Bracks Watch

Red Cross

2007-01-15T02:35:00.000+11:00

Dear Sir
I went to the Premier's website and nearly choked on the first three words: Open and Accountable. Since 1999 I have stuck the boot into Bracks about that phrase, lying, total silence and cover-up must be the Bracks mantra because that's all I get if they deign to answer.

[Brackswatch: Follows an email sent by the author]

This morning I talked with a woman from the Red Cross who was begging for money to aid her organisation. You remember who they are, they are the people running the BLOOD BANK. I told her that I was sorry I could not help her as I have been un-employed for twelve months and living off my savings. But what I did promise to her was to tear an extra wide strip of hide off your backside over this appalling set of circumstances. Organizations such as the Red Cross should not have to beg on the streets. Hospitals should not have to beg for money on the streets. People should not have to beg, demonstrate, threaten, plead or coerce governments to increase aid to these vital organisations. The only reasons why your government would ignore helping Victorian aid organisations is because you don't care. You only act when you can't stand the pain of the many fires lit and fanned under you to get you to move on an issue, of course, it's different when there is an election coming. I have often said to you about us living in the third world up here in the Yarra Valley, today my letter box confirmed my worst suspicions. A circular put out by the Adventist relief agency for a sale of used goods stated the PROCEEDS FOR EMERGENCY FOOD IN LOCAL AREA. Have you contacted Medicins sans Frontieres about manning the Warburton Hospital? You had best call in the RED CROSS as well and get them up here. What's Tammy Lobato doing about this? I can answer that - - - NOTHING, because all the money has been spent on a scrappable swimming pool. GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER.
Earl Downing

Guest Post: Peter King

2007-01-10T07:17:00.000+11:00

On the 29th of November 2006 a letter was published in the Whitehorse Leader newspaper regarding my experience at the Box Hill Hospital’s emergency department. Chief amongst the complaints were the long waiting times. I have since received a reply from the hospital and the Victorian Minister for Health which I find unsatisfactory and which I will be following up.

Of great concern to me were the letters in the paper the following week which appear to attempt to deflect this criticism by asserting that I shouldn’t have been at the emergency department in the first place and some went as far as to suggest that my actions were something akin to dole bludging or worse!

These respondents, some of who refuse to publish their names, not only appear to know more about my medical condition than I do but also appear not to have read my letter properly. I reported that I had a ‘head trauma’ and that this required an X-ray, a situation that any reasonable person would not consider a mere ‘cut’, ‘bump’, ‘lump’ or ‘bruise’ on the head. Further to this, I can also inform readers that Nurses-On-Call told me to go to an emergency department and that Box Hill Hospital concur with this decision after reading my original unedited letter. Finally my new GP, as I was about to board a plane for overseas, said on the telephone; “If you have any further problem, go to hospital” and not just “go to a doctor”.

Whilst I now understand the emotion that many people feel about criticism of our local hospital, I am not one that believes that doctors, nurses and hospitals are above reproach and I’m sure, given the Doctor Death scandal in Queensland (and others scandals), that many Australians would agree with me.

One of the many ironies that I see in the responses to my letter is that, by writing to the local paper, I was informing others of the long waiting times and, at the same time, informing them that there is an alternative in some cases. I mention that it cost me $40 to go to the Burwood HealthCare, ‘Name supplied, Blackburn’, not because I begrudge paying this but simply to let others know - particularly those who may not be able to afford the on-the-spot payment.

I was also motivated to write my letter because of the ABC’s Victorian Stateline program which criticized the long waiting list for elective surgery, the long delay in seeing a specialist just to get on the waiting list and, finally, the long waiting times in emergency departments. Indeed the triage nurse at Box Hill Hospital suggested to me that waiting times had worsened in recent months. This was something that was edited out of my letter along with the comment that, in my opinion, it was not the fault of nurses or doctors but what was happening was due to financial or political pressures. I have since spoken to a senior nurse about the crises in our hospitals and she agreed with me and further encouraged me to speak out by saying; “You know … one person can make a difference.”

Just as many of my detractors do not understand the purpose of an emergency department, which is sometimes called a ‘trauma’ or ‘casualty’ department by the way, some reacted to my use of the term ‘non-urgent patients’ to also suggest that my condition was not serious enough to be treated at the emergency department. My understanding of ‘non-urgent’ is anyone who does not have a life threatening condition requiring immediate attention and has to wait. I was speaking on behalf of all patients who have to wait for treatment in the emergency department.

After reading government documents, freely available on the internet, I have also come to the conclusion that there is clearly an incentive for hospitals to not only invite patients to use the emergency department rather than go elsewhere but also for the hospital to classify as many patients as possible in the lowest priority category. I have since discovered others who have experienced the same. Namely, after waiting far longer than the estimated time they decide to leave and only then are they provided with a viable alternative - Burwood HealthCare which has X-ray facilities on the premises. I did ask, when I arrived, how long I would be waiting and then for any alternative. I was given no viable alternative. By the way, Nurses-On-Call would not suggest an alternative and insisted that I go to the emergency department!

To illustrate the seriousness of the crises in our hospitals, I have a friend who spent eight hours on a trolley in Royal Melbourne Hospital with a wrist broken in six places. He was then told that there was no surgeon available to operate on him for three days! Clearly, he was considered a non-urgent patient. His comment to me was “I can’t believe that this is happening in Australia”. “Nor can I”, I said … “Nor can I”.

Peter King, Burwood

Guest Post- Lori McLean

2007-01-02T06:37:00.000+11:00

The Bracks Government thinks it is going to fix the rail problem to Werribee by adding another station near Aircraft Station called Point Cook.Why Point Cook when point Cook residents do not live near it.

The most sensible solution would have been to give Altona their own line back amd extend it to Point Cook therby allowing an extension to be built at a later date when The Werribee South District is opened up to development.THe Altona line could then come through from Newport as I used to many years ago before the Govt of the day decided to send the Werribee Rail around through Altona. To do laps of the Western Suburbs. By the way the line through to Altona is still a single line.Trains have to wait till other trains clear the station before they can travel through. The need for the rail to be electrified to The Werribee Racecourse would make more sense .

Then the residents of Wyndamvale and Manor Lakes and Westleigh Gardens would not have to come into Werribee and block up the roads and Have no where to park at the Werribee Station. This seem a little too logical for them to understand. Instead they are doing research on what the hold up is at Cottrell Street and what theyshould do about it. You know what they can do about it come here and talk to me and I will show them how they can save a whole lot of money on consultancy fees.

More complaints from the country

2006-12-31T00:30:00.000+11:00

Again from the Border Mail, this time from Lucyvale:

SINCE the fire holocaust, Premier Bracks has promised to provide more firefighters by sending them to university for four years to learn how to fight fires, but a better idea is to fully compensate the CFA volunteers, the real firefighters, as other states do.

Let the cattlemen back on the high plains; farmers are the greatest conservationists, keeping growth down, destroying weeds and getting rid of feral animals.

If too stubborn to do this, employ a great many more Department of Sustainability and Environment workers to work in national parks full-time, keeping rubbish down and tracks clear, not just two or three clearing walking tracks, as happens now.

The neighbour from hell fines landowners if all weeds are not obliterated, which are then re-sown by seed from locked-up land in national parks.

Why should it always be rural communities that suffer because of Premier Bracks’ city-centric government?

— LOUISE A. COULSTON

Watershed submerges Bracks

2006-12-30T10:13:00.000+11:00

From the murky depths has emerged a story that developed prior to the November State Election. Bracks secretly considered building a dam over the Mitchell River, despite publicly announcing his opposition to any form of investment in dams. A report predicted ecological harm to the river.

The double speak does not end there. Bracks also made moves to establish a desalination plant at Westernport Bay, despite criticising the plan on environmental damage grounds. The plant, used to generate political capital, has been hijacked by the Premier, and is now at the feasibility study stage with the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

"The Government is proceeding with investigations into desalination despite dire environmental warnings in the study, including: damage to seagrass in UNESCO-listed Westernport Bay; damage to fish stocks in the bay; and problems disposing of salty brine."

Independent MP Craig Ingram comments:

"It's a shock to me that they would be considering the comparison when up to now they have used it politically and ruled it out. My view is that it's not negotiable and environmental damage would be disastrous."

P.S. The Premier of Victoria does not have an official residence.

Federalising Water Flows? Bracks says no

2006-12-29T23:36:00.000+11:00

The Australian reports today that Steve Bracks has refused to discuss handing over cross-border water flows to the Federal Government, despite Victoria entering Stage 3 water restrictions from Jan 1 2007. “The states have patently failed over the years despite all of the warnings to institute practices and to build engineering works which would secure their long-term future" said Peter McGauran.

Bracks must fix gambling sector

2006-12-28T23:54:00.000+11:00

Ellen Whinnett comments on the history of the gambling shambles that has beset the Bracks government, reminding us it is not a problem that has emerged recently.

As previously noted, the extension of the Tattersalls license features large, and the potential legal action originating from Intralot for due process failure is also noted. An extended corporate law case, bringing sensitive documents into the public domain will be avoided at all costs by the Bracks government. Even if this means dealing Intralot in for a larger percentage than previously assumed.

A second action of note has been brought by a director of Tattersalls, Julien Playoust, who is claiming that former trustees (and now shareholders) who helped package the company for its float should be due a share of $35 million. There are damaging revelations emerging from this case, such as the lunch Steve Bracks had with David White, a former ALP health minister and consultant for Tattersalls through Hawker-Britton. Indeed, he apparently informed a meeting of Tatts representatives that the wheels of government could be greased in their favour.

This is above and beyond the issue of poker machine operations, separate from the lotteries monopoly discussed above, yet also involving Tattersalls, with Tabcorp joining in a cosy duopoly. Obviously involving other companies erodes profits, so the Tabcorp lobbyists will no doubt be working overtime to see things stay the way they are.

An Upper House enquiry would be a good starting point so that the entire process can be reviewed.

Note:
Have also included Blogger Labels for the most recent fifty posts to assist in navigating. So, if you want to read about a subject area, click on the corresponding word and the relevant posts will be displayed.

Bracks should listen to country people on fires

2006-12-28T02:41:00.000+11:00

A letter from Beechworth

HERE we go again, another summer another terrifying round of bushfires.

What will it take for governments to realise that ordinary country folk know what they are talking about when they say, if you insist on having all public land tied up in irrational parks this is what will happen.

Will someone tell Premier Steve Bracks that if you don’t have enough resources to keep hazards down in and around inhabited areas, stop creating more national parks.

We must insist that larger zones around private land abutting the “neighbours from hell” be of sufficient size (100m) to get bulldozers in to at least allow private owners to have a chance to save fences and assets.

The other advice would be to stop shutting up fire tracks; I have been told by firefighters that this is a great hindrance when trying to access fires.

The resources used to close fire tracks and put in huge humps and logs should be used for hazard reduction.

How much of our private land must be destroyed before the powers that be wake up that we can help save more assets by larger divisions between private and public land?

Perhaps if the surrounds of the Thompson Dam were to burn and the resultant silt were to invade the Melbourne water people would wake up and realise what country people go through after such huge fires and be a bit more wary of what and who they vote for.

WIN MORGAN

UPDATE- Mark Webster, also from Beechworth, writes about the changes that have occured over time with regards to fighting the fires.

Jackpot= Bracks mishandles gaming tender

2006-12-27T10:32:00.000+11:00

In this festive season, Bracks blunders may sneak under the radar of most. Not us, we're all eyes and ears.

News reports today confirm that the Victorian Lotteries licence granted to Tattersall's (operating games such as Tattslotto, Powerball and Oz Lotto) has been extended for a further year, following a botched review process, and the arrival on the scene of Intralot. This will represent an additional $1.2billion ($1,200,000,000) of income to the shareholders and trustees of "the man in the hat"from Victorian gamblers.

This is the second time that the Premier has asked the process of opening up the lotteries sector to competition. The committte appointed to review the who should be granted licences after the expiry of the Tattersall's one was given extra time to make a decision after "undisclosed probity concerns" emerged.

To compensate for the inconvenience, and the embarassment of a legal challenge into the license granting process, Bracks has apparently offered to give the Intralot a share of the state's gaming market, as well as allowing it to expand into Coles and Safeway supermarkets.

Goldfields waterlink just a Bracks pipe-dream

2006-12-27T09:16:00.000+11:00

The Country News reports that Steve Bracks is attempting to blame Canberra for his own mistakes in water infrastructure, demanding the Commonwealth pay out on its project, which links the water supplies of Ballarat and Bendigo, as soon as possible. Malcolm Turnbull is not having a bar of it, explaining that financial documents detailing the projects have not yet been lodged.

"Mr Bracks should reserve the sharp edge of his tongue for his own bureaucrats and get them to hurry up," Mr Turnbull said. "Victoria is dragging the chain. "The delay makes me wonder whether they have committed to this project without any detailed financial analysis at all."

Turnbull also explored the options that exist for Victoria, and each of the other States and Territories have in respect to future water planning:

build more dams
buy water from Goulburn/Murray irrigators
build desalination plants
recycle more water.

A belated Merry Christmas to our readers.

UPDATE The Sydney Morning Herald also has the story here, although with less colourful quoting.

Parliament, we hardly knew ye

2006-12-21T03:33:00.000+11:00

The Bracks government has opened the new parliamentary session by announcing that it will sit for "at least 50 days". As Paul Austin opines, this is subject to the Legislative Council sitting a number of Fridays "as required", and at a minimum will be 48 days, in the Legislative Assembly. The reforms make it very difficult for a Government to answer questions about its policies, behaviour and progress.

