Hello,

Good afternoon and welcome to another weekend gab fest..!

And what a dramatic week it’s been!

As has been widely reported, while most of us were all enjoying a snag and a tinnie, the Prime Minister Julia Gillard spent Australia Day being unceremoniously dragged from an official Australia Day event in Canberra after the venue was stormed by Aboriginal activists from the nearby “Tent Embassy.”

Many, including the dementia club, have laid the blame firmly at the feet of Tony Abbott, however if you have actually watch the footage that was supposedly the spark that ignited the furore it is clear his remarks were harmless. 

In fact, in the same footage he calls Kevin Rudd’s 2008 apology to indigenous Australians a “great achievement” of the Rudd Labor Government.

And as TB Queensland points out, Tony Abbott is one of the politicians that has actually worked alongside Aboriginal Australians when help was needed.

Personally, I think it would be a nice gesture if the so called “Tent Ambassadors” gave Julia her shoe back.

In other news, after some three-year investigation (some marriages don’t last that long), Fair Work Australia has finally, finally announced that as a result of its investigation it has determined “adverse findings” against Labor MP Craig Thomson following allegations he misused his credit card.

Today, the Gillard Government has announced it will give same-sex Australian couples who want to marry overseas a certificate of no impediment.

The certificate, which is required by some countries for heterosexual and same-sex couples, proves a person is over 18, is not married, and that there is no other barrier to them getting married.

Until now the Government only provided the certificate for heterosexual couples but same sex couples will be able to apply for the document from February 1.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon says while it does not mean a same-sex marriage is recognised in Australia, it does remove a discriminatory hurdle.

“Same-sex couples have been very insulted that they can’t get from their government a certificate which says they’re not married to anyone else,” she said.

“It’s a pretty basic thing and that prevents them from benefiting from the laws of another country. So it’s a removal of discrimination rather than the next step, which our Australian Parliament hasn’t yet dealt with.”

• hundreds of aboriginal activists launch attack on Canberra restaurant
• Prime Minister dragged to safety by riot police
• Zero arrests made

In dramatic scenes, the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard had to be dragged by riot police to safety after hundreds of protesters from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra descended on an event where Julia Gillard, was presiding over Australia Day celebrations.

Regardless of how you feel about Ms Gillard of her government this was a disgusting display and has done nothing to advance the cause of the Aboriginal activists.

In fact, in anything it has probably set things back 80 years.

Zero arrests were made.

Queenland Premier Anna Bligh

Premier Anna Bligh calls election amid shocking outrageous flood cover-up scandal claims!!

The Queensland of Premier Anna Bligh has announced that Queensland will go to the polls on March 24.

The announcement comes as the Premier was compelled to give the state’s floods inquiry more time to consider new evidence.

Ms Bligh said she originally wanted to hold the state election on March 3 but was delaying the lection to allow the inquiry more time to do its job.

The inquiry will now have until March 16 to hand down its findings into last year’s catastrophic floods, which left large areas of Brisbane and other parts of the state under water.

Ms Bligh said she wanted Queenslanders to consider the report before voting, and said council elections which had been scheduled for March 31 would be moved back to late April or early May to avoid voters having to go to the polls again so soon after the state ballot.

The State Government will not enter caretaker mode until February 19.

Betting agencies have the odds at: LNP $1.11; ALP $6.25.

"I'm the Prime Minister of this country" ~ Julia Gillard on ABC radio earlier this week

The recent decision by Julia Gillard to welch on her agreement with Andrew Wilkie to implement pokie reform by May of this year has been derided by virtually all sides of politics including her own.

Despite the best endeavors of Gillard apologists to paint this as just another slander perpetuated by the so-called “hate media,” key Independent politicians Andrew Wilkie and Nick Xenophon have slammed Gillard’s decision in recent days as a “betrayal of trust” and another “broken promise.”

Furthermore the Australian Financial Review reports that the Labor party is now divided over the backflip with many fearing the Labor brand may now be irrevocably damaged.

The perception is that the Prime Minister capitulated to the demands of Clubs Australia and “Big Pokie” following their extensive media campaign and lobbying of MPs opposing the pokie reforms the Government agreed to with Andrew Wilkie.

A “rock solid” agreement in Shreds

So much so, that Craig Thomson celebrated the decision declaring that it was due to his successful lobbying of the prime minister about the concerns of many clubs and pubs based in the suburbs of Western Sydney.

“It is something that I and many New South Wales Labor MPs have been calling for,” he said.

