property) has a rock base embedded with the debris of a past volcanic flow. Absolutely fascinating.

Can’t quite believe it! .. “our” Jimmy, Oz rock “superstar” (media-wize, that is ..!) .. near miss survivor of every man & nature made catastrophe for the last 60 000 years ( Brucie defined) almost, YES, “almost” comes a cropper in an Oz road rage wiv “unknown” (but named FFS!) truckie .. If I was the truckie I’d consider sue-ing over “privacy” issues .. LOL!
Incident was soo “serious” plod was called but not interesting enuf for action .. LOL!
.. thank God for the Mail Online giving Jimmy or at least the missus a VOICE when most needed ………!
STAY SAFE, JImmy .. we luvs ya …!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12096517/Jimmy-Barnes-wife-exposes-truckie-wanted-fight-rock-legend-road-rage-incident.html

From the Oz.

Greg
1 hour ago
If the British had not colonised Australia, some other nation would have. Looking at the history of colonisation, the British, while far from perfect, were the best with rule of law being pre-eminent. If we take a fanciful view and say that colonisation did not occur, then the indigenous population would still be living a prehistoric hunter gather existence, devoid of modern housing, medicine, food, clothing, unifying national language and all of the benefits of the 21st century. If we are to have truth telling, then these truths must be included. Truth telling must be balanced and complete, not cherry picked. To suggest that a small group, selected/appointed by an undisclosed method, can speak with one voice for all indigenous Australians, is at best fantasy and at worst dishonest.

Horrified viewers unleash on ABC host for relentlessly ‘grilling’ visibly shaken tradies after they helped free school kids trapped in crashed bus: ‘What a disgrace’

Sarah Ferguson has come under fire
Spoke to Victoria bus crash rescuers
Has been accused of being ‘insensitive’

“Did you manage to get any of their names?” F.M.S.

he NSW housing minister, Rose Jackson, told Guardian Australia that providing incentives to developers to convert surplus office space presented a “good opportunity” for the state as it struggles with a soaring social housing waitlist.

So, Rose went to the same Labor Academy as the “turtle” .. renewable/nuclear & commercial/residential .. she, obviously, has no idea of the difference between office space and domestic living .. what does she expect the rental charges to be after multi million dollar conversions! ……..
There’s a reason why the “big” developers prefer multi storey office block building to residential blocks and it ain’t “charity” ….. duuuuuuh!

FitzSimons…“Aboriginal people can be consulted…

Why? …. no other ethnic/racial group is singled out for “consultation” on gummint decisions ..
we get little enuf dun, normally, imagine stopping to consult every Mo, Ho Chi, Guta & Tom feel-good gimme-more group ………

Currently reading .. THE BRIDGE by Peter Lalor covering the SHB from an idea to a reality .. up to the chapter on the social cost, a bit that doesn’t get any, usual, publicity when the Bridge is mentioned .. From North Sydney and Milson’s Point on the North side and the Rocks on the South side hundreds of families & businesses dispossessed, virtually thrown out into the street with, sometimes, minimal notice and no compensation or much interest in what they would go or do next .. back in an era when the State gummint decided NO to compensation, regardless, for anyone as it would cost too much ….!
Nowadayz the various bleeding heart organizations, unions, ect would be up in arms and the project scrapped over a no compo outcome but back then …….

But the Government says it has no intention to use the power and would rely on it only in “the most unlikely of circumstances”.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA……………………………….I’ve heard that one before, so many times that I now know that it means “we will definitely use it at the first opportunity”

It is absurd and disingenuous to conflate the safety requirements of places where people operate heavy machinery with the requirements for white collar employees in their head offices.

If we’re talking politicians and staffers then I see no reason why they shouldn’t be tested each day.
Given what’s happened since March 2020 it’s obvious some of them are either on the pi$$ all the time and/or taking drugs.
Australia is a piece of heavy machinery and I for one would like those who see themselves fit to drive her to be sober when they do.

The situation is out of control. Even though the images have been pixelated, it is impossible to deny that this is graphic pron being exposed to children.