The other incident relates to the failure to release a report, detailing plans for a water exchange between the Latrobe Valley power stations and Melbourne. Although John Thwaites had proclaimed it released on the Stateline episode on the 11th November 2006, just over a month later the Deputy Premier admitted releasing only details:

At the time we released our central region strategy we released details of that project — details from the feasibility report. We indicated at the time that certain matters were commercial in confidence and were not appropriate to be released. This is a very positive proposal that deserves proper investigation, and that is what we will do.
Assembly Hansard 19/12/06 P.10

Team Brackswatch is very happy with the efforts of parliamentarians keeping the Government accountable, going as far as using their Maiden Speeches to attach Bracks Government policies. These include the Bernie Finn, former member for Tullamarine and now representing the Western Metropolitan Region, and Matthew Guy, representing the Northern Metropolitan Region. Greg Barber from the Greens is also worth watching, attacking a Bracks government on different issues.

A transport review post-election?

2006-12-13T18:23:00.000+11:00

Announced today is an investigation into Transport Infrastructure to be headed by Sir Rod Eddington (former BA CEO), so that the Bracks government can find the "correct mix" of public transport, acknowledging long term planning is needed for public transport.
In that case, why was this not a central part of election policy, and indeed, why has this report been started so late, when much of the development in the outer reaches of Melbourne, has already occurred?

Guest Post- Anon

2006-12-13T14:37:00.000+11:00

Just wonderful – Another four years for this do nothing government. Unbelievable. We desperately need more dams and roads but all this pathetic lot do is talk about it. I notice the government paid advertising is back on the radio full bore again. Last year they spent something like $290 million on that crap. I guess the high country people really appreciate Brack’s banning the maintain cattle men now. The extra fuel load in the bush the cattle would have eaten is helping them keep there mind off not having much water or the fact Brack’s lot are releasing lots of it into rivers to keep the greenies happy.Still there is one ray of sun shine in all of this I can say “Don’t blame me I voted for Ted for the next four years” assuming I don’t move North and escape. :-)

Lower House Swing

2006-12-13T13:02:00.000+11:00

When results are released for the lower house, Steve Bracks is expected to have lost six seats, five to the Liberals and one to the Nationals, after a 4.6% swing against the government. Ferntree Gully is the closest, with Nick Wakeling getting over the line by 27 votes. Although the increase in primary vote for the Liberal Party was minimal, the preference votes of Family First have come into play, especially in those outer eastern Melbourne suburbs where seats have changed hands.

Steve Bracks must be prepared to face more scrutiny from all parties for his decisions from now on. It Begins.

Hubris?

2006-12-13T12:47:00.000+11:00

Days after the election, Steve Bracks announced a rejuvinated Cabinet, which included the number two candidate for the Southern Metropolitan Region; Evan Thornley.
So confidant of Thornley's eventual election (which has been validated only today) Bracks made him a Parliamentary Secretary, with special responsibility for National Reform Agenda.
If this is how overconfident the Premier is now, we can only until next year to see how he turns out, for the worse no doubt.

Guest Post- John Modra

2006-12-13T12:31:00.000+11:00

Don Quixote’s cabinet

“His Ministers love nothing more challenging than chasing after something you can’t see.

Mr Bracks has every reason to feel nervous --as he was on ABC Friday night ; He’s done nothing to ensure his advisors are driving vehicles with an actual working history . He ‘s got plenty of cars, horses and jousting poles, but the cars are all in bits and the horses are only as willing as the tight reigns and the touting at windmills allows. More on http://thestockade.blogspot.com"

Guest Post- Lori McLean

2006-12-13T12:30:00.000+11:00

Why is this Bracks Government spending so much money on the Health system in the Eastern suburbs when the West are crying out for funding and not getting their share. Even the safest seat will fall in time . People in the West are sick of the neglect. One Hospital from Altona to Geelong. No Childrens Hospital in one of the largest growing areas in Victoria and the third Largest growth area in Australia.Where are the Dental Facilities not everyone has been born with a silver spoon in their mouth to afford to go to the Dentist. I see young men and women in the district with really bad teeth I feel for them as they can not afford dental health for themselves when they have young families. These young families are our future.Also they must be suffering terrible pain.

It is disgusting when we have politians on huge salaries and benefits for life when the backbone of the country is suffering.

Yes you going to but millions into fixing the mistake of the Geelong Ring road but I am sure people would rather have a better health system in the West. More Doctors. The one Hospital we have on many occasions has one doctor on in Emergency. This has been a problem for a long time . We were told it was fixed. Bull. Why are the ambulance continually on BY Pass. They must think we love travelling on the poor public transport to go to other suburbs to see Specialists who we cannot get in Werribee.WE have one diabetic Specialist here. He is so snowed under its incredible, To see a rheumotoligist you have to go to Footscray.or East Melbourne. Why haven"t we got these facilities here. This is were your 2030 plan is to build High density housing well what about some bloody services.
Lori McLean

An Upper House to Watch Bracks

2006-12-13T12:16:00.000+11:00

Reports in newspapers today suggest that the Victorian Legislative Council will not be controlled by a Bracks Labor Government. Instead, the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) and the Greens will hold the balance of power in the upper chamber, something that can only be good news for those wanting to see scrutiny of government. In addition to a revitalised Opposition, we can only hope that Steve Bracks is exposed for what he has done, or more likely, failed to do for Victoria despite having served as Premier long enough to have a Bronze statue outside Treasury Place, with John Cain jnr, Rupert Hamer, Henry Bolte and Albert Dunstan .

Brackswatch BIT

2006-08-25T12:32:00.000+10:00

Due to pressing commitments relating to the State Election itself, Brackswatch has not been updated in a long while. This said we intend to continue until 2010 to keep Steve Bracks accountable, regardless of the anonymous quips that flood our comment sections.
The battle has already begun.

Bracks Listens, Denies, Does It Anyway?

2006-08-21T23:20:00.000+10:00

Brackswatch received the following submission from a member of the public:

Some weeks ago when the Opposition suggested rail cars parks would become fee paying there where immediate denials from the Bracks government.

Seems however that exactly such a development may now be in the works for after the November election.

You will find this in the Connex contract via www.contracts.vic.gov.au

Franchise Agreement - Train - Public Release.doc

Section 10.6 Car parking page 93

a) Upon completion of the works in accordance with the Car Park Security Design Brief, the Franchisee may charge a maximum of $2.00 per day escalated by the CPI Multiplier each calendar year for use of a car park at the Stations where security works have been completed in accordance with the Car Park Security Design Brief.

(b) The Franchisee may submit a proposal to the Director to charge passengers intending to use the Passenger Services a reasonable charge (which shall be no more than the maximum charge set by the Director) for car parking spaces in addition to those required to be upgraded under paragraphs (c) to (g) where:

(i) the Franchisee can establish to the reasonable satisfaction of the Director that those car parking spaces are in excess of the number of car parking spaces at that Station at the Franchise Commencement Date and in addition to those required to be upgraded under paragraph (c) to (g); or

(ii) the car parking spaces comprise up to 50% of the car parking at a Station at the Franchise Commencement Date (provided that that Station is not the subject of an upgrade under paragraphs (c) to (g)) and those car parking spaces are:

(A) situated within a fenced area that has a boom gate controlling the entry to and exit from those car parking spaces; and

(B) staffed at all times on Weekdays when trains are scheduled to stop at the relevant Station (including for a reasonable time before and after the first and last scheduled train);

or satisfy other security requirements agreed with the Director.

A Cabcharge for Bracks

2006-08-14T23:30:00.000+10:00

The refusal of Steve Bracks to meet with Melbourne's Taxi drivers, and listen to their concerns regarding safety and conditions is shameful. Those who work the hardest to get us home, long after public transport has dried up, are being ignored. The Victorian Taxi Directorate (the industry regulator), the State Government must meet with the drivers and listen seriously. We must start to value those who provide a very important service to society.

UPDATE
How about this suggestion from our friends in Indianapolis?

Cops will be posing as cabbies in an effort to stop a deadly crime wave plaguing Indianapolis. Fifteen people have been killed in ten days. There's also been a spate of robberies, with taxi drivers being frequent targets. One cabbie was shot to death. So authorities say officers will be driving cabs, sometimes in uniform, sometimes in plain clothes.

REVEALED: How Bracks' Treasurer Brumby massages the numbers to hide up to two thirds of his taxation splurge.

2006-08-05T21:01:00.000+10:00

Bracks' Treasurer Brumby is using accounting trickery to hide the real magnitude of his tax increases on Victorian families and businesses.

Read the table above, which is from the Bracks Treasurer Brumby's latest State Budget and you would get the impression that Brumby is going to all lengths to keep our taxes low - after all, taxes are up only 1.9% according to the helpfully provided calculation in the right column, despite total revenue increasing by 4%.

Yet this analysis is deceptive, as Brumby is comparing the 2006-07 "Budgeted" figures with the 2005-06 "Revised" figures. The difference is significant. Whereas "Budgeted" figures are what the government planned, the "Revised" ones are what they actually did. In 2005-06, for instance, the Bracks government took 4.5% more tax than it had "budgeted" to. So when Brumby "budgets" to increase taxes by another 1.9%, the real increase, year-on-year, works out to 6.1% - significantly less responsible than Brumby would like to appear. Even worse, that's only the "Budget", who knows what "Revisions" Bracks' bag man has in store for us this year as well.

Victorians on the slow train to nowhere

2006-08-04T07:28:00.000+10:00

The ludicrous plan by Steve Bracks to improve rail links in rural Victoria has proven to be just that, ludicrous. Like any Bracks plan, on the surface, this new timetable looks pristine.

Nine minutes saved travelling to Traralgon,
Ten minutes saved travelling to Geelong,
Seventeen minutes saved travelling to Bendigo and
Twenty-three minutes saved travelling to Ballarat.

Unfortunately, as you dig a little deeper, you find that only 6 services daily out of 160 will be able to deliver time savings as measured by the Bracks Government.

An express service on the Traralgon line has been dumped, adding 11 minutes to each journey.

For $750 million, over time and overbudget, Victorian taxpayers have a right to feel like the wheels have fallen off public transport infrastructure. Another $550 million is planned for new trains.

Update
If only Terry Mulder was as quick as Brackswatch in being critical of Steve Bracks.

BALLARAT'S civic leaders would have preferred the State Government invested in health services, police resources and water storages ahead of a faster train service, according to Opposition Transport spokesperson Terry Mulder.

Mr Mulder said the new V/Line timetable, which was unveiled by Premier Steve Bracks in Ballarat on Wednesday, proved the government's $750 million investment in regional rail had been a "total waste of money".

Bad Boys, whatcha gonna do when they don't vote for you?

2006-08-01T10:34:00.000+10:00

Lose marginal seats in the south eastern metropolitan region it seems.

Paul Mullett, who always has an opinion, will lobby the Bracks Government for a 15% pay rise over the next three years. Should this fall through, or if Tim Holding decides to play the dangerous game of industrial politics, Michael Davis suggests that the effect could be significant.

The River Runs Red, Bracks Takes Falls

2006-08-01T10:22:00.000+10:00

After seven years in power, Bracks and his environment minister John Thwaites must take responsabilty for failing to clean up the Yarra.

THOUSANDS of E coli organisms are flowing into the Yarra River, pushing the number of bacteria up to 70 times higher than the recommended safe level.

Only one testing site along the river between Millgrove and the city in the latest survey had an average reading below the safe level.

Data released by Melbourne Water this month showed the highest reading in the Yarra was at Warrandyte, with 14,000 E coli organisms per 100ml. The recommended safe level for swimming and other water sports is 200 organisms per 100ml
(From the Townsville Bulletin).

For the recreational users of the Yarra River, the situation is out of control.

Bracks' Social Agenda Clear as Mud

2006-07-28T06:51:00.000+10:00

This morning's Age confirms what many have suspected: Bracks will not go to an election openly advertising his social policies.

His most clearly defined position regards euthanasia;
"I'm not predisposed to support it." He then goes on to harp on about how health, education, public safety and the environment are the main focuses of policy. Clearly already predisposed to electioneering, and trying to shield his personal view with the comfortable surrounds of his party's achievements.

Next comes abortion, and again, it's a dodgefest. Trying to get an answer out of Steve is difficult.
"Well, I will reserve my judgment on that matter until a matter is brought before the house. I've said in the past that that's a matter that I'll reserve my judgment on."
[...]
"Well, people know what the party platform is. If there is a vote in the Parliament, it's obligatory on our party that it's a conscience vote and it'll be determined on the matter not of party policy obliging a vote. If the matter comes up before the Parliament, it'll be an individual vote of each member of Parliament."
[...]
"I said I'll reserve my judgment on that and I'll assess that on the evidence at the time."
[...]
"Well, our Government will decide that matter depending on whether we are returned at the coming election."

Civil Unions for Homosexuals? Not for Steve, or aren't they?
"Well, it's not part of our policy and we haven't had a policy on that matter."
[...]
"Well, it's not a policy that we have a defined policy on."

Finally, Condoms in Prisons?
"We'll examine it very closely. We'll take that matter up in relation to the evidence and examine what the evidence is about diseases which are able to be transmitted being there when someone is put into prison, before they get into prison." [...] That is really a telling matter which we'll need to take some further evidence on."
[...]
"We'll make the judgment when it's appropriate, as soon as we receive the objective evidence on that matter."

