Rudd’s takes an RDO
Australia’s Chief Clerk, Kevin Rudd has decreed that all pollies should spend 5 days a week in the house. For a long time the house has closed on Fridays to allow our elected reps to work their electorates which I see as reasonable.
On the first friday of sitting the house erupts as Rudd doesn’t even bother to attend – in person anyway.
I think it’s funny and they make a good point
For the first time under the Rudd Government, parliament is sitting on a Friday to allow backbenchers to speak their minds – in a day that is already being dubbed Rudd’s Day Off or RDO.
But Coalition MPs are angry that Fridays have no proper votes, no question time where ministers can be grilled by the Opposition, and quorum will not be recorded.
In effect, Parliament is not sitting and the opposition question the legality of the Friday ‘Backbencher’s speaking their mind’ kind of day
Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop told The Australian Online today the Coalition was urging the Government to seek legal advice on whether parliamentary privilege was still operating.
Keep shooting from the hip, Kev – your bound to do some good for the country eventually.
I think it’s funny and they make a good point
For the first time under the Rudd Government, parliament is sitting on a Friday to allow backbenchers to speak their minds – in a day that is already being dubbed Rudd’s Day Off or RDO.
But Coalition MPs are angry that Fridays have no proper votes, no question time where ministers can be grilled by the Opposition, and quorum will not be recorded.
In effect, Parliament is not sitting and the opposition question the legality of the Friday ‘Backbencher’s speaking their mind’ kind of day
Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop told The Australian Online today the Coalition was urging the Government to seek legal advice on whether parliamentary privilege was still operating.
Keep shooting from the hip, Kev – your bound to do some good for the country eventually.
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Come on Kev, fair suck of the sav, everyone knew this was on the cards, it was announced before the election.
The idea is that when parliament is sitting you make most use of the fact that parliamentarians are in Canberra
Under the old 4-day arrangement they used the 5th day as the ‘in-transit’ day, NOT for spendinf time in their electorates as they are supposed to.
Now electorate time is when parliament is not sitting, which was the original idea under the Westminster system anyway.
Labor handled the introduction of the 5th day poorly, and the Libs are just having fun – which incidentally is not the reason they were elected to that place.
The image doesn’t do the Liberal party any favours – most people seem to be having a wry chuckle and then consign the image to the ‘idiots’ category.
To have a nothing day where MPs must be present is ridiculous! Furthermore, to make such a day and not turn up is irresponcible.
I think people quite liked the joking side to the Liberals
Kev
The old parliament never sat in Friday.
About time they worked a five day week