Comments on: Four to one: our lobbyist to MP ratio http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/ now with extra source Sat, 11 Feb 2012 23:09:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Geoff Russell http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36956 Geoff Russell Wed, 09 Sep 2009 03:56:22 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36956 Yes, JaneShaw. Here's my rule of thumb, pick 10 people with any qualification you like, from being a bread maker at Baker's Delight, through to a fully qualified GP, Geologist, Climate Scientist or Solicitor. 2 will be pillocks, 2 will be very cluey and 6 will fall roughly between these extremes. Statisticians will recognise this as a kind of central limit theorem. Yes, JaneShaw. Here’s my rule of thumb, pick 10 people with any qualification you
like, from being a bread maker at Baker’s Delight, through to a fully qualified
GP, Geologist, Climate Scientist or Solicitor. 2 will be pillocks, 2 will be
very cluey and 6 will fall roughly between these extremes. Statisticians
will recognise this as a kind of central limit theorem.

]]> By: JaneShaw http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36927 JaneShaw Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:38:39 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36927 YES, very much agree with ACANNON. How do lobbyists push things their way? What is the source of their influence? Is it just their presence and ability to nag persistently? (Roughly the equivalent of my 12 year old’s campaign for an xbox?) Do they offer indirect financial incentives? How do they get what they came for? What is their credibility with potential clients? How do they prove their successes without outing politicians as easy-to-push-around puppets? Bernard, can you do a follow up piece explaining the lobbyisits processes to those of us out here in the boondocks. PS: I don’t care how many degrees Fielding has, he’s still a complete pillock. YES, very much agree with ACANNON. How do lobbyists push things their way? What is the source of their influence?
Is it just their presence and ability to nag persistently? (Roughly the equivalent of my 12 year old’s campaign for an xbox?)
Do they offer indirect financial incentives? How do they get what they came for? What is their credibility with potential clients? How do they prove their successes without outing politicians as easy-to-push-around puppets?
Bernard, can you do a follow up piece explaining the lobbyisits processes to those of us out here in the boondocks.

PS: I don’t care how many degrees Fielding has, he’s still a complete pillock.

]]> By: acannon http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36889 acannon Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:50:04 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36889 I'd be interested in hearing more about lobbyists - I don't know much about it and how it all works. I wonder how much time politicians spend with lobbyists? How do they divide their time between NGOs etc as opposed to big businesses? Also interested to hear small "Mum & Dad" operations make up the bulk of registered lobbyists - I wouldn't have thought this. I’d be interested in hearing more about lobbyists - I don’t know much about it and how it all works. I wonder how much time politicians spend with lobbyists? How do they divide their time between NGOs etc as opposed to big businesses? Also interested to hear small “Mum & Dad” operations make up the bulk of registered lobbyists - I wouldn’t have thought this.

]]> By: Most Peculiar Mama http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36883 Most Peculiar Mama Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:15:17 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36883 Another 'writer' with a Yaaartz degree. The comedy never ends. "...my 5,000 word thesis “Lonely in a crowd: Cognitive Dissonance in the Songs of The Backstreet Boys...” I stand corrected. Another ‘writer’ with a Yaaartz degree.

The comedy never ends.

“…my 5,000 word thesis “Lonely in a crowd: Cognitive Dissonance in the Songs of The Backstreet Boys…”

I stand corrected.

]]> By: Venise Alstergren http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36870 Venise Alstergren Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:41:49 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36870 Damn you Bernard. You beat me to the draw. My Masters Degree (Hons) in The Abstract Connotations and Symbiotic Relationships of the Mathrodotic Mating Habits of the Lesser Grey Gunnel-worm. (University of Peruvian Marine Studies, Buffalo, USA: correspondence course). I failed my PHD by two thousand dollars. MOST PECULIAR MAMMA: You are the second person today to have trotted out Steve Fieldings Engineering degree as if this made him an intellectual. It doesn't and he isn't. This same senator recently made the point that there is no Global Warming, because God hadn't got around to inventing it. I imagine the university (engineering, this means what used to be called our technical school system such as Prahran Technical School is now one of the minor universities like Swinburn) which awarded him his degree is now busy trying to remove all trace of his name. Damn you Bernard. You beat me to the draw. My Masters Degree (Hons) in The Abstract Connotations and Symbiotic Relationships of the Mathrodotic Mating Habits of the Lesser Grey Gunnel-worm. (University of Peruvian Marine Studies, Buffalo, USA: correspondence course). I failed my PHD by two thousand dollars.