So much like the other, Labor I might add, State Premiers, Bracks has become a thin cut out standing for little more than the policies his party has already advanced. His personal opinions matter little in the development of policy.
Bracks has become a puppet of the Victorian ALP Machine.

Brack's Priorities: Protecting Fruit Bats?

2006-06-29T00:02:00.000+10:00

Do fruit bats really deserve to be a State Government priority? At a time when violent crime is on the increase [See Border Mail: Violent crime on rise] and links between senior police officers and underworld figures are rumoured [See The Age: Police officer defends his property links] you would think that Bracks could find something better for the State government to do than prosecute silly teenage boys for endangering fruit bats [See The Australian: Teens reprieved over 'bat gun'; The Daily Telegraph: Bats no match for fruit bazooka].

Citizen Brackswatch

2006-06-27T21:33:00.000+10:00

Team Brackswatch made a trip into the Lion's den on Sunday, visiting the State Parliament as part of its open day, coinciding with the 150 Years Celebration. Arriving promptly at 11am, we found an orderly queue of the electorate waiting for their chance to enter. Having cleared the very light security detachment, and the annoying VEC fellow who tried a little too hard to explain the new upper house boundaries,
To the green house, where we sat in the seats of do-nothing backbenchers like George Seitz "is mine for life", we did run into Judy Maddigan in the corridors, looking very proud.
Brackswatch was very suprised at the size of the ministerial offices, as Tim Holding and Co have little room to swing half, let a full cat, aroudn their workplace. Afternoon drinks at the Imperial Hotel followed.

2006-06-27T20:54:00.000+10:00

After a brief soccer related hiatus, where rankings moved in opposite directions to Australia's form, Brackswatch returns with a series of gaffes, reminicent of the Ernie Eels Incident.

One was confusing Bert Newton, a doyen of television, for some guy called Bob Newton, possibly confusing him for same Bob in Chesire, who is a police desk supervisor.

The other was confusing Socceroos Superstar Harry Kewell, for his on field persona, Harry Cool, although Cool did lose it when he launched a verbal barrage at official Markus Merk.

Finally, too busy spruiking the Victorian in Geoff Ogilvy rather than his extrordinary performance at the US Open, he called him Peter.

Would Steve Remember Your Name?

100 Post Mark:Brackswatch Continues

2006-06-06T14:09:00.000+10:00

This marks the 100th post since the inception of Brackswatch quite some time ago, the fifth of March last year. Rest assured that we will continue to keep Steve accountable for his mistakes and spin, which is only going to get worse as we approach November 25th.

In other news, we have been informed that our Wikipedian friends have removed the link from Steve Bracks' page to here. I wasn't even aware that we were linked in the first place.

Bracks Anointed Syrian Conspiracy Theorist, Informer, Polygamist For Legislative Council

2006-06-04T12:11:00.000+10:00

The Herald Sun revealed today that Khalil Eideh, an ALP candidate for a safe upper house seat, is a Syrian informer (that's a polite word for spy), conspiracy theorist (he informs his government of the "Zionist" threats in Australia), and polygamist (he has a second wife in Syria). [See Herald Sun: Labor man admits support for tyrant].

[More at The Other Cheek]

Bracks counts eggs before they hatch: Snowy Sale Off

2006-06-03T01:21:00.001+10:00

Steve Bracks has found a black hole in his budget following the scrapping of the Snowy Hydro sale. Relying on the sale as a certainty was a mistake, as there are no guarantees in privatisations. The Age advises Victorian to not believe the claims of the Bracks Government, that it will be business as usual. Promised funding to schools (to the tune of $600 million) will not eventuate in the time given.
More from The Daily Telegraph, The Advertiser and the Herald Sun.

Transport Wrap

2006-05-18T11:20:00.000+10:00

Cities cannot survive on promises
If wishes were horses, then beggars could ride. Since the Bracks Government was elected in 1999, Victorians have been presented with lots of transport plans to improve the liveability of Melbourne through promises to improve the public transport system.
The plans aren't a serious attempt to confront Melbourne's transport problem. They are wishlists designed to present an impression that the Government is seriously tackling the issue.
After seven years, the voter is entitled to look to the Government's record rather than take on trust its promises for the future.

For the most part, the transport plan seems to be fairy floss wrapped around the decision to funnel more traffic onto CityLink via the proposal to spend a billion dollars on the Monash-West Gate corridor.

Stance on new roads takes a toll
No government wants to announce new tolls just six months out from an election. But Premier Steve Bracks' decision to stay away from tolls means that no significant new road projects are included in his $10.5 billion transport blueprint. Tolls could build many desperately needed roads, such as a tunnel between CityLink and the Eastern Freeway and the Frankston bypass, and finish the Ring Road from Greensborough to Ringwood.

But the Bracks Government was determined that no new tolls would be announced.

Integrated transport system will solve all?
During the next 25 years, growth will continue, with the state's population expected to increase by 1.2 million people, with more than one in four of those new Victorians settling in provincial Victoria.This growth is placing a severe strain on the transport system, creating severe road congestion and stretching peak-hour public transport to the limit. Saddled with an outdated public transport system designed to take people only from A-to-B (the suburbs to the city) rather than A-to-Z (the suburbs and the regions to anywhere and everywhere), the majority of working families have been now forced to use a second car. This stretches family budgets and congests arterial roads across the state.

All aboard for a $10 billion ride
VICTORIAN drivers are being encouraged to give up their cars, with the Bracks Government pouring billions of dollars into public transport ahead of desperately needed new roads.
The $10.5 billion transport blueprint unveiled yesterday is skewed firmly towards public transport, with two-thirds of the money earmarked for hundreds of new buses, trains, trams and rail upgrades. Just one-third of the money will go on road projects, with the widening of the Monash and West Gate freeways the main relief for frustrated motorists.
There will be no new roads, bridges or tunnels.

RACV tips rocky road
RACV general manager of public policy Dr Ken Ogden said there was much missing for roads.
"While there is a lot to like in the statement, we are very disappointed there was no commitment to the completion of the ring road between Greensborough and the Eastern Freeway, nor the Frankston bypass," Mr Ogden said.

"These are critical projects, and it is inconceivable that a 20-year strategy has not recognised their importance. "The proposal for a reversible lane on the West Gate Bridge is only a short-term solution; and meanwhile nothing is proposed to solve the mess at the inner end of the Eastern Freeway."

The Public Transport Users' Association said that despite an extension of bus services, many Melburnians would still be in transport black holes.
'This statement is just the latest of a continuing saga of plans that have simply been regurgitated to provide endless re-announcements with very few tangible improvements," spokesman Alex Makin said.

A weekend to consider the future

2006-05-07T12:59:00.000+10:00

"Brackswatch notes the resignation of Robert Doyle as State Leader of the Liberal Party, and the sole cadidacy of Ted Bailleu for that position on Monday.

Steve Bracks remains Premier of Victoria."

The Age At It Again

2006-04-30T15:25:00.000+10:00

It's hard to believe, but the opinion writers in both versions of the Age have come to knock the Bracks government of late. The latest instalment, State cabinet looking old, complacent, by Jason Downling hits home on how Steve Bracks has failed, or lacks the confidence to, promote new blood into the higher levels of Cabinet.

Nine months out from the 2002 state election, the Premier reshuffled his cabinet as a "blueprint" for the future and to "strengthen the Government's focus". He should have done the same this time.

Instead, lame duck ministers who will either retire at the next election or are unlikely to retain their seats in cabinet will be selling policies to the public that they will not be around to implement or be held accountable for. The Premier has sacrificed renewal and accountability for an image of stability. As one senior Labor strategist observed last week, "we don't want the public thinking about change".
[...]
If anything, there has been a concentration of responsibilities in about six senior ministers, despite the cabinet expanding from 18 to 20 - a concern for a Premier looking towards a third term.
[...]
Does the Premier not believe any of his less burdened ministers were up for the task? Is the reluctance to introduce new blood into the cabinet a sign he has little confidence in his 15 parliamentary secretaries or his 51 backbenchers? How deep does this Government really bat?

Voters will have to wait until after the next state election to find out. Steve Bracks will be forced to make ministerial changes if he wins in November.

Brackswatch Tops Bracks

2006-04-28T17:15:00.000+10:00

Put Bracks Victoria into the Google Search engine, and the first two results belong to brackswatch, before a Steve Bracks release from October 05.

Report Targets Bracks, Bureaucrats

2006-04-28T15:23:00.000+10:00

A committee report, released out of parliamentary sesssion, has criticised senior public servants for awarding themselves bonuses, as well as the inclination for the Bracks Government to use public monies for advertising itself.

This reminds an amusing episode of Yes Minister, Doing The Honours, where the performance of senior public servants had nothing to do with their honours being presented; it was just a natural progression.

Jim Hacker: "When did a civil servant last refuse an honour?"
Bernard Woolley: "Well I think there was somebody in the Treasury that refused a Knighthood."
Jim Hacker: "Good God. When?"
Bernard Woolley: "I think it was 1496."
Jim Hacker: "Why?"
Bernard Woolley: "He had already got one."

Less amusingly, and more important, are the safeguards recommended to prevent the government selling itself. A series of advertising campaigns, 05/06 financial year had attracted "recurring political and media controversy", the committee said.

These include:

$122,000 on advertising a yet to be compelted Spencer Street/Southern Cross Station
(Exhibit 4.5 P143)
$135,171 telling Victorians about the different colours of number plates available
(Exhibit 4.4, P144)
$42,860 trumpeting the Bracks ban on cattle grazing in Alpine National Parks
(Exhibit 4.5, P153)

Bracks 1999 Giveaway Could Cost Taxpayers Millions

2006-04-27T13:39:00.000+10:00

Crikey has the scoop on how Steve Bracks' promise to increase the flows in the Snowy River to 21% by 2012 could cost Victorian taxpayers millions.

Bracksy had to make the promise because he didn't actually win the election, he only won 42 seats in the 88 seat lower house, compared to 43 held by the Coalition. As a result, 3 independent MPs, one of them Craig Ingram, held the balance of power. And Steve needed that balance of power. He really needed it. How else would people learn to remember his name, than if he became Premier? Destined otherwise to a life of anonymity, Bracks needed those votes to become Premier.

So he made the proverbial deal with devil and promised Craig Ingram, a new Independent MP from East Gippsland, to increase the flows in the Snowy to 21% by 2012. It didn't seem hard, it wasn't going to cost money, it wasn't going to make anyone angry, and it did establish some very nice shiny new Greenie credentials. So why not? 21% by 2012. After all, it's just water, isn't it?

Steve Bracks isn't the rain man though, he couldn't just get that water from thin air. It had to be taken from somewhere, or someone, or more particularly, Snowy Hydro, the generation part of the Snowy Mountain Scheme.

The same Snowy Hydro that today, Steve Bracks wants to sell. The same Snowy Hydro that tomorrow, might be suing Steve Bracks's bum in court for the millions of dollars it has lost. All because Steve Bracks didn't really win the 1999 election . . .

Brackswatch Ranked by Honor Network

2006-04-25T16:20:00.000+10:00

For the ranking of the month of April, Brackswatch has been placed at number 23 on the rankings of the Honor Network, for Libertarian & Conservative blogs in Australia and New Zealand.

Neo-Con: Brackswatch

2006-04-22T16:41:00.000+10:00

Neo-Con: Brackswatch
Our thanks for the link on your homepage, we will return the favour

The Age Goes To Town: The Undemocratic Premier

2006-04-21T10:23:00.000+10:00

Normally, Team Brackswatch tries its best to paraphrase, and sum up articles to make a point, because, like most, we think long diatribes are boring and drawn out. But Paul Austin's effort in The Age today has us collectively nodding our heads.
(Our Bold)

The contempt with which the Bracks Government treats the Victorian Parliament is something to behold. Trouble is, so few Victorians actually do behold it that the Government seems to believe it can get away with it.

The list of this Government's offences against the Parliament is long: it ensures the Parliament sits infrequently; when Parliament does sit, the Government seeks to ensure that the political "news" of the day happens elsewhere; and the one period of each sitting day when the public and press galleries are likely to be well populated, question time, is treated by the Government too often as its plaything and too rarely as a means of seriously reporting to the people on the activities of their representatives.

The list is hardly unprecedented, but the point is that Steve Bracks promised something better. During the 1999 election campaign, Bracks, taking the usual licence of opposition leaders, said of Liberal premier Jeff Kennett: "If he could pass a law to outlaw elections, the premier would do it . . . If he could close down the Parliament completely, rather than the least number of sitting days he has now, he'd probably do that as well. Imagine if he is re-elected with a big majority and what he'll close down next - not only no debates, probably no Parliament." A year into his term in office, Bracks was still talking up the ideal of a rigorous Parliament. Issuing a policy in October 2000 on "ensuring openness and probity in Victorian Government contracts", Premier Bracks said: "We believe that government is only doing its job properly if it allows the Parliament, the community and the auditor-general to scrutinise its activities and hold it to account."

But, as so often with this Government, the fine words were not matched with firm actions. In the election year of 1999, when Victoria was ruled by that anti-democratic Mr Kennett, the Parliament sat for 37 days. In this election year of 2006, with Victoria ruled by that champion of democracy Mr Bracks, the Parliament will sit for 38 days. Opposition Leader Robert Doyle, unsurprisingly, accuses this Government of paying lip service to parliamentary democracy. But his argument is backed by figures showing the Parliament sat for 15 fewer days during the first six years of Bracks than it did during the last six years of Kennett.

