Tuesday 31st of December 2024
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if it ain't broke...

half of what it used to be...

Political donations laws in NSW are set to be overhauled in response to rorting exposed at the Independent Commission Against Corruption, with Premier Mike Baird committing to a swath of reforms if the government retains power after the March 28 election. 

Under the changes supported by the NSW government, political parties would be prosecuted as legal entities if they breach election funding rules and donations will be disclosed online and in real time for six months before an election.

Election spending by third party campaigners such as unions and business groups is also likely to be cut in half and spending by "close associates" of parties will be counted against that party's expenditure cap.

The shake up was recommended by an expert panel commissioned to advise on the overhaul of political donations laws after last year's ICAC inquiry into alleged rorting before the 2011 election.

The hearings saw 10 Liberal MPs move to the crossbench and two resign from Parliament.

Mr Baird told Fairfax Media the government had accepted "in principle" 49 of the 50 recommendations made by the expert panel chaired by businesswoman Kerry Schott, which reported in December.

But controversially the government has not supported a recommendation that an independent body be responsible for approving any increases to public funding for political parties.

It argues parliamentary process already "ensures amendments to election funding laws are subject to proper scrutiny and debate".

The government said the supported recommendations will be considered by the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters to allow all parties to have their say before legislation goes before Parliament after the March 28 election.

Mr Baird said the ICAC hearings "demonstrated to us that the current system was broken and the public wanted it fixed".

read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-state-election-2015/2015-state-election-nsw-set-for-political-donations-shake-up-after-mike-baird-backs-expert-panel-report-20150305-13w4yw.html

 

inflating the number of police balls...

But Labor says that figure is in fact reheated. In August 2012, the government promised 309 new officers but only delivered only 129, the opposition said. "The government is […] short of its own target," said Shadow Treasurer Michael Daley. "This announcement is a re-announcement."

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The Police Association's President Scott Webber agreed: "What they're really doing is committing to an extra 130 officers," he said. 

The police minister, Stuart Ayres, did not respond directly to claims the government was doubling-up.

read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-state-election-2015/nsw-election-2015-baird-accused-of-reheating-police-announcement-20150305-13w6n1.html

 

gone to the pub instead?

Foundation of Alcohol Research and Education director of policy and research Caterina Giorgi said the government's failure to attend the forum on Thursday night was "extremely disappointing".

"The NSW government's failure to attend tonight's alcohol policy election forum and it's unwillingness to find a single one of its 80 members of Parliament to represent the Coalition at tonight's event suggests alcohol policy is not a priority for the government ahead of this month's election," Ms Giorgi said.

"New South Wales voters have a right to know what the major parties intend to do to address alcohol harms – 71 per cent of NSW residents think more should be done to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, and tonight is an opportunity for NSW politicians to stand up and speak up on this issue." 

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-state-election-2015/nsw-state-election-government-pulls-out-of-alcohol-forum-20150305-13wbsc.html

 

Dr Gus' advice: drink as much as you can to forget those silly governments but moderately enough not to get demerit points...

white lies from the dark side of mike baird's coal mines...

 

As usual, I got no reply, but I do wish to say to Premier Baird, if you want to seriously claimi that the LNP is the only party that understands the economy, the first step towards credibility is to manage to get your numbers right.

So, coal mining in NSW employs 18,968 of 3,630,800 people employed in the November quarter of 2014 in NSW — or just 0.5% of the workforce.

But it gets worse.

Baird then says of mining:

"It is a critical part of the NSW economy.”

Not really, Mr Premier, it's just 0.4% of state revenue for 2014-15.

To explain that, mining income to the state’s coffers in the financial year 2014-15 is projected to be $1 billion. This figure comes from the NSW Treasury MYFO forecast which indicates royalties will drop by $242 million from the $1.3 billion figure of 2013-14.

Subtract the health bill from the Hunter of $600 million and we are left with $0.4 billion.

The CAHA report tells us that the NSW subsidy to coal mining was $873 million from 2008–2014, or $145 million a year.

read more: https://independentaustralia.net/business/business-display/nsw-premier-mike-baird-plays-the-coal-mining-exaggeration-game,7450

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Gus: I would place the health bill for the Hunter at only 350 million due to coal directly... Otherwise, the article is great at pointing out that we move a lot of shit for very little return. And the more holes we dig, the lower the price of the shit we sell. eventually making it more profitable to leave it the ground than to export the stuff. But some of the coal in the Hunter goes to feed the thermal electric generators for the state's electricity. 

As well Baird decided to play politics with the CGS licences... possibly to make Alan Jones happy, so Jones can spruik Baird as the saviour of Jesus Christ, before the elections...