Rudd’s early days

KEVIN Rudd is ordering an intervention into Labor’s NSW branch to stamp out corruption and further limit the influence of wealthy property developers on the party. I presume then, that Craig Thomson is gone.  He’s NSW Labor, right? :roll: The fact that the NSW ALP have been corrupt for years should have brought about some action before now.  As it is, it just looks like Rudd is ticking off boxes to get re-elected. Say some words about NSW ALP corruption ….done, Well almost but; If you just say property developers can’t join doesn’t that leave it open for crims from other callings to join, and then doesn’t that leave you with having to regularly update the most recent corrupt callings as in, now farmers can’t join…oh, oh, and Real Estate guys can’t join…damn it! taxi drivers can’t join either and ad infinitum.  Wouldn’t it just be smarter to ensure all who joined had a track record of honesty and respect for public monies. Or is that too hard for the current ALP? Say some words about illegal immigrants………done,  Well, almost done but;

The Prime Minister last night joined his new Immigration Minister in admitting his government got things wrong in 2009 when it failed to stop the burgeoning people-smuggling trade.

No!  You got things wrong when you cancelled Howard’s boat policy. Rudd goes on to maintain his “push” rather than “pull” excuse citing the Sri Lankan war as a new factor.

But that promise (pre-election) had been offered at a time when the international refugee situation was more benign.

The Sri Lankans escaping the war had plenty of places to go but Australia’s open border policy offered far better financial benefits and they considered it well worth the risk. Rudd, Carr and Burke are politically gaming the refugee situation to try and convince the country it wasn’t really their fault – good luck with that fellows. And from Burke who says;

“The points that (Bob Carr) has raised match what’s been said to me during briefings in terms of some of the key examples of people attempting to rort the system,” Mr Burke said.

Everyone other than the human rights industry have been saying that since 2007 Burke, how come you just heard it? The ALP are attacking Abbott’s turn back the boats” policy as if is the only string in his bow.  It’s a small part of the Lib’s policy and may only be used a few times, just to make a point.  TPVs will help and can I suggest if  rorters arrive without papers then they have no entitlement tovisas nor should any boat person have access to legal aid.  Legal aid should be restricted to Australians. I’m furious with the situation as it is right now whereby if someone is denied a visa a queue of human rights lawyers instantly forms with the cry ‘Pick Me’…’Pick me – I’ll fight the government for you’ Say some words about trade with Indonesia.  Rudd is off to Indonesia tonight with a crew of nervous stewards looking after him. Tomorrow he is apparently going to bring up a trade agreement with Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. I’m sure Yudhoyono would love to start the conversation with;

“Just tell me that you have that idiot Ludwig under control and I might talk live cattle trade.  Otherwise we’ll just wait until Abbott is in power – he’s someone we can believe.

The last time Live Export was in the news it was as a result of your party trashing our national strategic ability to feed ourselves – without any warning…on the basis of a left wing TV show.”

He won’t of course and I figure not much will come out of the talks, other than when Rudd exaggerates the outcome for public consumption, as the Indonesians can read polls as well as we can and they will see Rudd as a hologram like Rimmer in Red Dwarf – hollow and pointless but noisy. They know what he is like and like most Australians, small business, all of the large business and Corporate community, the mining industry and a  host of other bodies that have been impacted by six years of Union controlled government,  are all just waiting ’till we can start getting the country moving again.    

Recycled Rudd

Apparently Rudd has already got a bounce in the polls although not as much as Bob Ellis seems to think.  The polls will reflect more that Gillard and her incompetent crew have gone rather than the ALP is suddenly electable. Rudd’s best chance, in my humble opinion, is to go to the polls as soon as he can to capitalize on the bounce but he has a lot standing in the way of this. The simple matter of staffing his office has to represent a large problem as a certain number of potential candidates will recall all to clearly the way he treated staff last time he was in the chair. He also has to come up with a new cabinet and the cupboard is pretty bare with the swag of yesterdays ministers queuing up to resign rather than work under Rudd.  The new guys, or girls, will be all on ‘L’ plates throughout the election standing mute like targets on the rifle ranges of my youth. Unless he totally changes the direction of the party, delaying the poll until November will only give the Libs more time to point out his problems and for the public to remember them. It ain’t going to be easy as although the incompetence of Gillard is fresh in our minds we need to remind the country that Rudd must take his fair share of the incompetence of the government overall. And this Abbott quote should get a fair bit of airtime of the next month or two;

In 2007 you voted for Kevin and got Julia. In 2010 you voted for Julia and got Kevin. If you vote for the Labor Party in 2013 who knows who you will end up with.