A "sitting week" for the Victorian Parliament means Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday only. A "sitting day" can be so short as to leave you wondering whether it was worth turning on the lights: on April 4 this year, the upper house convened at 2pm and adjourned at 5.23pm.

On the days when the Parliament does sit before lunch, Bracks often absents himself from the building during the morning to make the Government's good-news announcement of the day at a TV-friendly location. Then, during question time from 2pm, he arranges for a Labor backbencher to ask him a "Dorothy Dixer" question about said announcement so the Premier can bring the Parliament up to speed.

As for the idea that ministers should account to the people via the Parliament for the allocation of public money and the good governance of their portfolios - well, sometimes the very concept appears foreign to this Government. Space permits only one example, but readers inclined to trawl through Hansard (www.parliament.vic.gov.au) will quickly find others.

During question time in the lower house on April 4 (the same day as the upper house sat for a little over three hours), Opposition health spokeswoman Helen Shardey referred minister Bronwyn Pike to "reports that the Wangaratta area manager of Rural Ambulance Victoria was allowed to resign after it was discovered he had forged signatures to get jobs for unqualified mates". Shardey specifically asked Pike: "Why has this man still got a car owned by Rural Ambulance Victoria, and why are Victorian taxpayers still paying to put petrol in it?" Pike's "answer" occupied several minutes, but not once did she mention the area manager, or his car, or who was paying for his petrol. Even the (Labor) Speaker had to ask Pike after she resumed her seat, "Has the minister completed her answer?" Pike: "Yes."

It did not seem to occur to Pike that, while giving a brief summary of the recent history of the RAV and talking up the investment her Government had made in the service, she might have also said words to the effect that the questioner had made an allegation about serious misuse of public money and the minister would have her office or department investigate immediately and would report back to the Parliament at the first opportunity.
Perhaps we should not be surprised that the Bracks Government is happy to belittle the Parliament. After all, this Premier has shown few signs that he regards the lifting of standards in public life as part of his brief.

Last month, when The Age revealed that Police Minister Tim Holding (among others) had been using his taxpayer-funded, chauffeur-driven ministerial car in a Labor Party preselection battle, some political observers thought this might be the subject of a rebuke, or worse, from the Premier. Not a bit of it. Asked his response, Bracks said through his spokeswoman, Alison Crosweller: "Ministers, along with opposition leaders and their deputies, have access to a driver and a car which can be used at their discretion. This is the case in all other states and the Commonwealth Government."

In other words, don't expect the Bracks Government to seek to set a good example on the use of ministerial cars, and don't expect Bracks to enforce higher standards on his ministers.

Steve Bracks doesn't lament the declining relevance of the Victorian Parliament. He contributes to it.

Update: WeekByWeek gives a mathmatical explanation of sitting days

Doctors' Exodus

2006-04-19T23:46:00.000+10:00

VICTORIA'S doctor shortage will worsen if the State Government fails to lift pay rates, medical authorities have warned.Australian Medical Association state president Mark Yates said unless pay increased, Victoria would lose doctors from public hospitals as they went interstate for better deals.

"Doctors are very restless in Victoria because of the lack of response that we have had from the Bracks Government," Dr Yates said.
Dr Yates said doctors in QLD and NSW were paid up to 56 per cent more than their Victorian counterparts.

Victoria has a shortage of some 900 doctors and this is expected to grow to 1500 by 2012, prompting the State Government to boost the number of medical students. However, the new students will not begin to fill the gaps until 2012, making action to attract and retain doctors a priority, Dr Yates said.

From The Age

Party Away Your Health Worries

2006-04-19T16:37:00.000+10:00

$450,000
Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars

Thats how much Steve Bracks and his government have spent to celebrate the opening of the new Austin and Mercy hospitals. Amongst the bill for Victorian taxpayers:

$15,000 for roving performers and stage acts
$9300 for muffins, danishes, slices and other refreshments
$15,000 for invitations and flyers
$46,000 for Health Minister Bronwyn Pike's Party

Tax Justice Association national director Peter McDonald puts it best:
"You don't need to have 20,000 people at something as a feelgood exercise: all you need is an announcement through the media and everyone will know the new hospital, or whatever, is open."

This isn't the first time that Bracks has used big events to soften the pain for cost blowouts. From Victorian Hansard on 1 March 2006:
"Last April the Premier and the Minister for Transport had Max the Magician, Spaghetti the Clown and Thomas the Tank Engine selling the Spencer Street railway station redevelopment and the fast rail project at a party bash, a pathetic public relations stunt that, based on the good freedom of information work done by the member for Brighton — cost taxpayers at least $170 000, all for a one-day shindig. It was a ridiculous open day when nothing was in fact actually open."

also Railpage:
Despite the many thousands of dollars spent advertising the event, just 4500 people attended the day-long festivities at Spencer St Station in April. As well as clowns, face painters and rides for the children, the publicity stunt featured 10,000 balloons, ribbons, banners, stickers, audio-visual displays and two photographers to record it all.

The Bracks Government has spent $800,000-plus on parties and breakfasts to "sell" troubled major projects to voters and will spend about $5 million more on ads and events leading up to this year's election. Think of the money that could have been spent to retain Victorian doctors.

Special Mention...

2006-04-18T18:50:00.000+10:00

To our visitors from

Australian Parliament House server
(15:10-15, This afternoon)
The Victorian Parliament server
16:46-7, This afternoon)

It makes it all worthwhile for you guys to be having a stickybeak.

Victorians lose out in Bracks sports mania

2006-04-17T02:46:00.000+10:00

Kenneth Davidson has a good piece in today's Age, showing how Steve Bracks has overhyped the economic benefits of events such as the Commonwealth Games, and the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Bracks has apparently claimed the economic benefit of 1.4 billion people around the world "watching" the games, and seeing the new Melbourne logo broadcast. As Davidson points out:

The Indian broadcaster paid $543,000 for the rights to the Games and the Canadian broadcaster was reluctant to pay anything. The Ten Network's payment of $400,000 to Douglas Wood for an exclusive interview about his experience as a hostage in Iraq puts in context the value of this access to the people of the Commonwealth.

Davidson also points to Steve Bracks having the wrong focus on projects:
The Games village violates fundamental planning principles in relation to equity, access and environment. The netball and hockey centre and the competition pool are likely to become white elephants that will either be a drain on taxpayers or sporting associations. [...] The Government's sporting priorities, which put major events first, training elite athletes second and community sport last, should be reversed. Attending to the health needs of the population, particularly the young, should be the first priority of municipal and state governments.

Easter Sunday: A regulatory egghunt

2006-04-17T02:01:00.001+10:00

Three years ago, Steve Bracks introduced regulations to govern trading over the Easter period. These laws have prevented shops with more than 20 employees from opening Easter Friday and Sunday, as well as making Easter Saturday a public holiday. Travelling through Melbourne yesterday, the exceptions seemed to be the rule. Business excluded from the regulations include food outlets, hardware stores and regional festivals.

It raises the question of why large stores like Bunnings and Mitre 10 are allowed to open, yet their direct competitors in the form of Coles Myers' Kmart or Woolworths' Big W are forced to sit back and let the most popular time of year for DIY slip away.

Liberal SME shadow Bruce Atkinson has suggested:
[The bans] would be a joke if it was not so serious for retailers, consumers and holiday-makers throughout Victoria. Easter Sunday trading should be deregulated and the dud Minister, Andre Haermeyer, should be dropped like last year’s Easter eggs.

The Opposition has pledged to wind back restrictions on these trading laws.

Catching the fire, getting burnt: Bracks gets Religious Vilification wrong

2006-04-07T12:19:00.000+10:00

By introducing ammendments to the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 Steve Bracks has recognised his own law is unsustainable. The Christian churches have rejected the changes, saying they are "woefully inadequate" and don't go far enough to enable free speech.
"The battle is joined," Presbyterian Church of Victoria ethics convener David Palmer said. "They've said what they are prepared to do, and it falls so far short."

And from the Bracks spokeswoman, conceding the legislation was flawed.
"No legislation exists in a vacuum. It's always being improved. We never get it right 100 per cent at the time. It was a matter of waiting for case law, and we have it now," she said.

Reader Mail

2006-04-04T11:20:00.000+10:00

Steve Bracks is one of the best premiers this State has ever had. He is a far better leader, and it much more intelligent than Robert Doyle and the opposition. Is this state is so much turmoil that you would slam Steve Bracks all day? We have just had a hugely successful commonwealth games, which will boost Victoria's tourism, therefor bringing in money to our community. Because of Steve Bracks and what the state govenment has done, our capital Melbourne was voted the worlds most livable city. He must be doing a terrible job...

Submitted by author@deakin.edu.au 27 Mar 2006 16:49

We take all submissions to Brackswatch seriously, but this one was a little overdone. The very point of Brackwatch is: WE DON'T LIKE BRACKS. Let's expand a little:

one of the best premiers this State has ever had: Is he really? Once you take out Kennett, Bolte and Hammer he might be still be surpassed by the likes of Cain and Kirner. Let's not confuse incumbance with greatness.

more intelligent than Robert Doyle and the opposition: Bracks may be politically savvy (remember the Teflon Premier?) but that doesn't make him intelligent. See all stories on Brackswatch for more. Nor do I think that Bracks is more intelligent than the entire Liberal party room. Bracks has people to help him too.

Is this state is so much turmoil that you would slam Steve Bracks all day? I can answer that one easily. You need only scrawl through the pages of this site, and other sources of news to see that there are problems with Bracks. Hence Brackswatch. Gentle Deakinite, you may be happy to go with the flow and agree with everything Bracks does. We don't. As for all day, I don't spend my day running this website, it is a collective effort. Even between us, we don't go all day.

hugely successful commonwealth games: Bracks was elected in 1999, three years after the 2006 bid was made by the immediate past premier (IPP). Said IPP was always big on major events such as the Grand Prix, the (sadly departed) Heineken Classic, International Cycling, Gymnastics, Fashion, Swimming the list goes on. This reputation was created by the IPP, and the PP (Present Premier) has ridden on the coattails of greatness.

boost Victoria's tourism, therefor bringing in money to our community. There are no guarantees when it comes to money coming into our community. Many country people would argue they've been given short shrift by Bracks for not getting their fair share. Country Victoria is still part of his electorate and our "community", lest Bracks forget. Building activity in Victoria also faces a slump, in spite of the games.

our capital Melbourne was voted the worlds most livable city: Unfortunately no longer, Vancouver is the most liveable city. Melbourne is still one of the most liveable.

He must be doing a terrible job...YES!

Games Security Blowout: Safe but not Sorry

2006-03-28T20:51:00.000+11:00

In amidst the backslapping amongst the M2006 Organisers, the Bracks Government and the rest of the country for a games achievement; Steve Bracks has admitted overspending on security by $70m. The government has conveniently remained under its self imposed spending cap of $697m by not including these additional costs. It's the kind of shifty accounting first year Commerce students learn, or that employed by Enron's smartest guys in the room.
It's fine that this move will not breach limits for specific Games spending, but in the end, taxpayers still pick up the bill. Victorians deserve better than Bracks.

Bracks Rorts Bush Of Representation

2006-03-26T11:54:00.000+11:00

In yet further proof of the disregard in which the ALP holds country Victoria, preselections for the three country upper house regions (Western, Northern and Eastern) have resulted in all winnable positions being allocated to Melbourne based ALP hacks [See The Age: Danger flagged for ALP in bush.

The six urban Laborites sent out to colonise country Victoria are Melbourne-based union officials Jaala Pulford and Gayle Tierney in Western regionl; the Housing Minister and Member for Broadmeadows Candy Broad and the member for Melbourne West Kaye Darveniza, in Northern Region; and the members for Chelsea and Monash, Matt Viney and Johan Scheffer.

The sitting member for bayside Chelsea, Matt Viney is the only one who has had the tact to at least become a nominal country Victorian, moving a few kilometres outside the urban growth boundary to Tonimbuk (20 km north east of Pakenham). The other five haven't even bothered to do that. Housing Minister Candy Broad won't even open an office in her prospective new electorate until she has been elected [See ABC: Minister rejects regional representation claims].

The voice of country Victoria, The Weekly Times, is censorious in its editorial (22/3/06):

Labor's Upper House Insult
The Labor Party has insulted country Victorians with its decision to stand Melbourne-based candidates in Victoria's Upper House country seats. [...] It seems the Victorian Labor Party has abandoned country people in favour of factional deals. Dropping city-based candidates who have no involvement in rural Victoria into safe country seats shows contempt for country Victorians. Is Mr Bracks really suggesting that these candidates will spend most of their time outside Parliament in country Victoria? Or is he relying on the party's argument that half these candidates -- like himself -- grew up in the country? [...] Labor's latest decision shows the party's contempt for the country people who in 1999 put Mr Bracks in power.

Dianne Hadden, the former ALP member and MLC for Ballarat East, has said she is not surprised:

"Well, I think they will be and they certainly need to be [upset]," she said.

"The proposal by the Labor Party is to have their factional deals done, so that their union puppets are ensconced in the Western Region for the Labor Party and the two Labor Party union hacks will be ensconced in Melbourne." - ABC: Claim
ALP faction 'puppets' moved into country seat

Victoria must play role in tax reform

2006-03-25T19:47:00.000+11:00

THE Commonwealth Games are nearly over. They have been well managed, great fun and the athletes have been magnificent.But have you ever wondered how the Government has been able to foot the very sizeable bill with almost effortless ease?

