Saturday, October 30, 2004
Australians are paying almost $2 million a year for each Federal politician.
The total cost of maintaining 226 federal MPs, this year is expected to top $400 million including infrastructure costs - about $1.8 million each.
This is up from the $354 million estimate by the Australian National Audit Office in 1999-2000.
In July federal MPs received a 4 per cent pay rise, lifting their annual base pay to $106,770. They also receive a minimum electorate allowance of $27,300 to cover their day-to-day expenses, and a minimum of $20,475 in travel allowances this year to cover staying in Canberra while Parliament is sitting. This can be spent at the MPs' discretion.
Other costs associated with maintaining our MPs include a $125,000 a year printing allowance; an Australian-made car to the value of $43,490 plus all petrol and running costs; two mobile phones; two home phones; a portable computer; free business-class flights anywhere in Australia, and a $16,249 overseas travel allowance, which can be spent during each three-year parliamentary term.
(Source: The Age)
The total cost of maintaining 226 federal MPs, this year is expected to top $400 million including infrastructure costs - about $1.8 million each.
This is up from the $354 million estimate by the Australian National Audit Office in 1999-2000.
In July federal MPs received a 4 per cent pay rise, lifting their annual base pay to $106,770. They also receive a minimum electorate allowance of $27,300 to cover their day-to-day expenses, and a minimum of $20,475 in travel allowances this year to cover staying in Canberra while Parliament is sitting. This can be spent at the MPs' discretion.
Other costs associated with maintaining our MPs include a $125,000 a year printing allowance; an Australian-made car to the value of $43,490 plus all petrol and running costs; two mobile phones; two home phones; a portable computer; free business-class flights anywhere in Australia, and a $16,249 overseas travel allowance, which can be spent during each three-year parliamentary term.
(Source: The Age)
Quote of the Moment:
"'I quite like Lachlan Murdoch and will always take his call, as I would for his dad in circumstances where it's possible,' he says. He then runs through the names of several leading business figures he speaks to regularly, adding: 'If there's a perception that I haven't been doing enough, I'll try and correct that. But this idea the door's been closed is just plain wrong.'"
Mark Latham stands up for the Labor Party's core supporters. From the Age.
"'I quite like Lachlan Murdoch and will always take his call, as I would for his dad in circumstances where it's possible,' he says. He then runs through the names of several leading business figures he speaks to regularly, adding: 'If there's a perception that I haven't been doing enough, I'll try and correct that. But this idea the door's been closed is just plain wrong.'"
Mark Latham stands up for the Labor Party's core supporters. From the Age.
Quote of the Moment:
"One worker dies in Victoria every two weeks. Nationally, a worker dies every 11 days. Vast numbers of others are injured on the job, thousands of them requiring more than 10 days off...among the main recommendations of this year's review of safety laws, by Chris Maxwell, QC, were that the Government promote the need for thousands more workplace health and safety representatives in businesses across the state as an elaborate, grassroots early-warning system."
The Age newspaper accidentally explains why people should join unions.
"One worker dies in Victoria every two weeks. Nationally, a worker dies every 11 days. Vast numbers of others are injured on the job, thousands of them requiring more than 10 days off...among the main recommendations of this year's review of safety laws, by Chris Maxwell, QC, were that the Government promote the need for thousands more workplace health and safety representatives in businesses across the state as an elaborate, grassroots early-warning system."
The Age newspaper accidentally explains why people should join unions.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Scientists have found a possible genetic basis for homosexuality, contradicting the idea that it is either 'unnatural' or chosen.
The research paper, published in the journal of the Royal Society of Biological Sciences, suggested that a genetic factor partly responsible for homosexuality in men also boosts fertility in women.
(Source: MCV newspaper)
The research paper, published in the journal of the Royal Society of Biological Sciences, suggested that a genetic factor partly responsible for homosexuality in men also boosts fertility in women.
(Source: MCV newspaper)
The James Hardie company has been accused of avoiding paying out compensation to asbestos victims, while giving a severance package of nearly $9 million to its disgraced former chief executive.
