Comments on: The drunk, the abusive and the crass: more MPs behaving badly http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/ now with extra source Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:16:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Mike Crook http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/#comment-10240 Mike Crook Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-10240 Re Pat Purcell article.It is generally recognised within the ALP in Queensland that Pat Purcell was actually "set up", because he doing too good a job and offending some senior bureaucrats within his department, something a junior minister in Queensland is not allowed to do. Pat was a good local member who expected to see out his time on the backbench, ex BLF and a straight shooter. But with the demise of Factional heavy Gordon Nuttall on corruption charges (now before the court) and with the next in line Labor Unity candidate Neil Roberts in trouble with factional leader Rob Schwarten over his refusal to support ANY public housing on an old state school site, Pat was called up as Emergency Services Minister. Round peg in round hole. Pat was brilliant, took to his portfolio like a fish to water and went in to bat for all of his field staff. It was a pleasure to watch. But Pat found some problems, especially in the Queensland Ambulance Service, where the existing Commissioner (whose contract was later not renewed) ran the departmental bureaucracy as a very overstaffed personal feudal fiefdom.This, combined with massive inefficiencies set Pat upon a reformist course. But he was set up before his audit was completed and off he went. While Labor Unity wil support to the death its parliamentary members who are paedophiles, crooks , opportunists or just plain incompetent (which is most of them), it will not support someone who rocks the boat. <br />Poor Pat, we wish him well. So , off goes Pat and in comes the affable and incompetent drone, Neil Roberts. Neils first job on succeeding to his ministry was to cancel the incredibly successful CPR training programme, run at little cost by LAC volunteers and, with the connivance of a weak union, LHMU, to put the ambos on the worst rosters in Australias industrial history, the infamous 12 hour rotating shift block rosters. (thrown out in most other jurisdictions as unsafe). It just gets worse.<br /><br />Mike Crook Re Pat Purcell article.It is generally recognised within the ALP in Queensland that Pat Purcell was actually “set up”, because he doing too good a job and offending some senior bureaucrats within his department, something a junior minister in Queensland is not allowed to do. Pat was a good local member who expected to see out his time on the backbench, ex BLF and a straight shooter. But with the demise of Factional heavy Gordon Nuttall on corruption charges (now before the court) and with the next in line Labor Unity candidate Neil Roberts in trouble with factional leader Rob Schwarten over his refusal to support ANY public housing on an old state school site, Pat was called up as Emergency Services Minister. Round peg in round hole. Pat was brilliant, took to his portfolio like a fish to water and went in to bat for all of his field staff. It was a pleasure to watch. But Pat found some problems, especially in the Queensland Ambulance Service, where the existing Commissioner (whose contract was later not renewed) ran the departmental bureaucracy as a very overstaffed personal feudal fiefdom.This, combined with massive inefficiencies set Pat upon a reformist course. But he was set up before his audit was completed and off he went. While Labor Unity wil support to the death its parliamentary members who are paedophiles, crooks , opportunists or just plain incompetent (which is most of them), it will not support someone who rocks the boat.
Poor Pat, we wish him well. So , off goes Pat and in comes the affable and incompetent drone, Neil Roberts. Neils first job on succeeding to his ministry was to cancel the incredibly successful CPR training programme, run at little cost by LAC volunteers and, with the connivance of a weak union, LHMU, to put the ambos on the worst rosters in Australias industrial history, the infamous 12 hour rotating shift block rosters. (thrown out in most other jurisdictions as unsafe). It just gets worse.

Mike Crook

]]> By: venisealstergren http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/#comment-10241 venisealstergren Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-10241 Where do these cretins come from? Apart from the 'deep north', of course Where do these cretins come from? Apart from the ‘deep north’, of course

