Queensland parliamentary speaker Ray Hollis has spent four days in New Zealand while apparently too sick to attend parliament ... Surely if you're too sick to come to parliament, you're too sick to fly to New Zealand Hollis busted in overseas jaunt - Google: Speaker's NZ trip 'doesn't look flash'
Eye on Politics & Law Lords: LESSON IN POLITICS: Reid calls president 'loser'
In the course of a discussion on filibusters and Senate rules, Washington's top Democrat gave the 60 juniors a lesson in partisan politics, particularly about the commander in chief. "The man's father is a wonderful human being," Reid said in response to a question about President Bush's policies.
• Harry Reid's BIIIIIIIIIIIG Mouth - A Real Charmer — Why don't politicians ever learn [Susan Vinella of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reviewed spending records from Ohio’s largest Head Start agency to find “executives and board members spending tens of thousands on meals, trips and gifts. Head Start bosses pile up trip expenses ; This is so dumb - Kevin Francois gave up his lunch break to talk to his mother, but it ended up costing him the rest of the school year. Francois, a junior at Spencer High School in Columbus, was suspended for disorderly conduct Wednesday after he was told to give up his cell phone at lunch while talking to his mother who is deployed in Iraq, he said. Mother's call gets son in hot water ]
• · Peter Costello has mustered enough bastardry in the past to get his way. But if he wants the top job he will have to be ruthlessWho does he think he is? ; ATO ties EDS to $80m saving; Democratic Suicide
• · · “ANZAC Holiday Issue” (22–25 April 2005) of The Australian Financial Review, headlined “ATSIC court tactic sets precedent”. It reads, in part (it’s not available online, as far as I can see): The federal government has made legal history by obtaining orders from the High Court allowing it to sue itself The Commonwealth suing itself ; Where does the buck of responsibility stop? It was a hot and humid February morning when Vivian Young dropped her five-year-old son at the childcare centre inside Brisbane's City Hall. Deported mum left toddler behind
• · · · Jennifer Dixon and Victoria Turk of the Detroit Free Press used state campaign finance records to show that “Michigan legislators have dipped into campaign cash to buy cars, jewelry, expensive gifts and entertainment in possible violation of federal tax codes.” Campaign cash buys flash and fun ; Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette spent two months delving into the finances of the Pittsburgh Pirates, owned by a private company, to project “that the Pirates will make a $12.8 million profit in 2005.” Pirates' profit is there, but where is it going?
• · · · · Carolyn Tuft of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch used Missouri’s Open Records law to obtain documents showing that “TV evangelist Joyce Meyer and her family have received millions in salary and benefits from her worldwide ministry in recent years.” Meyer received millions, records show ; In the court of public opinion, Mike Rann has tried and convicted Adelaide's legal fraternity as "well-heeled", "enemies of the state" and a snobbish, closed-shop club No learned friends of the Premier
• · · · · · Hostages held in prison siege ; Mobile phones seized from the Bali Nine helped lead federal police to make the first Australian arrests yesterday, with four people accused of at least three previous successful heroin runs into the country Four more join Bali Nine ; 'Attack shows testimony was no joke'; Adieu to Rene Rivkin, a 'big man' with bigger demons