A party divided

Many MPs contacted by The Australian Financial Review said the Prime Minister should not have caved in to pressure from Australia’s big clubs that rely on poker machine revenue.

“She should have fought the campaign by Clubs Australia; it was not a vote-changing issue,” one MP said.

Labor MPs said they had received calls from constituents troubled by problem gambling who were bitterly disappointed with Ms Gillard’s decision.

Other Labor MPs said Ms Gillard’s decision to drop the commitment given to Mr Wilkie could be politically risky for Labor.

“It will feed into views of her as not being reliable and being untrustworthy,” one Labor MP said.

Gillard’s backflip on the deal coincides with an increasing number of Australians 62% (Essential) now in favour of pokie reforms.

In Damage Control

Meanwhile, Ms Gillard has called for an unprecedented “brainstorming session” this weekend requiring all members of Labor caucus to attend.

According to News Ltd, all 102 MPs will “workshop policy ideas and strategies,” with one saying: “We will be getting the butcher paper and Textas out and solving the country’s problems.”

MPs will also be asked to raise any concerns they have in their electorates with the PM and the cabinet directly.

“Yeah, it’s 1000 flowers blooming,” said one backbencher, in reference to Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong’s attempt in 1957 to flush out dissidents.

“This is an exercise in trying to beguile the backbench,” another MP said.

“She knows she is in trouble and wants to convince the caucus to stick with her.”

The planning day will be held in the Labor caucus room at parliament at 2pm on Sunday, February 5, before parliament resumes on the Tuesday.

It will be followed by a barbecue with the PM at The Lodge at 5.30pm.

Senior members of the Gillard government were concerned that the caucus would “blow up” if the pokie reform issue had not been resolved before parliament resumed.

They conceded part of the strategy of dumping the deal with independent Andrew Wilkie last week was the timing. “This meeting allows us to move forward without the pokie issue becoming the single issue of focus for MPs, especially those from NSW,” one minister said.

Another MP said the backbench would see through it and most of the major decisions, such as pokies, had been done without caucus: “What difference will this make? It’s for one reason only. Kevin Rudd.”

Clearly in the wake of a catastrophic week for Labor, it is a fairly cynical and transparent attempt to rally support for her leadership from a party that is divided over her handling of the agreement she had with Andrew Wilkie and the subsequent damage to the Labor brand.

With an election now just some 12 to 18 months away, many Labor MPs will be wondering whether their loyalty to Ms Gillard is misguided.

Holy crap!   We have reached a milestone…

We’ve been called “a dying entity,” a “backwater blog,” a “leading newspaper” and many other things that probably ought not be repeated, but this humble little tabloid has now cracked the million..

I would like to thank youse all for your 87, 322 comments (so far)..

Since inception, we have talked about 1,155 posts.

An average day will see around 1500 readers visit GT, although on some days there can be a “bump” if we’re featured on another site like Crikey or Facebook.  On Sunday for example, we had some 2,813 visitors of whom 1008 came via Facebook…

Anyways, happy one millionth to us. And let’s look forward to the next one millionth!

As always, the invitation is open for any fellow lurkers (we know you’re out there) to get involved….

Go on, say something, you’ll feel better…!

 Cheers

 reb.

• War on drugs slammed as a failure
• Prisons overflowing with addicts
• Renewed calls for legalisation of hard drugs

Very rich person and Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson has slammed the so-called “war on drugs” as an abject failure and is calling for a new approach including decriminalisation.

The British billionaire will front a UK parliamentary inquiry into drug policy today, wrote in London’s Daily Telegraph that political leaders needed to find the courage to speak out against current drug policies.

“Over the past 50 years, more than $1 trillion has been spent fighting this battle, and all we have to show for it is increased drug use, overflowing jails, billions of pounds and dollars of taxpayers’ money wasted, and thriving crime syndicates,” he wrote.

“It is time for a new approach.”

Sir Richard argued for a move away from prohibition and enforcement  towards a focus on cutting consumption and reducing harm, saying that a study by the Global Commission for Drug Policy – which he was a part of – on international drug policies over the past 50 years revealed the failure of current measures.

“First, prohibition and enforcement efforts have failed to dent the production and distribution of drugs in any part of the world. Second, the threat of arrest and punishment has had no significant deterrent effect on drug use.

“We need a debate on how policy can cut consumption and reduce harm, rather than inflammatory scaremongering. It is not about supporting drug use; it is about solving a crisis.”

