The longer we go without Carps, the less I miss him, but the Barnett Government has been a revelation. You can understand a Government being accused of being asleep at the wheel after several terms, but I’ve never heard of one falling asleep as it was taking power. It seems that Colin is having it both ways (as they do in Asia), becoming Premier and going into retirement at the same time. And the first time he wakes up from his ancient slumber, he finds Noel Chriton Brown syphoning his petrol, helped by one of his own ministers.
Fly me to the midwest
What happened to this young go-getter in the picture? I quite like the asleep at the wheel approach in some ways. The best thing about the Barnett Government is the things they’re not going to do, particularly the foreshore embarrassment, and not giving money to country bumpkins after all. Not doing those two are worth a lot. Snatching the theatre from Heath Ledger’s dead hands was pretty good too.
I am actually more scared of Colin doing something. Why is he threatening to stick his clumsy hands back into resources and the midwest, when he was a complete disaster in the Court Government? Everything he touched in resources fell into an expensive heap. And why throw money down the toilet that is the midwest? The Sydney preferred to sink with all hands rather than visit Geraldton, and the Chinese won’t want that poor grade iron ore now anyway.
On the other hand, Carps was a bit of a “New Bastard.”
The Worst of Perth 
It’s Noel Chrichton-Browne :-)
And he’s ensured that young Albert the schoolboy will be a one term wonder by dumping the rail line to Butler, as well as the new Liberal member for Wanneroo, and maybe the Member for Swan Hills if he dumps the Ellenbrook line, the latter I will do my hardest to ensure it becomes a reality (the defeat of Frank Alban that is) :-)
But a least the V8 supercars Bogan is happy, as Colin will make his dream a reality.
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Oh and thanks to MyNing for digging out that picture.
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I saw that they are making noises about buying back Alinta gas, and trying not to mention that it was Barney that privatised it in the first place.
as I have said before, the Libs will be crying “we’re all doomed” for twelve months, ditching all their spending promises because of the looming recession and Brendon’s Blackmail, and then in their first budget will slash payroll tax, because that’s what the 500 Club told them to do.
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A friend of mine once got on the piss and then jumped in his car to drive home, but instead of becoming a menace on the road, he fell asleep at the wheel in the driveway.
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Oh.
Don’t drink and drive.
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he finds Noel Chriton Brown
As with Pam Casselllas, I write his name a different way every time. I like to leave out the hyphen he’s so proud of.
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And is Colin’s tie a piece of pub carpet?
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I can confirm that this government will extend its “Won’t do” attitude to the Butler train. My advisors woke me up to tell me that they had never heard of Butler, that it must be in the country, and therefore falls into our “not giving bumpkins money after all” policy.
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Well exactly. At least we did things. The wrong things yes, but we did them.
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or you could spell it Grytpype-Thynne. As for Barnsie he’s awake at the wheel of his super.
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Young Albert BoyBand was in the paper this morning.
in his maiden speech he said: “Firstly I would like to thank God for what I believe to be a divine opportunity.”
the Devil has since demanded a recount in Ocean Reef.
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when asked to comment on his intervention in the Ocean Reef election, God replied:
“actually, I was barracking for that blonde honey that Carps put up, so I’m buggered if I know how that kid with the daft haircut got in. I fucking hate Liberals, they seem to have forgotten my spiel about the camel and the eye of the needle.”
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wasn’t it “eye of the doodle”?
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According to a highly credible online poll, 61% of West Australians think the Perth waterfront “is in dire need of an extreme makeover”.
Only 13% say “leave it as it is”.
I think She-Ra will grow tired of taking visiting overseas dignitaries for a tour of the Bell Tower and a shandy at the Lucky Shag very, very quickly.
TLA, do you captain one of the softball teams that takes to the Perth front lawn every weekend?
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I don’t say leave it alone, only why have something so stupid as we were offered.
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Funny you should mention the mid west Mr LA … when Barnett was pushing the mooted Oakajee port in the second half of the 1990s, he effectively put the development of the whole region on hold as he spruiked a steel mill which didn’t even have JORC compliant iron ore resources (the fucking clown even promised a minimal $1.5 billion budget for this – to be provided by us poor taxpayers).
Come Labor post 2001 and Geraldton got the southern transport corridor, a beautification of the western side of Marine Terrace, the provision of two way traffic access at the western end of Fitgerald Street (and that, believe me, was a planning decision of simple, yet monumental economic and social proportions – something the town council couldn’t muster when it was controlled by the Liberal stalwarts of Cooper, Greyson, Ramich and Money during the Court/Bloffwitch reign) as well as a new surf lifesaving club.
