The former chairman of Perth-based mining company Sundance Resources is calling on Liberal MP Wilson Tuckey to resign for drawing an indirect link between the deaths of its board members and the proposed resources super profits tax.
Sundance's entire six-person board, including Queensland billionaire Ken Talbot, was on board the twin-engined plane which crashed in the Congo jungle on Saturday.
The wreckage was discovered about 10 kilometres inside the Congolese border after an intense two-day search involving neighbouring states Cameroon and Gabon.
The company says a helicopter landing zone has now been cleared in the jungle to allow access to the site and some of the bodies of the 11 people who died in the crash have been retrieved.
On Monday Mr Tuckey said the fact the miners were in Africa was a "tragic example" of how Australian mining companies have been forced to look for other projects overseas because of the tax.
"I don't want [the tax] to be portrayed as the cause of the tragedy, because that would be dreadful," he said.
"What I'm trying to say is we have a tragic example of where the mining industry is now focusing its attention, no more, no less."
Former chairman George Jones has been appointed by the company as one of three strategic advisers following the accident, and described the comments as "obscene".
In an interview to be aired on ABC Radio's Sunday Profile, Mr Jones says he tried not to discuss Mr Tuckey's remarks with the victims' families, but he knew they were distressed.
"His timing is obscene and highly offensive to everyone at Sundance, the families, everyone involved," Mr Jones said.
"I couldn't imagine a more inappropriate time to be making such obscene comments."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/25/2937008.htm?section=justin
grossly insensitive wacky tuckey
Back a few days ago (when I did the toon at top but did not post...)
Treasurer Wayne Swan says Liberal backbencher Wilson Tuckey is being "grossly insensitive" for appearing to link the Government's proposed resources super profits tax to the disappearance of a plane carrying six Australian mining executives in West Africa.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/06/21/2932565.htm
Gus: ...and this thug is part of the thug team of Abbott-the-thug...
a blog?....
Wilson Tuckey has spoken publicly for the first time since losing the West Australian seat of O'Connor to Nationals MP Tony Crook at the federal election.
Mr Tuckey held a press conference outside his home where a hand-made sign read: "Where's da money, Mr Crook?"
The veteran politician received the most primary votes in the electorate but lost out on preferences.
After 30 years in politics Mr Tuckey gave a lengthy speech about his time in office but noticeably absent was congratulations for his successor.
"I don't intend to be gracious at all to him. I think he won on fraudulent advertising," he said.
Mr Tuckey was critical of Mr Crook's campaign and his failed attempt at brokering a national royalties for regions deal.
Earlier, Mr Crook said he was disappointed he could not get either major party to commit to the program.
"I think it was a very achievable target and not a particularly big ask in the scheme of things," he said.
"When a $2.7 billion railway line can be announced 10 days out from the election and after the election we find $1 billion was promised to a Hobart hospital - I'm sure they're well and truly needed, but I'm talking about all of Western Australia."
Mr Tuckey says he does not intend to contest another election but he will not be leaving political life entirely, joking that he might start a blog.
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I think he won on fraudulent advertising," he said? That's a bit rich from the master of fraudulent spruiking. See toon at top.
armistice...
Federal political leaders have suspended hostilities to deliver their Christmas messages on the final sitting day of a "tough" and "remarkable" parliamentary year.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard acknowledged the year had been hard as she thanked her colleagues and staff.
She urged Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to take a "long, long" holiday and paid special tribute to the crossbench MPs who helped return her to Government.
"Thank you for your good humour, your good spirit," she said.
"Thank you for the support you have provided for us, whilst noting the fierce independence, which means we cannot take that support for granted."
Mr Abbott said there was no doubt Ms Gillard has been a "ferocious competitor" this year and congratulated her on her success.
"She may not have won the election handsomely, but she certainly won the negotiations, and that takes considerable skill," he said.
Mr Abbott also made mention of Coalition MPs who retired or were defeated at the election, including well-known Western Australian MP Wilson Tuckey, who he almost described as "irrational" before correcting himself to say "irascible".
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/25/3076281.htm?section=justin
see irrational tuckey-toon at top...