Happy new year everybody. Limiting our brief to known knowns, we have the following entries in the 2011 electoral calendar.
• The NSW Labor government’s date for the electoral mincer is set for March 26. Mumble man Peter Brent has bravely ventured that Labor “will do better than opinion polls in 2010 said they would, perhaps emerging with around 30 out of 93 seats”. My tip is that this prediction of Brent’s won’t scrub up quite as nicely after the event as those he made in relation to Victoria.
• John Brumby’s exit from politics will result in a by-election in his ultra-safe northern Melbourne seat of Broadmeadows, probably in February or March. According to David Rood of The Age, early contenders for Labor preselection include “former Brumby adviser and Labor state secretary Nick Reece, former adviser to Steve Bracks and lobbyist Danny Pearson, Hume councillor Burhan Yigit, ex-Labor party officer and right-wing figure Mehmet Tillem, recently defeated Labor upper house MP Nathan Murphy and former Hobsons Bay Council mayor Bill Baarini”. One might surmise that other Victorian by-elections will follow before the year is through.
• Four of the 15 seats in Tasmania’s Legislative Council will become vacant this year, with elections almost certain to be held on May 7. These include two of the three seats held by Labor, with the other two being among the 11 held by independents (Vanessa Goodwin in Pembroke being the sole Liberal). In the normal course of events, two or three seats are on rotation to become vacant each year: this year is the turn of Launceston, Murchison and Rumney. Veteran independent Don Wing is retiring in Launceston, which will be constested for the Liberals by state party president Sam McQuestin. Sitting independent Ruth Forrest will seek another term in Murchison – she will be opposed by a Labor candidate in the person of Waratah-Wynyard mayor Kevin Hyland (UPDATE: Kevin Bonham in comments advises that Hyland is no longer a starter), but not by the Liberals. Labor’s Lin Thorp is up for re-election in Rumney, and I can find no mention of potential challengers (it’s not unknown for Legislative Council members to be returned unopposed, but the Greens at least can be relied upon to take a shot in metropolitan seats). The bonus fourth seat is a by-election caused by the retirement of former Treasurer Michael Aird. Labor’s new nominee is Derwent deputy mayor Craig Farrell.
Puff @ 6244,
It doesn’t say anything about getting more on top of it and I just caught a bit of her presser on the news and immediately thought that can’t be right. I mean what about needing to cover rent or the mortgage? If these people were all unemployed bit different they would be used to getting by on next to nothing but it’s for people with jobs who are not able to do them due to the floods.
[Bemused
That is simply being punitive for no valid reason and penalising the community too.]
No that is making them serve the sentence that they were awarded in the court. And if it helps too make them think twice about re offending all the better.
[Hilarious. A bit more than the dole perhaps?]
Why? They have a situation of temporarily not getting an income. How much should they get?
Should the Govt pay 100% of their losses? 75%? 50%?
Adam, you could live in Haiti you know.
[Adam I thought it was pretty good what she offered.]
It’s the standard. Those with income protection insurance will presumably be able to claim, and there will be workers who can utilise annual and/or LSL, even special leave from their employers.
[ I mean what about needing to cover rent or the mortgage?]
Ever been sacked?
Had a quick look at the article from Qld (Christine Bond and Samantha Jeffries) from Feb 2010:
Its pretty good. They analysed sentencing of 2800 women in higher courts in WA and compared Indigenous with non-Indigenous women adjusting for these independent variables:
-Age
-Seriousness of principal o?ence
-Multiple conviction counts
-Plead guilty
-Prior arrests (Deviation from the overall mean number of prior arrests between April 1984 and December 2005)
Dependent variable = Imprisonment sentencing decision
They suggest the judges may have taken into consideration other factors such as having young children to care for or the social circumstances of the women. This study has very different findings to others I have heard about (and the reports I linked to above) which show 10-20 times the rate of incarceration for Indigenous vs. non-Indigenous Australian youth
[Adam
If these people were all unemployed bit different they would be used to getting by on next to nothing but it’s for people with jobs who are not able to do them due to the floods.]
I can’t work at the moment but i,m not blaming anyone other than nature and there is sweet f/a i can do about that. Why does everything have to be about who to blame.
The govt,s offer was more than has happened in the past. Jeez
[different they would be used to getting by on next to nothing but it’s for people with jobs who are not able to do them due to the floods.]
look they will be looked after i think your saying this because you are a liberal
did you see the 7.30 report tonight about Haiti thousands homeless no support living in tents and shanties have been for a year now.
The you have got the city where Katrina take a look at that,
then think back to the Vic , bush fires many of the homes have been rebuilt.
