Coalition snouts in the trough (again)

[Pies4shaw]

It's good to see that the two major parties are taking turns: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/fo ... 6734481459

[David]

[HAL]

Of course you do?

[pietillidie]

[pietillidie]

It's good to see that the two major parties are taking turns: http://www.news.com.au/national-news/fo ... 6734481459

But the salient story here is not rorting, as bad as it is, it's the rorting of senior Glibs, including Abbott, in the light of the Peter Slipper saga. The moral disgrace of the hypocrisy, based on the craven and Mafia-like violent pursuit of an individual, is something to behold.

[stui magpie]

Stui, get a clue. They audited everyone. .

You got a link for that or a cite? I did a google search and couldn't find anything.

I am curious as to how this stuff all comes out after a change of government. Who commissioned the audit?

[Culprit]

The LNP have stood on the high moral ground and have been caught out. They did not nothing but bitch and go negative in opposition and it looks like the ALP are set to follow In their footsteps. How can Slipper face caught over cab charge dockets yet the same accusers paid to attend weddings? Slippers Lawyer should have a field day.

Both sides are not paying it back because it's wrong, they are only paying it back because it's out in the public arena now.

I have a wedding to attend in Canberra soon maybe I can drop into the Canberra office for a coffee and claim it as a business expense? What a joke out pollies are and reading people defending the PM is laughable.

[Tannin]

Stui, get a clue. They audited everyone. .

You got a link for that or a cite? I did a google search and couldn't find anything.

I am curious as to how this stuff all comes out after a change of government. Who commissioned the audit?

It's the press, Stui, doing their bloody jobs for a change. It started with one reporter determinedly chasing down leads in the Ashbygate scandal; eventually she pulled on enough loose threads to attract another reporter (a Fairfax one, I forget his name) onto the game; his exposure of Brandis' cheating really attracted the wolf pack and now the whole Fairfax team and even the News Limited hacks are digging for all that they are worth.

The next big exposure is going to be the name of the .... no, wait. First I have to explain so other stuff.

You see, the current (barking mad!) rule is that politicians check their own expense accounts. (True! Try pulling that stunt anywhere outside the Laughing Palace, such as in private industry or the public service. You'd last about 20 seconds.) Yep, they check their own claims. If Treasury queries a claim (which usually only happens after a tip-off), then there is no punishment at all for cheating your expenses, just so long as you pay the money back when they ask. (If they ask. If they don't ask, you can just keep it, same as Abbott did with the iron man rort.)

So why is Slipper facing charges when all the other Liberals just have to give the money back? Slipper has offered to repay the money four different times but Treasury refuses to accept it. Well, the answer is that Slipper - who did exactly the same thing as Abbott, Brandis, and the others - wasn't dobbed in to Treasury, he was dobbed in to the Federal Police instead by a secret individual determined to wreck him. The Feds don't normally handle this stuff, it's Treasury's job. But in this case, someone secret made a complaint of wrongdoing to the Feds and that someone had enough clout to make sure that they acted on it themselves instead of handing it over to Treasury.

This is the massive smoking gun lurking behind this scandal. Once the identity of the secret dobber comes out, that person is going to be in very, very hot water. We are talking career-wrecking hot water here. Especially as the self-interested backroom dirty-tricks involved will be very, very public.

While we don't know who that person is yet, you are welcome to speculate. Feel free to use the words "Brough" "Brandis", "Lewis", and/or "Pyne" in your answer. They would be the short-priced runners, but one or two at longer odds are still in the field. Stand by for the name to be disclosed: it might be any day now.

[Dr Pie]

The Liberal Party's policy on taxpayer funded journeys takes its name from an 80s pop/folk group - Weddings, Parties, Anything!

Given that Labor's former Attorney General cannot tell the difference between the National Capitol and a Ski Resort perhaps we should not look to Labor challenge the Libs morality. Adam Bandt comes to the controversy with clean hands and very few others do.

[Tannin]

That's not entirely fair, Dr Pie. Not only was it a very small amount, it was two days out of a ten day stay and entirely believable as a genuine clerical error. Compare with the out-and-out deliberate rorting we have seen with Abbott claiming Slipper's wedding, Brandis claiming a News Ltd muckraker's do, Abbott claiming Mirabella's wedding and, above all, Abbotts massive claims when he used public money to promote his own book. Huge difference.

[watt price tully]

The Liberal Party's policy on taxpayer funded journeys takes its name from an 80s pop/folk group - Weddings, Parties, Anything!

Given that Labor's former Attorney General cannot tell the difference between the National Capitol and a Ski Resort perhaps we should not look to Labor challenge the Libs morality. Adam Bandt comes to the controversy with clean hands and very few others do.