The company has failed to pay any more money into the Medical Research and Compensation Foundation, set up to give compensation to former employees and other asbestos disease sufferers. The foundation needs $100 million to avoid going broke.
James Hardie had knowledge of the dangers of asbestos from at least the 1930s but no warnings or directions were placed on Hardie's fibro until 1978.
The company paid $8.8million in a severance package to its former chief executive Peter Macdonald, who was found by an inquiry to have committed criminal offences in his role in the underfunding of the foundation. Mr McDonald falsely claimed that enough money had been set aside to cover future asbestos-related claims.
Mr Macdonald's golden handshake is worth 35 times the average payout to asbestos victims of $250,000. He continues to earn money from Hardie as a consultant.
(Source: The Australian)
The company has failed to pay any more money into the Medical Research and Compensation Foundation, set up to give compensation to former employees and other asbestos disease sufferers. The foundation needs $100 million to avoid going broke.
James Hardie had knowledge of the dangers of asbestos from at least the 1930s but no warnings or directions were placed on Hardie's fibro until 1978.
The company paid $8.8million in a severance package to its former chief executive Peter Macdonald, who was found by an inquiry to have committed criminal offences in his role in the underfunding of the foundation. Mr McDonald falsely claimed that enough money had been set aside to cover future asbestos-related claims.
Mr Macdonald's golden handshake is worth 35 times the average payout to asbestos victims of $250,000. He continues to earn money from Hardie as a consultant.
(Source: The Australian)
Quote of the Moment:
"If you assume that there's no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, that hope is possible, then hope may be justified, and a better world may be built. That's your choice."
Noam Chomsky.
"If you assume that there's no hope, you guarantee there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, that there are opportunities to change things, that hope is possible, then hope may be justified, and a better world may be built. That's your choice."
Noam Chomsky.
The agency that investigates allegations of sexual abuse against teachers and clergy in Catholic schools is creating "enormous risks for children", according to the NSW Ombudsman.
Bruce Barbour, has called for the disbanding of the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations (CCER) because of its failure properly to carry out its job. It is meant to ensure that Catholic schools, child-care centres, foster carers and other agencies that work with children properly investigate abuse allegations, train staff in child protection laws and notify the Ombudsman of investigations.
"We have been concerned for some time about the CCER's capacity to meet their obligations," the Ombudsman said in his 2003-04 annual report tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The report highlights the case of a Catholic priest under police investigation for sexual assault. He was allowed to continue to work in a primary school despite the police having expressed serious concerns about the risks he posed to children.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
Bruce Barbour, has called for the disbanding of the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations (CCER) because of its failure properly to carry out its job. It is meant to ensure that Catholic schools, child-care centres, foster carers and other agencies that work with children properly investigate abuse allegations, train staff in child protection laws and notify the Ombudsman of investigations.
"We have been concerned for some time about the CCER's capacity to meet their obligations," the Ombudsman said in his 2003-04 annual report tabled in Parliament yesterday.
The report highlights the case of a Catholic priest under police investigation for sexual assault. He was allowed to continue to work in a primary school despite the police having expressed serious concerns about the risks he posed to children.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald)
Australia has come 41st in a world ranking of freedom of the press.
The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranked Australia behind Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
The report said that the Australian government "continued to prevent journalists from covering the situation of refugees held in camps on Australian territory or in neighbouring countries".
It also criticised attempts by the federal government to 'free up' cross media ownership laws.
(Source: The Age)
The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranked Australia behind Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
The report said that the Australian government "continued to prevent journalists from covering the situation of refugees held in camps on Australian territory or in neighbouring countries".
It also criticised attempts by the federal government to 'free up' cross media ownership laws.
(Source: The Age)
About half of the US$5 billion in Iraq reconstruction funds disbursed by the US occupation authority in the first half of this year can't be accounted for, according to an audit commissioned by the United Nations.
Auditors said that another $1.4 billion was deposited into a local bank by Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq and could be tracked no further. The auditors reported that they were shown a deposit slip but found no additional records to explain how the money was used or to prove that it remains in the bank.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, estimates that of the funds allocated for Iraqi reconstruction, less than 30% of the money spent has reached Iraqis. Another 30% appears to have gone to 'private security guards' or mercenaries, about 10% to US government administrative overheads, 6% to contractor profits, and 12% on insurance and foreign, mostly US, workers' salaries. The rest, perhaps 15%, appears to have been embezzled.