MOST PECULIAR MAMMA: You are the second person today to have trotted out Steve Fieldings Engineering degree as if this made him an intellectual.
It doesn’t and he isn’t.

This same senator recently made the point that there is no Global Warming, because God hadn’t got around to inventing it.

I imagine the university (engineering, this means what used to be called our technical school system such as Prahran Technical School is now one of the minor universities like Swinburn) which awarded him his degree is now busy trying to remove all trace of his name.

]]> By: Pedro http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36868 Pedro Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:28:36 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36868 Dear Bernard, not really. I mean, doesn't everyone have a masters nowdays! It's just another degree. An Engineering Degree on the other hand, now that is not for the faint hearted. Sorry to tell you Bernard, but you have been pipped by Fielding. Dear Bernard, not really. I mean, doesn’t everyone have a masters nowdays! It’s just another degree.

An Engineering Degree on the other hand, now that is not for the faint hearted. Sorry to tell you Bernard, but you have been pipped by Fielding.

]]> By: Bernard Keane http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36863 Bernard Keane Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:15:39 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36863 Dear MPM, the Steve Fielding article is a couple of clicks away on a different page. And I have a Masters in Advanced Cultural Studies from Greenwich Pacific University, for my 5,000 word thesis "Lonely in a crowd: Cognitive Dissonance in the Songs of The Backstreet Boys." I think that matches up pretty well to anything anyone round here has got, don't you? Dear MPM, the Steve Fielding article is a couple of clicks away on a different page.

And I have a Masters in Advanced Cultural Studies from Greenwich Pacific University, for my 5,000 word thesis “Lonely in a crowd: Cognitive Dissonance in the Songs of The Backstreet Boys.”

I think that matches up pretty well to anything anyone round here has got, don’t you?

]]> By: Kevin Herbert http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36858 Kevin Herbert Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:09:04 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36858 Can anyone tell me if the situation still exists where Ministerial personal staff can cross straight over from their positions to work for PR co's who have a client(s) with a direct financial interest in the portfolio the staff have been working on? Can anyone tell me if the situation still exists where Ministerial personal staff can cross straight over from their positions to work for PR co’s who have a client(s) with a direct financial interest in the portfolio the staff have been working on?

]]> By: Most Peculiar Mama http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36845 Most Peculiar Mama Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:23:09 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36845 It's good to see Crikey and in particular the Sewing Circle at Camp PeePee are tackling the big issues of the day. Poking fun at Steve Fielding's dyslexia is a laugh riot and indicative of the basal reportage Tobias Ziegler continues to stoop to to get his jolly's whilst their muse is on sabbatical. Do subscribers actually PAY for that stuff? Fielding has an Engineering degree and an MBA. Beyond a Grad Dip in Stupid Toby, what have you got? It’s good to see Crikey and in particular the Sewing Circle at Camp PeePee are tackling the big issues of the day.

Poking fun at Steve Fielding’s dyslexia is a laugh riot and indicative of the basal reportage Tobias Ziegler continues to stoop to to get his jolly’s whilst their muse is on sabbatical.

Do subscribers actually PAY for that stuff?

Fielding has an Engineering degree and an MBA.

Beyond a Grad Dip in Stupid Toby, what have you got?

]]> By: juzzy http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36836 juzzy Tue, 08 Sep 2009 04:56:11 +0000 http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/08/four-to-one-our-lobbyist-to-mp-ratio/#comment-36836 I remember Malcolm Turnbull, at the height of the hysteria over the Ozcar affair, referring to "Kevin Rudd's mate, his benefactor...", and all the screaming about "favours" and influence-peddling. Which would be hysterically funny if the hypocrisy wasn't of such a galactic scale. Compare the implied influence that a suburban car-dealer allegedly had, to the influence that Helen Ridout undoubtedly weilds. http://tinyurl.com/n54kg3 I remember Malcolm Turnbull, at the height of the hysteria over the Ozcar affair, referring to “Kevin Rudd’s mate, his benefactor…”, and all the screaming about “favours” and influence-peddling.
Which would be hysterically funny if the hypocrisy wasn’t of such a galactic scale. Compare the implied influence that a suburban car-dealer allegedly had, to the influence that Helen Ridout undoubtedly weilds.
http://tinyurl.com/n54kg3

]]>