Well, Steve Bracks and his team have experienced one of the largest revenue windfalls in this State's history and they are actively spending it, including on the Games.
From 2000-01 to 2004-05, the Bracks Government received a revenue windfall of $17.6 billion, or a 20 per cent increase in expected revenue.

The main generator of this largesse has been the State's own taxes.
When the GST was first introduced in 2000, the tax cuts as part of the GST deal were expected to result in sharp cuts in state tax revenue. This was not expected to be recovered for at least seven years. The prediction turned out to be far off the mark. The economy boomed. The State's three growth taxes -- payroll tax, land tax and conveyancing fees -- pulled in money at a record rate. Total tax receipts were $7 billion or 18 per cent higher than expected over the past five years.

Then there was the GST. Over the first five years of its existence, revenue from the GST and other Commonwealth grants exceeded expectations by $4 billion.
In the main, the Bracks Government has done little more than maintain the status quo on tax and GST. It has twice, with great fanfare, announced tax cuts. However, these have been minor changes with little impact on revenue collections. And it inherited the GST deal and has met its commitments.

The Kennett Government undertook many reforms but did nothing on tax. It raised a number of non-business taxes to help reduce the budget deficit. It subsequently did not lower these or other taxes, so the Bracks Government inherited one of the most aggressive state tax systems.
As such, Steve Bracks has been able to do little while the money has rolled in at an increasing rate.

The Bracks Government, meanwhile, has increased receipted fees, fines and user charges by 25 per cent over the past five years. A small proportion of the revenue windfall -- $2.4 billion or 19 per cent -- has been spent on expanding the State's infrastructure base. The rest -- $15.2 billion -- has been consumed.

About a third of the windfall has been consumed on more and higher-paid staff including front-line staff. But for every additional teacher, nurse, doctor and police person hired, the Bracks Government has hired an additional bureaucrat. The remainder of the windfall has been consumed in an ongoing spending spree, including the Games.

Ron Walker has warned that we may suffer a bout of depression when the party is over. I suspect he is right.

(Mike Nahan: Herald Sun 25/3/06)

An Ode To The Bracks Government

2006-03-23T23:25:00.000+11:00

Team Brackswatch has received the following submission from a reader. All readers are welcomed to make submissions using the link on the right.

I would like to thank the Bracks government for bringing us the Commonwealth Games.

I would like to thank them for using monstrous amounts of my money to turn a school sports event into a pseudo-Olympic games.

Thank you for thus ensuring that very ordinary Aussie athletes could thus stand tall among the pigmies of the sporting world.

Thanks to all the institutes of sport, who pay, house and feed mediocre athletes to enable them to become good mediocre athletes and not have to resort to actually working for a living.

Thank you to the Aussie athletes who whipped the pants off international powerhouses like Jersey, Swaziland and Banghalawootitoti.

Thanks to the Victorian tax payer, who will end up paying in excess of $500 each to subsidize the games.

Thank you for also taking up the slack and buying the tickets that were sent back when no tourists wanted to come to our party.

So, as I lie here in my little beddie, with a warm and fussy inner glow, I am so glad that $40 million was well spent on an opening ceremony and not wasted by improving our hospital waiting lists, helping the aged or upgrading schools and/or roads.
I can sleep peacefully and happy - thank you.

Oh, I almost forgot....a very special thank you to John Steffenson for carrying on like a drug-crazed pork chop - what a lovely "role-model" for our kids he is.

Bracks' Victoria Follows NSW Into Housing Slump

2006-03-22T07:25:00.000+11:00

Victoria is following New South Wales in dragging the rest of the nation into a housing slump, with housing starts across Victoria down 12.5% in the 12 months to Dec 31, 2005 [See The Age: NSW leads in house-building slump].

While the Bracks government while blame a general economic slowdown, the reality is that with the global and national economies stronger than they have been for years, it is not the broader economy, but the Bracks' restrictive approach to development that is stopping Victorians from building new houses. Just this week, a local councillor in suburban Melbourne complained to Brackswatch that limits on rural growth are seeing developers flee regional Victoria to middle suburban areas where the land simply isn't available for significant sized developments [See also Brackswatch: Bracks government destroys rural land values; Bracks Sardine City Exposed]. At the same time, the Bracks government is scaring owner builders and employers away from Victoria with new regulations, taxes [See Brackswatch: Bracks breaking another promise; Bracks Stops Charity With Fifteen-Fold Rise In Land Tax;], and lagging Victorian economic performance [See Brackswatch: Unemployment Under Bracks - Another Story Of Bracks' Underperformance].

The picture is clear: Victoria cannot afford another four years of the Bracks government's increased red tape, taxes and economic underperformance. Regional Victoria needs permission to grow. Urban Victoria needs to be protected from overdevelopment. All Victorians need an economic environment where employers are encouraged and facilitated, not loaded up with regulations, taxes and other obstacles to making a profit.

Connex Whinger Takes On Bracks Public Transpot Bureacracy

2006-03-20T10:27:00.000+11:00

For all those of us who struggle with the daily commute on Connex trains, Connex Whinger may just be our new champion.

Bracks joins the open mike club

2006-03-09T21:49:00.000+11:00

Steve has been doing himself no favours recently, joining State Premiers Iemma and Beattie in letting fly with the cameras rolling and microphones on. Although not quite as rude as our northern neighbours, Bracks managed to:

Bag the state of the New South Wales economy: "We are going well, though. We are not like NSW here [...] our economy is going well."
Criticise the current New South Wales Labor leadership: "Morris just needs to get his team under control and show a bit of leadership. It's like if we lost three or four of our best we would be struggling too."

Although Morris Iemma has refused to seek out an apology, the damage has been done. Bracks can no longer be trusted to not offend others in Australia, even with his droves of minders escorting him around Victoria and the rest of the country.

Faris QC Blasts Bracks' Bill of Rights

2006-03-09T00:16:00.000+11:00

Peter Faris QC has launched a blistering attack on the Bracks' government's ill-advised attempt to introduce a Victorian Bill of Rights. Using the platform of a new blog [see Bill of Rights Blog], he is dissecting every aspect of the issue, from the way that the Bill of Rights is actually being used to enact radical positive discrimination in favour of non-heterosexuals and aboriginals, to the way that the Bracks government has backflipped on it's initial promise that no Bill of Rights would be introduced without a referendum [see Bill of Rights Blog: An Aboriginal Bill of Rights, The Sexual Orientation Bill of Rights, The Case for a Referendum].

[See Technorati: Politics, Bracks, Steve Bracks, Bill of rights, Peter Faris QC]

Bracks' Games: Stealing Police From The Country To Look After The Rich & Famous

2006-03-08T14:03:00.000+11:00

The Bracks' government's Commonwealth Games ego trip will see six country towns left without police cars during the Games. Police cars and equipment are being co-opted from across country Victoria to ensure that Bracks' Games go off without any high profile embarassments [See Weekly Times: Siren sounds on seconded police cars].

No one denies that it is important to protect the Commonwealth Games from potential terrorist attacks. However the Bracks' method of doing this, stealing Police from country Victorians to look after the celebrity athletes and guests in central Melbourne, highlights the priorities of this government: athletes, celebrities and events who star front and centre on TV are worth more to this government than the safety of ordinary voters' families, and the security of their homes and businesses.

Victoria Police claim that it will be business as normal in country Victoria [See ABC Gippsland: Police says Games won't affect normal policing], the Police Association, and the facts, suggest otherwise. If a country town is left without a police car, police are limited to investigating those crimes and responding to those incidents which are within walking distance. While this might be suitable in Jolimont or Parkville (ironically enough, the very places where these towns' police cars will be!), it is manifestly unsuitable in country areas where police in these towns are responsible for policing areas covering hundreds of square kilometres.

Bracks Government Destroys Rural Land Values

2006-03-07T23:33:00.000+11:00

The "business-friendly" Bracks government's anti-development zoning changes are about to destroy hundreds of millions of dollars in land value across Victoria, with disastrous effects for local councils across the state. [See Herald Sun: Rate rise fear with land law]. Property prices for smaller rural blocks are expected to drop significantly as a result of new zoning laws which restrict development on rural blocks under 40 hectares in size - forcing councils to raise rates on other property to make up for the loss of revenue.

The rules also threaten to push out of reach the dream of many Victorians to move to the country and live on the land. The cost of going bush promises to become heart-breakingly prohibitive as homebuilders are forced to search out rarer, more expensive and harder to maintain blocks of 40 hectares or more.

The Bracks government portray themselves as encouraging Victorian businesses to be world-class [See Business Victoria: Become A World Class Performer] but it seems they are intent on keeping country Victoria out of the class.

The Story Is In The Papers

2006-03-04T16:26:00.000+11:00

Four articles in today's papers tell the story of the Bracks Government:

1. Quashing debate: Sport, weather, traffic and major projects (preferably ones that have been announced no more than a dozen times already) are all suitable topics for discussion in Bracks' Victoria. Serious topics however, such as abortion [See The Age: Bracks steps in to quash abortion vote] are not for discussion however, at least not in an election year when their discussion risks requiring Bracks to actually say something of substance and conviction.

2. Second fiddle: Bracks doesn't even put up a fight for Melbourne against Sydney. As The Age has shown, a Melbourne company, represented by Melbourne lawyers, is the subject of an inquiry taking place in . . . you guessed it, Sydney!!!! A vocal leader of this State would have got on the phone to Philip Ruddock as soon as the inquiry was proposed, to make sure that the $25 million of fees were spent in Melbourne, the natural home of the AWB Inquiry.

3. Sleazy: You can't cut down a tree or build a granny flat in Bracks' Victoria without a host of permits, licenses and authorisations. But apparently you can set up a new strip club without even having to apply for a new license.

4. Fat cats: Under Bracks the glitterati, the big end of town business boys, the TV, Sports and Entertainment Celebs, anyone with a name to make them stand out, gets looked after by the State Government. See how they fork out free tickets and complimentary packages, not just for honoured leaders like Her Majesty, the Governor-General and Prime Minister John Howard, but for multi-millionaire celebrities like Elle MacPherson, Eric Bana and Geoffrey Rush.

Bracks has tickets on himself, and the ALP

2006-03-01T09:54:00.000+11:00

Steve Bracks has been caught breaking his own law, forcing Progressive Melbourne, a fundraising entity of the ALP, to re-issue its invitations without the Commonwealth Games Logo (left). Under the Commonwealth Games Arrangements Act of 2001, the illegal use of said logo carries a fine of up to $60,000, but all indications are the Bracks will not shoot his own party in the foot, and let this one slide.
The Labor Party love in, which would have hosted the Premier himself, as well as Commonwealth Games surpremo Justin Madden, and other leaders in their chosen sports.

In a further demonstration of lax work by Steve Bracks, one of his own backbenchers sent a calendar to his constituents, bearing a photo of Karak, and the same logo.

Throwing the (phone)book at Bracks

2006-02-22T03:36:00.000+11:00

Steve Bracks failed the simple task of opening a police station, when he made a reference to missing phonebooks.
The officers of Diamond Creek and senior Police Association members were treated to Bracks' particular brand of comedy.

Although a spokeswoman insisted the remark was made in jest, humour is the last thing needed on the serious task of policing the state of Victoria.The Diamond Valley emergency complex should have been opened quite some time ago, and cheap shots will not ease the minds of officers who have their nose to the grindstone, day in day out. Bracks should be focusing on equipping a modern force, not regurgitating urban myths.

Too many questions

2006-02-21T20:34:00.000+11:00

“I’ve got a thirteen point plan to make sure we have better democracy, better debate, better accountability in the Parliament…We’ll be open and transparent and we understand the separation of powers. We will end the secret state.”
Steve Bracks, August 1999.

Bracks' own ministerial responabilities fail the transparency test. In his secondary role as Minister for Multicultural Affairs, overseeing the Department of Victorian Communities, he has outstanding questions on notice to answer.
The first of these was lodged on the 16th of September 2004(!) regarding mobile telephone services. The second was lodged on the 22nd of March 2005, and regarded alcohol purchased. This is only the tip of the iceberg, as Ministers responsible to the Premier have over 400 unanswered questions on a whole variety of issues.
Bracks and his ministers must commit to answering these questions before the state election; for the public to make a fair judgement on all the evidence available

Vintage Bracks: Heineken Classic 2003

2006-02-21T09:24:00.000+11:00

It's just over three years ago that Ernie Els edged out Nick Faldo and Peter Lonard to win the Heineken Classic in early February 2003. I remember vividly what followed, as I was a volunteer that year with an access all areas pass.

When the presentation area was set up on the 18th green of the composite course, Steve Bracks gave a short speech and presented the trophy to "Ernie Eels" (sic). I heard it and thought something was odd, and even the Big Easy thought Bracks had scuffed his lines. It's really not hard to remember the name of the major drawcard; three letters. I automatically suspected he'd spent too much time in the Victorian Government marquee indulging in the sponsor's product. He claimed a technical problem:

"I can simply say that actually the microphone was echoing and obviously playing back in my ear and that was probably the cause of some of the reverberation and the comments."

However public opinion, in the form of a 3AW poll, found against Bracks. Only 4% of callers deemed him sober.

Bracks for Stacks, ignores talent

2006-02-21T02:19:00.000+11:00

Former Labour Premier Joan Kirner has written to Steve Bracks, warning him that accommodating branch stackers will come at the expense of talented women. Bracks' pledge of affirmative action in the Victorian Branch also threatens to fall short if current trends of preselection continue. For women to hold 40% of winnable seats in Victoria by 2012 requires leadership the Bracks is unable to give.

