The NSW Government's tougher liquor laws have been slammed as a "joke", because well known Kings Cross clubs have been allowed to continue trading without restrictions.
Rudd, Swan refuse to answer questions
There is yet another twist in the OzCar saga, with reports Malcolm Turnbull was allowed to take notes on the fake email at the centre of the scandal. This changes nothing. Rudd and Swan will not account for their activity.
Walkout stops MPs voting on Bill
A NEW South Wales Government decision to shut down Parliament's Upper House rather than risk a vote on selling off NSW Lotteries has angered opposition parties. - Rees is a disgrace, and he has halted Democracy in NSW. - ed.
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PM's six month travel bill: $733,725
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd spent more than $730,000 on overseas travel in just six months.
A parliamentary report shows the Prime Minister, who has previously been dubbed Kevin 747, spent $733,725 on overseas travel in the last six months of 2008.
The report also shows it cost $216,283 to run Mr Rudd's official car in the same period.
Mr Rudd's most expensive trip was the six day, $197,312 trip to Japan and Indonesia in June last year.
His cheapest trip was just $152 for a day trip to East Timor in February 2008.
Less public than Mr Rudd's overseas travel is the jaunts for many backbenchers called "parliamentary delegations''.
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Two-year-old 'world's youngest smoker'
A TODDLER who was taught by his dad to smoke is throwing tantrums if he's refused one.
Last rites for ailing Farrah Fawcett
FARRAH Fawcett is reportedly close to death after being read the last rites over her cancer fight.
=== Journalists Corner ===
Don't Miss This! Friday 10 pm!
On Friday night, on ON THE RECORD at 10 pm, there is special interview: My FNC colleague Jennifer Griffin interviews Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Jennifer is, as you all know, our Pentagon Correspondent [...]
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It's Barney Frank & Bill O'Reilly -- Round 2!
Don't miss this hard-hitting heavyweight debate, only on 'The O'Reilly Factor'!
===
Neil Gets Answers!
Tensions in Tehran put Obama's foreign policy to the test! What's next? Rudy talks strategy! Plus, Rep. Boehner on healthcare reform!
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The Immigration Debate
We take a look at the politics associated with the debate and how the issue has dropped on the president's priority list!
===
Summer Concert Series: Creed
Get ready to rock -- Creed takes to the FOX & Friends stage to kick off their national tour! Don't miss the summer concerts ... every Friday!
=== Comments ===
Shut the gate and get the truth before the ute bolts
Piers Akerman
IF PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd is seriously concerned about the dignity of the political process, he should endorse Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull’s call for a judicial inquiry into Utegate.
Conducting the nation’s business through leaks and door-stop interviews is unacceptable. It’s as ridiculous as having Labor ministers such as Anthony Albanese talk about proper parliamentary behaviour.
Much of the media has already decided Turnbull has the most to lose from this affair but no one will really know unless all the gossip that has flooded the blogosphere over the past week is chased down.
Australia should be given the opportunity to determine what has occurred in this matter. A lot of questions need answering.
The most obvious is whether Treasurer Wayne Swan misled Parliament about his relationship with car dealer John Grant. From that flow all the other questions. What is the exact relationship between Rudd and Grant?
Why did the wealthiest prime minister in Australian history need a free ute? Why did Swan brief only one car dealer in the country, John Grant, about his request for assistance?
Why did the Treasurer’s staff bring Grant’s plight to the notice of officials dealing with the OzCar scheme when (a) it had not even been approved and (b) it did not cover individual dealers such as Grant?
Why did Treasury officials bring Grant’s situation to the attention of Ford Credit executives seeking $500 million? Why did Treasury officials give those executives Grant’s mobile number?
Let’s have IT experts tell us how Rudd knew that that one email was a fake and explain why that particular email could not be found by the Government’s experts last week, though AFP experts this week found that it had been generated within Treasury.
The behaviour of the AFP also needs some explanation. Why has the AFP offered a running commentary on its investigation into the faked email when it normally maintains a communication blackout during inquiries? Was it placed under any political pressure?
Trust depends on openness and transparency. Was the muzzling of a public servant last week contempt of Parliament?
What safeguards can be installed to ensure that witnesses appearing before parliamentary committees are never again harassed and bullied into silence?
The fake email deserves special attention. Who composed it? Was it an in-house prank ginned up by bored Treasury officers to embarrass colleague Godwin Grech?
Rudd has implied the Opposition was complicit in its creation. What does he know about its genesis? Someone knows whether it was designed to smear the PM or undercut the Opposition’s attack. Expose them.
Any inquiry into this affair will need the power to compel evidence but that is a small price to pay for the restoration of confidence and dignity in the political process.
In the world beyond the ACT this fiasco underscores the detachment of the political and media classes from the electorate.
