AFP ready for WW3

The front page of this mornings The Australian has an article about the AFP  being ready for transfer unrest.  It has a pic of ammo boxes supposedly for police at Christmas Island. There, in all its glory is a box clearly stencilled “.50 cal”and whereas, from personal experience, I can vouch for .50 cal machine guns being very good for riot control I don’t think the Australian public are quite ready for the outcome.  Bits of bodies all over Christmas Island chewed up by a burst would certainly grab even Julian Burnside’s attention. I would believe 5.56mm for their Steyrs and 9mm for pistols but I think the .50 cal would be resupply for the RAN patrol boats which raises the question – why would they need resupply?

Rudd on ALP corruption

Just heard Kevin Rudd on radio commenting on the NSW ALP corruption findings. He says;  “Zero. Tolerance. Of. Corruption”. He means;  “Zero. Tolerance. Of. Corruption”.(Except  in the case of Craig Thompson whose vote we need)  

I’ll believe it when I see it.

THE Rudd government will today announce a $34 million improvement to two military retirement benefits that have been the subject of a long campaign by veterans to bring their annual indexation arrangements into line with the pension.

Minister for Defence Materiel Mike Kelly will today announce the Defence Forces retirement benefit and the Defence Forces retirement and death benefits will be indexed in the same way as age pensions.

The ALP plane is for recipients over 65 which fits my profile but the Coalition have included those over 55;  

The Coalition has promised DFRB and DFRDB superannuants aged 55 and over will have their superannuation pensions indexed in the same way as aged and service pensions. About 57,000 military superannuants are members of these schemes.

Why are both parties undertaking to bring our annual indexation into line with pension.  By way of explaination I posted this last year;

I received a letter from the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation(DFRDB) informing me I have a CPI increase of .01% for the six months Sep 11 to Mar 12. This gives me an increase of $1.12 per fortnight. I thought of taking my Bride out to dinner to celebrate but the Power bill that is forecast to increase by up to 7.6% % is due and the rates notice is around the corner with a 4.9% increase although the Mayor had promised to keep the increase below the 3.6% inflation rise.

What’s that – 3.6% inflation? How is that related to .01% CPI rise?

I seriously doubt that the ALP undertaking will ever be called upon and even in the unlikely event that the voters are snowed by the Rudd Tsunami and actually elect him again I would expect them to reneg when they finally admit they have run the country broke and can’t afford any of their election promises; let alone a promise to the very organization that they have ignored and denigrated over my life time. We’ll see.    

Bloody Journos

BEN PACKHAM AND BRENDAN NICHOLSON think TONY Abbott is risking the ire of the nation’s defence establishment by forcing a three-star military commander to answer directly to his immigration minister under a dramatic command and control overhaul to stop asylum boats. Forcing!  Have you pair no idea how the system works.  The government of the day is empowered to give orders to the ADF who simply obey.  It isn’t up for discussion….. the General concerned doesn’t get to discuss it with the media – he just obeys his orders.  He isn’t forced but if he does disagree with the order he talks to the Commander ADF, his immediate superior in the chain of command, who may or may not discuss it with the relevant minister who may or may not alter the order. No one is forced to do anything. Bloody Journos UPDATE:  The Libs Border policy is available here for download.  If you are a rusted on ALP supporter or any other kind of Abbott hater don’t download it – you need to maintain the lie that Abbott doesn’t have any policies.

More boats…more drownings…more excuses

Listening to Home Affairs Minister Jason Claire on the ABC he said the issue of boat arrivals has become ‘poisoned by politics and; ‘’When people are dying the government should be given the power that it thinks it needs to stop this happening…”   As in, it’s the Coalition and the Green’s fault – not the ALPs. The government has the power Jason.  You had the power to stuff it up and now you have the power to fix it up Gee, Rudd now thinks the UN refugee convention should be modernised to better cope with those most in need of asylum.  How long will that take  Kevin?  Years Plans announced to maybe build accommodation at Manis Island or maybe near Port Morseby.  How long will that take Kevin?  Years People are drowning today, not in the future when the UN  might or might not change things or buildings might or might not be built but until the government says things like – no papers – no visa and if you do have papers it is only temporary and if we say No then that’s it, then they will keep on coming and keep on drowning You want to stop the boat people – then stop them. NAVY insiders say there is “a growing and burning anger” among sailors on the frontline as they struggle to respond to the spiralling number of deaths and sinkings flowing from the government’s failed asylum-seeker policies. There is also a “growing’ force of assetts tied up trying to manage Rudd’s stuff-up.  The seven patrol boats allocated to the problem have been supplemented by a mine sweeper and a frigate, argueably more naval forces than we deployed during the Vietnam War.  

Ain’t happening, John

It remains to be seen whether Rudd’s bid for President for Life gets past the union power group but in the meantime the ALP must maintain their only avenue of attack. Abbott. Todays rostered comment is from John Black  (ex ALP Senator) who writes in todays The Australian about polls, poll bounce and a lot of other stuff and finally arrives at what he wants to really say about Abbott

Unfortunately for the Coalition, the one we dislike the most is now leading their party.

Turnbull is a Liberal Wet and whereas he is good value he is not a potential leader of the Liberals.  The ALP keep up this mantra of Turnbull should be the leader because, quite frankly, they are afraid of Abbott. So John’s statement really should be;

Unfortuately for the ALP, the one we dislike the  most is now leading the Coalition.

There, fixed it for you John.

