Comments on: Ken Henry missing while the rest of us wait for a package

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

#4: JamesK. Peter Costello knew a bit about his subject, and that was as far as it went. PC was an eloquent bully, nothing more, nothing less. His performances in Parliament were tragically predictable. A swathe of verbal hatred directed at the opposition. when John Howard was speaking-change that to quarking-Peter Costello sat right behind him with his mouth looking like this…:-(
Perhaps today’s politicians are different to the ones before John Howard’s devastation of decency, but Peter Costello has done bugger all for his electorate. Very old ladies on Zimmer frames natter their false teeth together at the mention of his name. Hell, he hasn’t even managed to save the obligatory cat.
Now he is desperate to get back into the real world of politics. He has run out of the usual paths of choice. So he comes up with the oldest cliché in the book. Religion, an extreme American religion. Peter Costello, the biggest hypocrite in Oz. What an appalling excuse for a human being he is.

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

As I haven’t had time to read your post yet, therefore unable to comment. But why, in your blast about Kevin Rudd’s extravagant-and probably futile-travel and concomitant expenditure did you have to do it on channel 7?
The only reason I heard it was because I was waiting for the tennis. I don’t disagree with what you said, but channel 7 for Christ’s sake. It was like masturbating in public.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Thankyou Bernard for pushing along the slow realisation that a giant pinata cannot save the economy. There is more money missing from the system now that the hedge funds gotten lost in the biars, wall st has hit the wall and real-estate has fallen to less delusional levels than can possibly be replaced by the government. I disagree that popular sentiment justifies the government emptying the coffers onto this mess when it simply cannot work. That money cannot save the economy, but it surely can reduce the suffering of the population when times get as bad as many think they could. A democracy should operate for the benefit of the many, not as a call-a-friend service for corporations who have blundered.

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I think the insults thrown at NSW are a bit tedious. If the Coalition Opposition had not flirted with white supremacists we would probably have had a turn over in March 2007. But they did and we didn't get that turnover which would have helped freshen things up.

But then if they had won then we would have a sell off of $15 in public energy assets underway right now, in the midst of a global financial crisis with no decent value for the asset.

Keane here buys into the Big Press hysteria attacking NSW which has the biggest population and takes the most immigration. Easy for some. On 7.30 recently a health economist stated cost shifting from 46% to 51% has shifted to the state from the feds under Howard. That's going to hit the biggest populations hardest proportionally when it comes to gotcha news stories.

And we know NSW has the biggest exposure to the finance sector. Even so there is alot of truth in the sleazy politics of NSW. That's true. Only I think you are kidding yourself there isn't just as much sleaze in every other state of Australia, and probably federally too after AWB etc.

In other words, take a look around, making NSW a scapegoat isn't very rational.

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

JamesK: Bollocks. The things that Peter peter pumpkin eater so clearly lacks. How desperately true to his subservient nature is his decision to get God on his side. Unfortunately for him there is no God. And all his pitiful machinations will be for naught. If he lacked the balls to challenge Howard, thrice at least. He’ll lack the balls to do anything else in life. Apart from leaning on an imaginary god.
Honestly James, you are not a stupid man. You know that Peter has as much pepper in his pecker as ants have walking boots.

By: Jenny Laws

Jenny Laws — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Venise!! Thats hysterically funny and accurate about Costello. It’s amazing such a lame limp wet lettuce survived so long in the Liberal hierarchy. And Ken Henry ducking or wombatting out for some fresh air is highly plausible. Hoards of the so very ordinary have converged on Canberra in recent years making visionary governance unattainable. You wonder why Ken Henry and co hang around.

By: Brian Haill

Brian Haill — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Actually……………by not going to Davos, Kevin was able to avoid the climate change whizz Stern…who wasn’t at all happy with Australia’s contribution in this area..and said as much.

In terms of the Premiers buttonholing the Prime Minister, Premier Brumby is talking about spending up to $500 million refurbishing the Melbourne Park tennis comples!!!!!!…while blithely ignoring the thousands of frustrated commuters being baked and abandoned on his discrepit railway system.They’re just not in the real world..although they face that reality as election year draws closer!

By: Bernard Keane

Bernard Keane — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Ah yeah I didn’t see that Venise. What did I say? I’d edited it out of my head. Someone else said they thought I was very fair, which doesn’t sound like me at all. I was more focused on the important stuff like whether my groovy purple shirt could be seen.

Jenny I think you’ll find it was John Howard and Peter “And the Lord spaketh unto them, and yea verily and forsooth after he had spaketh thus, they in turn spaketh to others that also spaketh, saying “Yea verily, the Lord spaketh unto us and we’ll be in charge now thanks”“Costello that appointed Hen Kenry. It took Rudd and Swan to realise his value as a flotation device.

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Bernard: It was a purple shirt was it? I know you appeared to be somewhat monochromatic. In the unlikely event of your forgetting what you said. I so believe that! No, you were fair. The punch line of your argument-if I have understood it, my mouth was wide open in shock at the time, was that the money spent on the futile and endless I thought you looked a bit furtive, but that may have been your monochromatic outfit.

