...

A modern classic is pilloried hilariously here.

Abbott had visited Cardinal Pell. He didn’t want to be quizzed about it — so he simply lied.

But is this really a joking matter? There was a strong feeling when this happened that this was such a moral failing – to lie bare-faced to the camera – that Abbott was finished as a leadership contender.

That was six years ago. How times have changed.

This leaves one special class which is tricky to categorise:

“The leader of the party has my full and unqualified support.”

Assurances of loyalty to the leader by front benchers perhaps deserve a special category. Say, class I. (I for inevitable? Inbuilt? Inavoidable? ) They seem an inherent part of democracies with a firm tradition of cabinet solidarity. So should they count as lies when the leadership challenge eventuates? Awkward.

Categorising and counting the false statements by Australian leaders over the decades reveals some surprises. The Liberals have far higher numbers than other parties. Among prime ministers, Gillard’s numbers are lowest of all.

So why was she, more than any PM in living memory, pilloried as “Juliar”?

Early in the 2013 campaign, an editor asked a journalist to research the blatant malicious lies – Class F – by party leaders since 2007: Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Brendan Nelson, Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott, Bob Brown, Christine Milne and Warren Truss.

The journo reported back two disturbing findings.

First, the number was actually quite high – more than twelve – higher than either had expected.

And secondly — they were all from just the one leader. None from any of the others.

Does that sound believable?

Read more: http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/is-australia-run-by-compulsive-liars,6376

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell says he will resign over the evidence he gave at the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) yesterday.

Mr O'Farrell yesterday denied receiving a $3,000 bottle of wine in 2011 from Australian Water Holdings (AWH) executive Nick Di Girolamo. 

The Premier also said he had no recollection of a 28-second call made from his phone to Mr Di Girolamo around the time he was allegedly sent the wine.

This morning, ICAC heard that a hand-written note from Mr O'Farrell, thanking Mr Di Girolamo for the wine, had been uncovered.

Soon after Mr O'Farrell called a media conference in which he announced his decision to step down.

"I do accept there is a thank you note signed by me, and as someone who believes in accountability, in responsibility, I accept the consequences of my action," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-16/barry-o27farrell-to-resign-as-nsw-premier3a-live-blog/5393786

Barry, you could have done a Tony Abbott or a Peter Reith and claim it was an "oversight" thus all you had to do would be to repay the money!!!... and apologise... EASY...

But my nose tells me this could be the surface of an iceberg... In fact I believe the "hand written note" was already in the possession of ICAC but it held back and let you hang yourself — and you know it...

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Mr O'Farrell had demonstrated "integrity" by resigning over what he said was an innocent and inadvertent misleading of ICAC.

"We are seeing an act of integrity, an act of honour, the like of which we have rarely seen in Australian politics," he said. 

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-16/barry-ofarrell-calls-snap-media-conference/5393478

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Yes Tony Abbott would have fudge it big time, as we all know...

A former Public Transport Victoria (PTV) senior bureaucrat at the centre of corruption allegations has admitted he awarded contracts to companies he was involved with, knowing he would make a profit from the deals.

PTV project manager Barry Wells and his former colleague, Albert Ooi, are being investigated by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) for setting up a web of companies to which they allocated transport contracts.

Mr Wells told IBAC he wrote a number of sham quotes for transport projects he was in charge of assessing.

Four companies linked to him tendered for a particular project, and documents were falsified to make it appear that each bid was assessed properly, he told the commission.

Counsel assisting the commission Ted Woodward SC questioned Mr Wells about a contract to provide 39 bus stops at Point Cook in Melbourne's West, awarded to one of the companies controlled by he and Mr Ooi, Redback Civil.

"You knew that Redback winning that job would translate into funds coming back to you?" Mr Woodward asked.

"That is correct," Mr Wells replied.

Mr Wells told the inquiry he was surprised his links to the companies were not uncovered sooner, after several "red flags" were raised within the department.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-04/former-senior-bureaucrat-admits-to-making-personal-profit-ibac/5646056

Is Barry Wells a catholic? Why I am asking this stupid question is because he seems to be "contrite"... Contrition is the modus operandi of the religious sinners... except for Scott Morrison and Anthony Abbott...