Newspoll 50:50

Since Mr Rudd was restored as Prime Minister just two weeks ago, Labor’s primary vote has risen nine percentage points to 38 per cent to equal its level at the August 2010 election. In the same period, the Coalition’s primary support has fallen six points to 42 per cent, below its election level. The bounce in the polls continues as the smiling visage of Rudd seduces the tabloid TV set but what has he done to deserve the support of 5o% of those polled? Well first off he got rid of Gillard, then he……..umm…got rid of Gillard. Seriously, what else has he done?
  • To pay homage to their union benefactors the ALP guillotined a motion to allow just three minutes of debate in the Senate on changes to the visa program before it went to a vote.  This was a day or two after Kevin said he was starting a new dialogue with Buisness and believe me the motion had nothing to do with helping business.
  • He went to Indonesia and arranged a people smuggler conference coincidentally at the same time another boat load of people reaching for the sugar on the table were floundering of NW Australia. Good timing Rudd but the boat arrivals increase exponentially as Rudd confers!
  • He is making moves to install himself as a virtual unsackable ‘President’ with a proposal to guarantee that a Labor leader who wins an election stays Prime Minister the whole term, even if he acts  like Rudd did last time.
  • Oh, and he got rid of Gillard
Abbott is forgotten for a week or two while the media enjoy their honeymoon, you know that brief period in life when everything is sweet – just before reality sets in. Smiles and door stops wont help Rudd when the hard questions are put to him.  The ALP have a tiny list of achievements to brag about as indicated by the fact that they are still attacking Abbott. And Rudd hasn’t even been to the GG yet.

Snowden still in limbo

A TOP-SECRET map leaked by US intelligence fugitive Edward Snowden reveals four Australian sites, including Pine Gap, which are said to play a key role in US global intelligence collection. Cameron Stewart offers this line.

So far 21 nations have turned their back on Mr Snowden’s request for asylum, fearing reprisals if they offer sanctuary to him.

Just a thought Cameron, could these nations be of the opinion that Snowden is just a traitorous spy and doesn’t deserve sanctuary?

Rudd insurance or is it revenge?

KEVIN Rudd has moved to strip factional powerbrokers of control over the Labor leadership, handing party branch members and MPs equal power to elect the leader to ensure a serving prime minister is never again torn down by a caucus coup. I can understand where Rudd is coming from but it has long been a system in Australia and in most civilized countries that the elected members of parliament elect their leader.  The only time it hasn’t worked well is in the ALP over the life of the last two parliaments. The common factor and the difference between these  governments and all the previous ones has been the incredible incompetence of Rudd and Gillard.  Surely the MPs are entitled to vote their leader in or out? Surely these set of circumstances won’t happen again….surely?  

Monday morning

THERESE Rein in a “not a good look for a Labor PM’s wife” moment Ingeus’s reputation has been tarnished, especially among the poorest and most disadvantaged, after it coerced some unemployed people to work unpaid for 30 hours a week for up to six months in charity shops and big-name retail outlets. I presume the ACTU are preparing a statement of rightous indignation at the blatant abuse of the workers by a capitalist swine….waiting….waiting. Interestingly the Pom unemployed get pound stg. 71.70 a week jobs benefit (only pound stg. 50 a week for those aged under 25)  That’s $117.85 and $82.18. respectively. Australian Newstart is $250 pw min or twice the local rate as a comparison. Queensland LNP poll slide. Her better half, or is that her lessor half, have somehow managed to arrange for the press to state that Campbell Newman’s latest polls that have plummeted to 2PP 59:41 to the LNP represent “A chance for Kevin. Yep. Somehow that’s a positive for Kevin.  Just in case you misread it – that’s 59 to the LNP The people smugglers are still in the limelight as the ALP drags itself slowly up to the start line where Howard was years ago.  I really think Kevin believes that  because he and President Yudhoyono announced a “Conference” the problem can be put in the pending tray until the elections. Don’t bet on it. Lawrence Gribben from Carseldine, Qld, a suburb next door to mine, puts it succinctly;

THE Greens want people-smugglers to decide who comes to Australia, Kevin Rudd wants the Indonesians to decide and the Coalition wants Australians to decide. Hmm … spoilt for choice.

Jason Clare, who has had no real-life employment which apparently makes him qualified to be the Minister for Home Affairs, is fighting the good fight.  I heard him on the ABC ratting on about the Coalition.  Hat tip Jason, the country think the ALP are to blame for the problem – not the Coalition. Mr Clare said turning boats back didn’t work and that Mr Howard had only sent back a handful.  Turning back boasts did work and Howard only turned back a couple because of that fact- it did work….they stopped coming.  Admiral Barrie, relevant commander at the time says  – “We didn’t have to turn any more back because they stopped coming” . Got that Jason? He warned turning boats back could lead to a repeat of the Siev 36 incident in which five people died when a vessel was sabotaged in 2009. Ah, so what you are saying is that if  just one asylum seeker says – “I’ll top myself if you don’t let me in” you suggest the nation, the Navy and/or the rescuing ship’s Captain simply fold .  Keeping in mind that these people have access to the internet they will all be talking among themselves right now as they wait for their boat.  “All we have to do is threaten suicide and they’ll fold – quick, burn your papers and get on the boat – it’s our last chance before adults take over” He further adds that sometimes sailors have been hurt or were in a situation where they could be, and this is apparently another reason not to have a firm policy.  Yes, sometimes sailors do get hurt while carrying out their duties.  They are not public servants, bureaucrats, or god forbid, political ALP hacks or clerks.  They are servicemen and women and sometimes a sailor has to do what a sailor has to do – ie, obey orders to the best of their ability. Poor plan Jason  – you still need to work on it.    
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