JamesK: I regret to say Bernard was not wearing any Papal/Cardinal/Priestly vestments.

By: Jenny L

Jenny L — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Totally off the topic…but doesn’t the name Ken Henry command attention? An ideal moniker for a senior government bureacrat commanding credibility and respect. He even looks like a movie star and has the trappings of quirky fame….he loves hairy-nosed wombats! He’s a must have for any political team looking to curry a cult following desperate for balance. And he has the credentials to match of course. Top choice Rudd.

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

# 3: ‘futile and endless’ was meant to be followed by ‘perigrinations’ (does this word exist?) of our beloved leader, Kevin Rudd, and his entourage, whose numbers are kept from the people.

By: Perry Gretton

Perry Gretton — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

True, stimulus packages are a waste of money at the moment. One can only hope the government is able to make running adjustments to the expenditure rather than writing it off with one stroke of the pen.

As for a GST reduction, that becomes a precedent for future upward manipulation, something that should be fiercely resisted. Besides, isn’t GST revenue supposed to go to the states? Doesn’t NSW have enough problems already?

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

…err that’s $15 billion in energy assets sell off at disgraceful discount price.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

You get the impression this country would be better off without dyfunctional political parties. NSW Labor keeps throwing up gormless party members like Obeid, Tripodi, Robertson and the other guy who crawled from Orkopoulos’ office. We discussed the northern dullards yesterday and their legacy of a state more like a war zone with a health record only an Iraqui field hospital could be excused for. Never has it been more evident that the era when only the talented, smart and insightful landed in parliaments has long gone. Any wonder Ken Henry takes off to cuddle wombats and go native. After months of playing with the kindy groups he’s getting in touch with his inner adult.

By: JennyL

JennyL — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

As I said Bernard - Ken Henry is a highly credible package to carry the fiscal ‘phoniker’ (??). We can only thank the preacher and his divine master for their lack of insight. Henry is the first public servant in decades to voice his personal views on government decision-making. We don’t hear such free speech these days because political parties have made it clear they fund the public service, universities and affiliate research institutions. Every time Ken Henry puts his job on the line by contributing alternate public debate he’s a hero. If only there were more survivors of the Oppression.

By: JamesK

JamesK — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Venise, it is so obvious that there is a subconscious "acting out" process pervasive in your relationships with men in frocks and Prince Peter.

Offer your services as one of his Malvern foot soldiers and provide the spine that he so obviously lacks!
Be unto Pete what Tanya plainly is not: Be his Lady Macbeth!
He is infected with the wimpish religiosity of his brother!

Speaketh plainly to Pussy Pete:

"MP thou art, and ex-Deputy Leader; and shalt be
What thou art promised: yet do I fear thy nature;
It is too full o' the milk of human kindness
To catch the nearest way: thou wouldst be great;
Art not without ambition, but without
The illness should attend it: what thou wouldst highly,
That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false,
And yet wouldst wrongly win: thou'ldst have, great Pete,
That which cries 'Thus thou must do, if thou have it;
And that which rather thou dost fear to do
Than wishest should be undone.' Hie thee hither,
That I may pour my spirits in thine ear;
And chastise with the valour of my tongue
All that impedes thee from the golden round,
Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem
To have thee crown'd withal until
Weasel John and the recreant Rudd doth f-cked it up"

By: JamesK

JamesK — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I ponder (absentmindedly you understand) the significance of Bernard Keane’s choice of sartorial colour?

Of course purple is associated with “royalty” presumably due to its rarity and expense. It thus became a symbol of wealth and royal power!As to it’s religious significance? It supposedly signifies sorrow and suffering, however, although the Church of England and Catholic clergy are known to support such shirts, I doubt they’re made of hair!

What I want to know Venise is: was Bernard sporting a cardinalitial hat and red plush slippers? I know you’re strangely attracted to Catholic men of cloth…….

By: JamesK

JamesK — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I just watched a repeat of "QANDA." this morning on the ABC.

Peter Costello was one of the guests and he was asked about a bank guarantee.

The original program was obviously before that fateful weekend of October 11 and 12 when Henry and Rudd with her sleeves rolled up made their big announcement of an unlimited and universal guarantee of bank deposits.

Costello answered that he understood the arguments for a limited bank guarantee and explained beautifully why they must be limited. Costello clearly had a grasp of what almost certainly Stevens also understood but unfortunately what so very clearly Rudd, Swan, Henry and indeed, an at least initially, Turnbull did not.

The loss of a 'Costello' in cabinet has been a real loss to the quality of governance in this country.

Tanner, Gillard and Emerson are quality ministers but apparently none of them could rein in Rudd's need to be seen to be "decisive".

Henry has been little more than a sycophantic "facilitator" and has at least in my view, demonstrated incompetence and a willingness to be inconvenient with the truth.