As resources minister, Barnett screwed the mid west – pure and simple. In the eys of these country bumpkins he should be seen as nothing short of a disgrace. The only bigger political insult is the pisspoor Labor Party, which is so ineffective that it didn’t have the nouse to remind the electorate of what a political moron Barnett really is during the September election.
Interestingly, the Barnster is now trying it on again, insisting that the Federal Government throw Commonwealth monies at Oakajee after the Carpenter Government put a private consortium in place to build the fucking thing. I thought the Libs were all for private ownership!
Maybe Barnett is really a secret xenophobe who doesn’t want Jap ownership of what should be state assets. Funny that – he didn’t seem too concerned when he increased WA’s soverign risk investment profile after diddling the yanks over the sale of the Dampier to Bunbury Dampier gas pipeline while a Court Government minister.
And while we’re here – let’s get rid of Ripper. Having him as alternative leader is almost as offensive as having Barnett as the premier.
Also, finally, did anyone read in The Worst yesterday about how Wilson Tuckey, who also represents the interests of the mid west, got ejected from federal parliament once again for being a compelete dick? Any one who votes for this hideous being really does deserve a representative whose claim to fame is that he earned his generaous superannuation allowance by acting like a stupid, spoilt schoolboy brat.
The mid west rejected Labor at the last election and is now stuck with the Barnett-Tuckey combo. By electing these intelligence-insulting fuckers, the region truly does have the government it deserves.
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Lazy – Im shocked and disgusted that the “It seems that Colin is having it both ways (as they do in Asia)” comment was NOT a referance to the current political storm in Malaysia involving opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. At least have the decency to inform your readers of the truth about the Premier and Cabinet……and not some smoke screen hiding their sexuality.
You all need to wake up and smell the corflute……Hippies!
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Cookster
“According to a highly credible online poll, 61% of West Australians think the Perth waterfront “is in dire need of an extreme makeover”. ”
Not wrong. A good start could be made by demolishing the skyline of sepulcher-like buildings (humouristically referred to as “the CBD” ) that so spoil the view from the South.
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Rolly – “spoil the view from the south”…….I thought the southern zombies are only intertested in consuming “BRAINS!” also sadly lacking in the CBD….and didnt give a flying fuck about the view?…..strange days man….strange days…
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My Ning – awesome memory, or is it notes?
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MyNing has a memory like an iron boot AND all the notes. There’s not one Barnett cock-up he doesn’t remember in fine detail.
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I want to know who’s got the numbers.
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Have all you people forgotten Barney’s recent ‘shirt and jacket for gentlemen’ directive??
That was the sort of no-nonsense, fearless policy statement this state has been crying out for. You Metrocentric Twats (TM) are all clearly out of touch with what the battlers want from their leaders.
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looking at that phot, I never noticed before that Barney has a lazy eye.
it goes well with his lazy arse
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And in Today’s West (not online) Peter Collier was blaming the ABC for “Fabricating the Story”.
Sheesh – They got stung, so they blame the meeja. And Norman Moore whinging about having his photo taken in a public place without permission, and when told it was legal, he said – “It’s a dumb law”
What a precious little wanker.
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That eye was going to sleep even back then.
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Every time new Environment minister Ginger Meadows is challenged in the Council about the conflict of interest arising from the fact that her husband is employed by Woodside, she gives the old “I told the Premier about it upfront when he offered me the job” routine. It’s kind of ironic that even she seems unaware that he obviously already knew – that’s precisely why the cunt gave her the gig in the first fucking place.
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Sorry, I meant Amber Waves. Ginger Meadows was a Seppo tourist eaten by a saltwater croc in the Kimberley during the 80s.
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Amber Waves?
Is that the pr0n or the goats?
http://www.amberwavessite.com/
http://www.amberwavespygmygoats.com/
No conflict of interest with Woodside there.
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I happened to be standing next to Morman Moore in someone’s kitchen a few weeks back.
that’s exciting, isn’t it?
he was boasting to some little party gopher that they wouldn’t have any problem dealing with Brendon since he was still wet behind the ears
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She’s got goat hooves, but I’m pretty sure any wood in the immediate vicinity would have to be purely coincidental.
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My eye is “retiring”, not lazy.
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I’m rather dissappointed no-one has objected to “The Sydney preferred to sink with all hands rather than visit Geraldton”.
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If anybody is having trouble following Del Quant’s line of thought the person to whom he is referring is the Honourable Donna Faragher (Farrago ?) MEd(Hons) BA(Hons) GradDipEd JP MLC.
The things you can do with a BA.
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Yes, so much time wasted in study – I’d have thought the Woodside connection and being the offspring of two Plods would’ve been all the qualification necessary to be an upper house Tory.
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Cookster, have you lined up the Premier, the Hyphen and Norman Moore to man the counters for McHappy Day??
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Mr LA
I would’ve raised an objection to the navy comment, but it must be remembered that the Sydney crew chose not to go to Carnarvon either.
