Capped Political Campaigns Stems Corruption

At what point is it when government becomes a servant to lobbyists, foreign nations, and big business?

The Australian Labor Party, exPrime Ministers, Current Opposition Leaders and Unionists have been subject to Royal Commissions, Federal Raids, and Ministerial sackings all in the hope that corruption can be proven either personal or institutional with Dastayari being the casualty of basic stupidity he will probably admit to.

Saturday we witness the Poker Machine industry and the Gun Lobby sponsor a campaign but we are not allowed to see to what extent until 6months after the election. So what was the deal struck? No one gives money without payback.

Chinese government investors have pumped cash into South Australian Liberals for the upcoming state election the same offence Dastayari got rolled for and the media is silent but are very vocal if union cash from Australian workers want representation. And nothing more has to be said about where the fossil fuel industry’s cash ends up.

My point is all elections state ,federal, local should have capped campaigns, full live political donations broadcast across all media outlets not just web site releases available only to those who are tech savvy.

Media outlets should not be exempt and “in kind” advertising in lue of cash reveals to what extent they are balanced or slanted in political opinion or factual copy.

Yes “Live Fact Check” re launch and legislated in total as a independent authority as is the electoral commission.

The world is witnessing the extent of power the NRA has over politicians in America and it’s going that way here if we do not act now and I’m sure all parties will give lip service to the above but the extent they act is totally dependant on to what extent our government and media is committed to the real deal or is playing their piper’s tune

Please be aware the copy in Bold Print was left out of the Queensland Times Letters to the Editor.

Let’s Get Apprentices Earlier

Discussion Paper. Subject Apprenticeships

As a kid who left school in Junior level, that is 15 years or about’s and started a trade in the January of 1966 I was a naive, scared, and totally oblivious to anything other than not upsetting anyone in my workspace.

Plucked from the schoolroom I knew nothing about life skills other than those I had learned on the sporting grounds and family discipline.

Looking back that was not a bad thing as I listened and consumed everything my Master, my Tradesman, and technical teachers imparted sometimes to the letter.

Being a kid in a mans world can be confronting but as you mature you you learn quickly how the world really works.

My Boilermaking trade at the Shipyard and Kangaroo Point gave me a understanding of other cultures, customs, from all walks of life as it was within walking distance from Yungabah Hostel a entry point to migrants to Australia and often a job for those men and women starting a new or escaping their past.

My eyes and ears were open to their experiences, expectations, good and bad from their homelands and often was privileged to their cultural traditions, broadening my education in life.

All this was happening before I was old enough to get a car licence at 17, have a beer legally at 21, or go to war at 19.

I was lucky but the system was such that when you are at a age, naive or not you can start to shape a personal profile of experience where maturity comes a dam site earlier that today’s youth.

Today kids are encourage to stay in the school system even though they may not be suited. In school apprenticeships have pluses and minuses but basically protect the kid from reality of the real workforce where it’s get to work yourself and learn your trade, please your Master and employer.

That position of Master has been disposed of as he or she was totally responsible to ensure the apprentice was not exploited, learned ever aspect of his trade, and respected his superiors status.

Yes my Master was not backward of putting a smart arse on his arse with a backhander or straight left if you misbehaved, and was supported by the union rep if it was warranted.

Imagine that today!! Mummy and Daddy delirious with uproar for someone doing what they should have done earlier in childhood.

Apprenticeship today on a 4 year time delivers 22 to 24 year olds specifically trained only on what phase of the trade they have been in contact. Often employers see cheap labour till they get too expensive then flick them, and the system allows that, where before employers and the boards were legally bound to find a apprentice a job at his or her level if the firm went broke.

Some 4th year apprentices can be married with kids and expected to live on those wages, no wonder they are leaving.

Mid life apprenticeship are a result of the system not doing its job earlier, selling the trades, and paying the wages. Yes the Unions must share the blame proportional but the fact the culture of subcontractors has destroyed the standards of all trades for the magic dollar.

I know a few tradesmen that have kept their contract and turned out magnificent tradesmen, fully equiped and experienced to handle any job set before them but sadly on completion they must expand their knowledge and move on.

This often causes bad blood as often they will go out in opposition to their former boss.

In my case on completion I was handed my indentures and told to move on or get sacked and would be welcomed back after about 3-4 years somewhere else.

I did, moved to structural steel and finally left the trade about 8 years later.

Cutting to the chase what I’m saying is we need to get potential apprentices early, when they can absorb everything, in a environment and culture where they see they can have a future, and prepared to cop a little pain early in the game to reap the benefit on completion.