Sir Richard wrote that while it was not yet known which policies would work best, lawmakers all over the world should be encouraged to experiment with new policies, citing some steps taken by Switzerland and Portugal.

“Following examples such as these and embracing a regulated drugs market that is tightly controlled and complemented by treatment – not incarceration – for those with drug problems will cost taxpayers a lot less.”

The Virgin boss said the methods to evaluate such policies should also be radically changed – with the focus on outcomes instead of on arrests, prosecutions and drug seizures, “which turn out to have little impact on levels of drug use or crime”.

“We should instead measure the outcomes in the same way that a business would measure the results of a new ad campaign.

“That means studying things like the number of victims of drug-related violence and intimidation, levels of corruption connected to the drug market, the amount of crime connected to drug use, and the prevalence of dependence, drug-related mortality and HIV infection.”

Renowned neurosurgeon Dr Charlie Teo has taken aim at both sides of politics over their handling of asylum seekers and called for Australians to be more tolerant of those fleeing persecution… 

This is an excerpt from the speech  Charlie Teo delivered last night…

“I would like to see this Australia Day as a turning point.

I want my fellow Australians, those who were born here and those who have immigrated here, to pause and think of the lives that have been sacrificed for what we take for granted today.

I want everyone who finds themselves angry and intolerant to think first about the misfortunes of those who are less fortunate . . . such as those with cancer.

I want anyone who has come from another country to embrace the Australian way of life, it has served us well.

I want all Australians to see how immigrants have contributed to our nation and to appreciate that a rich and prosperous country such as ours has a moral and global responsibility to share our resources.

Finally, I want to thank Australians for giving me professional and personal fulfilment, for believing in me when some of my colleagues didn’t, for seeing a Chinaman as an Aussie, not as a foreigner and for this wonderful opportunity to address the greatest nation in the world.”

Tony Abbott’s recent quip about the tragedy of the Italian cruise ship the Costa Concordia during last week’s FM radio interview in Adelaide had the hosts hooting with mirth. The Opposition Leader, greatly amused by his own wit, joined in the laughter.

However Liberal stalwarts probably recoiled in horror, recognising it as one of those all too familiar moments that raise the question: “Is Abbott fit to be Prime Minister?”

Referring to the stricken cruise ship Mr Abbott said: “Well, that was one boat that did get stopped, wasn’t it?”

This from the man that aspires to hold the highest office in this nation.

Twelve bodies recovered, 22 still missing assumed dead, including a five-year-old girl.

And the alternative prime minister of Australia thought it was an appropriate subject for humour.

As Laurie Oakes put it, he treated the tragedy as a joke in a bid to score domestic political points on asylum seeker policy.

“It is hard to think of anything grubbier” said Oakes.

“The incident brought to mind previous Abbott lapses of judgment, particularly in the 2007 election campaign.”

“His notorious attack on terminally-ill Bernie Banton, who was fighting for compensation for asbestos disease sufferers, springs immediately to mind.”

“Many of us thought Abbott had grown up since then. But apparently not.”

In damage control, Tony Abbott and ruthless sidekick Scott Morrison went on the attack, declaring that the Coalition would block “all boats” from reaching Australian shores and send them back to “where they came from.”

It is of course a preposterous notion and would simply increase the possibility of asylum seekers or their crew sabotaging their own vessels on the high seas.

Immigration spokesman Scott Morrison defended the proposal, declaring that it is in line with the actions of the Howard government. It baffles me why they constantly refer to Howard-era policies as if they’re something to be proud of and aspired to.

I can only conclude that by the “actions of the Howard government,” Morrison means the vile political maneuvering that demonised asylum seekers through the Howard govt fabricated “children overboard” sham that divided Australia and helped get Howard back into office for another term.

And somehow Morrison thinks this disingenuous conduct is worthy of praise and imitation?

The way in which Australia responds to the plight of asylum seekers has been a political hot potato for decades.  However recent polls suggest that the majority of Australians now want onshore processing in order to bring about an end to the unnecessary deaths and misery.

Making some callous claim to “turn the boats around” is nothing other than some grubby populist attempt to appeal to the xenophobes while simultaneously diverting attention from last week’s gaffe.

Pathetic really. But then it’s pretty much what you’d expect from Abbott & Co.

Video: "Politicians should honour agreements" says Wilkie after Gillard "breach of trust."