(Source: Green Left Weekly)
Auditors said that another $1.4 billion was deposited into a local bank by Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq and could be tracked no further. The auditors reported that they were shown a deposit slip but found no additional records to explain how the money was used or to prove that it remains in the bank.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, estimates that of the funds allocated for Iraqi reconstruction, less than 30% of the money spent has reached Iraqis. Another 30% appears to have gone to 'private security guards' or mercenaries, about 10% to US government administrative overheads, 6% to contractor profits, and 12% on insurance and foreign, mostly US, workers' salaries. The rest, perhaps 15%, appears to have been embezzled.
(Source: Green Left Weekly)
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Quote of the Moment:
"I would be ashamed to admit that I had risen from the ranks. When I rise it will be with the ranks, and not from the ranks."
Eugene Debs
more quotes - www.apolitical.info/quotes
"I would be ashamed to admit that I had risen from the ranks. When I rise it will be with the ranks, and not from the ranks."
Eugene Debs
more quotes - www.apolitical.info/quotes
More than 10 percent of convicted rapists only receive a suspended sentence, according to new figures.
Sentencing statistics for the Victorian Supreme and County courts also show that one-fifth of those convicted of non-rape sex offences receive a wholly suspended sentence.
(Source: The Age)
Sentencing statistics for the Victorian Supreme and County courts also show that one-fifth of those convicted of non-rape sex offences receive a wholly suspended sentence.
(Source: The Age)
Monday, October 18, 2004
Qantas has been accused of secretly training 350 strike-breakers.
The staff have been hired on fixed three-month contracts. They have been given a different uniform to normal Qantas staff. There are claims they are told to use code-words when picked up by unmarked Qantas buses for work.
The Flight Attendants' Association of Australia says the airline plans to use the new staff to break a strike, over Qantas plans to base more jobs overseas.
(Source: The Age)
The staff have been hired on fixed three-month contracts. They have been given a different uniform to normal Qantas staff. There are claims they are told to use code-words when picked up by unmarked Qantas buses for work.
The Flight Attendants' Association of Australia says the airline plans to use the new staff to break a strike, over Qantas plans to base more jobs overseas.
(Source: The Age)
On October 21, Iraq will pay US$200 million to some of the richest corporations in the world.
The beneficiaries will include Halliburton (US$18 million), Bechtel ($7m), Mobil ($2.3m), Shell ($1.6m), Nestle ($2.6m), Pepsi ($3.8m), Philip Morris ($1.3m), Sheraton ($11m), Kentucky Fried Chicken ($321,000), and Toys R Us ($189,449).
The money is compensation for Saddam Hussein's invastion of Kuwait. In most cases, the corporations did not suffer any damage to their property during the invasion - only lost profits or a decline in business.
The fact that Saddam has been overthrown has had no effect on the payments.
The amount of money coming from Iraq contrasts with the US$29 million estimated to have been spent on water, sanitation, health, roads, bridges, and public safety combined, and the $4 million spent compensating Iraqis who had been injured, or who lost family members or property as a direct result of the occupation.
(Source: The Guardian [UK])
The beneficiaries will include Halliburton (US$18 million), Bechtel ($7m), Mobil ($2.3m), Shell ($1.6m), Nestle ($2.6m), Pepsi ($3.8m), Philip Morris ($1.3m), Sheraton ($11m), Kentucky Fried Chicken ($321,000), and Toys R Us ($189,449).
The money is compensation for Saddam Hussein's invastion of Kuwait. In most cases, the corporations did not suffer any damage to their property during the invasion - only lost profits or a decline in business.
The fact that Saddam has been overthrown has had no effect on the payments.
The amount of money coming from Iraq contrasts with the US$29 million estimated to have been spent on water, sanitation, health, roads, bridges, and public safety combined, and the $4 million spent compensating Iraqis who had been injured, or who lost family members or property as a direct result of the occupation.