An absurd amount of time has been given to this matter, the Government has the opportunity to put an end to the speculation. It may be impossible to inoculate MPs against mid-winter madness but it should not be beyond the capacity of the Government to address this lapse in parliamentary practices. - This is yet another glaring example of how Rudd has let parliamentary standards slip after promising the electorate he would be cleaner than Mr Howard. I think the matter of great concern. However, I am also appalled at the news services of Channel 9, 7 and the ABC (I don’t watch 10 news) who have consistently taken a government line that seems grossly corrupt. From the very beginning there has been the assertion that Mr Turnbull is a fool for the timing of his corruption inquiry .. as if the reporting of such could be timed. The truth is the various news services have actively spruiked for the ALP and feel they will lose much were they to accurately report what many already seem to know. The fact that news is generally in decline seems much to do with the collapse of journalist standards among those who cannot report faithfully on Conservative politics. - ed.
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NOT THE RIGHT QUESTION
Tim Blair
A straightforward inquiry from the ABC’s Emma Griffiths:
EMMA GRIFFITHS: How many other dealers did you speak to directly on the phone? Even if it is just for two minutes, how many other dealers?
WAYNE SWAN: Well it’s a matter of public record that I spoke to Mr Grant.
EMMA GRIFFITHS: How many other dealers?
WAYNE SWAN: Well it’s a matter of public record that I spoke to Mr Grant and I spoke to many other people and many other ...
EMMA GRIFFITHS: Put it on the public record who else you spoke to. What other car dealers?
WAYNE SWAN: Well I have put it on the public record that I spoke to Mr Grant, Emma, but that is simply irrelevant ...
EMMA GRIFFITHS: But you’re not answering the question Mr Swan.
WAYNE SWAN: Well it’s not exactly the right question.
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HOW AWESOME ARE DOGS
Tim Blair
“At what stage,” asks Imre Salusinszky, “did the school writing assignments of nine-year-olds become columns in The Age?”
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LEAK STATUS CHANGES
Tim Blair
Labor is currently furious about allegedly leaked information. Oddly, it wasn’t so upset about leaked information in 2004:
The Federal Opposition says it has leaked documents which reveal that the Howard Government is planning to spend $16 million in an advertising campaign to “sell” its new plan to Australians.
Nor was the ALP upset in 2007:
It was a speech the public was never supposed to hear. Made by the senior and respected head of treasury Ken Henry, to staff in Canberra last month, and no doubt to his dismay, leaked to The Financial Review newspaper.
Those were good leaks. Recent leaks, however, are bad:
The Rudd government had long suspected that one or more people in Treasury were leaking to Mr Turnbull and to his predecessor, Brendan Nelson.
Federal police are now investigating these leaks. The bad leaks.
===
TEXTILISTS
Tim Blair
This is a term some naturists use to describe clothes-wearers, according to the New York Times.
===
President Obama's Press Conference
By Bill O'Reilly
There were no questions about North Korea, which surprised me. That is a very dangerous situation. Instead, Iran and health care dominated the floor, with FOX News White House correspondent Major Garrett having the most spirited exchange with the president:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJOR GARRETT, FOX NEWS: In your opening remarks, sir, you said about Iran that you were appalled and outraged. What took you so long?
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As soon as violence broke out, in fact, in anticipation of potential violence, we were very clear in saying that violence was unacceptable, that that was not how governments operate with respect to their people.
GARRETT: Are Iranian diplomats still welcome at the embassy on the Fourth of July, sir?
OBAMA: Well, I think, as you're aware, Major, we don't have formal diplomatic relations with Iran. I think that we have said that if Iran chooses a path that abides by international norms and principles, then we are interested in healing some of the wounds of 30 years in terms of U.S.-Iranian relations. But that is a choice that the Iranians are going to have to make.
GARRETT: But the offer still stands?
OBAMA: That's a choice the Iranians are going to have to make.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
It's obvious the president wouldn't answer Major's question about are the Fourth of July festivities still on, and I don't know why he wouldn't answer the question. As for his initial reaction to Iran, as we've stated, Mr. Obama was wise to be cautious, as Iran can ramp up the violence in Iraq and Afghanistan any time it wants.
And then there is the chaotic health care situation, which could crash because of the high cost.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: While we are in the process of dealing with the cost issue, I think it's also wise policy and the right thing to do to start providing coverage for people who don't have health insurance or are underinsured, are paying a lot of money for high deductibles.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Well, that sounds charitable, but who's going to pay for the entitlements? The government's deeply in debt, as everybody knows. More debt could be disastrous. President Obama still, still cannot articulate how he'll pay for the trillions with a T needed for government-subsidized health care. And what about the unintended consequences?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wouldn't it drive private insurance out of business?
OBAMA: Why would it drive private insurance out of business? If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care, if they tell us that they're offering a good deal, then why is it that the government, which they say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business? That's not logical.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Well, there's very little logical in the health care debate. It seems to me the president should be driving tort reform, bringing down insurance costs for doctors who are now terrified of being sued and they've got to pay this astronomical bill to the insurance companies.
It also seems to me that government-issued health insurance could be effective, but only if the folks pay something for it. Looking at the numbers, free health care could very well drive the USA into bankruptcy, much like what's happening in California.
So, Mr. Obama's health care vision is cloudy, to say the least. Of course, I could be wrong.
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