"It drags the party into disrespect. You can't talk about quality and then move to relegate hard-working women. [...]"This word renewal is a farce. There is plenty of room for new talent if the branch stackers weren't being rewarded."

Bracks should stand by his commitment to the women of the ALP. He would face embarrassment if the National Executive forced the Victorian Branch to repeat preselections if short of the affirmative action target.

Bracks Breaks Baton Promise

2006-02-20T21:58:00.000+11:00

Steve Bracks failed to receive the Commonwealth Games Batton for Victoria, a spokeswoman denying this resulted from fears of accountability. Fearing protests over his decision to place a toxic dump at Nowigi, near Mildura, Bracks sent the minister in charge. Bracks has ridden the M2006 gravy train too far to send a subordinate. He should ride it all the way to Mildura instead.

Victorians Reject Steve Bracks' Anti-Car Rhetoric: 2005 Car Sales 256,685

2006-02-20T11:57:00.000+11:00

In a slap in the face to the Bracks' governments anti-car policies, Victorians bought 256,685 cars in the 2005 calendar year.

In typical Bracks government style, Peter Batchelor sends out self-congratulatory press releases when he manages to extend a tram line by 3 km and build a bus stop at the end of the new line (See Minister For Transport: Media Release: Major Public Transport Boost Opens in Melbourne's East - meanwhile six years after the Bracks government were elected work has only recently begun on something that actually will help Victorian drivers - the Scoresby, I'm sorry, the Mitcham to Frankston, oops, they changed it's name again, the Eastlink freeway.

Bracks Games: Ministers Score Commonwealth Games Freebies

2006-02-17T11:56:00.000+11:00

Bracks Government Ministers John Pandazopoulos, Peter Batchelor and Tim Holding are supposed to be amongst a swag of State Politicians to enjoy free tickets to Commonwealth Games events [See Herald Sun: Games seats free for MPs.

While the Commonwealth Games will disupt public transport, traffic and schools for ordinary Victorians, the Bracks government are making most of the opportunities for freebie tickets, happy to bask in the expensive limelight which is costing Victorian taxpayers millions of dollars.

YarraLife Carries The Story On Bracks Government Failures

2006-01-05T01:30:00.000+11:00

Melbourne blog Yarralife has the story on how Bracks government mismanagement of public transport and the Commonwealth Games.

Not only is the public transport system, the lynchpin of Brack's Melbourne 2030 plan, apparently already generating peak loads in excess of the capacity of the system; but the Bracks government is locking real Victorians, tax-paying Victorians, out of nine major sporting venues over the period of the Commonwealth Games. Commonwealth Games which have not only gobbled up large amounts of public subsidies; but will not acheive the stated aim of raising Victoria's profile. Pin Oak Court in Vermont, home of the Neighbours houses, has generated more tourism dollars for this State than any taxpayer funded television dud ever will.

Steve Bracks: All Smiles On Scoresby Lie

2005-12-17T15:28:00.000+11:00

The Bracks government, worried about the electoral effects of their Scoresby freeway tolls backflip, are spending $9 million of taxpayer funds on advertising in suburban newspapers to defend the decision [See Herald Sun: Toll-road ads blitz marginals].

Let us recap here:

1. In 1999 with most of the outer eastern suburbs seats still held by Liberals, Bracks government minister Peter Batchelor says "construction of the Scoresby Freeway will not be considered during the next four years". Toll funding isn't even considered, as the Bracks government was elected partially on anti-toll campaigning in relation to Citylink. If construction of a tolled Scoresby freeway had begun then, outer Eastern suburbs residents wouldn't still be sitting in traffic snarls on Springvale Road today.

2. In 2001 with a State election coming up and the prospect of winning seats in the outer eastern suburbs, Bracks suddenly finds the money for a Scoresby freeway, and commits himself to The Age, "No toll, no shadow toll…we might have some private-sector involvement in it but not with tolls . . . ". He reiterates this commitment in a direct mail election letter to households all over the outer Eastern suburbs, promising not to toll the Scoresby freeway - at the same time, his staff are writing memos making it clear they intend to do just that, toll the Scoresby freeway.

3. In 2003 with the State election behind him and costs on Fed Square, the Austin Hospital redevelopment, and the Eastern Freeway extension rising dramatically, Bracks reneges on his campaign promise and combines the Eastern Freeway extension project with the Scoresby freeway to make the Mitcham - Frankston tollway, tendering out the entire project to the consortium who expect to receive billions of dollars in tolls over the life of the project. At the same time, construction begins in the Northern suburbs on the $306 million toll-free Craigieburn bypass.

4. In 2004 the Bracks government pass up $500 million in Commonwealth government funding which depended on Eastlink being built toll free. Federal leader Mark Latham gives up hope of winning any seats in the outer eastern suburbs.

4. In 2005, with a state election now less than twelve months away, suddenly Steve Bracks discovers his affinity with the people of the outer eastern suburbs again. The State government spends $9 million on advertising in local papers to help residents forget it's broken promise and Bracks himself turns up to get a photo taken of him smiling with construction workers.

[See Technorati: Steve Bracks; Politics; Melbourne; Roads; Transport; Tolls; Scoresby; Eastlink; Peter Batchelor; Suburbs; Broken Promises; Lies;]

Bracks & Public Transport: Do As I Say, Not As I Do

2005-11-29T10:29:00.000+11:00

It would seem that while the Bracks government think public transport should be good enough for everyone else, when it comes to themselves they prefer to do the one thing they continually demonise ordinary Victorians for doing - driving.

The Bracks government is set to impose it's new parking tax from January 1, and commuters should ask how many of the Bracks' government's own MPs and Ministers will be catching public transport to work. After all, the declared intention of the tax is to encourage commuters, which most MPs and Ministers are, considering they work on Spring Street, to use public transport:

The Government is expected to raise $38 million in revenue through the levy from 2008, with Melbourne City Council to get a $5 million slice.

It claims the levy will reduce congestion, improve the environment, and encourage more people to use public transport, but critics believe it will do little to achieve those aims. - The Age

As a Year 11 student commuting across the city to Melbourne High School, I can remember Denis Napthine, opposition leader, jumping on my train one morning at Clifton Hill Station, for the ride into Parliament. Yet I have never seen an ALP MP or Cabinet member on public transport, instead I often see Peter Batchelor being scooted around the CBD in a chauffer driven Statesman, and the Parliament House car park full of MPs taxpayer funded cars.

Bracks Government Fiddle The Books To Hide The Loot

2005-11-17T11:55:00.000+11:00

The Bracks government has been using inconsistent accounting to hide $1.4 billion of extra revenue it has accrued over the past twelve months, according to Auditor General Wayne Cameron. While the Bracks government declared a surplus of $795 million, the Auditor General has revealed that using the same method the Bracks government used last year, the surplus would be $2.1 billion (See Herald Sun: $2.1 billion surplus earns rebuke; Auditor General: Report on the Finances of the State of Victoria, 2004-05).

Now there is nothing wrong with a surplus, but when the Bracks government is at the same time busy imposing new taxes on outer suburban families (See Brackswatch: Bracks: Breaking Another Promise; Herald Sun: Battler counts cost of new tax), then you have to wonder what is going on.

The secret can probably be found in the Bracks Government's determination to be re-elected in 2006 for another four years on the hog; after all just earlier this week they announced $502 million in spending in rural Victoria, where a loss of vital support in 1999 killed the Kennett government. Whereas the Federal government in surplus has focused on pushing through tax reform and cutting taxes, the State government hasn't unveiled any plan to use it's tax bonanza to reform inefficient and outdated taxes like Stamp Duty and Payroll Tax; or to cut the burden on Victorian taxpayers. Instead, they are adding to the burden of battling Victorians in order to boost the size of the bribes they can offer voters in 2006. Worst of all, they don't even want to admit what they are doing, and like Enron before them are resorting to accounting trickery in order to hide their loot.

[See Technorati: News and Politics; Victorian Politics;
Steve Bracks; Politics; Melbourne; Victoria; Tax; Finance; Accounting;]

Bracks: Breaking Another Promise

2005-11-16T10:08:00.001+11:00

The Bracks' government will break another promise today, when they release their new tax of up to $10,000 on the construction of new family homes in the outer suburbs. While Deputy Premier Thwaites told a conference just last month that there would be no new charges on home construction, the Bracks government seems to have decided to go ahead and slug the young families who move to these areas anyway.

Yesterday the Urban Development Institute of Australia's chief executive, Tony de Domenic, said the institute had taken Mr Thwaites at his word and if a tax were now introduced, it would prove that the Government could not be trusted. - The Age: Bracks to reveal fringe housing tax

In a further display of Bracks government bias, they are arguing that this tax is in order to pay for much needed infrastructure in these outer suburban areas. However the funds will go into general revenue; and the families already struggly to afford a home need to remember that when inner city public transport users needed to be bailed out, the Bracks government coughed up a billion without asking hardly a question.

The Bracks Government is desperate to prove the success of it's Melbourne 2030 plan to force more Melburnians into apartments in the suburbs and increase their dependence on public transport. As we have seen with both the parking tax and this new tax, only the rich can afford to drive a car or own a family home under the Bracks government. Not everyone wants to live in an apartment, and in a land rich country like Australia, everyone should have the opportunity to build their dream house in the suburbs. Bracks' doesn't get this, and never will.

[Update 17/11/2005: Gay Not Socialist has correctly dubbed this the Australian Dream Tax]

[See Technorati: News and Politics; Victorian Politics;
Steve Bracks; Politics; Broken Promises Melbourne; Victoria]

Bracks Government: All Spin No Substance

2005-11-13T16:46:00.000+11:00

Dispatches From the Moderate Left has the story of how savvy media management has replaced taking reponsibility and coming up with real solutions to the problems faced by commuters in Melbourne.

[See Technorati: Steve Bracks; Victorian Politics; News and Politics; Politics; Media; Public Transport]

Bracks Urban Growth Boundary Mints $4 Billion If You Can Buy Labour Party Mates

2005-10-22T13:45:00.000+10:00

Development should be something everyone has an opportunity to be involved in, not something reserved for the politically well-connected. But today it turns out that a Malaysian developer who has hired the right Labor Party insiders stands to get permission for a $4 billion estate in an area where everyone else has been told to forget about further development.

The Age is carrying 3 articles today (1, 2, and 3), and NineMsn is also carrying the story of how if you hire credible Labor Party heavies like former minister in the Cain government David White and former MP under Paul Keating Neil O'Keefe to lobby for you, suddenly the Urban Growth Boundary becomes a lot more pliable.

Now Brackswatch happens to believe that development should go ahead at Rockbank, if the land owners want to develop their blocks. As Nicholas Gruen points out, smart planning policies like Melbourne 2030 artificially drive up property prices. Such policies mean that the cost of land as a proportion of a house price has risen from 20% in the 1970s to 40 - 70% today. However land development, like any other business, should be open to anyone willing to put up the capital, not simply to those who can buy the right connections in Spring Street.

Insight into the Socialist Left

2005-10-16T07:41:00.000+10:00

It is marvellous when internal factional documents get a public airing. The real value is that it shows what the key players in the political parties are really thinking, rather than what they normally disseminate for public consumption. This is certainly the case with the Socialist Left ("SL") faction of the Australian Labor Party and their manifesto for election to internal party positions within the Victorian branch.

State and Federal Policy
The delegates you elect to State Conference will vote for our state election platform, our State policy committee members and Victorian delegates to the National Conference. SL candidates support, and will vote for members of policy committees and delegates to National Conference who support, progressive policy positions, including:
• No more privatisation of essential public infrastructure and services, and a re-examination of ways of funding public infrastructure investment, including direct government investment and public sector borrowing; [9C: State ownership funded by deficits, presumably the Cain/Kirner Victorian Labor Government (1982-1992) was a model of fiscal rectitude]
• An independent foreign policy, based on Australia's national interest, and a recognition that our national interest is best served through our participation in multilateral relationships with other nations; [9C: 'independent foreign policy' is SL code for decoupling Australia from our defence and security relationships - particularly with the United States. This would probably require the doubling of defence expenditure in order to maintain comparable levels of security]
• The protection of Australians civil liberties and democratic rights as a key part of any security legislation; [9C: SL code for going soft on potential terrorists]
• Industry development policies to reinvigorate our traditional manufacturing industries and support the development of new industries creating jobs and economic growth for Australia; [9C: SL 'dog whistle' for pouring taxpayers' money into uncompetitive industry sectors where Socialist Left trade union strength predominates. Maybe we a few billion petrodollars could be borrowed to finance this scheme (see under 'Jim Cairns' and 'Rex Connor'). In North Korea this is known as the 'Juche Theory']
• Removal of the private health insurance rebate and the reinstatement of Medicare as the key element in funding our public health system and providing a universal health care system for Australians; [9C: significantly this is a policy denied by Left faction member and health spokesperson Julia Gillard, despite suggestions in the 'Latham Diaries' that this is what a Latham Labor Government would have done. This policy would increase private health insurance costs by 30% and make it unaffordable for millions of Australians]
• Defending workers right to organise and collective bargaining; [9C: the SL faction must look after the interests of its trade union proprietors]
• Protection of our natural environment, including the control of green house gases, sustainable water use and conservation strategies and greater government support for the development of wind and solar energy; [9C: some factional motherhood lines to keep everybody in the tent, but some of these energy cost increases would create difficulties for the 'traditional manufacturing industries' that they want to shower with taxpayer funds]
• Restoring the balance of Federal education funding between public, parochial and elite private schools. [9C: SL code for punishing parents who save to finance an education for their children outside the teachers' union dominated State system]

A wonderful insight into the thinking of a major constituent element of the putative alternative government in Australia. Remember that this faction controls about 40 per cent of the Australian Labor Party in Victoria.