We need to have manufacturing industries and start building things here, as it’s cheaper in the long run to have them paying tax, buying stuff than keeping them on the dole or in part time farcical jobs that make the working poor poorer.

The crunch is coming and believe me infrastructure will be our way out and the shiney arses will be the first casualty.

The Embarrassing Turnbull Trump Junket

Probably the only success in the Turnbull visit to Trump was Trump remembered his name.

It was the most grovelling exhibition of photo shoots, back slapping, scripted mate ship monologue embarrassing any fair dinkum Australian.

Some may say that all any visit by any politician to America has the same script, but I feel this one should have laid out our priorities in a much firmer fashion if Australian interests were at the forefront and the reason for the junket.

America’s is riding on a very heated economy with debt over 22 trillion dollars and rising while Malcom’s and Tony’s debt truck has turned into a Acland coal train and the lenders are going to want repayment.

With lending rates minimal, wages stagnant, any upward movement will decimate those who have overcommitted or over borrowed, so this fantasy of how corporate tax cuts in both countries is our saviour is just flawed political ideology.

Imagine interest rates returning to 5% accompanied by inflation what damage that would do to all those who are in new homes struggling now?

The hypocrisy of the entire Trump trip was tipperfied when Trump demanded we contribute to patrolling Chinas sand island expansion while he ignores Israel’s expansion into Palestine and we choose to stay silent.

We in the Asian Pacific can not rely on Trumps America. We have to tighten alliances with New Zealand and forge new trading partners as when that balloon busts in America and it will , we have to have a government that has the skills to guide us through with policies that are people based as the corporates will be too busy concentrating on saving their Mercedes.

Is Amberley playing Games with our Weather?

I try to look at the facts, then look for reasons why when things are outside what I regard as normal occurrences.

Yesterday 15/02/2018 a series of storms appeared on the BOM radar around Warwick, Toowoomba and slowly progressed towards the IPSWICH. While that was progressing individual cells appeared in the Harrisville area all heading towards Rosewood Thagoona as the warnings were issued by relevant authorities.

As I watched intently on my device I witnessed entire fronts disappear the closer they got to Amberley Base, then reappear somewhere else. ( please check BOM history if in doubt if it’s available).

My question is “is Amberley Base using a device or system that deflects incoming weather for operational purposes?”

I’m sure many residents who have lived in the area for some are seeing this occurrence more frequently and questions need to be asked.

I don’t expect the military to confirm or deny as protocol, nor do I expect any politician to respond, and I expect to regarded as a conspiracy peddler but when a occurrence continually occurs someone has to ask.

We all knew when we moved here Amberley is what it is, and we are privileged to have it to boost our economy and bringing families and mates to our towns, but I’m not sure I know enough about side effects as we didn’t in the fire retardant cover up but I do know my bit of dirt around Thagoona is in some sort of shadow and maybe the pioneers that placed the base where it is knew that but when you see dramatic inconsistencies we must question.

Check our the times on the screen shots..

Edited version

Double Standard Applies in Barnaby Reports.

I’m struggling trying to get to truth accompanied some logic.

At the start of 2018 our nation was dragged through the ringer with the Gay Marriage referendum with the sanctity of marriage being aspoused buy the religious sector, how vital it was our society and beliefs and the damage that would happen if same sex was permitted wedlock.

Enter this Barnaby balloon and all of a sudden the same people are saying that sanctity is not all that important, as it’s just happens it’s one of their most outspoken supporters have a affair outside the sanctity.

Yes the double standard applies depending on who is playing the power game.

Playing private life vs public life cards have conveniently been played by the same people who attacked Gillards partner, her bathroom , her barrenness, and a royal commission, not discounting the burning the bitch by these great keepers of our moral standards.

Yes it’s all politics, but what about ethics, does that get a shirt.?

Like America we are being dumbed down by constant deceit and spin and transparency and truth are the casualties if we choose not to question or challenge.

That was the job of the media but that too failed as it knew of the Banarby deception months ago and sat on it even through a bi election, so is that corrupt or if it was Gillard would they have been so quiet?

Answer NO.

I live in hope that thing called journalistic ethics apply where truthfulness, accuracy,objectively, and impartiality is reborn or maybe I’m just dreaming.

Media Influence on Democracy Unwanted.

We have been quick to criticise ,analyse, American politics and the system of government they try to achieve democracy and equality to their nation.

Our Westminster system flys in the face of many parts of their processes of basic culture of what we regard as good governance, and unfortunately we will follow their path if we are not aware of the way the real story is told and who will profit or has a agenda to influence politics in their favour.