As for Mr Skink’s last entry vis-a-vis stormin’ Norman in the kitchen, I can go one better – he was my headmaster in grade six. That’s explains why he’s such a boring, patronising arsehole – he’s a Liberal politician with nothing more than a pissant teachers’ degree that was issued sometime before 1975. Jeezus – imagine if someone with that pedigree tried to teach the kiddies of today. Hang on, wait a minute – it’s happening now, and we are the kiddies.
Fuck it – we should bring back Richard Court as well…..
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Captain of Sydney. “Raise hands, who’s for Canarvon? Who’s for Geraldton? Davy Jones it is then. Those midwest cocksuckers won’t see a penny of our R&R money. See how that affects industrial and prostitution development over the next 70 years.”
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MyNing @ ?
(what happened to the numbers? now I know what Lisa was talking about – I thought she was hinting that Barney might get spilled in the party room)
Norm being a headmaster explains the moustache. It’s the sort of ‘tache only worn by headmasters, parking inspectors, paedophiles, and RSL commitee members.
you are not allowed to wear a mo like that unless matching it with a blue blazer with gold buttons.
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Someone should send your kitchen quote to brendon.
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Oh, the numbers. i don’t know. it’s annoying. Will look at the forum tonight.
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That’s penthouse forum obviously.
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In google search results. “crap work done on our patio perth”
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I’m only ever interested in the numbers, not complex policy discussions such as whether Geraldton is a worse shithole than Carnarvon.
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Who needs Penthouse Forum when you’ve got Vic?
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somehow I think that Brendon may have already got a fair idea of the Libs opinion of him.
I am starting to like Brendon. clearly ‘wet behind the ears’ is a Lib euphemism for ‘still refuses to do NCB’s dirty work’
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I beg your pardon? Me, the minister for energy? sell my ENERGY shares and lose one HUNDred dollars on paper? Are you MADD? And put that camera away, before I send you to coventry.
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Skink – you only like Brendon because it has become apparent that he is not able to hold us to ransom. He’s like the cuddly bumpkin who just likes footy and a beer, and talking about rain.
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exactly – you just want to pinch his cheeks and muss his hair
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I stood next to Brendon in the urinal the other night at an awards night and let me say there’s a LOT to like about the man….speech impediment or not. Eeorrrrrrrr
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LA
I reckon the one to watch, the roughie or ‘sleeper’ if you will, is Michael Sutherland, not only Deputy Mayor to She-Ra, but also now Part-Time Member for Mt Lawley. One would assume someone with two such lofty roles would be highly capable – however my sources suggest otherwise. Apparently he is a “great advocate for people of South African origin”. Us (lazy) Aussies, be very afraid. I’m willing to take bets he will have a Worst of his own before Christmas.
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By the way LA don’t feel so bad about the spelling, it’s even spelled two different ways in HANSARD!
MR NOEL CRICHTON-BROWNE
PetitionPetition
HON NORMAN MOORE (Mining and Pastoral — Leader of the House) [4.03 pm]: I present a petition containing one signature and couched in the following terms —
To the President and Members of the Legislative Council of the Parliament of Western Australia in Parliament assembled.
A Petition praying for relief
Noel Asheley Crighton-Browne
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This is a long one, but here is Albert Boy Band’s Maiden Speech.
Click to access A38+S1+20081111+p76b-119a.pdf
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“how they interface with the ocean”
???
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I had him down as an Edith Cowan man myself.
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He may need his own post.
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clearly he went to wikiquote for his Lincoln,
you have to admire a man that admits he has no policy or platform.
architect? he was working as a tree surgeon according to his electoral biog
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Didn’t he have a feature spot on the worst of the election? Yeh I think he does need his own post. Worst Metrosexual Happy Clappy Christian Person Under 30 in Parliament
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here’s another politician getting all Abe-like:
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/62519/
(cartoon by David Cohen)
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Colin trying to be cool with the Yoof on Nova 937.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YxbxHue7rSg
No wonder 6IX is my station of choice :-)
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Can I just come back from a media briefing at MyNing’s place and drunkenly make comments on Perth’s premier culture blog? Well course I can, it’s mine. no wait, what was I, ehm, Galliano Black was. No wait I know.
What cunt brings in a jacket and tie policy for politicians, when from his photo it is obvious he doesn’t klnow a tie from a cunt ‘kini. No fuck it, it had to be said.
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TLA, it seems your briefs are medium. Goodnight!
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The Howling Wolves. Aaaaaaaaooooooooooo!
Aaaaaaaaaoooooo!
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Boy Band also forgot to thank American Crew, the ungrateful little shit.