Australians are generally well looked after in disasters.
[Why? They have a situation of temporarily not getting an income. How much should they get?
Should the Govt pay 100% of their losses? 75%? 50%?]
Yes boil it down to purely a case of “temporarily not having an income”.
Nice. The kind of response you’d expect from Libs.
can any one explain the insurance, so these areas are not insured or people have no insurance, i have heard snippets on the news re insurance , what is the story.
J6P,
With all respects, if you are going to espouse opinions that, collectively with others of that thinking, may adversely affect the life chances of people, could you please do a bit of personal reading in the area, perhaps starting with the life story of Elizabeth Fry? (And just in case I need to head off the common rejoinder, yes, in this family we do have a victim of a very violent crime.)
[Adam, you could live in Haiti you know.]
This is Australia. We are far wealthier than the likes of Haiti.
J6P @ 6252
Joe, clearly we have a philosophical disagreement that appears unresolvable. If a minimum term is set and the prisoner satisfies the conditions set then they should be released on parole and the taxpayer saved a lot of money.
If the prisoner has not met any conditions set and has not shown signs of rehabilitation then they stay until they do, up to the maximum set.
A more concerning problem is what happens if they reach the end of their term and are not just not rehabilitate but are unrepentant?
my say:
There appears to be a home insurance convention whereby flood damage caused by rising rivers exempts homeowners from coverage, whereas flood damage by driving rain is covered. We had some discussion about this the other day.
i would think the banks would be talking to thier customers re mortgages Adam
commonsence would tell us they want be expecting things to be as normal.
Any way i doubt there is computers working that can even transfer money from peoples bank accounts to the banks re mortgages.
I bet those old copper pipes that are going to be taken up and replaced with fibre are copping a bit of water.
that would be a very good topic to ask about i would think the phones area out as well.
[Yes boil it down to purely a case of “temporarily not having an income”.]
Thats ’cause that is what it is.
[6263 AdamPosted Monday, January 10, 2011 at 8:23 pm | PermalinkAdam, you could live in Haiti you know.
This is Australia. We are far wealthier than the likes of Haiti.
]
But using the Greens form of income assistance – we WILL become like Haiti.
Thanks Confessions. mmmm
[could live in Haiti you know.
This is Australia. We are far wealthier than the likes of Haiti]
that is my point i am trying to convey
[This is Australia. We are far wealthier than the likes of Haiti.]
and looked after much better also, but dont you think the world could do more for Haiti
Adam
Have you considered the other forms of assistance available to small businnes affected by the floods or do you think the 13 weeks dole is it?
[But using the Greens form of income assistance – we WILL become like Haiti.]
Stop being a pig. That’s the exact same line the Lib hacks use on Labor.
How about a bit of compassion?
[AdamPosted Monday, January 10, 2011 at 8:30 pm | PermalinkBut using the Greens form of income assistance – we WILL become like Haiti.
Stop being a pig. That’s the exact same line the Lib hacks use on Labor.
How about a bit of compassion?
]
Grow a freakin brain.
Cut it out, you two.
Yes the right are a curious bunch. always arguing for govt to get out of the way. as soon as disaster strikes who do they turn to with cap in hand for compensation = govt. hypocrits. also why bother taking out insurance anymore. govt will just step in and cover you it seems.
[Cut it out, you two.]
Beautifully done William
[and looked after much better also, but dont you think the world could do more for Haiti]
Of course the world could do more for Haiti. What’s that got to do with this? I’d just like to see the government of the day provide a bit more in the way of income assistance in a time of crisis like this than the dole.
[Ptmd
(And just in case I need to head off the common rejoinder, yes, in this family we do have a victim of a very violent crime.) ]
I have never said i was and would not use that . I just believe that people should serve the full sentences they were given. Nothing less and certainly nothing more. BTW. i do not agree with this law that seems to be taking hold of keeping people in after their sentences have run full term .
I think if we have courts and judges and they decree a sentence, after people have be found guilty by their peers then that sentence should stand.
[I’d just like to see the government of the day provide a bit more in the way of income assistance in a time of crisis like this than the dole.]
But State and Federal Govts are providing more. This is just cream on the top.
my say:
I too have concerns about the insurance thing. I take on board the arguments that land development has been allowed to occur in places it perhaps shouldn’t, and this places insurance companies at great financial risk, but don’t accept the view that simply refusing coverage is the answer.
Ok Adam
A small business owner in Qld can get upto $25,000 in grants, thay can get $1000 per adult and $400 per child plus they can get 3 months worth of dole payments.