It’s a good question.  Has Rudd changed his spots…is he now a leader or still just a bureaucrat wielding unearned power far beyond his competence?  Should Rudd lose the election, as is still likely, who will lead afterwards.  Likewise, if Rudd wins, which is still unlikely, how long will it be before his troops mutiny? The 40,000 odd illegal asylum seekers and the subsequent hundreds of deaths are directly attributable to him as is the earlier pink bats and overpriced school halls.  Will the new recycled Rudd be any better with his policies? Can’t see it!  

Finally they get it

FOREIGN Minister Bob Carr has told a gathering of 40 non-government organisations in Canberra that their rhetoric about asylum-seekers is out of date, unhelpful and won’t be accepted by the Australian people.

In the meeting on Thursday, Senator Carr told the leaders of more than 40 organisations that the old rhetoric about human rights and asylum-seekers no longer described the reality of Australia’s situation.

Instead, Sri Lankans, Iranians and people of many nationalities with no genuine claims to refugee status were coming to Australia by boat. This, he said, was now a sophisticated and well-financed illegal immigration issue. The numbers, at 3000 a month, were intolerably high, Senator Carr said.

This is amazing – finally, after 6 years someone from the ALP has finally stated publicly what us conservative pundits and most of the public have known for all of that time.  What Carr didn’t say is we, the ALP are responsible for the whole sorry mess, for the death of hundreds and hundreds of illegal immigrants and we apologise profusely to the Australian people for our inept management. Failing that he could try and do something about the problem but I guess the ALP are too busy playing “pick the Leader”  with brief cross-overs to “Abbott will ruin the country” to do anything the public expect ofthem. 82 days to go – how much more damage can they do?  

General becomes feminist pinup

On reflection I am glad I didn’t serve in the ADF.  I was in the AMF and a happy man in a man’s world with any number of men and  woman supporting us line-regiment blokes. Under the current ALP distraction the Army Chief seems to be playing a role supporting the feminist agenda of Julia Gillard. General Morrison has becomes a pinup of Destroy the Joint, a FB page for seemingly very angry women who clearly do not like men. He wins praise from a bunch of women when he commands an Army made up mostly of men. From The Australian

But Lieutenant-General David Morrison has also won praise from feminist groups for campaigning for the Australian Defence Force to treat women with respect.

The praise across social media for the father-of-three included observations that he should be deployed to train the nation’s politicians on leadership and gender issues before the federal election.

I actually think that last statement is a bad reference for a man commanding an infantry based Army. The Army don’t treat women with disrespect.   Sometimes individual soldiers do cross the line driven by alcohol and testosterone but,  I would suggest,  a whole lot less than in the rest of the community. The Army is about Infantry.  They couldn’t operate without all the other Arms and Services but these others are there to support us in what we do.

The role of Infantry is to seek out and close with the enemy, to kill or capture him, to seize and hold ground and to repel attack, by day or night, regardless of season, weather or terrain.