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It’s not American Crew. I emailed him during the campaign to find out, and he graciously replied. I don’t think pollys are allowed to endorse products, only organisations (Hillsong; major Unions; etc)
Hi Lisa.
Thanks.
In answer to your question, Redken rough paste.
Kind regards,
Albert
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Redken, of course. It’s probably unorthodox to direct a question without notice to a newly elected backbencher, but that might be a way for the opposition to find out his favourite colour and fast food.
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Now this is a first – Barnett has released the transcript AND audio of his Doorstop today.
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=130896
Skink, go your hardest with those audio files :-)
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“I agree it’s a public issue, but what has been done has been to the letter of the code.” – Barnett on Lee Moore’s shares during the above-mentioned doorstop.
The Colster is showing just how pragmatic he can be with this one, but surely the question is this: how can a minister for mines and petroleum operate with any form of (much-needed) objectivity under these kinds of cicumstances?
Or more to the point: how can he effectively run these important portfolios if he continually has to declare an interest and leave the room?
I remember Ken Court joking about how his brother (Richard) would have to leave the room when discussions came up about Kingstream. The problem was it was no laughing matter – there were some big issues being discussed at the time that required the full attention of a treasurer.
So the answer is really simple if Col’ wants Stormin’ Norman to stay on the team – give him another portfolio where there won’t be such a blatent conflict of interest.
How can he not see this?
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But in the case of Yesterday’s Uranium Desicion he declared his interest and STAYED for the discussion.
Oh and the same should apply to Donna Farragher and her Hubby working for Woodside, and even old Colster himself with his Daughter in Law being Mr Farragher’s boss at Woodside as well – how murky is this.
Laabor had WA Inc, we now have WA Pty Ltd.
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“There are none so Blind as Those that Will Not see”
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‘Redken’ ?
is that made by former mayor of London ‘Red’ Ken Livingston?
there is some irony in that, given Young Albert’s political leanings
if he is a devout Christian, a social conservative interested in family values, and has no clue about politics, shouldn’t he have stood for Family First?
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No, because then he’d have to have a 70s-stylee John Denver side parting rather than a product-moulded boy band ‘do.
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Famous quotes from political idiots #1001
“Minimal risk. Uranium…there are many far more volatile toxic or even dangerous products transported than yellowcake. A petrol tanker is of more danger and threat to the society than a truck load of yellowcake.” Yeah apart from the fact it can be converted into nuclear weapons ,no fucking wurries.
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So far, Barnett’s priorities appear to have been cracking down on pollies wearing jumpers in parliament, changing the Government’s logo, and defending a minister whose hands are so tied by conflict of interest, they resemble the Gordian knot.
Furthermore, on Sky News as I speak, Barnett is predicting that Aboriginal communities will be awash with gambling and alcohol after the stimulus payments come through.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/18/2422967.htm
Is it too late for WA to call for a ‘do over?’
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Ahh, good old Boong Bashing – the Liberal’s stock in trade. This will be music to Limpwrist’s ears and I predict it will be a main story in Tomorrow’s West – it would’ve been Page 1, but Ben Cousin’s upstaged him :-)
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If you think My Ning’s got an encyclopaedic knowledge of every Barnett fuck up (14 November) don’t get that blogger started on The Sorcerer or Zappa.
I blame the feminist film crit units we took together at uni. Or was it the beer before every single tute. Or maybe it was a combination of the beer and the joints …
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I am actually in support of uranium mining, but am dumbfounded by the incompetence of how Barney announced the policy.
there has been no thought given to how the mines will be regulated, and how the con will be transported and shipped. It was just a typical off the cuff policy change to grab a headline, with no substance or forethought.
You might have imagined they would investigate the issue, discuss it with vested interests, environmental and public groups, maybe the federal resources and environment ministers, and then issue a well considered policy document complete with a development plan and framework.
But no, Barney just fires a gun over his head and shouts “you’re off and running!”
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Working out how to transport yellow cake in accordance with stakeholders’ wishes wouldn’t be that hard – all they would have to do is look at the frameworks in place in the NT (for Ranger/Jabiluka) and South Australia (Olympic Dam).
Putting in rules to stop some of the water contamination issues, however, is probably another story.
In relation to the first point, the problem is historically the WA government (of both persuasions), despite administering the country’s biggest mining state, is well behind other state governments (and that of the NT) when it comes to a slew of mineral-related issues – including resolving land access problems and providing a reasonably smooth regulatory environment in which to work.
This in itself does not auger well for the effective establishment of a possible uranium mining sector.
No doubt Stormin’ “Sharesgate”Norman is going to have to start working some late hours if he’s to wrap his brain around this one.
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Yes Skink whichever side you are on in the Uranium debate this is no way to run it. Barnsie has shown no evidence that he understands the argument for or against Uranium mining or its dangers. He has shown that whatever decision he makes needs to be overriden by more mature bodies. He is a political loose cannon.
