Awaiting Slipper’s appearance on Insiders, and noting Fair Work Australia’s offer to settle with Thomson, I ponder again the possibility that the election can be disallowed by the High Court, and won easily by Labor before Christmas or by next June.
For what it was run on, the rorts of some members and Labor’s waste, prove now to be in sum no more than the Coalition’s rorts and their present crooked, craven budgeting. And their policies, concealed until after the Blackout, show cheating I think of a litigable sort, and could cause the re-run perhaps of every seat.
If this occurred Clive Palmer would pick up another seat in the House and two more in the Senate, Kelly come back to Eden-Monaro, and Brough, disqualified while awaiting trial, revivify Slipper, and you never know. Sheikh or Ludlum or Beattie could take it to court, Geoffrey Robertson and Julian Burnside argue it, and Palmer pay for it.
Any takers?
Name:
Well, that ain’t gonna happen, but we could increase the pressure on Abbott and the rest for their illegal expenses claims.
Why ain’t it gonna happen? Who but Abbott is disadvantaged if it does?
Bob, I did Constitutional Law twice - at Monash and at ANU - I don’t remember any head of power under which the High Court could even entertain such proceedings.
But it was the late sixties, and there were distractions….
Sitting as a Court of Disputed Returns. But it would need challenges (and evidence!) from just about every seat to justify such actions.
As you say, it ain’t gonna happen.
Further detail : see Commonwealth Electoral Act s360 in particular :
http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/cea1918233/s360.html
Just listened to Peter Slipper on Insiders. Does this get the ball rolling on exposing the cesspit that is the LNP or does the MSM ignore/cover up the stench that is right under their collective noses.
The fact that the monies were payed back does not annul the act of deliberately rorting the system.
Giving the money back to the bank that you rob does not excuse you from the crime. I am happy for Slipper and Thomson to face their day in court, argue their cases, guilt or otherwise, but only on the basis that ALL who have been caught with their hands in the public purse face the same outcome, regardless of affiliation. Paying the money back is an admission of guilt and the AFP should be investigating, as they are with Slipper and Thomson, if not then anyone can walk into a supermarket, remove goods and walk through the checkout and if caught simply hand the items back without question.
Tony Abbott, as the PM of this country and has a criminal case to answer. Crime does not wither with time.
What proof does the public have the these monies have been paid back. Saying it and doing it are worlds apart.
In Slipper’s and Thomson’s case the ‘pay back’ option was not on offer. Certainly Abbott and his cronies made this apparent at the time.
But when ‘their’ turn came to be rumbled they suddenly took the law into their own hands, which in fact moves their actions onto a different plane entirely - conspiracy. They conspired to avoid justice - when their actions were made publicly known.
Acting dumb, “I didn’t know I committed a felony” is no excuse in law, never has been, especially when those involved in these blatant public ‘frauds’ are credentialed lawyers.
People on the dole, often without any legal awareness at all, face prosecution, if they claim illegally. Many do.
If Abbott and the rest do not face thorough investigation by the AFP it will basically annul their position as a credible law enforcement agency.
It will set the precedent for anyone to covet, defraud, and not face any prosecution on the basis they are “paying it back.” The law of this land will be in tatters.
So Prime Minister Tony Abbott is above the law? Tell that to the bloke on the street. Tell it to a magistrate. No ducking and weaving. This is Australia’s Watergate. The AFP must act to preserve the LAW of this land. No other option, whatever the outcome.
No joy will come from the AFP.
Rudd’s choice for AG Robert McLLeland was a disaster and he let the AFP off scott free for their various illegalities over Haneef etc.
He had the unique opportunity to pull them into line once and for all yet he promoted the crooks or allowed them to retire on full pension.
Gives wait to Ellis’ notion about Rudd & CIA.
Totally agree. Brilliant! An heroic move is needed to protect out democratic rights in this country.
Chronic media bias to most news outlets could be arguable as creating fascism and a take over of election process.
Labor was wasted by everything up against them, and did really well considering.
Fairfax media could well benefit from giving its journos carte blanche to pursue the whole ugly LNP fabric of lies and deceptions.
Readership could burgeon, as they have not committed themselves to downright dishonesty as have the Newscorp gang.
My heart went out to Slipper this morning - hard to believe Abbott and co. think it’s OK to do wrong, shrug and move on!
Excellent idea.
I may be naive but those who have tried to gain power by any costs has amazed me, absolutely no scruples. I really felt for Peter Slipper on Insiders this morning I hope he gets justice. Gerard Henderson is an apologist for the Liberal Party, he’s an embarrassment to journalism.
Something must be done.The coalition set themselves to bring down Julia and her governmentwhich was criminal.Labor should be more aggressive about this immoral lot,not fit to govern.
Here are the plotters:
Ashby and Pyne
Another mesmerising constellation of discreet, smouldering and intense cerebral reflections in this back room political thriller from Dali.
It’s hard to find a more chilling examination of the profound moral ambiguities that lie at the heart of man whilst never once sacrificing the hard edged narrative for any kind of dramatic posturing.
See it.
More to come.
encore!
whoops - that is a link
I’d like to know who reported Slipper to the Feds, that would be a good story.
So would Margo Kingston who has an FOI request that should’ve been answered by now but is being shoved hither and yon, See @margokingston1 on twitter, the tweeted times or nofibs.com.au
No good unless Labor get well ahead in the polls. A new election with Abbott 10 seats clear will not do.
If Thompson ad Slipper are found not guilty as they shld be I hope the lying Libz have deep pockets for they will have their arses sued off them….and guess who will pay their legal feez? US (of course)
The Liberales will use the shield of parliamentary privilege, and the media will run around in their beerstained panties screaming “fweedum of thpeach, peaches of weed, wupert made me do it….”