(Source: The Guardian [UK])
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Quote of the Moment:
"Formerly the master selected the slave; today the slave selects his master."
Albert Parsons.
"Formerly the master selected the slave; today the slave selects his master."
Albert Parsons.
The Victorian Labor Party has denied making a mistake by giving preferences to the conservative Christian party Family First ahead of the Greens.
Family First's candidate Steve Fielding is now the favourite to win the sixth Victorian Senate position, possibly giving his party the balance of power. The Greens' candidate received five times as many primary votes. However Mr Fielding will benefit from preferences from the ALP and the Democrats.
ALP State Secretary Eric Locke denied that the ALP could work more easily with the Greens than with Family First, saying that "I'm not going to make any judgements about Family First. They've assured us they are a bipartisan party."
(Source: The Age)
Family First's candidate Steve Fielding is now the favourite to win the sixth Victorian Senate position, possibly giving his party the balance of power. The Greens' candidate received five times as many primary votes. However Mr Fielding will benefit from preferences from the ALP and the Democrats.
ALP State Secretary Eric Locke denied that the ALP could work more easily with the Greens than with Family First, saying that "I'm not going to make any judgements about Family First. They've assured us they are a bipartisan party."
(Source: The Age)
Friday, October 08, 2004
The Israeli government's policy is deliberately designed to avoid a peace settlement with the Palestinians, according to a senior advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
Dov Weisglass told the Haartez newspaper that the government's plan to withdraw troops and 'settlers' from the Gaza Strip while increasing control of the West Bank was "the freezing of the peace process".
Mr Weisglass said the plan had obtained the backing of the US government, and that it would allow the Israeli government to avoid a final peace settlement, prevent the establishment of an independent Palestine, and maintain the occupation indefinitely.
"Effectively this whole package...has been removed indefinitely from our agenda."
Palestinian authorities said 21 children had been killed, one had been left brain dead and dozens had been wounded since the Israeli army entered the Gaza Strip last week.
Although Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz claimed that "the dozens of Palestinians who were hit were dozens of terrorists, period", a 13 year old girl was killed as she made her way home from school. Witnesses said that soldiers continued firing after the girl was wounded and had fallen to the ground. The Israeli army claimed that soldiers believed she had a bomb in her school bag. The bag was later found to contain schoolbooks.
(Source: The Age)
Dov Weisglass told the Haartez newspaper that the government's plan to withdraw troops and 'settlers' from the Gaza Strip while increasing control of the West Bank was "the freezing of the peace process".
Mr Weisglass said the plan had obtained the backing of the US government, and that it would allow the Israeli government to avoid a final peace settlement, prevent the establishment of an independent Palestine, and maintain the occupation indefinitely.
"Effectively this whole package...has been removed indefinitely from our agenda."
Palestinian authorities said 21 children had been killed, one had been left brain dead and dozens had been wounded since the Israeli army entered the Gaza Strip last week.
Although Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz claimed that "the dozens of Palestinians who were hit were dozens of terrorists, period", a 13 year old girl was killed as she made her way home from school. Witnesses said that soldiers continued firing after the girl was wounded and had fallen to the ground. The Israeli army claimed that soldiers believed she had a bomb in her school bag. The bag was later found to contain schoolbooks.
(Source: The Age)
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
The Coalition has brokered a deal with the fundamentalist Christian party Family First, agreeing to consult with them over policy in return for their preferences.
The Australian newspaper reports that the deal was personally brokered by John Howard.
Some Liberal candidates have been asked to sign three-year voting agreements before being included in the deal.
Family First has ruled out some Coalition candidates who "don't necessarily reflect the family agenda we have" - lesbian Ingrid Tall, and supporter of gay marriage Warren Entsch. The party will however give preferences to Ross Cameron, who is a conservative Christian but who recently moved out of his family home after publically confessing to having an affair while his wife was pregnant.
Family First recently disciplined one of its volunteers, after he answered 'yes' to a question as to whether the party supported lesbians being burned to death.
(Source: MCV newspaper, news.com.au)
The Australian newspaper reports that the deal was personally brokered by John Howard.
