Comment

Comment by Rory Donnellan on February 1, 2012 at 6:21pm

Not too long ago, politicians who could not hold firm to their convictions were called cowards. Unfortunately, nowadays, backing down from moral principals to appease a party majority has been somehow twisted into a virtue. Barnaby Joyce needs to tell Campbell Newman in no uncertain terms exactly where he can stick his gay-marriage agenda.

Comment by Rory Donnellan on February 1, 2012 at 10:19am

Thank you for affirming that you will not back down on gay marriage. Let's hope Barnaby Joyce shows similar resolve in refusing to back down on that score to get along with Campbell Newman.

Comment by Ian Macrae Yeates on January 31, 2012 at 10:22pm

It's amazing how when you are about to sign off a post is posted that is relevant in a striking kind of way.  Thanks for your clearly made point, George. If I could speak generally we have seen KAP receive a lot of publicity. I know it is a talking point in town (Toowoomba). However wise heads are saying that we have to be careful as the main objective is to achieve a change in George Street, yes?   Maybe Tony Abbott's best point (in his headland address at the National Press Club) was that the LNP was going to aim to do less but better.

Cheers,

Ian

Comment by Rob Messenger on January 31, 2012 at 10:19pm

           

This is the brief I'm referring to :

Queensland Parliamentary Library

              Research and Information Service

 

CLIENT INFORMATION BRIEF

For                                     Mr R.D. Messenger, MP         

Request                           Independent members voting in parliament

Date                                   21 December 2011

You requested a list of all occasions since May 2010 when LNP members have voted with the current Labor Government on a piece of legislation, and independent Members of the Queensland Parliament have voted against. 

 

 

Please note the following list is only those occasions where a vote has been recorded in the Hansard of the Parliament.

My research found 19 recorded votes, of which 16 were for legislation and three on a motion. 

 

Date	Legislation	Hansard reference
9 June 2010	City of Brisbane Bill	p.1930
9 June 2010	City of Brisbane Bill	p.1943
19 August 2010	Geothermal Energy Bill	p.2790
19 August 2010	Geothermal Energy Bill	p.2804
31 August 2010	Motor Accident Insurance and Other Legislation Amendment Bill	p.2917
14 September 2010	Ministerial and Other Office Holder Staff Bill, Integrity Reform (Misc Amendments) Bill, Public Interest Disclosure Bill	p.3170
15 September 2010	Ministerial and Other Office Holder Staff Bill, Integrity Reform (Misc Amendments) Bill, Public Interest Disclosure Bill	p.3330 – twice
16 September 2010	Ministerial and Other Office Holder Staff Bill, Integrity Reform (Misc Amendments) Bill, Public Interest Disclosure Bill	p.3413
16 September 2010	Ministerial and Other Office Holder Staff Bill, Integrity Reform (Misc Amendments) Bill, Public Interest Disclosure Bill; cognate debate	p.3422
24 November 2010	Motion: CSG Industry	p.4287 – twice
11 May 2011	Electoral Reform and Accountability Amendment Bill	p.1420
12 May 2011	Motion: Nuttall, Mr GR; Finding of Contempt and Fine

Comment by Rob Messenger on January 31, 2012 at 10:17pm

George,

You still haven't addressed the issues in my letter. Instead you quickly resort to personal attack,( common tactic with Labor) with out any effort being put into addressing the facts i.e. the parliamentary record shows that the QLD LNP have been taken over by the Liberals, and consequently votes in the parliament have been harmfull to country QLD.

Have you seen the research brief which shows how the independents took a stand and voted against Labor policies and the LNP crossed the floor and voted with Labor 19 times... its in the official record of parliament.

I compromise many times, but the media don't report on that. It doesn't sell papers. Have a look at "suffering in silence" ( visit my web site www.robmessenger.com and click on the top LH icon) before you starting accepting the Labor and LNP lies.That will explain why I was sat in the naught corner and how the LNP and ALP couldn't give a dam about women's and children's lives being placed at risk at the Bundaberg hospital maternity unite.

However you are right in some circumstances I will not compromise.

When it comes to fighting for peoples and children's lives I will not compromise.

When it comes to protecting prime agricultural land ... I will not compromise.

When it comes to getting a greater share of the mining royalties for the Bush ( see WA Nats record ) I will not compromise.

When it comes to exposing the endemic corruption and waste... I will not compromise.

When it comes to returning land and fishing rights to farmers and fishers ... I will not compromise.

When it comes to opposing gay Civil unions and the slide toward gay marriage ... you are right I will not compromise... I guess you are right ... if the team is prepared to accept all those injustices ... then I won't be part of the team and I will speak out and up set those who are prepared to see those injustices continue.

How am I going to balance the books... A royal commission into political corruption will identify and help cut out the waste and theft of public money which is happening on a biblical scale.

How many Billions of dollars has gone missing ? Plug that hole and you're on the right track to balancing the books.

On UCG, fraccing and ucg should not happen on the 4.5% of prime agricultural land which is in QLD.The LNP and Labor are prepared to allow our underground water to be poisoned with a process which is dodgy and endangers food security.

1st policy objective of any responsible government - Food security

2nd policy objective of any responsible government - Energy security

Finally I'm still of the belief that politicians should put their people before the interests of faceless men and the men with money.

Comment by George Maxon on January 31, 2012 at 9:25pm

I don't think Barnaby and you see as eye-to-eye as you think, Rob.

For a start, despite the fact he is willing to stand up for the bush and be independent, he is still able to work as a team and maintain good working relationships. He is willing to sometimes compromise, which is something you can’t seem to do, in my opinion. When his party says “No, Barnaby, we can’t do that” He is willing to accept being overruled by the majority occasionally.

You have a poor working relationship with both houses of politics, the local council, local media, Queensland Health and most other government departments. Joyce is able to put forward his view, but also can accept being brought into line. You appear, in my opinion, to have a problem with being told ‘no’. It’s “Messenger’s way or the high way”.

It appears you aren’t even aware on Barnaby’s position on Fracking. He wouldn’t have even sided with you.

This is taken from the Australian and is his position on CSG mining

“Citing Mr Katter's proposal for a moratorium on new coal-seam gas projects, Senator Joyce said: "When Katter makes a statement he is careful enough not to go into the wider implications. So what I will be saying is, 'If you are going to shutdown CSG, Bob, how are you going to balance the books? Where is the money that these projects were going to earn supposed to come from'?" Senator Joyce said he would address the issues raised by Mr Katter, not dismiss them.”

So Rob, how are you going to balance the books? Where is the money that these projects were going to earn supposed to come from'? I'm against fracking as much as the next bloke, but I at least expect pollies to come up with something as an alternative.

It will be interesting if he does come to town and the journalists put this letter to him.

Comment by Rory Donnellan on January 31, 2012 at 5:32pm

I hope I'm not proven wrong, but I can't see Barnaby Joyce supporting Campbell Newman's gay-rights agenda. Barnaby would surely know that 2 bulls by themselves won't raise too many healthy calves.