It is disgusting and nothing short of psychological child abuse … the realm of d*ckhead Dan and his recent antics.

As for any parent who reads that crap to their kids as a bedtime story? I have to self-censor.

Scary times. The qwerty freak show continues unabated. As for home schooling, not everyone is in a financial to do so.

17:21
__________

Stew Peters Show:

A Virginia public school is peddling pornographic books to children.
Activist and mom Stacy Langton is here to further expose perverted school officials who want to sexualize kids.
“QUEER, A Graphic History” is a book that has been made available to minors within the Fairfax County Public School system.
The book depicts a mother wearing a strap-on dildo and a father on his hands and knees.
This is the very essence of grooming children to put them on a path of sexual perversion.
Assistant superintendent Noel Kilmenko is the one who decided to put the perverted book back into the hands of children.
The book also claims heterosexuality is oppressive.
This is an attack on the God given roles of men and women described clearly in the Bible.
This is one of the reasons why families are starting to homeschool their children.

GRAPHIC Sex Book Pushed On Kids: Virginia Public School Allows PORN Book Showing DEVIANT SEX ACT

These media outlets just can’t help their “racial” bias when it comes to 251s ..
1st off they’ve avoided mentioning “race” something they luv to do on the majority of 251 tales and 2ndly, and most telling, NO comments allowed .. They didn’t shut off the comments for last week’s couple on the Gold Coast did they .. No, of course not, they wuz “whitie” … !
Wonder if CentreLink ever look into any of these “idiots” who publicize their tax payer funded rip-offs …… seems not cos no one is stupid enuf to say, “I don’t work cos I luvs the dole” … replete with name & pix advertising … are they? .. LOL!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12096231/Why-young-Aussie-happier-Centrelink-getting-dream-job.html

If we’re talking politicians and staffers then I see no reason why they shouldn’t be tested each day.

Also CCTV in their offices, all conversations recorded, all their (and close family) financial affairs audited every year. Let *them* enjoy the surveillance society they have imposed on us.

In my experience working security in CBD office towers, staff coming back to the office drunk is extremely common

That was my experience, as well.

I see Hawforn’s sham racism complaint has saw Alistair Clarkson step down from Norf. Thinking he’s one bloke who won’t be heeding the AFL’s ‘Yes’ vote directive. FMD

Play this a few times on repeat and tell me the laughing and giggles don’t get more pronounced. Watch carefully the expression on Jill’s face. Just great.

Comment, from the Age.

Barry59
1 hour ago
Meanwhile here in Victoria the ALP State Govt bail laws introduced in 2017 saw the incarceration rate of Aboriginal women double. Ever hear any comment by the AFL? Me neither. Then there is the fact that here again in Victoria an indigenous baby under 12 months is nine times more likely than a non indigenous baby to be taken into Govt care. Every hear the AFl speak out against it? Me neither. The AFL has now been running Dreamtime games since 2005 which morphed into a whole round which has become two rounds and the Sir Pastor Doug Nicholls Rounds. What are some of the key issues facing many modern day Indigenous people? Family violence, health issues linked to alcohol, cigarettes and diet choices, kids attendance at school. Has there been a single indigenous round that has focused on improvements in some of those areas. Of course not. The AFL has rightly given lifetime bans to those making racist comments at football yet has also this year provided an AFL life membership to an individual who made public comments about comparing a well known Indigenous footballer to a well known Ape and doing that a short time after that Indigenous person had been racially vilified at a game. And have a look at the current mess relating to the AFl’s investigation of Hawthorn’s treatment of some Indigenous players. You can’t make this stuff up. The AFL is big on symbolism/cultural activities and low on real action when it comes to Indigenous issues and the Voice support fits firmly in the former.

And just who would be in charge of all this?

Preferably an Aufseherin type promoted up from the APS HR department from hell.

In my experience working security in CBD office towers, staff coming back to the office drunk is extremely common

I couldn’t possibly comment.

