Westy: Paddy Power: What’s the Scam?

 

APS staff told to avoid political activity: MP

PUBLIC servants have been wrongly told to avoid activity involving the Labor party, despite rules saying bureaucrats are free to participate in some political activities, local MP Andrew Leigh has told a senior official.

The Labor member for Fenner wrote to public service commissioner Peter Woolcott on Wednesday saying employees in some Commonwealth agencies had been advised, both formally and informally, not to seek internal offices in the ALP such as policy committee coordinators.

Public servants had also been told not to participate in Labor party policy development, or to attend the annual ACT Labor branch conference, Dr Leigh said in the letter. The advice contradicted guidance about the public service's code of conduct, which said Commonwealth bureaucrats may participate in political activities "as part of normal community affairs" and also join, or hold office in, political parties, he said.

Mr Woolcott responded saying membership of a political party was not, in and of itself, inconsistent with public servants' obligations. He also referred to guidance saying that there may be specific roles or agencies in which membership of a political party could give rise to a perception of conflict of interest or partiality.

In those circumstances, it would be a matter for the agency and the employee to carefully consider whether and how any such perception could be mitigated, Mr Woolcott said.

Policy preventing public servants from voicing political views ...

 

Michael West: We pledge the sacred oath to keeping the buggers honest on behalf of everybody, and it is you, our supporters, who are making it possible. A must-read this week about a mission to deceive Australians -  that is, the contribution which fossil fuel corporations claim to make to this country. Callum Foote has put the microscope over the mining lobby's assertions of high taxes, royalties and jobs. It's a mirage. The mostly foreign corporations get more in subsidies than they pay in royalties for our minerals.  Also, the world is winding back its spending on weapons while we are increasing our spending. This complements a story about the homelessness crisis. So, a question, what sort of people are we electing to office, people who look after foreign corporations at the expense of their most needy citizens? Elizabeth Minter's final in the infected blood scandal series tops off a big week, and there are a quick couple of "What's the Scam" items on tax dodgers Facebook and Paddy Power, the latter is now this country's biggest bookmaker. We pledge the sacred oath to keeping the buggers honest on behalf of everybody, and it is you, our supporters, who are making it possible. Thanks, and best from Michael and the Team!

 

Mining lobby cooks the books on royalties paid by Michael West   Read »     Fossil Fuel Fiesta: Australia’s coal and gas giants get more in subsidies than they pay in royalties by Callum Foote Australia’s fossil fuel miners and drillers may be receiving more in government subsidies than they pay in royalties. An investigation by Callum Foote lifts the lid on the transfer of wealth from the public to foreign-controlled resources companies.   Read »     Paddy Power: What’s the Scam? by Michael West So much punting went on during the Pandemic that the revenues of bookmaker Paddy Power doubled to $1.65 billion, leaving them with a frightful conundrum ... how to drum up another billion in costs, or otherwise - shock horror - they might have had to pay a lot of tax.   Read »     Cache Splash: Australia bucks global trend, ramps up weapons spending by Alison Broinowski The US and many of its NATO allies are cutting defence spending in preparation for economic reconstruction in a post-Covid world. Not so Australia, which is increasing its spending on expensive weapons that will not deter any potential aggressor in the slightest. Alison Broinowski reports.   Read »     Australia’a Crony Capitalism – Free Market Fantasies & the Invisible Hand(outs) by Michael West   Read »     More will be Given: home owners rewarded in budget as homelessness continues to surge by Jeff Fiedler Rates of homelessness are rising alarmingly, particularly among Australians aged 65 to 74. The government offered them nothing in the budget, in defiance of the Aged Care Royal Commission recommendations. Jeff Fiedler reports.   Read »     Facebook: What’s the Scam? by Michael West This is the company which once claimed it owned the word "book". It even pretended it was a "small company ... not part of large group". So you could be excused for thinking its financial statements are fiction.   Read »     Snakes and Ladders: stimulus schemes and debt skew economy as property prices rocket by Harry Chemay Are the raft of housing stimulus schemes, low interest rates and relaxed lending rules for banks playing well for new home buyers or playing into the hands of property developers, existing homeowners and bankers? Harry Chemay reports.   Read »     Australia’s weapons exports to human rights violators by Michael West   Read »     Mining lobby exaggerates taxes and royalties paid by $45 billion by Callum Foote The mining industry has exaggerated its contribution in taxes and royalties to Australian governments by an estimated $45 billion over the last 10 years. Callum Foote reports the findings of an independent research project by Michael West Media.   Read »

 

 

 

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