Trouble in Aus State Politics

horace wrote:wonder if ljh will be implicated....he and Arthur are very close...

theyre all politicians so theyre all corrupt. and likely to get away with it

must say I'd be shocked if ljh took a dollar

true. hes more likely to just look the other way when his pals are dipping their fingers in the till

like Ally Downer...he was minister when ASIS spied on the ETimorese when we were negotiating timor sea .... he now gets paid by Woodside - one of the major players in the Timor fields

most pollies I have known (from different sides) are honest and work hard...it is a miserable job

horace wrote:most pollies I have known (from different sides) are honest and work hard...it is a miserable job

And in other news, the Easter bunny will be arriving in a couple of weeks.

MoreLiberal figures reject calls for Arthur Sinodinos to step down while ICAC investigates Australian Water Holdings


Senior Liberal figures are rejecting calls for Assistant Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos to step down while the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigates Australian Water Holdings (AWH), a company linked to the Obeid family.

The investigation, codenamed Operation Credo, is looking at allegations that between 2004 and 2012 various people connected to AWH made corrupt financial gains by "adversely affecting the official functions" of the state-owned Sydney Water Corporation.

AWH was awarded a 25-year, $100 million infrastructure deal by Sydney Water in January 2012.

ICAC has heard Senator Sinodinos, a former chairman at AWH, stood to make $20 million if the company won a contract with the New South Wales Government.

At the time, he was the treasurer of the Liberal Party in New South Wales.

In a statement to the ABC, a spokesperson for Senator Sinodinos said he would attend the ICAC as a witness and "is looking forward to assisting the inquiry".

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says there is no need for Senator Sinodinos to step down while the matter is being investigated.

"I'm not going to give a running commentary on the inquiry that is currently taking place," he told RN Breakfast.

"Obviously these are matters that are currently being assessed and Senator Sinodinos is fully cooperating with the inquiry."

Parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister Josh Frydenberg said the senator was "a very valuable colleague".

"Arthur Sinodinos is a terrific person of the highest integrity," he said.

"These issues will be resolved through the normal channels."

The NSW division of the Liberal Party has said it has decided to cancel donations from Australian Water Holdings.

The party's acting director, Simon McInnes, said in a statement that more than $75,000 donated by AWH will be refunded to Sydney Water.

Labor backbencher Kelvin Thomson said the senator should step aside while the matter is investigated.

"These are very unsatisfactory arrangements," he said.

"It's clear that the Liberal Party understands that these are dodgy dealings.

"It's handed back the campaign donation it received as a consequence of the dealings.

"I think that it'd be in the best interests of the integrity of the system if Senator Sinodinos were to step aside."

The Australian Water Holdings story has been the source of much shaking of heads and gnashing of teeth in my organisation (which is responsible for Water & Waste Water services in the Knee of Syd).

AWH basically set themselves up as a law unto themselves back in the late 80s (under the Pinko Unsworth State Govt) to manage the northwest growth sector of Sydney, and have been ripping off the Govt deluxe ever since.

Great to see that ICAC is starting to unravel the snout trough.

interesting about water and corruption...the Vix Government is in trouble over its water taskforce (the Office of Living Victoria, unkindly known as the Office of Rip-off Victoria)

Apparnetly* Geoff Brock is going to support the Pinkos.

Amazing win for Labor.

I don't know how true this is but were the Libs $1.10 to win?

It's still a minority government isn't it?

Paul Keating wrote:Amazing win for Labor.

I don't know how true this is but were the Libs $1.10 to win?

Looks like the ALP were out to 25s before the election.

three tories just walked out of Parliament in the NT

inquiries into water industry rorts by tories in Vic

Can do Campbell gets a 21% pay increase in chipland

but at least Oz's best governing polly - Boofa O'farrell- has sensibly come out and criticised the Fed's bigotry is ok proposals

but at least Oz's best governing polly - Boofa O'farrell- has sensibly come out and criticised the Fed's bigotry is ok proposals

Aye.  The True Tories really don't like Baz but they are stuck with him as NSW Premier for another decade.

aye...the tory Premier here is not a bad bloke either...but he is being knifed by Kevin Andrews, Kroger et al from the tory right...libs are behind in the polls in Paradise Central

Napthine?  Is he the one looking to introduce free public transport in the city?

yep...a desparate bribe to subscribe...trams and trains are already sardine cans...there is little more rolling stock...the pinks have agreed the measure neutralising political advantage

...the electronic ticketing system - 'myki'- has been a typical transport dept disaster

Phuurrrt! Move the reasons for inner city transport problems out of them.

to outback chipland?

horace wrote:to outback chipland?

inner city "watermelons" would love that climate

horace wrote:three tories just walked out of Parliament in the NT

inquiries into water industry rorts by tories in Vic

Can do Campbell gets a 21% pay increase in chipland

and he organised an even bigger pay rise for the leader of the opposition!

lardbucket wrote:

horace wrote:three tories just walked out of Parliament in the NT

inquiries into water industry rorts by tories in Vic

Can do Campbell gets a 21% pay increase in chipland

and he organised an even bigger pay rise for the leader of the opposition!

Who stupidly seems to have accepted it.