He’s a deadset despicable grub. Makes Abbott look like a caring, concerned, progressive individual. Hopefully the electorate vote him out.
But I don’t believe you should be preselected by parties for electorates you don’t and haven’t lived in. Parachuting candidates into electorates has always sat uncomfortably with me. Separate issue, of course.
And having said that, to argue against myself, I generally know two fifths of fark all about any of our local candidates. So it probably doesn’t matter. But perhaps at least maintain a semblance of the principal of “local representation”…
France lives about 7k outside the Dickson electoral boundary in a specially equipped home. She has probably spent more time in Dickson than Dutton.
But I agree on the parachuting in of party hacks. Ever since the ACT Reps got to vote in Parliament, there has hardly been a local candidate as compared to a staffer ( safe Labor seats).
Think it is Labor policy to live in the electorate - hope Bill and Chloe enjoy Maribynong
Did anyone hear that Abbott is questioning the legality or legitimacy of small donors giving money to independent candidates particularly in warringah and Wentworth??
I believe he said that voters deserve to know who is funding candidates.
He’s mostly having a go at Get Up, particularly in Warringah. No mention of Advance Australia, the rich boys group, who are driving an anti Get Up campaign. By its own admission , Advance Australia has received donations from over 1k people, but won’t reveal who they are just yet.
Phelps has thrown a lot of her own money into Wentworth. How much of his own money has Tony put up for his seat.?
And, when you get Lib campaigns such as $20k to have Frydenberg cook you a barbecue, or $20k to attend a dinner.
Seems Tony thinks that the non-rich should not be funding campaigns.
Now, as reported in the SMH, the Libs have referred the common company structure set up by the Independents in Waringah, Wentworth, Flinders and Kooyong to the AEC. Oliver Yates, standing in Kooyong, has labelled it a smear tactic, saying that it is necessary to have a company for public liability purposes
Pilger is one of the greatest journalists we’ve ever had and is hugely respected worldwide. You just show your ignorance with that comment.
Can you please stop talking nonsense? Do you understand how persecution of other whistle blowers (who haven’t been in the military) have gone? Ever heard of John Kiriakou? CIA whistleblower and tried in the same district (EDVA) as Julian will be if he ever steps foot on U.S soil. It’s a Kafakaesque sham trial - completely done in secrecy as the prosecution will claim “national security” and no one will be allowed to see the evidence except for the judge in a closed chamber.
The allegation that he tried (and failed) to help Manning crack a password has been public for nearly a decade. It’s the count Obama’s DOJ refused to charge saying it endangered journalism. It’s weak as ■■■■.
Real Labor would be jumping up and down demanding the UK return Assange to Australia. Modern Labor has thrown him under the bus, starting from Gillard.
The Blair faction of UK Labour (Blairites) will be absolutely frothing at the mouth with glee at the prospect of getting Assange to the U.S as they were exposed as war criminals.
ALP and Coalition seem to be in a pact to avoid foreign policy as an election issue. They are on song on China, humanitarian and other foreign aid not mentioned, speaking from the same script on Assange.
Let’s see what happens after the Four Corners report on the Grandmother’s effort to get the ISIS children home. This issue is directly about Australia’s obligations to Australian families which does not involve another country’s laws.
The Swedish charges have been dropped - I question whether the USA has jurisdiction over this issue - the USA has a bad habit of overstepping their jurisdiction and pissweak countries allow this to happen.
So, after Dutton gives his non aplogy to Ali France, Chris Kenny of the Sky team dumps on her. The same Chris Kenny who is an Ambassador for the Adelaide Football Club. How does that sit with the AFC?