Labor Failed to Declare Donation from Torbay’s $100K Donor

According to returns filed with the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) never declared a $19,000 donation from the investment outfit at the centre of controversy over a $100,000 donation to the former NSW Independent MP and federal Nationals candidate, Richard Torbay.

A Nationals MP’s take on Obeid and Torbay: From the Parliamentary Record

For the past few weeks, I’ve been working on a commissioned piece dealing with the associations NSW Labor figures Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald developed with the minor parties and independents on the crossbenches of the NSW Parliament over the years Labor was in office.

It deals in part with Obeid’s association with former Nationals canddiate, Richard Torbay, leading up to the 1999 State Election, through his election as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the plan conceived in desperation to recruit Torbay to the ALP and install him as Premier.

The piece is still a work in progress. What is on the public record are a series of Parliamentary motions and speeches, made by a member of the National Party, The Hon. Melinda Pavey MLC, about some of those links between Obeid and the independents, and in particular, his association with Torbay. These contributions were made whilst Torbay was an independent, prior to his joining The Nationals and winning preselection to take on Tony Windsor in the seat of New England in this year’s election.

Two Years, $3.5 Million for Ombudsman Police Internal Affairs Inquiry

The NSW Ombudsman, Bruce Barbour, has told a Parliamentary Committee that he anticipates an inquiry into potential serious misconduct in the NSW Police Force, the Crime Commission and the Police Integrity Commission (PIC) involving a 14 year old internal affairs operation will take at least two years and cost at least $3.5 million.

Numbers of Ministerial Staff by State and Territory in 2011-12

Numbers of Ministerial staff drawn from the most recent, most authoritative source publicly available (Post updated after Queensland figures were updated in week of 8 October 2012)

Charlie Lynn’s Dirty Dozen

In the past two years, the NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Veterans Affairs and Liberal Member of the Legislative Council, Charlie Lynn, has plagiarised material for at least twelve of his speeches to the Parliament.

In July, Lynn threatened to leave the Government and the Liberal Party to sit on the Upper House crossbench if his wishes regarding local government preselections were not acceded to. After newspaper reports that a “dirt file” would be “unleashed” and following a meeting with Premier Barry O’Farrell, Lynn failed to carry out his threat.

Charlie Lynn’s Dirty Dozen: The “Death of Australian Servicemen in Afghanistan” Speech

Extracted from contribution by The Hon. Charlie Lynn MLC to lead the “Death of Australian Servicemen in Afghanistan” Debate, NSW, Parliamentary Debates Legislative Council, 13 September 2012, from page 3, and annotated as applicable:

Charlie Lynn’s Dirty Dozen: The “RSL Anzac Art Awards” Speech

Full text of Speech by The Hon. Charlie Lynn MLC, on “RSL Anzac Art Awards”, Adjournment Debate, NSW, Parliamentary Debates Legislative Council, 16 August 2012, page 13921, and annotated as applicable

Charlie Lynn’s Dirty Dozen: “Tribute to Regimental Sergeant Major Wally Thompson, AO” Speech

Full text of speech “Tribute to Regimental Sergeant Major Wally Thompson, AO” by The Hon. Charlie Lynn, Adjournment Debate, NSW, Parliamentary Debates Legislative Council, 13 June 2012, Page: 12708, and annotated as applicable

WTF Greg Pearce?

Much merriment has been had over the weekend with Rebekah Brook’s evidence to the Leveson Inquiry that British Prime Minister David Cameron was under the misapprehension that the textspeak “LOL” meant “Lots of Love”, not “Laugh out Loud”.

However, one might assume that not even Cameron would be gormless enough in PMQs to quote anyone encumbered with the initials “WTF”. But such a personage was given the honour of a citation in Losers Lounge this past week.

The One Day of the Year

On 4 April 2012, one of the more shameful moments in the recent history of the Legislative Council took place on what should have been one of its most solemn occasions.

Nearly one third of the 16 speakers on a motion to commemorate ANZAC Day plagiarised material from easily accessible websites to pad out their contributions to the debate.