Queensland health payroll enquiry: A political witchhunt

Today (13/12/12) the Queensland government announced an enquiry into the Queensland health payroll debacle.  While this is truly a disgraceful series of events and probably led , inter alia, to the downfall of the Bligh government do we really want a $5 million dollar political slogfest.  How many public servants would that money have kept in a job?

This enquiry will only provide the government ample fodder with which to fire at the severely depleted opposition.  This isn't about seeing if they can recover money. The legal advice says as much.

This is politics pure and simple.

You won the election Premier. Move on and govern!

* The title in no way suggests that the Honourable Justice Richard Chesterman will conduct this enquiry in any way other than with propriety.  He is a respected jurist.  The motives are all that I question.

Qld LNP mounting right wing social change after years in the wilderness

#auspol

In 2012 the Liberal National Party took to the Government Benches after a comprehensive election defeat of the longstanding Labor Government. 

So far the major issues being handled by the new Government appear to be driven by an extreme Right Wing agenda.  The issues that seem to be taking up most of the focus are civil unions and surrogacy.

Premier Campbell Newman removed a State Sanctioned ceremony for Civil Unions and after great backlash from the right wing loonies in his party it is now to be called the Relationship Registration Act.  As if it wasn’t degrading enough for same sex couples to have to attend the registry, presumably during business hours, to register their union like they were attending Queensland Transport or registering their dog.  Now the symbolic step towards gay marriage was taken back with a symbolic name change in the Act.

Now the Government has removed the ability of same sex or single persons to access altruistic surrogacy.  Is it to be removed for hetero-sexual couples?  Oh no, just the gays and singles!  Because gay people and singles couldn’t be good parents. 

After years in this wilderness the LNP is clearly spewing out legislation to fix all those social policy changes they didn’t like over their years in opposition.  They now feel the need to instil their right wing religious orthodoxy on Queensland. 

And what of the pressing issues such as cost of living pressures --- ah they’re working on it. Apparently.  Not sure how they have time.

CSG populism at odds with his Party’s approach

I recently watched an episode of Landline where the competing interests of Farmers and CSG Miners were highlighted. There is a great divide between the Miners belief in the science and the Farmers scepticism. And as much as I understand the principle that we don't own the minerals beneath our land I still have much sympathy for the farmers. This not an easy issue. The Miners and Government's say that CSG mining is safe and doesn't affect water stores. Many don't believe them and argue that we wont know the affects for many years and perhaps when it is too late.

I don't know the answer. Hopefully some independent research

Campbell Newman however has accused the Queensland Labor Government of "allowing CSG projects to grow at break neck speed to prop up their budget without concern for farmers and the environment."

But he fails to mention that this industry has had bi-partisan support.

But Campbell left himself a back door from which, when in power, he will miraculously step when he fully supports the CSG industry. He said:

"We will only allow CSG to go forward where it clearly doesn't affect the water resources under the ground that are so vital for future generations."

Isn't that the position already held by the Queensland Government? This is also the position now decried by the two great populists Tony Abbott and Campbell Newman.

Voters should be able to expect the Leader to enunciate a clear policy position which isn't at odds with the Party's actual position.

(Via http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/newman-vows-to-protect-farmers-against-csgs-spread-20110813-1irp6.html)