Nothing more, nothing less.  No manouvre room for feminists there. The role does not include the rider “whilst observing politically correct interpretations as seen by armchair warriors”.  There is no mention of celibacy nor behaving like a paragon of virtue when on leave.  Soldiers, warriors, by the nature of their testosterone driven employment are not, as a rule, the most gentle and introverted members of society.  I read often enough that the Army is supposed to be representative of  the culture of the country.  Not really.  We wouldn’t want a bunch of hippies, Greenies, human rights activists, artists, gentle souls, whistle blowers, ideological warriors or beaurocrats serving in the platoons of a battalion. Nothing would ever get done.  We need to weed out a good part of the society from whence we choose soldiers to make sure we end up with soldiers prepared to fight so that the rest of society can exist happily in their little worlds. The men we end up with are men writ large. Which is why, over my long career in the military, I didn’t demand my troops be angels. I did demand toughness – both physical and mental, a high level of skills and a comittment to the country expressed at it’s prime level – comittment to the unit. Where am I going with this?  Well I think the General is being a bit harsh on his troops.  Three guys out of about 50,000 have transgressed.  The were on leave drinking and having sex – so far so good.  They then filmed the deeds and transmitted them, apparently through defence means.  If the are guilty of the last two acts then charge them, front them to a court and if the court so decides then dismiss them.   If the women involved didn’t know about the transmission then the charges against the perps should reflect that.  I read no mention that the sex wasn’t consensual and as the accusations are months old I’m inclined to say charge them all with an offence or shut up. That’s it. The General has said told the Army that anyone not willing to work with women and accept them as equals, then “There is no place for you amongst this band of brothers and sisters. There is certainly no place for them among these brothers sisters umm….soldiers;

His frontal attack on discrimination also includes help for enlisted men who become enlisted women.

Soldiers who switch gender are being helped stay in the Army under Lieutenant General David Morrison’s campaign to rout all forms of discrimination in the military.

There currently are 10 Army members who have transferred gender while still in uniform, and have received the support of their most senior officer, General Morrison.

Two of them are women who now live as men, and eight are men who now identify as women.

Shudder.  So the Army is now a social experiment.  Dwarfs, hermaphrodites, Drag Queens….roll up, we’ll take you all! The case has morphed from soldiers on leave having consensual sex and filming it then distributing the film, which may or may not be consensual, to the Army being accused of not accepting women as equals.  There are only a few soldiers stood down and has the case has been around since at least April then the rest of the media’s so called ‘hundreds’ are most probably recipients of emails or have viewed the clips. I understand these types of transgressions are happening daily among all walks of  life but few if any get such media space.  I have no issues with soldiers, or officers (and I wish the media would learn the difference) drinking on leave, fornicating, or indeed filming the deed and I have no problems with putting the deed up on the internet if that is what floats your boat,  providing both parties are in agreement.  I wouldn’t film and transmit myself but I’ve long known forcing your own moral standards on others simply doesn’t work. If it ain’t illegal its legal. If it is illegal then charge them and get on with it  and don’t try and feminise the Army while you’re doing it. It is apparent to me that Defence Minister Smith has a bunch of these type of revelations and I expect him to drip feed them as a distraction from the ALP’s disasters over the next ninety days and I can’t help but think that Chief of Army is  helping him to do it. In my time I was taught  by my combat experienced superiors, to never, ever abuse soldiers in front of their peers nor NCOs in front of the soldiers.  Always take them aside. General Morrison has publicly abused everyone in the Army from Major General down with his ‘feminise or get out message’   The entire world bloody knows.  It is an in-house matter and the international dissemination of the General’s spray to the troops has brought the Australian Army into disrepute.  A situation occasioned by it’s commander, no less! Poor form in my opinion.

C’mon Andrew, think about it.

Andrew Wilkie in yesterday’s Weekend Australian;

“I think Julia Gillard is better than that. She doesn’t need to go there. She doesn’t need to run a campaign based on smear and fear,” he said

Well she can hardly run a campaign on ALP achievements Andrew – smear and fear is all she has.

Quick, we need a distraction

Defence is in the gun again over emails denigrating women. General  Morrison, Chief of Army is cranky and  told reporters that a broader group of about 90 Defence personnel – overwhelmingly from the Army – may be on the periphery of the group involved in the email exchange.

…. he said the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS) told ADF chief David Hurley about the matter on April 10.

General Morrison was overseas at the time but was told when he returned soon after. Defence Minister Stephen Smith was also informed at the time.