Victorian School Students In Stinking Third World Conditions

2005-10-10T22:55:00.000+10:00

Reports today that Victorian state school buildings are among Australia's
worst come as no surprise given the Bracks Government's appaling neglect of school maintenance.

Facilities of some schools, particularly in rural Victoria are absolutely disgraceful. I recently visited Middle Indigo Primary School which would easily have the worst toilet block facilities I have ever seen. To describe their conditions as anything but third world would be an understatement.

It seems that this school - and many other small schools in rural Victoria - are out of sight and definitely out of the mind of Jacinta Allan and Lynne Kosky who are ensconced in a comfortable air-conditioned suite in a smart central Melbourne office complex.

However the students and staff at Middle Indigo Primary are forced to use a toilet block with no electricity and no locks on the doors. There is orange paint on walls signifying asbestos exposure and in the boys' toilets the urinal runs straight into the soil.

At nearby Barnawartha Primary School near Wodonga students are expected to learn in classrooms which are simply falling apart. Our students and teachers are being forced to study and work in third world conditions because the Bracks Government has slashed maintenance funding at our schools. Documents obtained under Freedom of Information (FoI) last year revealed dozens of schools were hundreds of millions of dollars behind in their maintenance.

The 2001 audit showed dozens of Victorian schools had massive maintenance backlogs, in some cases, running into a quarter of a million dollars.

Labor's Education Services Minister Jacinta Allan and Education Minister Lynne Kosky must come clean with the current maintenance backlog and renew funding to fix the stinking toilet blocks, peeling paint, poor heating, rotting window frames and leaking roofs.

It is bad for morale, and in some cases health, for students to go to school in such appalling conditions. How can we expect children to be enthusiastic and keen to learn when their classroom is stinking hot and the toilets are leaking and unhygienic?

Labor claims education is its number one priority, but it can't even get the basics right. The last time Labor was in office it left a school maintenance backlog of $700 million and by the time the next State Election comes around, our schools will be back in this position.

The previous Liberal Government implemented a world standard system for maintaining our state schools which was dumped when Steve Bracks took over government.

Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) are worthy of consideration but would not have been necessary had the Bracks Government continued to properly fund school maintenance when it gained office six years ago.

Brackswatch would like to thank the contributor of this post, whose identity is as of yet unknown. Anyone else interested in submitting a post can do so here. It is also worth noting that a recent report by the Commonwealth Department of Education, Science and Training found Victoria's primary school curricullum to be among the slackest in the country.

Terrorists Do What Bracks Can't: Putting Melbourne On The Map

2005-09-13T00:22:00.000+10:00

Why is it that the only times Melbourne gets news coverage under the Bracks government are when it is besieged by protestors (the S11 protests during the World Economic Forum in 2000) or threatened by international terrorists?

Bracks Vilification Laws Make Victoria Global Laughingstock

2005-08-27T14:07:00.000+10:00

Amir Butler, executive director of the Australian Muslim Public Affairs Committee has written an article for UK website Spiked Online decrying the disastrous effects of the Bracks' governments vilification laws:

Like his Blairite counterparts, the premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks, introduced the legislation amid promises of a new era of 'tolerance'. Two years later, it's a strange kind of tolerance when Muslims are suing Christians, witches are suing the Salvation Army, acolytes of Aleister Crowley are suing child psychologists, and faith communities are playing an obscene game of 'gotcha'.

. . . Religion is an abstract concept. This causes issues in a secular state that cannot hold an opinion as to the spiritual legitimacy of a faith. A witch, for example, is therefore entitled to the same protection from vilification as a Christian or Jew.

. . . Religious hatred laws are also a useful tool for cults wishing to stifle debate or hinder exposure. In Australia, followers of Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis have already initiated a lawsuit against a prominent child psychologist. Dr Reina Michaelson, a former Australian of the Year, had the temerity to quote from the group's own Book of Law as evidence linking the group with the ritual abuse of children. Currently overseas working with victims of the Asian tsunami, she must now return to Australia to defend herself in the courts. - Amir Butler

Have Faith In Bracks? Yeah Right!

2005-08-24T10:54:00.000+10:00

Apparently, Steve Bracks has turned to the rest of the world and asked them to have faith in Victoria's ability to secure the Commonwealth Games.

I guess that is the same way he wants us to have faith in his government's decisions on police files and out of state pedophiles.

Why Buy Fire Insurance When You Can Give Bracks Money?

2005-07-25T23:02:00.000+10:00

After Chris's insightful look into the fire services levy, we find that while businesses are punished under Bracks for buying property insurance, it seems there is a link between donations to the Victorian ALP and favourable action on planning issues

Welcome To Visitors From "The Other Cheek"

2005-07-18T17:11:00.000+10:00

Welcome to the first time visitors coming here from The Other Cheek.

Bracks Hidden Tax: The Fire Services Levy

2005-07-14T21:58:00.000+10:00

It is an honour to bring you a guest post from Chris Berg, who highlights how the Bracks government is intent not just on continuing a tax that punishes people for the wisdom of getting insurance, but also on introducing Enronesque accounting tricks to inflate State Government revenues without appearing to raise taxes.

In Victoria, and in some other Australian states, the Fire Department is paid for with a tax on insurance companies - the Fire Services Levy. This 'levy' - its just a tax, although senior Labor politicians disagree - is calculated as percentage of the premium on all property insurance policies, residential and commercial alike.

Problems with the existing Fire Services Levy

Sounds like a reasonable idea? There are a host of flaws with the system. Firstly, it encourages free-riders. Those who don't have insurance but still have a flammable house are being subsidised by those who pay the levy with their policy.

Secondly, it adds to the already extremely high cost of insurance, and does so in a blatantly money-grubbing way. I'll take you through it. Lets say you have a premium valued at $100 on your policy (i.e. the insurance company sees $100). On top of that you have to pay your Fire Services Levy, which, in the country at least, would be another $50. You know pay $150 for $100 worth of insurance.

But it doesn't stop there. You have to pay GST on top of that - GST which is calculated on the $150, not your initial premium. Thats a tax upon a tax, bringing up the cost to $165. And then you pay stamp duty - another 10 percent on of the after FSL and GST cost - you now pay $181.50 for $100 worth of insurance. A tax upon a tax upon a tax.

As it stands, these compounded taxes make Victoria one of the highest taxed places for insurance in the world. That is not an exaggeration.

The proposed changes

Naturally, this gives a huge incentive to minimising premiums and maximising the deductable (excess). This is what large companies have been doing to minimise the extremely high insurance taxes.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. High deductibles and low premiums create an incentive for companies to do much more risk management in house. The more expensive a claim will be, the more likely the company will go out of its way to avoid it. And to do so, they institute stricter work safety practise, practise fire management techniques, and other important things that the insurance company would be trying to make them do if they had a high premium. In some cases, companies have gone so far as to run and maintain their own fire department in house. Their insurance policy acts therefore more like re-insurance, rather then the first port of call after a loss.

So what's happened? The Bracks Government, in its unending wisdom has decided that high deductibles are a Bad Thing, draining much desired money out of government pockets. In an effort to combat this 'avoidance' (its not a 'tax avoidence' remember - because its not a 'tax'!) they want the FSL to be levied upon a 'deemed premium' - an essentially invented sum. Insurance companies are supposed to imagine how much companies would be paying in premium if they didn't have such a high deductible, and charge the levy based on this invented 'deemed premium'! It's hard to over-emphasise this fact: it is an invented, imaginary, fictitious premium.

This is supposed to target only those with a deductible of over $10,000 - in other words, it is specifically directed a large corporates. Most corporates with policies that large are the very companies which are abandoning Victoria in droves - heavy industrial manufacturing.

Nevermind the absurd regulatory burdens this places on the insurance companies (the costs of which they will of course pass on to their clients). Insurance companies in Victoria will now be expected to keep two sets of books - one for the real policy, and one for the imaginary policy with the 'deemed premium', in order to pay the FSL.

Calculating insurance is an extraordinarily complex business, and negotiated on an individual basis. Policies can be peril-specific, and time specific, in fact, anything that can possibily be negotiated between the insurers and corporations is up for grabs. How is a 'deemed premium' supposed to be calculated off such specific and unique policies?

The Insurance Council of Australia is up in arms. The large corporations which this will effect are up in arms. This piece of legislation, which is due to be tabled on July 19 was developed without consultation with any industry body whatsoever - as far as we can tell it was entirely concocted by the fire services and the state government. The legislation shows no familiarity with the mechanics of insurance policies.

Penalising high deductibles reduces the incentive to conduct risk management in house. I could go on, but suffise to say that there are dozens upon dozens of practical issues which have not been considered by the Bracks Government.

And the worst part is that nobody knows about it.

Is there a solution?

Lets face it - with no strong opposition and no media attention, the legislation is going to pass. But it is worth thinking about what is a preferred solution. After all, I'm not so much of an anarcho-capitalist that I don't believe in the fire department.

First of all, the Fire Services Levy is the wrong way to pay for the fire department. Fire management is specific to property, so any charge for the fire department should be taxed upon that, for instance, bundled with rates. This is the way it is done in some other states, including WA. This would eliminate free-rider problems, and ensure that the fire department is adequately funded. (But, we should be realistic - would you want to be Bracks and increase what is essentially a land-tax?)

If the FSL remains as it is, the stamp duty on insurance should be eliminated, and the GST and FSL should not be calculated on top of each other. It is absurd to pay a tax on a tax.

But you have to wonder - is the FSL scheme a punitive tax? The occasional left-wing economists who come out arguing for higher gasoline taxes are wanting to wean people off gasoline - is the extremely high insurance taxes in Victoria trying to wean companies off insurance?

It is more likely that the Victorian record high insurance taxes will merely wean companies off Victoria.

Bracks Acts Now To Entrench ALP & Green Dominated Councils

2005-06-27T18:49:00.000+10:00

Bracks Government has shown it's natural antipathy towards democracy with an attack aimed at entrenching the dominance of the ALP & Greens within local councils. Under new electoral regulations, candidates would not be allowed to include how to vote lists in their candidate statements, nor criticise the performance of the existing council.

The Age has the story, but Hamish carries it best.

Freedom Of Speech In Taxis - Another Victim Of Bracks' Groupthink?

2005-06-26T11:44:00.000+10:00

A new code of conduct being proposed for taxi drivers by the sinister sounding Victorian Taxi Directorate could see them suffer the following penalties simply for discussing their religion and politics:

retraining, a warning, or suspension or cancellation of their licenses - News.com.au

It would seem that, following September 11, complaints against taxi drivers have risen 45%. At the same time, there have been isolated cases of attacks on drivers of African and Middle Eastern backgrounds. The solution of the officialdom under Bracks? Curtail freedom of speech in regard to politics and religion (I guess if people can't talk about how stuffed Bracks is, he might have a chance of staying in power).

Best of all, Bracks didn't even have to get himself or any of his crony ministers to jump start this plan, instead, he now has the bureacrats so well trained they do it for him without being asked:

The State Government last night said it had not seen the report, prepared for its own taxi reform working party. - News.com.au

The State Government might not have seen the report itself, but in their hearts, I am sure Bracks, Brumby & Hulls are brimming with pride at how well the bureacracy have adopted their nearest and dearest ideals of how government should run every aspect of your life.

Ask most Victorian taxi users about taxis, and I am sure that drivers discussing politics and religion are not going to come up as problems. What is the real problem? Not enough taxi licenses. If the Bracks government issued more licenses, we would have a real choice: if the taxi driver wouldn't shut up about how Che Geuvera was a friend of the working man, we could just say "Thanks a lot," get out and catch the next taxi heading past. However that kind of solution, a market solution involving competition and choice, would stand against all the planning and regulation that the officialdom of Brackistan holds dear.

Thanks to James Kearney for the heads up on this story.

Would the last corporation leaving Melbourne please turn out the lights?

2005-06-24T19:16:00.000+10:00

Formerly the major corporate hub of Australia, Melbourne is shutting down to die. So why are the multinationals leaving in droves to Sydney and Brisbane one must ask? Reliable sources reflect first Kennett now Bracks are behind this mass exodus.

Recent weeks a major Victorian effort was denied with Adelaide picking up the destroyer contract, Telstra’s new CEO Sol Trujillo has elected to operate and live in Sydney while whisper has it that with corporate money moving from Melbourne, Grand Prix organisers are feeling shaky ground and may do the same.

With only three of Australia's leading 15 listed companies, BHP Billiton, National and ANZ Banks left to be run out of Melbourne, surely this must alert all Victorian’s. Problem Bracks needs to be eradicated from government denying him further development to the demise of Victoria.

Before you poverty stricken refugees clog highways from Victoria, electors claiming never voting for Bracks have one last chance to substantiate their claim in 2006.

Brackswatch would like to thank Malcolm Davies for submitting this post.

Bracks Parliament Sanctioned Attack On Free Speech Rolls On

2005-06-22T17:46:00.000+10:00

Steve's Parliament of Victoria sanctioned attack on free speech rolls on, with the remedy hearing in the matter of Islamic Council of Victoria v Catch The Fire Ministries & Others held today.