Some Liberal candidates have been asked to sign three-year voting agreements before being included in the deal.
Family First has ruled out some Coalition candidates who "don't necessarily reflect the family agenda we have" - lesbian Ingrid Tall, and supporter of gay marriage Warren Entsch. The party will however give preferences to Ross Cameron, who is a conservative Christian but who recently moved out of his family home after publically confessing to having an affair while his wife was pregnant.
Family First recently disciplined one of its volunteers, after he answered 'yes' to a question as to whether the party supported lesbians being burned to death.
(Source: MCV newspaper, news.com.au)
Quote of the Moment:
"Whenever people say 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add 'We must be realistic,' they mean they are going to make money out of it."
Brigid Brophy.
"Whenever people say 'We mustn't be sentimental,' you can take it they are about to do something cruel. And if they add 'We must be realistic,' they mean they are going to make money out of it."
Brigid Brophy.
Quote of the Moment:
"You hear about 'constitutional rights,' 'free speech,' and the 'free press'. Every time I hear these words I say to myself, 'That man is a Red....' You never hear a real American talk like that."
American politician Frank Hague.
"You hear about 'constitutional rights,' 'free speech,' and the 'free press'. Every time I hear these words I say to myself, 'That man is a Red....' You never hear a real American talk like that."
American politician Frank Hague.
The government allowed refugees' claims to be assessed by a racist who had formerly worked for an Afghan warlord and supporter of Osama bin Laden, according to a new report.
The Australian Financial Review reported members of Australia's Afghan community as saying that during the 1980s Malyar Dehsabzi worked for warlord Ghulbuddin Hekmatyar. The report also said that Mr Dehsabzi was hostile to the Hazara minority.
Despite his background and views, Mr Dehsabzi was employed by the immigration department as an interpreter at Australia's refugee detention centre on Nauru, handling appeals for asylum by Afghan Hazaras. An International Organisation for Migration officer who worked on Nauru at the time told the AFR: "Interpreters were assigned 15 or so cases at a time. Malyar would regularly declare 10 out of his 15 to be Pakistani. Other interpreters found either none or one at most."
"The consequences of a declaration of ethnicity could prove fatal to an asylum seeker's chances of finding protection in Australia, because these remarks would become part of the application process."
In the second half of 2002, with the government's launch of its plan to voluntarily repatriate Afghan asylum seekers, Mr Dehsabzi was also said to have sent emails to people in Nauru falsely claiming that Afghanistan was "peaceful and safe".
(Source: Green Left Weekly)
The Australian Financial Review reported members of Australia's Afghan community as saying that during the 1980s Malyar Dehsabzi worked for warlord Ghulbuddin Hekmatyar. The report also said that Mr Dehsabzi was hostile to the Hazara minority.
Despite his background and views, Mr Dehsabzi was employed by the immigration department as an interpreter at Australia's refugee detention centre on Nauru, handling appeals for asylum by Afghan Hazaras. An International Organisation for Migration officer who worked on Nauru at the time told the AFR: "Interpreters were assigned 15 or so cases at a time. Malyar would regularly declare 10 out of his 15 to be Pakistani. Other interpreters found either none or one at most."
"The consequences of a declaration of ethnicity could prove fatal to an asylum seeker's chances of finding protection in Australia, because these remarks would become part of the application process."
In the second half of 2002, with the government's launch of its plan to voluntarily repatriate Afghan asylum seekers, Mr Dehsabzi was also said to have sent emails to people in Nauru falsely claiming that Afghanistan was "peaceful and safe".
(Source: Green Left Weekly)
The government offered a $36 million annual grant to an oil company, on condition that it sue an environmental group, according to an email obtained under freedom of information laws.
The email by Marie Taylor, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources manager, refining and fuels, referred to a 2002 cabinet decision to provide Southern Pacific Petroleum with the subsidy "subject to SPP taking legal action against Greenpeace."
(Source: The Age)
The email by Marie Taylor, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources manager, refining and fuels, referred to a 2002 cabinet decision to provide Southern Pacific Petroleum with the subsidy "subject to SPP taking legal action against Greenpeace."
(Source: The Age)
