Is the situation better at the state levels? Most of the parliamentary committees have been politisized to a larger extend than ever before. It is a political trend not even the most powerful forces in democracy can stop - not even Flatlines ... So huge compliment to Gerard Ryle and Lisa Pryor for compiling a timeless read for future generations How a burgeoning political machine evolved
Millions of taxpayers' dollars have been wasted on more than 70 parliamentary inquiries whose recommendations have been ignored and left to collect dust. A Herald investigation has found that the Federal Government has not replied on time to a single public inquiry out of the 62 it has ordered in the House of Representatives since December 1998. It has given no reply at all to almost half of them. Democracy denied
Australia's darkest chapters: the brutal mistreatment of about 500,000 children in orphanages and children's homes We were given hope, and we got nothing
Eye on Politics & Law Lords: From the Bottom-of-the-Harbour to Out to Sea Tax
To some with a sense of history, this week's events hark back to the 1980s, to the days of the notorious "bottom of the harbour" tax schemes, and to the 1990s when mass-marketed agribusiness and film schemes were all the rage
The bottom-of-the-harbour tax schemes were a murky affair, deliberately designed to avoid company tax by stripping a company of its assets before tax was payable, or using another company as the entity which became liable for tax but ensuring it never had sufficient assets to pay money owed. These were closed down by legislation.
• Dodgy schemes are destined to fail with our intolerant taxman [The national law firm Deacons is preparing to attack the Tax Office in the Federal Court this morning over its raids relating to alleged tax haven promoter Philip Egglishaw Legal firm to sue over tax raids ; The blitz on tax havens and money laundering is already bigger than the bottom of the harbour investigations that shook the Fraser government Tax raids eclipse '80s blitz: minister ; *Crikey: Alex Mitchell's cracking Adler scoop ; How Alex Mitchell got the inside inside story on infamous corporate crook, Rodney Adler... ; Chapter and verse on a 'friendly' bio ]
• · He has been detained twice, firebombed once and defied the orders of the Soviet secret police and corrupt African warlords. But his tireless and sometimes dangerous activities are part of a mission he regards as sacred: to uphold the memory of his people and of the time when they were forgotten by the world. As a Jewish American whose family fled the Nazis and dispersed across the world, this vow is his birthright. Star of David ; Freed Australian hostage Douglas Wood has arrived in Melbourne in high spirits, saying it was "bloody good" to be home He's back: Wood arrives in Australia
• · · Remarks by Greenspan reflect concern that disparities in wealth may destabilize the economy Rich-poor gap gaining attention ; While pretending to help his children with their homework, Rodney Adler was secretly passing on instructions relating to his business ventures Today's lesson: the harder cell
• · · · Eugene Volokh (Law, UCLA) opines on evolutionary biology and religion, and Pharyngula correctly notes that most of the discussion is a tissue of confusions and mistakes. On Not Understanding Science ; Eighty Years After Scopes, a Professor Reflects on Unabated Opposition to Evolutionists Ruse on evolution
• · · · · Providing homes with electricity and heat from the sun is getting more buzz than it has in decades It's Getting Cheaper to Tap the Sun ; Good old Sir Bob, branded eBay as an electronic pimp and condemned the auctions as against the spirit of the event Geldof smartmobs eBay ; As the scale of Labor's victory became clear yesterday, the Chief Minister, Clare Martin, told reporters she had been given a mandate to push policies that included jailing habitual drunks who refused rehabilitation This is Labor's Territory, in a landslide
• · · · · · A secretary named Jenny Amner accidentally spilled ketchup on a Richard Phillips, a senior associate at the law firm Baker & McKenzie Executive vs secretary in case of spilled ketchup ; Blogging Iran, by Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation Democracy and Human Rights Front in Iran ; A former prisoner, Neil Heuston, claims his case for compensation, based on the proven corruption of the police officers who had him convicted, is being obstructed on technicalities Man fights for payout after 10 years in prison