Yolngu man Yunupingu is gone, but his flame and truth live on

Comments have suddenly gone down the memory hole…..somebody mentioned his track record with women…..

Bruce of Newcastle says:
May 18, 2023 at 5:19 pm
Another reason to vote no.

Matt Kean to campaign for the ‘Yes’ vote for the Voice (18 May)

Not surprised at all. I refrain from commenting on people’s looks as much as possible but I will make an exception in Keen’s case, he even looks like a total idiot.

So, you think that Winston Churchill should have been sacked because he drank?

Interesting that Field Marshall Alan Brooke, one of Churchill’s vocal critics, recorded in his diary that he only saw Churchill visibly “the worse for wear” once, through the whole course of Wobbly Wobbly Two.

Letters from PMs to the Queen kept hidden from public

EXCLUSIVE
By TROY BRAMSTON
Senior Writer
@TroyBramston
4:53PM May 18, 2023
2 Comments

More than 20 items of direct correspondence between former prime ministers and Queen Elizabeth II have been blocked from public ­release following a Freedom of ­Information request because disclosure would damage inter­national relations.

A request by The Australian for letters exchanged between Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison and the queen as Australia’s head of state found 22 items existed but access has been denied, even though she is deceased and the prime ministers are no longer in office.

The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet recognised that the queen was Australia’s head of state but said revealing correspondence with her prime ministers in Australia would apparently breach confidentiality and could reasonably be expected to “cause damage” to international relations.

“While the queen was Australia’s head of state, she simultaneously occupied the roles of the queen of the UK and queen of other commonwealth realms,” the department advised The Australian late last week. “By nature of multiple roles held by the queen, breaching these conventions could reasonably damage Australia’s relations with other realms of which the queen was head of state, including but not limited to the UK, Canada and New Zealand.”

The department earlier advised that disclosing a document may “diminish the confidence which another country would have in Australia as a reliable recipient of its confidential information” even though the prime minister is head of government and the queen is constitutionally head of state.

Although the prime minister writes to the monarch only on official matters and the three prime ministers did so on official letterhead, and with the assistance of government staff and officials, the department also concluded that disclosing such correspondence would breach the personal privacy of third parties.

“I accept that the requested documents are indeed commonwealth records by virtue of being official government communi­cations,” the department said. “I am satisfied that disclosure of the material in question would constitute an unreasonable disclosure of personal information.”

The FOI request led to the discovery of 22 items of correspondence exchanged with the queen between September 2013 and September 2022. This covers the periods in office of Mr Abbott, Mr Turnbull, Mr Morrison and Anthony Albanese. No correspondence was found between Mr Albanese and the queen.

Although access to the documents was refused, a schedule made available to The Australian reveals Mr Abbott exchanged 12 items of correspondence with the monarch in less than two years. Four items were located during Mr Turnbull’s prime minister­ship, and six for Mr Morrison.

The department also found, after an internal review of the decision, that releasing correspondence would have an adverse impact on the operations of agencies even though the prime ministers are out of office and the queen is no longer on the throne. Moreover, the department found that the public interest was not served by releasing the documents.

Correspondence between prime ministers and the monarch is not subject to the same 20-year rule that governs the release of cabinet records. However, the department suggests they could be released in accordance with the Archives Act 1983 after 20 years.

“I have considered your submission that the passing of the queen, and the fact that the former prime ministers referenced in the requested documents no longer hold office, does not impact the ­operations of an agency,” the department argued. “The fact that these offices are no longer occupied by the same individuals does not lessen their sensitivity.”

Lehrmann was known for signing in to Parliament after hours using I.D. rather than his pass.
What was he doing, apart from raping staffers?

Ed Cuss, you really are an idiot. And I can tell you why…

I’ve hung around my fair farken share of Parliaments till all hours of the night waiting for various debates to come up or Bills that I was overseeing be passed. A little known fact, in Vic Parliament there’s a lounge-ish areas, with a fridge full of beer (at $1 each circa early 2000’s) some of us used to go and have a kip in. Where else to go when you’re still awake at 130am and you’ve gotta be back at work at 8am that same morning!

