How’s it all working out for you so far Julia?
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Thomson arrested
The new look Julia (wiser and softer) with her McTernan recommended glasses has announced the election date as 14 September. She hasn’t been to the GG so no writs have been issued….. it’s only words at this stage.
In entirely unrelated news Craig Thomson has been arrested and is looking at 150 fraud charges. Well, I think it’s unrelated – or is it?
Slipper next and then what does Gillard do?
Running out of options.
There was talk this morning that by announcing an election date she could avoid a by-election in case Thomson or Slipper were charged but as I read it the no by-election clause is only relevant after the writs for an election have been called.
Considering the politics of the Thomson fraud case I can only imagine the police would be extra extra careful that they had cast iron evidence before cuffing him.
How embarrassing for the country.
Whatever Gillard’s aim is the press will be all over Thomson for a day or two. The ALP are ramping up their demand that Abbott should release his policies now so they can find or create mistakes. Remember attacking Abbott is their only tactic as they can’t campaign on achievements.
Abbott, of course has no intention of playing the ALP game and will release policies and costing after the budget is released – at a time and place decided by Coalition tactics, not Gillards
Standard procedure.
Wet and Windy!
Wind is making the palms dance and the pool overflowed two days ago. Since then we’ve had 235 mm of rain and the winds apparently exceeded a 100 km/hr.
At high tide today Brisbane CBD will once again flood although not as badly as in 2011.
Telstra stars;
Hundreds of thousands in communication blackout as Telstra outage leaves everything north of Gladstone without phone, internet or Triple Zero access leaving half of state in the dark.
I have a daughter at a retreat near Maleny just north of Brisbane and a long way south of Gladestone who had to use her Optus work phone to contact us as her personal Telstra is out of service.
The high winds are unusual as cyclones seldom get this far south but Oswald still had some punch as it hit Brisbane. Trees blown across power lines has put thousands in the dark including my son who has just arrived to recharge his phone.
Another daughter with a premie baby is getting out of hospital and taking her new son home today. Access to her suburb will be difficult but possible as the Ipswich area starts to go under with a peak expected at midnight.
All in all, just another January in Brisbane.
Hypocricy of the ALP
After hitting business with the Fair Work Act, the Carbon Tax and RET they have the temerity to tell them to lift their game
Speaking to The Australian, Mr Combet said business plans that were adapted with an Australian dollar averaging between US60c and US80c would have to face the reality that the dollar at or above parity with the US dollar was now the norm
Does he really think that businesses haven’t adjusted their thinking to account for the high dollar – its been that way for quite a while now?
As I understand it, aluminium smelting is heavily dependant on electricity as evidenced by this submission to the Senate Select Committee on Electrticity Prices;
Electricity use represents approximately 30-40 per cent of the production costs of aluminium and, in highly competitive global markets, the cost of electricity is a critical factor in determining international competitiveness. The long-term viability of smelters in Australia is under question. Continued operation of the industry will only be assured if significant production cost reductions can be achieved. The operators of Australia’s five continuing aluminium smelters will be forced to continue actions including reducing employment and foregoing investment in order to manage the loss of competitiveness that results from increasing electricity costs.With a stated policy of increasing electricity prices to hurt the country and force us to use less, the ALP can hardly lecture business on how to adjust to problems, most of which are caused by the ALP.
Mr Combet would not be drawn on the new body to vet Australian content in major projects, through Australian Industry Participation Plans, but The Australian has confirmed resource and infrastructure giants will be told to spend more heavily with local manufacturing companies, such as steel suppliers, as the government seeks to head off further lay-offs in the manufacturing sector.ALP managed increases in electricity prices also effects Australian steel suppliers so how are they going to be able to compete with steel from countries not saddled with an ALP government? They can’t, thus to help business Combet suggests they pay more for their steel. Figures.
I’m a union man and I’m here to help your business!
UNIONS are pressing the Gillard government to impose tighter obligations on companies that receive taxpayer handouts, forcing them to “give back to the community” by purchasing more Australian products and services.
The toughened regime is on the agenda in the final talks over an industry statement due within weeks as Labor and the unions negotiate ways to shield manufacturing and construction companies from the damage inflicted by the higher Australian dollar.
If ever there was a contradiction in terms it has to be that last sentence. Labor and the unions Unions do not exactly have a track record of shielding manufacturing and construction companies from anything, they are more inclined to milk them down the next-to-last dollar of profit.
“When people receive assistance from the commonwealth they have an obligation to give back to the community,” said Construction, Forestry, Energy and Mining Union national secretary Michael O’Connor.Jesus, now they are quoting Michael O’Connor, one of the PM’s earlier bed mates. They do give back to the community Michael, they pay taxes, employ people who also pay taxes and where prices are competitive, buy local. If you force them to buy local you could well be forcing them to operate in a competitive world with one hand tied behind their back. Talk to your political unionists, the government, and convince them to make hiring and firing easier, get them cut through the red and green tape and at least put on the appearance that they support small business as well as the workers.
Mali
Loading the machine guns
Stats
What’s with China this month – should I be worried?
The stats above indicate about 25,000 Chinese read my ramblings every week.
Ni hao you guys – leave a comment so I know your not a machine.
Interesting Mono wheeled bike
Move through the world in a completely different way:
RYNO Motors is in the middle of selecting a manufacturing partner for its production bike.
As a result our production schedule is looking like late 2012 to be shipping.
Target retail price for these bikes will be $4,500 US. Product will first be available in the USA with dealer networks being expanded into Europe mid to late 2013. South American distribution will be started late 2013.
There is an interesting video here.
What happened?
So, its come to this. As a young digger in the sixties I would have had a pinup of Marylin Monroe on my locker door. Now I’m reduced to Iggy Piggy and Upsy Daisy on the side of my bar fridge.
Maybe Upsy Daisy does has expressive eyes but seriously, I have no idea what Marylin’s eyes look like. You check them out here (NSFW)
….Ok what colour are her eyes?
The bar I built the week before Christmas looks OK but it is let down by the Fridge adornment and I seriously I doubt I will ever be allowed to wind back the clock.
Another “Plan” from Gillard
RESOURCE and infrastructure giants will be told to spend more heavily with local manufacturing companies in a Gillard government plan due within weeks to aid struggling industries amid fears of a wave of further job layoffs.
I presume that plan is in conjunction with her other plan that made products made by local manufacturing companies more expensive due to union control of the workforce, higher utility charges for the green dream and more regulation.
Yeah…that must be it.
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