Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the multi-billion-dollar program to purchase new jet fighters for the Defence Force does not involve any "new spending" by taxpayers.

The Government has given the go ahead for the purchase of 58 more F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) at a cost of $12.4 billion - making it the nation's most expensive Defence asset.

Clive Palmer has declared the Abbott government's Direct Action policy is "dead", saying his Palmer United Party will use its numbers in the Senate to block the Coalition's policy to replace the carbon tax.

Mr Palmer said on Monday the controversial policy, which aims to reduce emissions largely through payments to businesses, was “hopeless” and would be "gone" if his party,  Labor and the Greens all vote against it, as they have previously indicated.

“It’s goodbye Direct Action,” Mr Palmer told Fairfax Media.

“It’s gone.”

Where do Easter and business intersect? Well, what about at greed.

According to Dr Brian Rosner, principal of Ridley Melbourne, an Anglican theological college, greed has been glamorised by the market economy and is a forgotten sin.

Maybe it's this that allows those Christians who are business people, economists and politicians to share their colleagues' commitment to unending economic growth and an ever-rising material standard of living.

From the SMH...

...

Three months later an opening arose when corruption allegations forced the resignation of the now jailed union boss Michael Williamson, who had been appointed to the State Water Corporation in the last days of the Labor government by treasurer Eric Roozendaal.

Mr Baird and then finance minister Greg Pearce signed off on the appointment of Mr Di Girolamo to a three-year $100,000 directorship of State Water Corporation.

''[Mr Di Girolamo] has legal and water sector experience,'' the briefing note to Mr Baird states. ''He is currently a director of Australian Water Holdings and Chairman of the Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry''.

from Crikey …..

In Tasmania, even crooks like Gay can run a business

I'm confused. A few weeks ago we were told in the West that people occupying government buildings in Ukraine was a very good thing. These people, we were told by our political leaders and elite media commentators, were 'pro-democracy protestors'.

For a long time I've thought that blogging is recording History for the Future. I've acted online that way for a decade now.  Even from my little corner of cyberspace you can watch the  changes easlily.  The people who love words (who also tend to put more thinking time into stuff) are finallly getting a chance to show the Merely Verbal Folk that their minds are on an equal level.  I see it daily in the bar, and love it.

By Michael Sauga and Anne Seith

From the Daily Mirror advert for TV Week, January 20, 1965...

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have touched down in Sydney with Prince George to begin their 10-day tour of Australia.

In a lengthy interview with Fortune published Thursday, media mogul Rupert Murdoch gave his thoughts on the 2016 presidential field.

Though he said he has “no settled thoughts at all” on the race, Murdoch admitted he’s “watching it with great interest.”

As Russian students were getting a wage for being studious back then in 1959, In Australia, the Abbott regime wants to burden students with more fees on their already hefty loans, to study at university. 

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University students should pay an extra fee on top of government loans to fund more enrolments, a review has recommended.

The MMMM is full of speculation about the age of pension which if I had it my way should be 60 or under (say 55) and give the young people a go at mucking things up.