Who is this Adam Bandt you speak of?

[Culprit]

Slippers case it seems is opening a can of worms with the born to rule party being exposed on a national scale. The "Fiscally Responsible Party" is being exposed. But still we have Liberal apologists defending them despite the evidence slapping them in the face.

Official records show Mr Abbott claimed more than $67,000 worth of travel allowance payments last year - more than any other MP - as he travelled across Australia waging a de facto election campaign.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... NWJEK.dpuf

TONY Abbott has charged taxpayers thousands of dollars to compete in charity runs, fun runs, ocean swims and the gruelling Port Macquarie ironman event.

This is not related to work and if a taxpayer pulled this shite we would be audited and hit with fines. Throw in if you pay something back after 7 years do you pay interest on that? Laughable.

[stui magpie]

Stui, get a clue. They audited everyone. .

You got a link for that or a cite? I did a google search and couldn't find anything.

I am curious as to how this stuff all comes out after a change of government. Who commissioned the audit?

It's the press, Stui, doing their bloody jobs for a change. It started with one reporter determinedly chasing down leads in the Ashbygate scandal; eventually she pulled on enough loose threads to attract another reporter (a Fairfax one, I forget his name) onto the game; his exposure of Brandis' cheating really attracted the wolf pack and now the whole Fairfax team and even the News Limited hacks are digging for all that they are worth.

The next big exposure is going to be the name of the .... no, wait. First I have to explain so other stuff.

You see, the current (barking mad!) rule is that politicians check their own expense accounts. (True! Try pulling that stunt anywhere outside the Laughing Palace, such as in private industry or the public service. You'd last about 20 seconds.) Yep, they check their own claims. If Treasury queries a claim (which usually only happens after a tip-off), then there is no punishment at all for cheating your expenses, just so long as you pay the money back when they ask. (If they ask. If they don't ask, you can just keep it, same as Abbott did with the iron man rort.)

So why is Slipper facing charges when all the other Liberals just have to give the money back? Slipper has offered to repay the money four different times but Treasury refuses to accept it. Well, the answer is that Slipper - who did exactly the same thing as Abbott, Brandis, and the others - wasn't dobbed in to Treasury, he was dobbed in to the Federal Police instead by a secret individual determined to wreck him. The Feds don't normally handle this stuff, it's Treasury's job. But in this case, someone secret made a complaint of wrongdoing to the Feds and that someone had enough clout to make sure that they acted on it themselves instead of handing it over to Treasury.

This is the massive smoking gun lurking behind this scandal. Once the identity of the secret dobber comes out, that person is going to be in very, very hot water. We are talking career-wrecking hot water here. Especially as the self-interested backroom dirty-tricks involved will be very, very public.

While we don't know who that person is yet, you are welcome to speculate. Feel free to use the words "Brough" "Brandis", "Lewis", and/or "Pyne" in your answer. They would be the short-priced runners, but one or two at longer odds are still in the field. Stand by for the name to be disclosed: it might be any day now.

Ta for that, it was smelling like a media investigation, no one suddenly wakes up and thinks "I wonder if that trip 6 years ago was really OK to put on expenses?"

Agree 100%, if pollies are approving their own expenses that's utter BS. There needs to be some oversight, preferably from a Treasury official.

The Slipper thing I hadn't considered. You're right, that will be interesting.

[think positive]

Slippers case it seems is opening a can of worms with the born to rule party being exposed on a national scale. The "Fiscally Responsible Party" is being exposed. But still we have Liberal apologists defending them despite the evidence slapping them in the face.

Official records show Mr Abbott claimed more than $67,000 worth of travel allowance payments last year - more than any other MP - as he travelled across Australia waging a de facto election campaign.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... NWJEK.dpuf

TONY Abbott has charged taxpayers thousands of dollars to compete in charity runs, fun runs, ocean swims and the gruelling Port Macquarie ironman event.

This is not related to work and if a taxpayer pulled this shite we would be audited and hit with fines. Throw in if you pay something back after 7 years do you pay interest on that? Laughable.

Gees this is unbelievable. Looks like slipper is the scapegoat. Bt that's bloody criminal. How do they look themselves in the eye when they shave? If the above is true, it should be all over the front of the paper, instead of him running around in bloody speedos. So much for he does it for charity.

And they really get to approve their own expensess? Fricken joke

[Culprit]

The claim should be made on this basis. If Joe Bloggs Taxpayer can claim it then it's a legit claim. If Joe Bloggs Taxpayer cannot claim the same thing then it's not legit. Let's see the Pollies push that through. Won't happen when the pollies are the ones who decide.