Federal Politics

Barry O’Farrell resigned over something a lot less serious in NSW about a decade ago.

On a semi related note (when it comes to becoming a liability), Albo certainly didn’t make many friends in this part of the world Albury/Wodonga) yesterday, he flew down for a photo op and then refused to take questions from the local press (with his office citing this being unnecessary as he’d already spoken to the press earlier in the day in Newcastle).

Border print, radio and television reporters at the announcement had planned to ask the Prime Minister questions at a media conference, but were told by one of his staff he already spoken to journalists for the day 700 kilometres away at Newcastle.

I suspect he didn’t want any more Qantas questions, he really need not have worried though as there’s a debate surrounding our local hospital upgrade which is dominating local politics here.

Not a good look really when even Scomo was more willing to engage with people when he was over this way.

Helen Haines gives appeal to PM Anthony Albanese on hospital | The Border Mail | Wodonga, VIC (paywall)

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Misleading ICAC is very serious, even though the body found he didn’t do it “intentionally”

Anthony Albanese has denied ever calling Alan Joyce for free Qantas flight upgrades during his time as transport minister and opposition leader.

The rebuke comes days after the claims were made in a new book by former Nine newspaper columnist Joe Aston, alleging a number of federal politicians had regularly received free business or first-class upgrades as part of their membership to the Qantas Chairman’s Lounge, described as the “speakeasy for Australia’s ruling class”.

A spokesperson for the prime minister on Wednesday said “the prime minister did not ever call Alan Joyce seeking an upgrade”

“All travel has been appropriately declared and is a matter of public record.”

Those records on the parliamentarians’ register of interests include the date and destination but do not record whether Albanese was upgraded from economy or business class.

The Liberals are saying that they are going to refer Albo to the national Anti-Corruption Commission, but, they might not be able to do anything, since the commissions senior staff have all been gifted chairman lounge memberships, which they accepted.

It also emerged on Wednesday the leadership of the newly established National Anti-Corruption Commission, including Commissioner Paul Brereton, had been made members of Qantas’ invite-only Chairman’s Lounge.

Mr Brereton declared his membership last year, along with deputy commissioners Jaala Hinchcliffe and Nicole Rose and chief executive Philip Reed, while deputies Ben Gauntlett and Kylie Kilgour declared their membership in February.

What O’Farrell did was definitely an error of judgement- however ICAC itself agreed that there was no deliberate intent on his part which is an important mitigating circumstance. In terms of seriousness it was all very minor especially when compared to the massive corruption and pork barreling that Gladys engaged in.

There’s also a big difference between receiving a gift and deliberately using your position to seek out favours (as is the allegation here) which makes these allegations against Albo much more serious (if indeed they are true).

Not saying that either what Gladys did, or what Albo has be alleged to of done is not bad, however, misleading the anti corruption body is still a high level offence, even if he was found to have done in unintentionally.

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To me the intent is an important consideration and mitigating circumstance and means his actions were at the very bottom end on the scale of offending for this sort of thing (but that’s my view and happy to respectfully disagree). I do understand where you’re coming from however- when looking at it from a clear cut perspective he did still mislead ICAC.

I think we might be drifting a bit off topic though (although historic NSW politics would be a fun thread for a political junkie like myself :stuck_out_tongue: )

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Especially if we’re talking about all the stuff that Galdy’s and her Government did :wink:.

All good - no trouble in agreeing to disagree.

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We might need more than one thread for that :joy:

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Need five threads :wink::

  • Gladys - The Rise (Pre 2020)

  • Gladys - 2020

  • Gladys - 2021

  • Gladys - The Lockdown

  • Gladys - ICAC & The Downfall

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I have to agree that if those allegations are proven true, then Albo’s certainly got a lot he needs to answer for. In this day and age it’s certainly a terrible thing to do or have done, particularly in a cost of living crisis. The perception of a ‘Canberra Politician’ only becomes more evident and not in a good way.

However, these things are only speculative allegations and the other thing to note is: Joe Aston is someone who has an axe to grind with Qantas and it’s well documented in the media. Furthermore, the fact he’s an ex-Liberal adviser who had written some chummy pieces about Labor probably tells you this was going to be slanted with bias anyway, so I’d take his allegations with a grain of salt when it comes to Labor and Qantas.

In the meantime, so much for grandstanding and looking morally competent, looks like Dutton and McKenzie should refer themselves to the NACC too, if this is anything to go by…

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Approached for clarification, Dutton’s office also responded that the flights from Rockhampton to Sydney then Mackay were “not flying around Australia”, as the Tuesday question asked.

The Thick of It-esque comms work right here

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So Dutton is as bad as Albo when it comes to spinning these sort of integrity-related issues.

Fancy Dutton trying to pretend he’s standing on some sort of higher moral ground, but then again he almost got done by Sec 44 in 2018 and he was wilfully pretending that he was innocent.

High fliers.
My @smh cartoon. pic.twitter.com/qaAyWexUb4

— The Cathy Wilcox (@cathywilcox1) October 30, 2024

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Qantasgate is one of the biggest political scandals in recent times. Remember Utegate which thought would end Rudd’s career 15 years ago

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Utegate didn’t end Rudd’s career - it was declining popularity with voters due to the Home Insulation Program, delay to a planned carbon emissions reduction scheme and proposed introduction of the Resource Super Profits Tax.

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While I see some comparisons with Dutton’s cozy relationship with Rhinehart and flight favours, it’s not in the same league as Albanese and Joyce. The main difference is Albanese was and is in a position of great influence as Prime Minister and Transport Minister in a sitting government. Dutton is currently nothing.

Regardless of whether he breached the ministerial code or even if others have done it, it stinks to high heaven.

Nobody will ever really look at him in the same way again. His integrity is blown as far as I’m concerned. I personally look at him with contempt now. You can’t trust somebody so willing to accept personal freebies from the corporations they are supposed to oversee.

Can you trust someone like Dutton who requests freebies from the corporation headed by Gina Rinehart?

No you can’t. But as I said Albo’s case is worse because he’s actually in a position to be influenced and grant favours, then as Transport Minister and now as PM. Dutton is currently nothing.

Pauline Hanson racially discriminated against Mehreen Faruqi in 'angry' tweet, judge rules - ABC News>

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson racially discriminated against Mehreen Faruqi through a tweet telling the fellow senator to “piss off back to Pakistan”, according to a judge who’s ordered Senator Hanson to delete the tweet.

The Deputy Greens leader took Senator Hanson to Federal Court claiming her tweet, posted in September 2022 on the day Queen Elizabeth II died, breached the Racial Discrimination Act.

The CPRS and the RSPT were the downfall of Rudd. Albo would be fine

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