I presume we have been sitting on this for two months waiting for an ideal time to announce the torrid details and today was definitely an ideal time to change the subject after yesterday’s ALP embarrassment over a derogatory menu. Based on Tweets from a lib hater who would “rather be raped by a pitbull with aids than live in Abbott’s Australia”  it all went pear-shape after the author stated the menu never left the kitchen and it was a joke between himself and his son.  This became known last night but fully ninety minutes later the ABC were still on the case reveling in Pilbersec going on and on about that terrible Abbott and his team. She had to know by that time so she was simply lying and the ABC, who also would have known there was nothing in the story, encouraged her. I still haven’t heard any apologies or withdrawal from the ALP desparates or the ABC and I don’t expect any. Catallaxy Files has a pretty good coverage of the affair – be sure to read the comments if you haven’t seen them yet. You can just see them at ALP HQ…. “quickly we need a distraction – Defence Minister isn’t there a report you have been sitting on for two months? – let’s announce that! And  Defence saves the day again. It makes sense, doesn’t it?

Garrett confused

THE Newman Government has banned the Federal schools minister from campaigning in Queensland campuses. Good! Mr Garrett, who cancelled his flights yesterday following the ban, accused Mr Langbroek of “outrageous hypocrisy” and said he had been using schools as political footballs. Excuse me! You and your government are using school kids as political footballs and you have the temerity to accuse Langbroek. Now that’s outrageous hypocracy. Are you working on your resume Garrett? From The Australian Mr Garrett said it was a “pretty poor day for democracy in Queensland” when the federal education minister was denied permission to detail a plan to improve schools. “This isn’t about politicising schools, it’s about having the free exercise of expression in a democracy,” he told the ABC. Out and out lie Garrett, and as expected the ABC didn’t pick him up on it.  You are not being denied permission to detail a plan to improve schools. You are being denied permission to do so in a school where the parents expect their kids to be doing schoolwork, not playing a role in an election propaganda foray. You can always fly up and promote your plan in the Queen Street Mall but just watch out for the baseball bats.

C’mon Tony Kevin – where are you?

People die at sea looking for some sugar Rudd and Gillard left on the table and all they can do is argue over who is going to lead the party over the cliff. It makes me wonder what Tony Kevin’s take is on all this. He had strong opinions when a boat, SIEVE X, sank off Indonesian waters in 2001. I seem to recall he accused Howard of murder and wrote a book about it. I wonder further, how is book is going on the latest developments. I’m sure he is writing one :roll: UPDATE:  I found Tony on Twitter and asked him he was writing a book – haven’t heard yet.

Rudd campaigning for PM again

The Rudd Brigade are in full campaign mode.   Polls commissioned by the ALP say that the loss of seats will be less under Rudd.  Working on the safe assumption that the only people who like Rudd have never met him, I would caution the ALP about doing anything to encourage the little snide marshmellow. The timing for this coup would surely be during the next and last sitting of parliament, leaving the electorate a full two months at least to remember why they hated him last time he sat in the chair.  And just in case they don’t recall the debacle of the Rudd government, the Libs will be cycling video clips of Swan, Gillard, Shorten et al saying why they can’t work with the little emperor. “Dysfunctional”, “a man of great weakness“, “Labor colleagues sick of…“type direct quotes of ALP politicians will be on TV all day every day. Does anyone remember who it was that started the Asylum seekers travesty?  Rudd! So, on the very day that the authorities are out in the ocean trying to save lives but in effect just collecting bodies, journalists and ALP politicians are actually canvassing bringing the little bastard back into power. The ALP must be aware by now that the country are furious with their open borders policy and still, all they do, is campaign for retention of power. Here’s a thought. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE POOR ASYLUM SEEKERS ! But no,  the  first reaction of the ALP compliant media is to blame the Australian Border Protection Service.  From The Age;
Australia’s border protection service has been accused of causing lives to be lost by responding too slowly to the latest asylum seeker boat tragedy off Christmas Island. A former Australian ambassador has called for a coronial inquiry into the response by the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service. The Greens also want a more thorough inquiry than the standard internal review.
Tim Blair nails it:
That report from Fairfax (which campaigned for weaker border protection policies, causing hundreds of lives to be lost) cites the Greens (who campaigned for weaker border protection policies, causing hundreds of lives to be lost) and an ex-ambassador (who campaigned for weaker border protection policies, etc, etc). Now that weaker policies are in place and tens of thousands of asylum seekers are risking death at sea, they’re blaming … the border protection service. These people are incapable of shame.
Indeed they are!    
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