The remedy order itself highlights the subjective and tortured nature of the Racial & Religious Tolerace Act 2001, with Judge Higgins contradicting himself, stating in paragraphs 16 (a) that the Act is not breached:

"If a person can establish that the conduct was engaged in reasonably, and in good faith, for any genuine religious purpose" - Judge Higgins, Islamic Council of Victoria v Catch The Fire Ministries & Others Remedy Orders

However two paragraphs later in 16 (c) he acknowledges about the respondents that:

"They have passionate religious beliefs which I think have caused them to transgress the law." - Judge Higgins, Islamic Council of Victoria v Catch The Fire Ministries & Others Remedy Orders

Which begs the question, what does an exemption for "genuine religious purposes" mean if it doesn't protect people who are acting on the basis of religious beliefs acknowledged by the court?

Higgins' original Judgement suggests that such an exemption would have only applied to Daniel Scot (one of the respondents) if he had provided a "balanced" seminar:

In my view, the presentation of an unbalanced seminar, albeit purporting to express the views of a particular individual, when viewed subjectively leads me to the conclusion that it was not an exercise of good faith. - Judge Higgins, Islamic Council of Victoria v Catch The Fire Ministries & Others Finding

What is "balanced" seminar? We don't yet know fully. If you read through the original finding though, you get the distinct impression that Judge Higgins has decided it definitely isn't a Pentecostal meeting with the attendant passion, emotion and appeals to moral absolutes that defines the traditions of Pentecostal preachers.

In effect, Bracks has succeeded in creating a law which allows the Judiciary to decide what religious expression is "balanced" or in "good faith" and what is not.

Bracks Breaks Deal Made By His Labor Predecessors

2005-06-15T18:54:00.000+10:00

Michael Gorey gives us the low down on the history of the saga of the mountain cattlemen, and how the Bracks government is going back on the grazing lease deals first introduced by Cain & Kirner:

John Cain and Joan Kirner created an Alpine National Park in the 1980s, largely against the wishes of mountain cattlemen. The parties reached a compromise however, with the introduction of seven-year renewable grazing leases. It seemed that everyone was happy.

So what’s changed?

. . . I can’t understand why it was good enough for two previous Labor Governments (Cain and Kirner) to support the cattlemen, while Steve Bracks says they must go.

I can only assume that Bracks has given up on country Victoria and wants to solidify his position with the greens in Melbourne. - Michael Gorey

Six Hundred Cattlemen Protest Bracks

2005-06-09T22:37:00.000+10:00

The Latte Party might laugh at them, but they really do represent a way of life, not necessarily the romantic "Man From Snowy River" way of life, but a way of life which involves things the Latte Party don't understand, like hard work, real danger and engagement with nature (as opposed to retreat from it).

Read about the protest.

What Happened Last Time

2005-06-05T11:28:00.000+10:00

George Megalogenis, in The Weekend Australian, reminds us this weekend of what happened in the end last time the ALP ran Victoria:

The epicentre of the last recession was Victoria. It was responsible for three out of every four jobs lost nationally, 236,000 out of 313,000. Victoria's gross state product shrank in the financial years 1990-1991 and 1991-1992 . . .

But the rest of the nation was spared. In fact, there would not have been a recession at all if Victoria, which represents one quarter of the national economy, hadn't tanked so dramatically. - "Our Retro Economy Is Still Swinging"

The current mob, Bracks & Co., love to point out that after five and a half years in power, the sky still hasn't fallen in. By comparison, the Cain/Kirner ALP State government was a good eight years old before their years of mismanagement came home to roost. On similar reckoning, Victorians should be preparing for a recession right about 2007 or 2008. Of course, with a State election coming in 2006, they always have the chance to change all of that.

Bracks on Health Care - Spend More, Get Less

2005-06-05T11:06:00.000+10:00

If increased your spending at the supermarket by 54 per cent then you would expect to walk away with more, not less, groceries, wouldn't you?

If you are part of Bracks' disastrous health department, apparently not. Instead, although they have increased spending by 54 per cent, the number of hospital beds has dropped by 212 since 1999 when the Bracks government came in to power.

In even more worrying news, the Victorian Liberals highlighted this in a press release a week and a half ago and still not one media outlet has picked up on this.

I guess the question everyone wants answered is, where are our taxes going? Where is that extra 54% going?

Save Our Snowy

2005-05-30T22:40:00.000+10:00

In yet another sign that Victorians won't take much more of the Bracks government, I am pleased to introduce you all to Save Our Snowy. Classics so far include: Can You See The Difference?, Australian Latte Party Strikes Again and Fuhrer Bracks of the fourth Reich orders Vic Cattlemen OUT!. Enjoy!

The Snowy As It Once Was

Bracks Tries To Shake "Do Nothing" Tag By Calling On Howard To Do Something

2005-05-30T18:13:00.000+10:00

As we made clear recently Bracks has coasted through one of the biggest economic expansions in living memory barely making an impact at all on Victorian unemployment or growth.

The other states, all but NSW which have seen managed to significantly improve their position during the economic boom of the past five years, are now aghast that Bracks would dare call for a "national kick-start" which is not much more than another whinge for the Commonwealth to take responsibility for Bracks' problems.

A fawning opinion piece is declaring that Bracks has "come of age" by stepping up as "a national policy leader." Yet this ignores the glaring fact, that Bracks has been elected as a State policy leader, and there, he can't escape the reality of his do no good government which has wound up Victorians in even more red tape, attacked their freedom of speech and religious expression, destroyed their property rights and barely reduced unemployment throughout five and a half years of economic boom times.

Bracks cannot escape his "do nothing" tag by calling on John Howard to do even more of the work for him. Eventually, the people of Victoria are seeing his government for what it is and will vote him out when they get the chance.

New Revelations Of Division In Bracks' ALP

2005-05-29T17:12:00.000+10:00

The Other Cheek is carrying new revelations of the hopeless division and factionalism within Bracks' ALP.

What is amazing is how a faction as disconnected from the reality of life for most Australians, such as the Socialist Left Alliance, is able to hold any power at all within a mainstream political party like the ALP. Undoubtedly, the sympathy of journalists at The Age and the ABC has a lot to do with it, as does their control of trade and student unions.

Warlords, phantoms and stacks

2005-05-25T06:08:00.000+10:00

Australian Labor Party frontbencher Kelvin Thomson thoughtfully provided a definition of branch stacking and phantom branches within the Victorian Branch of the Australian Labor Party:

1. Branches that don't meet;
2. Members who don't pay their own fees;
3. Members who are invisible during election campaigns.

One of the Labor Party branches in Thomson's electorate of Wills, Anstey, has not contacted him in his nine years in parliament, and has held meetings just a handful of times.

Labor Party Socialist Left faction warlord Senator Kim ("Il") Carr contended that 71 per cent of Labor Party members in Victoria pay one of the two concessional membership rates. In the electorate of Gorton the figure is almost 95 per cent. This means that either the overwhelming majority of Labor Party members are unemployed, healthcare card holders, or earning up to just A$32,000 per annum; or that some factional warlord is paying the bulk of membership fees, and wanting to get as much value for money as possible by signing up concessional members.

There are some wonderful articles about the Labor Party shenanigans here and here, while some of us are also revelling in the revelations of Labor Party businessman Andrew Landeryou in his own weblog.

Unemployment Under Bracks - Another Story Of Bracks' Underperformance

2005-05-24T15:14:00.000+10:00

Swept along in the years of long economic growth under the Howard Government, Victorians are beginning to realise that the Victorian economy, while it hasn't fallen apart, has given up it's leadership status within the Australian economy.

This story is in many ways, emblematic of the entire Bracks government. The Bracks government has enjoyed every benefit a State government could ever wish for: It inherited a budget surplus, has governed through a period of enduring economic growth and stability, and at a time when a vast new source of taxation revenue has been made available to the States. Yet what do Victorians have to show for it?

Police out on the streets collecting revenue rather than catching criminals.
Public works projects coming in over budget and months if not years behind schedule.
A selective toll on the Eastern suburbs while the North & West still drive free.
Revelations of hidden and unreported State Government fees and charges that the Government refuses to disclose.

Whereas Jeff Kennett left Victorians with the second lowest unemployment rate among the States, Victoria under Steve Bracks today has the second highest unemployment rate. Whereas Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia & Tasmania have all managed to reduce their unemployment rates by between 1.97% and 3.45%, the Bracks government has only managed a measly 1.1%.

Victoria Deserves Better.

As Australia Surges Ahead, Victoria Posts Weakest Growth In Car Sales

2005-05-24T13:54:00.000+10:00

Statistics released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show the relative weakness of the Victorian economy under Bracks. While the whole of Australia, including Victoria, is benefitting from one of the longest periods of growth in Australian history, Victoria under Bracks has gone from leading the nation to lagging behind as the other states go from strength to strength.

Sales of New Motor Vehicles rose a seasonally adjusted 7.1% nationally between April 2004, but just 3.3% in Bracks' Victoria, the weakest performance out of all the States. Lagging the rest of Australia isn't a new experience for Victoria under Bracks, in fact, as the chart below makes clear, it is the story of the past five and a half years.

Many in the Bracks government will even argue this fall in car sales is a good thing. After all, this is a government so anti-car it spends a billion dollars on bailing out a bankrupt public transport bailout then levies a selective toll on a freeway in the Eastern suburbs to promote new growth. It is a government so anti-growth, it drew a green line around Melbourne and told us we couldn't build on one side of the line at all, and we could only build on the right side if we met half a dozen new planning regulations, and if we did meet all those conditions, maybe we would think about putting up a six story apartment building instead of a family home?

While the rest of Australia, bouyed by confidence in their economic futures, are out their investing in new cars, Victorian households seem to be spending a clear message that in Victoria under Bracks, confidence isn't on the menu. While Bracks is distracted by factional wars and getting his name in the paper looking after London based celebrities, the people of Victoria are losing ground, and Bracks doesn't care.

Bracks - Ruling For World Famous Ex-Victorians, Not For You

2005-05-23T15:55:00.000+10:00

When you are a normal, working, voting Victorian wanting equitable motorways, free speech, or a safe State, Bracks is nowhere to be found. When you are a London based multimillionaire performer, Bracks will come out swinging for you, just to get his name in the paper next to yours. Kylie needs the support of friends and family, but surely it is an insult to Victorians when Bracks time and energy are spent trying to direct media coverage for one of the most media savvy performers in the business, who no doubt has an entire staff to manage her own public relations.

Bracks - Fighting The Dirty Fight To Win The Civil War & Silence Critics

2005-05-23T15:50:00.000+10:00

Further hostilities have broken out in Bracks' Civil War within the ALP, with The Australian (factional affiliation as yet unknown) entering the fray with Labor Tribes At War.

Also, note the way the Bracks' government has thrown it's weight around getting a ConnectEast consultant & a former CEO of Vicroads to silence one of their most vocal critics.

Decoding The Brackspeak

2005-05-21T08:46:00.000+10:00

WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER OF VICTORIA, STEVE BRACKS

Open and accountable Government is part of my government's commitment to the people of Victoria.

We are open all of six days a month during the Spring Session and are happy to make our predecessor Jeff Kennett or maybe even one of our junior Ministers like Andre Haemayer accountable for our mistakes.

One way we are delivering on this commitment is through the provision of first class online information and services.

We believe the best way forward for Victoria is a Government that consults, listens and works together with all Victorians,

As long as they are one of the 14,000 members of the Victorian ALP AND part of our Labor Right faction. In fact, if you are one of our mates, you can have a consulting contract!

while providing leadership and decisive action.

In disappearing to Europe while our faction eliminates it's enemies and then turns on itself.

My Government has a comprehensive agenda for the next four years to deliver good Government on behalf of all Victorians

As long as they are part of the aforementioned grouping of factionally aligned persons who can do us a favour in return for our delivering "good Government" for them.

Our priorities are education, health and community safety

But only during the 14 day ego trip we like to call the Commonwealth Games.

It is unreasonable to expect these luxuries like on an ongoing basis, particularly when we are putting our foreign buddies up in luxury hotels so they can tell us how good we are during the Commonwealth Games. Wastin taxpayer money is a hard enough job as it is, asking us to provide services as well is just outrageous!

and we will deliver better services for all Victorians within our commitment to sound financial management.

By forcing local councils to help fund our Commonwealth Games and shutting down old people's homes and small businesses with land tax increases.

The Government is focused on its job. It will continue to invest in communities across Victoria – improving the delivery of government services to all Victorians, and continuing to grow the whole of the State.

We won't mention that under our government Victoria's unemployment rate has gone from one of the lowest in the nation to the highest.

This website provides you with a forum to give us your views on issues that are important to you and your community.

By letting you to fill in this webform we hope you will not write a potentially embarassing letter to the Herald Sun or The Age.

I encourage you to have your say and contribute to the future of Victoria.

Because I'm definitely not going to contribute to the future of anyone or anything other than Steve Bracks and the Labor Right.

Steve Bracks
PREMIER OF VICTORIA

At least until they realise how little good I have done and boot me out.

- Steve

(Steve's Welcome Message taken from his website.

Pro-Bracks Primary School Propoganda

2005-05-19T13:47:00.000+10:00

You know we are in trouble when primary schools begin getting students to talk up Steve Bracks with lines straight out of his PR play book and the results end up #3 on the google for "Steve Bracks".

Here's my favourite part of spin:

He is a fun loving father and a good family member.

So is my father and several other hundred thousand Victorian fathers. It still isn't a recommendation for Premier.