Lobbyists and lobbying, factions and deals are part of the dirty game but when the media seek to influence outcomes that’s when we the punters need to ask is it fact or fiction.

People will read what suits them and their beliefs but that does not make It fact.

In America their is a distinct divide/canyon in reporting politics and that divide was created intentionally, as do dictatorships to divide so it becomes “your with me or against me mentality,” and the space we regard for compromise is diminished.

I was startled at first but not surprised when Cambridge Analytica who specialise in disinformation and voter targeting was engaged by the Coalition for the next federal election as they were the part of the Trump and Brexit campaigns, successful they were but the aftermath of the splitting of the populations is something I fear would happen here in Australia.

My belief in balanced reporting was shaken when the well respected Brisbane Masthead was turned into a Newsletter for the Coalition under ownership orders, reenforcing the well reported quote the “I have the power to change governments” so we need to be aware but not surprised when digesting reporting.

Observers can see the major parties are setting themselves on a election footing and I want to see genuine debate on the direction our county takes, and politicians that represent people not conglomerates or billionaires as sooner or later some learned soul will wake up and realise our biggest asset is our people, race, colour or creed indifferent, that is when we will rise above those nations and leaders who only survive on division.

Let’s not Forget the Real Pioneers of Women’s Football.

I have been a supporter of women’s sport regardless of which code or game however I am finding it very interesting how the media in particular have claimed the AFL women are the new storm about to take over Australia.

Good on em I say but the facts pertaining to women and playing a code of competitive football date back to the mid 1960,s at Intrastate level, interstate level and nationally and Ipswich was a major force with the Barclay family at its helm at all levels at Coalstars.

Yes the AFL is the flavour of the month if you listen the the spin with the journalists at present, so much so that our local team the Brisbane Roar women won the national premiership plate with minimal coverage given 2 days after they won.

I applaud that the AFL for taking up the gauntlet and realised women can play but it’s taken them 50 years, and each sport has its “Pioneers” but I bet the people who believed women and girls could play 50 years ago would have loved the support and coverage that’s out there now when they were turning out at Blackstone

Change of Blood is Good 

To sell or not to sell. That was the question.Well, how delighted I was to see we had some differing opinions that brought councillors out of their boxes. 

It’s a pity that attitude didn’t extend under the the former mayors tenure and this city would not be in this embarrassing predicament. 

We the punters are not naive and realise councillors rode into office on the popularity of the former mayor and the data confirms that fact and I’m sure they were reminded, but now we have differing opinions on strategic directions which is what we pay them to sort out in the ratepayers interest only. 

This change supports my theory that elected public service at local government level is not a career and a three term time line should be drawn then stand down a term then go for reelection by all means, minimising the risks of dangerous dynasties being established and injecting new ideas into the public arena. 

Israel/USA Alliance goes Unchecked. 

I finding it very hard to accept that a foreign country can change the capital of another country without the population having a say one way or the other. In saying that Israel has suppressed, deported, jailed any media/journalist who dares to speak a different line to government propaganda so it’s not surprising this issue has not been given alternate coverage from within, leaving it to outside news outlets to pirate stories as if they are inside a fascist dictatorship. 

Australian and overseas journalists who have worked the Israel Palestinian sectors have had equipment seized and smashed yet there has been no outrage in fear of political repercussions back home here in the electorate. 

Couple this with Trumps war on any media that questions his agenda makes this strengthening alliance detrimental to world stability not only in the Middle East but worldwide which could reset established alliances that may well turn out to be detrimental to our security in Australia and as the United States has not appointed a full time ambassador our alarm bells should be ringing.

 

Tunnel Overprice Pressures Taxpayers Old Network

When Tunnel Trend engulfed the Brisbane and Ipswich population with the promise of easing congestion and in key areas I was keen to use the facilities whenever I crossed the into the big smoke as it did save time and pricing compared with fuel usage in gridlock was balanced and at times cheaper.Now days the maths to use the tunnels does not add up. It costs the motorist about 3-4 litres of fuel pending on prices to use the facility one way which averages about 30-40 kilometres for the modern car so it’s no wonder the tunnels are under utilised by the average driver. 

Maybe it’s their business plan to attract heavier Class 3 trucks but my experience tells me that they too are back to the conventional routes across the river.

In Class 2 normal cars and Utes the $10 plus fee return buys a lot of fuel and will do nothing to ease congestion, the reason for the tunnels initially, and I appreciate costs have to be recovered but we are not Europe, nor lazy, and while prices outweigh practically it will be long time before any yield on investment. Meanwhile the taxpayers are funding the old existing road network that is carrying the weight of privateers mismanagement again. 

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