Is this enough? What extra would you like?
hi bludgers
major comp problems
back when normal transmission resumes
ps hugs to all the floodies
pps mum has told me gympie terrace is underwater in noosaville
🙁
Far too little use is made of supervised community service as a substitute for incarceration. Better for the offender, better for society and cheaper all round.
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP)
[Payments of $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child will be made if: …]
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/home/index.htm
plus
[The Australian Government has authorised financial assistance through Disaster Income Recovery Subsidy for employees, small business people and farmers in parts of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.]
at Newstart Rates:
Single no kids 469.70
Single with kids 508.20
Patnered 424 (each)
Plus health care card.
Plus payments for each child.
http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/newstart_rates.htm
I think that is a swift and adequate response in the circumstances. After 13 weeks if things are still difficult there will (I presume) the opportunity to apply to have Centrelink benefits extended.
Most banks suspend mortgage payments for 3 moths in these circumstances and how can you be asked to pay rent for a house that is unlivable?
[Lets give them an overseas holiday, their after tax income for the next two years plus pay off any loans they have. What should they get?]
Ru, nothing if they decided out of their own free will to live in the flood plain.
what about the poor river, they are the ones that get flooded. The water has to go somewhere, the river has precedent.
@ Adam
So a truckie that usually delivers goods around Brisbane for a week only gets $250 because the road is flooded …. whats the problem. Since when has anyone in this country been given money because they can’t get to work !!!!
Labors offer of some assistence was done for the Victorian bushfires as well as Hurricane Larrie. This is something Howard never did so Gilard and her govt should be applauded for theri efforts.
[A small business owner in Qld can get upto $25,000 in grants, thay can get $1000 per adult and $400 per child plus they can get 3 months worth of dole payments.]
Who exactly has been complaining about the ‘lack of assistance’, apart from the do-nothing opposition? Is the govt assistance (both state and fed) genuinely an issue in the wider community?
[Who exactly has been complaining about the ‘lack of assistance’…]
Adam.
[Paul_JPosted Monday, January 10, 2011 at 8:44 pm | Permalink@ Adam
So a truckie that usually delivers goods around Brisbane for a week only gets $250 because the road is flooded …. whats the problem. Since when has anyone in this country been given money because they can’t get to work !!!!
Labors offer of some assistence was done for the Victorian bushfires as well as Hurricane Larrie. This is something Howard never did so Gilard and her govt should be applauded for theri efforts.
]
Adam, under the guise of “Compassion” is using this purely for his regular Anti ALP exercise.
Using his logic – he wouldn’t be satisified until every flood victim got the PM’s salary multiplied by 5 for 52 weeks.
confessions @ 6288
Just wait and watch confessions, they are looking for evidence of ‘waste’ to complain about. 👿
[Most banks suspend mortgage payments for 3 moths in these circumstances and how can you be asked to pay rent for a house that is unlivable?]
There was a Vic bushfire homeowner on Grand Designs Australia recently, and IIRC he said his mortgage payments had been suspended by the bank while his home couldn’t be lived in.
[confessionsPosted Monday, January 10, 2011 at 8:46 pm | PermalinkA small business owner in Qld can get upto $25,000 in grants, thay can get $1000 per adult and $400 per child plus they can get 3 months worth of dole payments.
Who exactly has been complaining about the ‘lack of assistance’, apart from the do-nothing opposition? Is the govt assistance (both state and fed) genuinely an issue in the wider community?
]
and a small minority in WA who wanted the same as what the Qld’ers were getting – until it was pointed out that it was the WA Govt which set the low levl- and today the Acting Premier has admited “he wasm’t told” he could apply for a higher figure.
[Acting Premier]
Where was the real Premier? Not off having a holiday I hope. 😉
[Adam.]
Yes I can see that. I’m curious as to whether ‘Adams’ concerns are representative of people actually affected, or just one of those contrary, meaningless comments that appear in comment threads on blogs.
[Tom HawkinsPosted Monday, January 10, 2011 at 8:52 pm | PermalinkActing Premier
Where was the real Premier? Not off having a holiday I hope.
]
I believe Barney is on Holidays.
Adam
Hello are you out there? Any response or was it just routine Gillard sniping?
Even SkyNews has managed to discuss Palin’s crosshairs. As has The Australian, which leads into it with a couple of examples of people saying wtte there is no link in the link.
BTW Frank
Did any of the ungrateful people complaining that Gillard had short changed them offer an apology when they found that it was their own state government that had let them down?
I did not realise Howard did sweet FA for disaster victims. It is a simple thing administratively for the PM to authorise the payment of an existing Centrelink payment for flood/bushfire victims. Everything is already set up for it.