• Gillard abandons pokie deal made with Andrew Wilkie
• Wilkie withdraws support of Gillard government
• Another Gillard “breach of trust” say Independents

Julia Gillard has completed a dramatic backflip this weekend by abandoning a written agreement she made with Andrew Wilkie to implement a mandatory pre-commitment scheme for pokie machine gamblers.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard backed down on her deal with Mr Wilkie to introduce mandatory pre-commitment technology on gaming machines, instead opting for a trial of the gambling restrictions.

The year-long trial will only take part in the ACT and will only begin in 2013.

As a result, anti-pokies MP Andrew Wilkie has ripped up his agreement to support the Gillard minority government after he said the prime minister had broken her promise on gambling reforms.

Mr Wilkie said he can no longer guarantee supply and confidence for the government because the prime minister reneged on their deal.

“Frankly, a deal’s a deal and it must be honoured. Our democracy is simply too precious to trash with broken promises and backroom compromises. So I will walk, take my chances and so be it.”

“As someone said to me this week, millions of people are concerned about poker machines, but everyone should care about politicians being true to their word.”

“An Issue of Trust” says Wilkie

“There are many Australians who are concerned that they should be able to trust their politicans. That when a politician makes a promise, that promise must be honoured. And they should do everything in their power to deliver upon that promise, because we should be able to trust our polticians.”

Watch the video interview with Andrew Wilkie here.

Nic Xenophon has called the Government’s decision another “breach of trust.”

“Abandoning the deal is another breach of trust, another breach of faith by the Federal Government” he told ABC24.

“Julia Gillard is abandoning the hundreds of thousands of Australians who are problem gamblers” he said.

Clearly, faced with choice of implementing changes that would help address problem gambling, including the compromised deal to limit maximum bets to $1, or succumbing to the false and misleading campaign of Clubs Australia, Gillard has decided to support “big pokie” while simultanously eradicating any last skerrick of credibility she may have once had.

 Obviously a written agreement from Julia Gillard isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.

Clubs Australia are delighted with the news, an indication if anything, that they have won this stage in the fight to retain their 40% of revenue from problem gamblers that was potentially at risk from the proposed mandatory pre-commitment reforms.

The week that was in words and pictures

So much to write about and I have other important things to do today but they can wait because this is also important too. Interesting things are going on and incidents occurring that simply must be reported.  Take for example the doomed Costa Concordia, and its captain Francesco Schettino – who claimed that he tripped and “fell into a lifeboat. That’s a tragedy, but it didn’t stop Tony Abbott from quipping “well that was one boat that did get stopped, wasn’t it?” on the Adelaide Triple M breakfast show this morning.  Some might consider the remarks a little insensitive and indeed others are calling for an apology.  Others might just say “shit happens.”

Who knows, and frankly who cares.

In more important news, the scandal that’s been dubbed “WiggleGate” is showing no signs of abating with novice Yellow Wiggle Sam Moran unceremoniously stripped of the yellow skivvy following the shock announcement by former incumbent Greg Page, who has now declared himself fit enough to return to the group after a five-year absence.

Page had to hang up his yellow skivvy in 2006 after being diagnosed with the debilitating disease dysautonomia.

In damage control and in a carefully prepared script, Wiggles management said Moran offered to step aside “graciously” but media reports suggest he was simply sacked. Despite the carefully-worded pronouncements surrounding the return of original member Greg Page, Moran neither “graciously offered to step aside” nor saw his end coming.

Dumped!

He was allegedly terminated from his job as lead singer and offered a payout of about $60,000, equal to three months of his rumoured $200,000 a year wage.

Just a “Hired Hand”

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field  has infuriated fans on the Wiggles’ Facebook page with a dismissive response to Moran’s contribution: “What Sam does now is Sam’s thing. His contract has come to an end. Sam was just doing a job. He was a hired hand … I haven’t spoken to him” said the heartless Wiggle.

Meanwhile, a referendum that seeks to recognise Abo’s in the constitution now seems certain to proceed, with both sides of politics yesterday embracing the thrust of a report prepared by an expert panel of politicians, indigenous leaders and lawyers.

Receiving the report, Prime Minister Julia Gillard - the one who was committed to mandatory pre-commitment pokie reform 8 months ago but has since backed off - declared it was time ”to say yes to an understanding of our past, to say yes to constitutional change, and to say yes to a future more united and more reconciled than we have ever been before”.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott also said his aim was to achieve unity. ”We accept that millions of Australians’ hopes and dreams are resting on recognition of Abo’s in the constitution and the last thing I want to do is do anything other than welcome this report today,” he said.

Have a nice weekend.