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He’s a lazy shit. He would rather be retired.
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Apparently, winning 24 seats to Labor’s 28 gives Barney a mandate to be half-baked and ineffectual on issues as diverse as the mining of uranium, ministerial conflict of interest and the Butler rail extension. But he’s also exercised his mandate to appear on TV two days ago with what appeared to be the early stages of full-blown facial psoriasis – as last seen on Michael Gambon in The Singing Detective – wearing what looked like a $30 dead man’s suit from St Vinnies that was about three sizes too small. Peculiarly, he seems reluctant to exercise his mandate to change the batteries in his K-Tel revolving tie rack.
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I quite like this new ‘seat of the pants’ approach to governance. It makes things exciting. What’s he going to decree next? No one knows!
I note bong industry is yet to be given the evil (lazy) eye.
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Sorry, I note THE bong industry …
Brekkie cones harshing my vibe, man.
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from the front page of today’s Worst:
“Police around the State are bracing for several days of drunken violence when thousands of … pensioners recieve millions in welfare payments …as part of the economic stimulus package.”
bloody old folks, they are nothing but trouble.
Cage the Aged!
Barney sought to labour the point: ” In some areas, particularly around indiginous communities, there are going to be problems.”
so Frank called it right.
oldfellas and blackfellas, liquored up. lock the doors.
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and Naglazas has won me over to the ‘Not Worst’ team with his piece on the movie ‘Australia’:
“there is not enough perfume on the planet to sweeten the odour that will inevitably rise from Baz Luhrmann’s ham-fisted, dead-on-arrival attempt at a sweeping romantic epic.”
Respect.
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And the great Public Service purge by Troyboy begins.
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=130902
And yes there is audio.
[audio src="http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Lists/Statements/Attachments/130902/Buswellcomments191108.mp3" /]
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And as I type, Rattler is promoting Barbnett’s dire warnin gs disguised as Boong Bashing as his main topic on his “program”
How fucking predictable.
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Troy’s determined to get those public servants out of their seats. Oh no , Jesus what is he doing to those chairs !? You can’t keep a good chair shagger down .
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Buswell, I suspect, seems to have forgotten that the Dickie Court Government wasn’t exactly reformist when he bragged that there would be the most “significant examination of the operational and financial performance of the Western Australian public sector since the landmark McCarrey Report commissioned by a previous incoming Liberal Government under Richard Court in 1993”.
I can’t remember the McCarrey Report (nor do I recall seeing any real public sector reform during the Court jnr era, except when the government fucked up part of the public transport system and sacked cleaners from schools), but I do remember the former Coalition’s attempt to revitalise local government in WA with its 1996 Structural Reform report.
Unlike Jeff Kennett in Victoria, who bulldozed the whole local government system and started from scratch, the 1990s WA Libs suggested that just four areas look at municipal amalgamation – Northam, Geraldton, Narrogin and Albany. There was no mention of touching the councils in the conservative-leaning urban western suburbs, where a bit of boundary changing might have helped reduce some rates, improve efficiencies and pull down a couple of fiefdoms.
In the end the government failed in its attempt to achieve any kinda local government reform. It was pisspoor and pathetic to say the least.
Interestingly, does anyone remember Dickie in his TV campaign ad in 1993 when he stated something like: “I’m not Jeff Kennett and this is not Victoria.” He sure as shit got that right…..
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indeed, the smallest local council is Peppy Grove, which is small enough to be covered by a decent sized beach towel
a friend of mine used to work for the Minister for local government some years ago. They tried to get rid of Peppy Grove, but were white-anted by some quietly spoken bullies.
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Speaking of Peppy Grove, skink, I, [along with Vic, no doubt], would like to offer my deepest gratitude to PLC, St. Hilda’s, and Loreto*. Iona, whilst technically in Mozzies, also deserves a very honourable mention.
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So Mrs Stormin’ Norman is going to sell her shares – but it’s Eric’s fault for making her do so.
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=130905
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Aww Diddums, the Moore’s are crying poor because they sold their shares at a loss.
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/norman-moore-sells-wifes-mining-shares-20081119-6bap.html?page=-1
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so now Norm only needs to worry about being NCB’s stooge.
speaking of stooges, I saw John Bowler standing right behind Barney as he coughed up the money for Kalgoorlie hospital teh other night
Difficult to tell from the TV pictures whether he was giving Col a reacharound as he was shafting him.
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There is still the problem of Donna Faragher being Environment Minister while Hubby works for Woodside – despite declaring an interest and having to leave the room and to handball any desicions involving Woodside to JJohn Day.
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“The shares in the fund belong to my wife and the code of conduct does not require spouses to divest their own shares.