]]> By: Jen http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/#comment-10242 Jen Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-10242 How on earth does Julia Gillard justify an MP with bionic fists "slogging two senior bureaucrats" who is charged on "two counts of common assault" and gets to keep his seat? The unions should be up in arms over that one after she made this comment about Shane Guley a no chance candidate being given the flick. "We've always said that we've got zero tolerance for any forms of thuggery in the workplace," Ms Gillard told Network Ten. Yet its OK for Pat Purcell and obviously other MPs to cut a swathe through society biffing and bullying whoever they like as long as they 'buy' the silence of their victims?. Isn't this Inquiry material????? http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Qld-ALP-election-candidate-stands-down/2007/10/21/1192301122208.html How on earth does Julia Gillard justify an MP with bionic fists “slogging two senior bureaucrats” who is charged on “two counts of common assault” and gets to keep his seat? The unions should be up in arms over that one after she made this comment about Shane Guley a no chance candidate being given the flick. “We’ve always said that we’ve got zero tolerance for any forms of thuggery in the workplace,” Ms Gillard told Network Ten. Yet its OK for Pat Purcell and obviously other MPs to cut a swathe through society biffing and bullying whoever they like as long as they ‘buy’ the silence of their victims?. Isn’t this Inquiry material????? http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Qld-ALP-election-candidate-stands-down/2007/10/21/1192301122208.html

]]> By: Cameron Jelascek http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/#comment-10236 Cameron Jelascek Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-10236 You could say our major parties have a membership crisis and state and federal electorates certainly deserve better than this. Don't they endorse talented, mature, experienced and capable individuals anymore or would they challenge the party honchos? These are loose cannons and fraudsters unable to manage their lives let alone economies and they walk off with life pensions? Labor in NSW and Queensland look like local chapters of bikie gangs with due respect to the bikies and their Christmas Appeals. You could say our major parties have a membership crisis and state and federal electorates certainly deserve better than this. Don’t they endorse talented, mature, experienced and capable individuals anymore or would they challenge the party honchos? These are loose cannons and fraudsters unable to manage their lives let alone economies and they walk off with life pensions? Labor in NSW and Queensland look like local chapters of bikie gangs with due respect to the bikies and their Christmas Appeals.

]]> By: Venise Alstergren#2 http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/#comment-10237 Venise Alstergren#2 Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-10237 That many of the above- mentioned parliamentarians are soaks is bad enough. That they lack style, wit, charm,<br />education and the ability to be articulate is even worse. Finally, the fact they are elected in the first place, is nothing less than an appalling indictment on the quality of the Australian voter.<br /><br /> That many of the above- mentioned parliamentarians are soaks is bad enough. That they lack style, wit, charm,
education and the ability to be articulate is even worse. Finally, the fact they are elected in the first place, is nothing less than an appalling indictment on the quality of the Australian voter.

]]> By: Chris Johnson http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/#comment-10238 Chris Johnson Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-10238 Mike – are you saying the administration of Queensland’s Emergency Services portfolio was a toss up between a lying thug and an incompetent? Purcell entered a not guilty plea (still on record) to his criminal charges (as opposed to civil) and then came clean to avoid the court case that likely would have ruined his career and retirement. He lied to his electorate and to the Premier. He’s in public office and he assaulted staff. The permutations and combinations as to why he broke the law and lied should have been determined in a court where criminal charges are heard. The point I’m making is Purcell is one of too many MPs with the help of their party and parliaments who place themselves above laws deemed ‘fair’ for all Australians other than MPs and in my view that’s corruption of the nation’s political processes. Mike – are you saying the administration of Queensland’s Emergency Services portfolio was a toss up between a lying thug and an incompetent? Purcell entered a not guilty plea (still on record) to his criminal charges (as opposed to civil) and then came clean to avoid the court case that likely would have ruined his career and retirement. He lied to his electorate and to the Premier. He’s in public office and he assaulted staff. The permutations and combinations as to why he broke the law and lied should have been determined in a court where criminal charges are heard. The point I’m making is Purcell is one of too many MPs with the help of their party and parliaments who place themselves above laws deemed ‘fair’ for all Australians other than MPs and in my view that’s corruption of the nation’s political processes.

]]> By: Susieq http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/12/18/the-drunk-the-abusive-and-the-crass-more-mps-behaving-badly/#comment-10239 Susieq Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-10239 What a bunch of hypocrites - these overpaid bullies and drunks are happy to stand on the high moral ground and get all self-righteous whenever a sportsperson or TV personality does something wrong - meanwhile their own appalling behaviour is hushed up wherever possible.<br /><br />Is it any wonder its difficult to have respect for any of them? What a bunch of hypocrites - these overpaid bullies and drunks are happy to stand on the high moral ground and get all self-righteous whenever a sportsperson or TV personality does something wrong - meanwhile their own appalling behaviour is hushed up wherever possible.

Is it any wonder its difficult to have respect for any of them?

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