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve been in and out of Parliaments at all hours (sitting or not). When I’ve seen an attendant (also known as security but under the Speaker they provide security services and attendant services to MPs inside and outside the chamber), I’ve never once been asked for my pass. Period.

I say g’day “Jeremy” or “Bill” or whoever happens to be on the front, back or side entrance desk and that’s about it. After a few years of seeing, eating, “meeting” with these (mostly fellas) they tend not to ask for ID… perhaps they should, but never happened to me.

From the Oz – I’ve posted the whole article.

Thanks for the break Shane Drumgold, now please don’t come back
Chris Merritt Chris Merritt
5:35PM May 18, 2023

Shane Drumgold KC has done the right thing. He deserves credit for taking four weeks’ leave as Director of Public Prosecutions of the ACT. He would deserve more credit if he never returned.

If he remains the territory’s top prosecutor, there is a risk that criminal justice will suffer.

The evidence before Walter Sofronoff’s inquiry into the handling of the Bruce Lehrmann rape trial shows Drumgold sits at the centre of a network of dysfunctional professional relationships.
Read Next

The DPP’s relationships with the courts and the police are essential if the justice system is to work. But consider what has come to light at this inquiry.

On the AFP, Drumgold has backflipped on his assertion – made without evidence – that it was “possible if not probable” that political pressure had been brought to bear on AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw to prevent Lehrmann being charged with raping Brittany Higgins.

His own counsel, Mark Tedeschi, KC, has told Sofronoff that the AFP had a “bizarre” approach to whether Lehrmann should be charged; and the attitude of police towards Drumgold was one of “resentment”.

On the courts, Drumgold has admitted he misled Chief Justice Lucy McCallum. The question of whether this was intentional is irrelevant.

Even if he apologises to the court – and that needs to happen – how much weight could the Supreme Court place on future submissions from this DPP?

Consider what happened: Drumgold presented the court with a note of a conversation with journalist Lisa Wilkinson that he said was contemporaneous. It was not. An addendum had been inserted on his instructions.

McCallum relied on that note and issued a judgment criticising Wilkinson for giving a speech praising Higgins that led to a stay of Lehrmann’s trial.

Contemporaneous notes are more reliable than reconstructions. So thanks to Drumgold’s actions, the factual basis for McCallum’s criticism of Wilkinson must now be in doubt.

McCallum’s judgment says Drumgold issued a “clear and appropriate warning” to Wilkinson. Yet did he?

It is beyond dispute that Wilkinson made a speech praising Higgins that led to a stay.

But what is now in doubt, because of Drumgold’s actions, is what the DPP actually told Wilkinson before she delivered that speech.

Sofronoff has before him a letter to Drumgold from Beverley McGarvey, chief content office and executive vice-president of Paramount, Wilkinson’s ultimate employer.

That letter was written on the day of McCallum’s judgment. It says: “Neither Ms Wilkinson nor the Network Ten senior legal counsel present at the conference with the DPP on 15 June, 2022 understood that they had been cautioned that Ms Wilkinson giving an acceptance speech at the Logie awards could result in an application being made to the court to vacate the trial date. Had they understood that a specific warning had been given, Ms Wilkinson would not have given the speech.”

These are just some of the problems that have emerged in the DPP’s professional relationships with others in the criminal justice system.

They have presented Shane Rattenbury, the territory’s Attorney-General, with a diabolical problem.

The AG has political responsibility for the fairness and effectiveness of the criminal justice system. So when does that duty require him to act?

To some, it might seem fair to allow Drumgold to remain in office until Sofranoff weighs the accusations against him, and assesses his explanations.

Sacking Drumgold now, without waiting for Sofronoff’s report, would leave Rattenbury exposed to criticism for failing to act fairly – which is exactly the same failure that ran through the Lehrmann prosecution.

But how fair would it be to victims of crime and those accused of crime to leave Drumgold in place? That would also expose the Attorney-General to criticism.