Mr Ripper’s assertion that I transferred shares to my wife is simply wrong.
I did not have any shares to transfer.
This is very simple situation seems to have been too difficult for some people, including Mr Ripper to comprehend.”
The part of the code that Stormin’ seems to have difficulty comprehending is this one:
5. Conflicts of Interest
Public duties must be carried out objectively and without consideration of
personal or financial gain. Circumstances which could give rise to a serious
conflict of interest are not necessarily restricted to those where an immediate
advantage will be gained. They may instead take the form of a promise of future
benefit…
They’re Mrs Stormin’s shares, so Stormin’ won’t gain from it – naturally. He and Mrs Stormin’ are merely husband and wife. It doesn’t mean the individual financial arrangements of one could possibly ever benefit the other, does it? He must’ve forgotten to mention that.
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I really thought Moore was hanging out to be stood down as a minister instead of having to sell the shares. -$100,000 by selling; vs a paycut of maybe $60-70k by going back to the backbench.
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Which I believe also apply to Mrs Faragher in her role as Environment Minister.
She should be demoted from that portfolio forthwith.
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Saw Stormin’ Norman last nite at an AMEC gig – after he stood there in a huddle and complained that the missus had to sell her shares, some drunken journo tried to point out to the dumb fuck that there was a transparency issue at stake. The ex-chalkie, who eveyone seems to think is the right man for the mining ministry (Really? Let’s ask Miles Kennedy about that one) stood there and shook his head patronisingly as if the rules shouldn’t really apply to him.
Then he started going on about the media, saying to the pissed hack at one stage: “One of your collegues at the West….”. to which the journo said: “She’s not my collegue – I don’t even know the person.”
To tell you the truth, this actually pissed the low rent scribe off, prompting him to say something like: “That’s like saying you’re in the same league as Brian Burke.”
Again this piss poor excuse of a man shook his head patronisingly. Oh you poor boy, he thought, you just don’t understand.
OK, fine – let’s get it all out in the open. He’s a complete dick. And any fool can be a mining minister – just ask John Bowler who, for some twisted reason, came out of the last election holding a balance of power.
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Were you more or less pissed than the hack, and are you higher or lower rent?
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Nobody could have been be more pissed than that hack – he was definately higher rent than Moore(on)….
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Another stoopid Barnett comment needs reviewing.
While I am kind of ashamed to admit that I looked at the Worst today, Barnett’s remark that Rio’s purchase of Alcan (which he called an American company when, according to my burnt out memory, it was Canadian) somehow fucked up WA’s iron sector was nothing short of irresponsible.
If anything, it shows how this prick is able to say whatever he wants to suit his own purposes and get away with it ‘coz there’s nobody around to ask him how he can justify dishing out such simplistic misinfomation.
Rio’s purchase of Alcan in 2006 had nothing to do with the company’s iron ore arm – the businesses are run separately. If the Colster thought about it, he would have remebered that at the time, Rio’s Pilbara operations were expanding because of the resources boom.
The reason for the job cut is simple – the Chinese rejected the September iron ore price rises and decided to deplete their current stock piles and source domestic ore.
While it may be true that some of Rio’s aluminium workers have lost their jobs after September’s meltdown, very few, if any, would have been here in WA. After all, the only big bauxite miners in the state are Alcoa and BHP Billiton.
Its interesting that a man who regards himself as resources savvy can try to pass the blame for the state’s woes onto a company which, unlike the intellectually-dead Liberal Party, has actually created wealth over the past few years rather than suck the place dry.
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Rio have already said that the majority of the 14,000 job cuts are to be in the aluminium sector, with the iron ore sector getting away lightly.
and did you see Sattler’s blog encouraging Barney to trample over native title in order to give the resource sector carte blanche? Sattler is running a hot streak on aboriginal issues this month
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Barney was on 720 the other day trying to pin the Rio job cuts on Russell Woolf, because Russell wasn’t being sufficiently enthusiastic about the ongoing prosperity of the resources sector.
I suppose the weather guy is as good a scapegoat as any…
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who’s afraid of Russell Woolf?
I’ve been wating a long time for the opportunity to say that.
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Poor ole Rusty Woolf is a sheep in sheep’s clothing. Next thing Barney’ll be savaging the Pope for his baleful influence on the West Australian economy ( condom sales ).
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And here is the interview in Question :-)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/audio/2008/12/10/2443138.htm
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Skink – I’ll just keep on lobbing them up there, and you keep on knocking them out of the park.
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Who’s opposition spokes for resources. They should be reading this. particularly My Ning’s memories.
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JON FORD MLC
Shadow Minister for Mines; Petroleum; Fisheries
Full Shadow Ministry is here.
