Monday 29th of April 2024
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wooing....

wooing

TONY ABBOTT'S hopes of encouraging the federal independents to switch sides before the next election have taken a blow, with Rob Oakeshott saying he will not be attending any more weekly meetings with the Opposition Leader because of the Coalition's ''personal attacks''.

The final straw for Mr Oakeshott was an address by the shadow treasurer, Joe Hockey, at a function in his electorate on Friday night for a NSW state National Party candidate, where Mr Hockey delivered a message on behalf of the radio announcer Alan Jones that ''a vote for an independent is a vote for Labor''. Jones pulled out of the event at the last minute due to illness.

Mr Hockey also reportedly told the meeting that Mr Oakeshott's decision to side with Labor was ''the most disappointing thing'' about the outcome of last year's election.

''I think the Coalition is revealing that they aren't interested in 'wooing' the independents at all. They probably never were, and they probably never will be,'' said Mr Oakeshott, who informed Mr Abbott of his decision on Monday.

''They are engaging in a very personalised attack. They are really going for the jugular. Now, it's fine if they want to pursue that strategy, but they shouldn't pretend they are wooing us at the same time, that they are trying to be constructive, and I told Tony Abbott last night that until this situation is clarified I don't see any point in continuing with the weekly meetings we have been having.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/oakeshott-abandons-meetings-with-coalition-after-hockey-attack-20110222-1b45i.html

remember when...

Rob Oakeshott pulls out of bid to be Speaker following meeting with Tony Abbott

 

Mr Oakeshott withdrew his bid after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott aired his concerns in a meeting yesterday.

He now hopes the Coalition will put forward a speaker to make the role more independent from the Government.

He told ABC Radio today he didn't believe the Coalition's problem was genuinely around legal and constitutional issues.

"If it is a political issue, I come from an area of Australia where people look at each other in the eye and tell the truth," he said.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/rob-oakeshott-pulls-out-of-bid-to-be-speaker-following-meeting-with-tony-abbott/story-e6freuzr-1225926952748

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coalition black hole...

Julia Gillard has launched a counter-offensive in the carbon tax debate, citing figures from a Government-commissioned review that show a "black hole" of at least $20 billion in the Coalition's direct action climate policy, along with a large increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

The Coalition's plan is geared around offering industry incentives to cut emissions and disincentives to increase them.

It is designed to meet the bipartisan target of reducing emissions to 5 per cent below 2000 levels.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt has argued for such a program for several years and claims his scheme would be easier on consumers' hip pockets than the carbon tax and cap-and-trade plan offered by the Government.

The review, prepared by the Department of Climate Change and released today, contradicts Mr Hunt.

It estimates the Coalition plan would force Australia to spend an extra $20 billion buying international carbon permits and would be costing households an extra $720 a year by 2020.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/02/3152959.htm

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Meanwhile at economic envy of the world central...:
Australian economic growth picks up pace at end of 2010


Australia's economy has picked up pace in the fourth quarter of 2010, despite some of the worst flooding in the country's history.

Gross domestic product rose by 0.7% in the October to December period, up from 0.1% growth in the previous quarter, the statistical office said.

That pushed the full-year growth rate to 2.7% in 2010, which is in line with initial forecasts.

Analysts said they see growth accelerating further this year.

Full impact

However, they warned that the first three months of 2011 may prove difficult as the full impact of flooding in Queensland and Victoria sinks in.

"You are getting off to a soggy start and a big rebound in the second half," said Stephen Walters of JP Morgan.

He added that the pace of economic growth will pick up so quickly that it is likely to force interest rates higher.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12605475

deals fulfilled...

 

Mr Oakeshott said he has stopped taking medication because the disease was now under control.

Medical references say the condition is treatable and not life threatening but incurable.

The MP said it has not stopped his interest in keeping fit.

He hoped to take part in an ironman triathlon in his home town of Port Macquarie, which takes in a four-kilometre swim, a marathon and a 180-kilometre bike ride.

Mr Oakeshott said he had no regrets about his decision to support Ms Gillard. ''Both leaders are more disliked than any political leaders in the past 20 years,'' he said.

''I get constantly tested about why I backed Gillard.

''Whenever I'm asked [in the electorate], I respond by saying, 'So you want me to go with Tony Abbott?' And they say, 'no, no, no.'''

He said both major parties lacked a base of supporters and were culturally hollow.

However, Labor had so far met all the terms of its deal with him, Mr Oakeshott said, including action on climate change and delivering hundreds of millions of dollars to his electorate.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/oakeshott-i-have-been-suffering-from-an-autoimmune-disease-20120512-1yjet.html#ixzz1uhv7y02V

 

See toon at top....