The Dead Roo

 Whoops! - the picket was previously advertised as “next Wednesday” which is incorrect.  The date 29/8 is correct. - sorry.
 Please pass this link to friends and networks in Brisbane.
There will be a picket on Wednesday, the 29 August 2007 at 9.00 am. outside the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court, 240 Roma St. Brisbane to demand reform of […]

I just love this defense in the face of blatant conflicts of interest:
Victorian Deputy Premier John Thwaites says he is not the only Government MP to have accepted free accommodation at Victoria’s ski fields. - ABC
Reminds me of Sophie Mirabella, who’s defense to the media upon revelations that she accepted $15 000 in “donations” from […]

The Brisbane District Court has suppressed the nature of blackmail threats that former Queensland tourism minister Merri Rose made to Premier Peter Beattie. And rightly so. But the question remains, what was so damaging to Beattie, Beatties government or party, that made Merri Rose believe it would secure her a cushy job in the public […]

Colonel Kelly as the ALP candidate for the litmus seat of Eden-Monaro opens up the promise of improvements of administrative process, and perhaps, successful prosecutions.
Even without a win in Eden-Monaro, the ALP will get intelligence on one end of the paper trail that ties into three scandals:

Abu Ghraib human rights abuses,
Material aid ($300 million) to […]

In a new Dead Roo feature, editors Rebecca Leighton and Kieran Bennett will be preparing a weekly profile of a less well known public figure who has featured in the mainstream news over the preceding week.
Our first target is Paul Gibson, the New South Wales state MP who was dumped from the ministry before even […]

In the latest Democratic Audit update, June Verrier has a discussion paper criticizing the government’s decision to award all parliamentarians an extra staffer, ostensibly in order to service abnormally large constituencies (on world standards).
In previous audit contributions, Norm Kelly has commented on increased ’slush’ money, for example the very signifigant rise in printing and postage […]

Hot on the heels of his plan to reduce South East Asian rain forest destruction in response to electoral concerns about climate change, hundreds of placard-waving pulp mill protesters have called on Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull to reject Gunns Limited’s plans for a pulp mill at Bell Bay in northern Tasmania.
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Spending on security-related issues by Canberra is increasing dramatically, but is not improving capability, instead fattening the wallets of overseas consortia.  Weapons-systems choices are severely criticized (e.g. by Hugh White of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute) as expensive and misdirected, and there have been numerous audit reports about poor-quality equipment supplied by DMO because of […]

It was this or something about Santoro. Actually, come to think of it, the Santoro offerings were pretty funny, especially this one by Nicholson.
Today’s cartoon was by INKCINCT, www.inkcinct.com.au.
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Just as a minister is sacked for what is essentially gross corruption, just as another minister is appointed in his wake, the footage that dominates the TV news is of Howard, men with guns, and a daring escape from danger in Iraq.

The fact that this video exists indicates that the PM stayed on the plane […]

Attn. Cabinet Ministers: owning shares in a company involved in business related to your portfolio won’t get you sacked:
JOHN Howard has refused to sack Ageing Minister Santo Santoro following revelations the senator held shares in a Brisbane biotech company investigating arthritis cures.
Anyway, you gave the money to charity when you found out your mistake… […]

An open discussion thread for the weekend. Post thoughts, interesting links, questions and answers. Nominally discussion is kicked off with a question, so here goes:
Question: What’s would be the bigger issue, Liberal MP’s under criminal investigation, or Labor MP’s providing them character references at trial?
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Master politician John W Howard, thought he had drawn another get out of jail free card a couple of weeks ago when it was revealed that Krud had met with Brian Burke in 2005.  The verdict is in, and instead of dealing Labor a lethal blow, he has merely inflicted a flaccid slap with a wet lettuce.
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Unlike the Brian Burke “scandel”, this one might actually involve people having broken the law.
Three Brisbane-based federal Liberal MPs have strongly denied any wrongdoing amid an investigation by Australian Federal Police (AFP).
A Liberal Party spokesman says the trio is cooperating fully with the investigation, which it is believed centres around the possible misuse of electoral […]

Liberal Attack dog Sophie Mirrabella MP has been embroiled in fund-raising shenanigans. It seems she’s been accepting campaign donations that a more cynical person might characterize as “bribes”.
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