Mood:
specialTopic: aust govt
Sooo protege of Iraq War monster ex PM John Howard is now 'in charge' of the Parliamentary Liberal Party by a 42 to 41 vote complete with single donkey bray informal vote, and one abstention due to illness.
(It was classic tv viewing of the vote declaration by Alex SomlyayMP (Lib), with mobile tv propped on the dashboard, earphones on, with curious police car following us down Parramatta Rd).
'Bring it on' Mr Abbott and Nationals Senator Joyce exhort defiantly, meaning an election on climate: Correctly sniffing the reality PM Kevin Rudd is as scared of the consequences of a double dis-solution election as the Coalition should be. Meaning fear of Green Senators balance of power via increased numbers.
So much for respect for democracy and the will of the Australian People for real action. PM Rudd is hoist on his own petard - "Delay is Denial" according to PM Rudd quoted from the other side of the world.
D.D.D.D.
Delay is Denial on a Double Dissolution . Why the delay in calling the DD election if Rudd really believes that? Why PM Rudd's delay on calling an election to get his climate legislation through?
Senator Milne for the The Greens this morning 7 am ABC radio news in Sydney has called on the Govt to to go full term and negotiate a climate law with them. That is not reach for the DD election trigger.
But the Greens 'only have 5 of 7 votes needed' to pass legislation replies ALP Minister/Senator Wong, and Minister Greg Combet in the House of Reps.
Re read the headline. Senators Sue Boyce and Judith Troeth may well vote according to loyal party lines to reject the current ETS climate Bill. But we have weeks and months ahead where these senators in particular who presumably voted for a different leader will have the capacity to cross the floor on a re-worked climate Bill.
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Background on Senator Sue Boyce in her own words:
I was elected by the Queensland Parliament on April 19, 2007, to fill a casual Senate vacancy, and then elected in my own right at the Federal election on November 24, 2007. I am Deputy Chair of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Australian Crime Commission and Coalition Convenor of the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs. I have also been appointed to the Joint Standing Committee on Migration for its upcoming inquiry into the Immigration Treatment of Disability.
I am a Company director and former journalist and public relations practitioner with experience in Queensland, Victoria, PNG and the UK. I was based in Melbourne for more than 20 years before returning to Queensland, in 1994, to work with my family's manufacturing company.
I stood down as executive chair at my election and I'm now a non-executive director of the company - a manufacturer, importer and exporter of products used primarily in the water and wastewater industries. The company, established in 1926, employs about 300 people in Australia and South Africa and has branches in Cairns, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Logan areas as well as interstate. I believe this gives me a good handle on the issues faced by Australian manufacturers and by business, especially family companies. I also appreciate the depth of co-operation needed from government and private sectors at all levels to solve Queensland's water problems.
I remain very committed to improving the political participation rates of women.
I am a disability advocate and a past president of the Down Syndrome Association of Queensland (DSAQ), and of Lifeways Inc., a Queensland organisation designed to assist ageing parents to plan for the long-term future of their adult child with a disability.
I remain on the management committee of Lifeways.I am a Past President of the Liberal Women's Council (Qld). Most importantly, I'm the mother of three adult children.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Monash University, a Masters of Business from QUT and I'm a Fellow and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Background about Senator Judith Troeth in her own words:
When I was elected to the Senate in 1993, I made a personal commitment to the people of Victoria to represent them through hard work, honesty and openness.
Prior to embarking on a career in parliament, I worked as a secondary school teacher and was involved in local community activities such as the local hospital board, kindergarten and school council in South West Victoria.
As a mother of five and partner in a family farm for more than 30 years, I felt I could bring a wealth of practical experience and knowledge to the role of Senator for Victoria.Importantly, I feel I understand the every day pressures many Victorians face trying to balance work whilst raising a family. I am determined to maximise the opportunities for all Victorians.
Having lived in the country and the city, I have a solid understanding of the issues that concern fellow Victorians. I believe the three most important things which Australians can have is a sense of national security, economic strength and social stability. I also see issues such as unemployment, education, and health as matters of top priority.Whilst in Parliament, I have demonstrated my commitment to the people of rural and regional Victoria by actively working towards profitable, competitive and sustainable rural communities. I have worked hard to ensure that issues affecting rural Australia are thoroughly addressed.
As part of my commitment to keeping Victorians fully informed on Federal Government matters, I regularly travel throughout Victoria to meet citizens, and listen to their views and concerns.
I devote time to visiting schools, aged care hostels and nursing homes, community groups, service clubs and small businesses, listening to differing perspectives on a wide variety of issues.
I consider time spent with the people of Victoria as the most important part of my role.
During my time in the Senate I have been privileged to serve the First, Second and Third Coalition Government Ministries as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Primary Industries and Resources, and then as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
Drawing on my extensive experience living and working in rural Victoria, I felt that during my time in the Ministry I was able to make a substantial contribution to the lives of Australians making a living from the land.
Under the Coalition Government I was also Chair of the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Legislation Committee and a member of the Senate Select Committee into Mental Health. In 2006 the then Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon Warren Truss MP, selected me to be Co-Chair of an Inquiry into Women's representation on regional and rural bodies of influence. In August 2006 we released a detailed report titled At the table which presented our findings on getting the best people and making the right decisions for rural and regional Australia.
Currently I am an active member of a number of Parliamentary Committees and Groups: Public Works Committee, Scrutiny of Bills Committee, Parliamentary Group on Population and Development Australia, the Coalition Education and Industry Committee and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
In my spare time I enjoy reading, bushwalking, travelling and spending time with my family.I am also a passionate supporter of the Hawthorn Football Club.