Click to access shadow_cabinet.pdf
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Russell Woolf aint just no weather man – if memory serves me correctly he lived in Karratha for a while where he covered the state’s resources sector for the ABC. If anyhting, he was right in the thick of it. And believe me, Karratha is a long way from Cott..
I doubt anything he said would have been as ill informed as the drivel that came out of Comrade Colin’s mouth….
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That is indeed correct.
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Sent to Jon Ford, Alannah, Ripper, etc
Dear Mr Ford, every day Colin Barnett is making pronouncements about development of the state’s resources. It seems to be accepted wisdom that Colin is some kind of resources guru having been resources minister in the Court Government. He seems to be hoping that no-one remembers that he was a complete nincompoop when he was Court’s resources minister. Just about everything he touched turned into a disaster.
Even the Labor Perty seems to be buying into the barnett as resources expert. Why is no-one calling him out on his mistakes past or present? No-one seems to remember the ACCC disater with epic, how he threw our money down the toilet of that vanadium mine and had to watch taxpayer money being lost when xtrata came in and destroyed the facility. What about Kingstream Steel? Another Barnett fuelled disaster. Everything he did in the midwest turned into some kind of cock-up. Why is no-one reminding the public of this?
Even the statements he makes now are usuallly totally wrong. A researcher looking into every statement he makes would find them riddled with errors.
The only publication bringing these facts to light is my own satirical website The Worst of Perth, where experienced resources journalist My Ning who remembers every cock-up Colin has made, and knows the truth or otherwise of every statement he makes now holds forth.
You could do worse than to keep up with My Ning on the site.
Andrew McDonald
The Worst of Perth
Art, Design, Architecture & Humanity
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Succinctly put, TLA.
The man has the kind of visions that would normally benefit from treatment with anti-psychotics.
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Robert Ray has published his report into why the ALP lost the election.
the answer appears to be: “fuckwits”
nothing in the report that we hadn’t worked out for ourselves
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/labor-slammed-in-election-review-20081215-6ywx.html?page=-1
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Anyone read hear how Barnett has said that work on the Ord River thing was going to start in an effort to unlock Australia’s next food bowl?
Given his track record on everything else, maybe we should all expect to starve…
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Skink if you read the actual report it says:
‘Contrary to perceptions, Bill Johnstone being a candidate as well as State Secretary wasn’t a problem. The problem was him being a fuckwit’
‘John D’Orazio is a treacherous fuckwit’
‘The premier’s office were fuckwits’
and
‘You lot don’t know how to run a functioning factional system, you need some lessons from me’
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http://www.wa.alp.org.au/news/1208/15-02.php
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And note only Ch 7 and The West itself has mentioned the role of the West’s bias in the campaign, even though the West put it at the end of the article.
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Like Sybil Faullty, the Ray Report (as skink suggests) does nothing but state the bleeding obvious. There are, however, a few points to mull over.
On the loss of Gallop: “At the time, and now with hindsight, it is clear that Alan Carpenter was the best choice.”
If this was the case, then they shouldn’t have even bothered with contesting the election because Carpenter was in fact a bad choice from the start. It was obvious from anyone who ever had contact with him or watched him over the years in the media that Carps was not a man of the people. He didn’t even come close. His public persona was surprisingly flat for an ex-ABC journo, he did nothing but grimace all day and he was an unimpressive education and resources minister. In hindsight he was simply paranoid – something which no doubt made him pick his dream team of allies instead of going through proper pre-selection procedures. Only Nixon and Stalin were more paranoid in office.
The Alannah McTiernan story, however, was a different one. As the opposition transport spokesperson she was fearless. As the infrastructure minister she was just as impressive. She should have been the new leader after Dr Geoff’s depressed departure – not the hack.
Then: “AC’s management of this (Burke and Grill) crisis was nothing short of surpurb.” Was it? Really? Perhaps, but what the report fails to mention was Carps actually created the crisis. How was it that he could could pick obvious Burkie/Grill mates (Marlborough and Bowler come to mind) after lifting the no-Burke zone ban. What was going through his head? In this regard Ray seemed to hit the nail on the head when he said: “his naivete about the culture of the ALP … would always be a problem.” But even this seems a little odd for somebody who had spent a good portion of his professional career reporting on this exact kind of factionalism.
And on the issue of factions, was Carpenter as faction-free as he and the media were prone to suggest. One can only guess, but his extended (and painful) early defence of John D’Orizio suggests that maybe he did owe some favours as he clamboured to the top. That, to me, is factionalism, even if there could be an arguable semantic difference between the two words.
Then there was Ray’s analysis of the media: “Labor’s election prospects were constantly undermined by the intensely negative attitude of the media.” Well – that could work both ways. It’s true that it chose to ignore Barnett’s dissmal track record as a Court Government energy minister, but the Libs did get a hammering too – just ask Troy Buswell and Matt Birney.