Drumgold’s own testimony shows he accepts that he made errors during the Lehrmann prosecution, misled the court and did not consider matters that should have been considered.

Something had to be done. And it could be that Rattenbury is more subtle than some might credit.

Last Friday, Rattenbury declined an invitation to express confidence in Drumgold. This could have put the DPP on notice that it was time to fall on his sword.

Four weeks leave is not a solution. But it will provide a breathing space for Rattenbury and will give Drumgold time to reflect and consider his position.

He will have plenty of time to ponder what sort of report he is likely to face when Sofranoff completes this inquiry.

To that end, he might wish to refer to Sofranoff’s remarks in April, 2017, when he was welcomed to the bench as a judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland and president of the Court of Appeal.

Sofranoff referred to the principles that attracted his father and other refugees from Russia’s Bolshevik revolution to this country.

He referred to the fact that the legislature, the courts and the executive consisted of people acting instinctively in accordance with the rule of law.

This is what many refugees strive for “and that’s what I strive for”.

“We believe in rules that are rational and knowable, in rules that apply to everyone equally.

“In short we believe in fair play. And we believe in repelling any kind of corruption or distortion of our institutions that would pervert the conduct of the people who constitute those institutions …

“We in this country are so deeply committed to these beliefs that any tampering with the integrity of the foundations of our civil society by anyone, in any way, draws immediate outrage from within the institutions and from the people themselves,” Sofranoff said.

Chris Merritt is vice-president of the Rule of Law Institute of Australia

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve been in and out of Parliaments at all hours (sitting or not). When I’ve seen an attendant (also known as security but under the Speaker they provide security services and attendant services to MPs inside and outside the chamber), I’ve never once been asked for my pass. Period.

And to add to this Ed, Departmental Heads and bigwigs, at best get to come to Parliament two or three times. As a staffer, you basically live there (and so does security)

Wow Munt, sorry Munthard Ed. Amazing argument.

/sarc.

Industrial safety laws have nothing to do with the doings of MPs and staffers going in and out of Parliament.

These requirements have gone well beyond industrial safety.

That’s what people find galling.

Now I remember the reason not to engage with Groogles.

Put down the bong, Lysander.

Hardly inspiring or engaging argument Edmunt.

But inspiring enough to leave for the day.

Warwick says:
May 18, 2023 at 5:14 pm

JC, you are entitled to think whatever you like about the security access regime at Parliament House.

Okay, I do.

If you wish, write a letter to your local member expressing your concerns.

WTF would I write a letter to my local? You made some assertions here and I responded to them. Why do you think that what I wrote infers I was going to write a letter? It’s senseless.

The point I made is that security can only follow the protocols they have been given. 1 Does this staff member have 24/7 access? 2. What is the policy regarding access to premises if an I/D card is not presented. It’s not complicated. As long as security followed the process properly – which it appears they did- they are in the clear. End of story.

How do you know security followed protocols? You also suggested above that these critters aren’t greatly compensated. They work for the government so of course they are paid much more than the going rate in the private market.

thefrollickingmolesays:
May 18, 2023 at 5:16 pm

Im sure that picture is a direct copy of the photocopy given to blokes in the family law court with the heading “your rights under the law”..

Cheers for the memory spark. I haven’t checked in on Susan for a while. This pertains to a particular county is the USA where the lawyers / attorneys / judges that are adjudicating family law, are c-bombs. Absolute rort going on.

She’ll explain. She is ruthless and knows the game. As per usual, thick dunderhead cops help facilitate it.

Is it the same in Australia?

———–

Susan Bassi:

12 May 2023
This video is about attorneys judges appoint in court to represent children who have committed no crime , but whose parents are involved in a divorce.

Public records obtained from the court show these few favored attorneys are making millions of dollars off appointments as their defense attorney counterparts are capped when appointed in other court matters.

Please support local journalism, cop watchers and anyone reporting on what is really happening in the courts.

Judge Appointed Attorney’s Temper Tantrum>Judge Appointed Attorney’s Temper Tantrum