Also, Ray failed to mention that The Worst’s election morning editorial actually suggested that readers vote Labor – as it did just before the 2005 poll. Personally I don’t think the paper was as one-sided as the Murdoch anti-Whitlam campaign of 1975 in The Oz – The Worst was pretty much consistent when dealing with both sides.
Then: “It is easy to blame the premier or Jim McGnty for these poor relations (with The Worst), but any attempts by them to repair the relationship were constantly rebuffed.” Huh? These two boys declared war on the rag. Whether or not this was justified is one thing, but surely it is quite immature for a health minister/attorney general to publicly state that he is not inviting a hack from the state’s only daily to a press conference because he’s unhappy with the way it writes its shit up. It was nothing short of childish schoolyard antics on behalf of someone who should really should have known better.
Ray’s point that somebody should have emphasised “the record economic growth during the 21st century (and) stress the sound budgetary position achieved” is also misleading as Eric Ripper wouldn’t fucking shut up about the surplus and the boom. The problem was Labor gave nothing back, citing its fucking tripple A rating as being god. For fuck’s sake – the health depeartment was in turmoil (I don’t recall seeing Neale Fong’s name in this report, but surely his appointment was another monumental fuck up) and the ALP couldn’t even fill the state’s primary schools with the right number of teachers. The bottom line: if you’re not going to fix public services when you’ve got the cash and a boom, then when the hell are you going to do it?
At the start of his report, Ray sez: “Apportioning blame and electing scapegoats will not bring back government.”
Maybe not, but not blaming anyone may mean that the ALP will not learn from this fiasco. The first thing it should do is ensure Carps stays on the back bench. Then it should sack Ripper as opposition leader because there’s no chance in hell it’ll win an election with him at the helm – even if the gullible public eventually catches on to what a true idiod Barnett really is.
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yes, It’s Time – for Alannah. Although she also didn’t reply to my letter suggesting someone remind the public what a nincompoop Barnett was in Court Government.
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The simple truth of it was that if any one out of D’Orazio, Kucera or Radisich had contested their seats as incumbents the ALP would be in Government, regardless of the lacklustre campaign, perceived media bias, and Carps’ lack of charisma.
I think Ripper is just keeping the seat warm for Lannie. As soon as Barnett starts to falter and she can smell blood she will grab the reins and lead the hunt. That would be about the time of the next budget by my reckoning, when every single election promise has been broken.
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Carps WANTED Radisich to recontrest Swan Hills, but she wanted West Swan – when she didn’t get her own way, she puiled the pin, and even though her preferred candidate for Pre-Selection got the numbers in the members ballot, he was outnumbered by State Executive.
Same with West Swan, I should know, Rita’s opposition is my Second Cousin :-)
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Hmm, Buswell is going to split Housing & works.
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=131055
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I know that. I am no defender of Radisich, but if she had been persuaded by a decent leader to stay put in the hills where she was popular with the electorate, she would have had a better chance of winning it than anyone else.
with all those seats, it was poor man-management (or chick-management) by Carps.
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And the first of Barney’s Job Cuts have become – Tea Ladies in the Dept of Child Protection.
http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,24828529-948,00.html
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And as promised, Barney will be cracking down on Graffiti and Hoons. :-)
http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/Pages/Results.aspx?ItemID=131090
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But what about the bongs? Will no-one think of the bongs?
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LA , Wood duck’s in charge of that. ( Police code name Operation Bong).
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Check out the ominous sign during Crazy Coll and Party Troy when they are announcing the new Govt spending package :-)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/02/02/2480512.htm
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I am excited to note WA is to become ‘the Saudi Arabia of natural gas’.
I have already confiscated Mrs Bento’s keys for the Forester, and trust the mandatory sentencing bill will now be modified to include provision for beheading young people.
On another note, what would Colin’s position be on deregulated bong trading hours?
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who’s first for a stoning?
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Don’t forget the chunky jewellery:
http://fremantlebiz.livejournal.com/
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It seems the only people who want this are the ones who would never go to Northbridge anyway (well, except Karlo).
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/6520095/delay-for-controversial-stop-and-search-powers/
Please, won’t somebody think of the Sword Boys???
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Like Rattler.
http://blogs.watoday.com.au/madashell/2009/11/tap_tap_wake_up.html?page=fullpage#comments
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I always enjoy bogans who think that because they are third generation true blue, that their opinion carries more weight.
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If this shitty idea passed I would hope it would make for a new category TLA. Worst Perth Legislation. What a fucking outrage the whole concept is.
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“Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.“
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Not George Kennedy?
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Not even Graham Kennedy.
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Maybe related to AL Kennedy?
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not even Kenny Kidna
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Barney’s a whingeing flea sitting on an elephant.
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