Punch on: Open thread 03/09/2010

Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics

by Laurie Oakes

110
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by Lucy Kippist

210
This concern for Thomson won’t change the script

by Mark Kenny

310
Weekend Punch: Tea or coffee?

by The Punch Team

410
Eurovision can’t drown out the human rights abuses

by Claire Mallinson

510
Revenge. It doesn’t get a whole lot better than this

by The Punch Team

610
Friday dilemma: can school bullies grow out of it?

by Tory Maguire

710
“Fizzy”, “gusto”, “disco” and other words we love

by Lucy Kippist

810
Ray Beckwith: the science behind the wine

by David Penberthy

910
The world puzzles over Australia’s Prime Minister

by Mark Kenny

1010

by Lucy Kippist

03 Sep 05:00am

Must Reads

Eurovision can’t drown out the human rights abuses

Revenge. It doesn’t get a whole lot better than this

Friday dilemma: can school bullies grow out of it?

123

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28 comments

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431Australia, you have nothing to fear but fear itself

390There's no one Thomson won't burn to save his skin

336Animal experiments won't cure me from cancer

313Thomson didn't answer the question everyone is asking

265Who murdered the Arts degree?

246A big day for Thomson, who thus far is guilty of nothing...

231Craig Thomson speaks. Meanwhile, in Australia...

231South Australia. It's the middle bottom bit.

28 comments

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- Robert S McCormick says:
  
  08:49pm | 03/09/10
  
  No-one is really surprised that, given his political history, Independent Labor member-elect for the Tasmanian seat of Dennison has sided with the ALP. OK, so he stood as an Independent but given his Party-hopping from the Greens he may as well have promoted himself as “Independent Labor”. If he had he would have saved a lot of time & the political grandstanding & posturing he has subjected all of us to for the last couple of weeks.
  As for his so-called deal with the ALP it is about as substantial as the fairies at the bottom of my garden! He has jumped on SA’s Nick Xenophon’s electorally (in SA) successful “No Pokies” platform.
  The agreement between Wilkie & Gillard is not worth the paper it is written on.
  Just how is this pipe-dream going to work?
  Who is going to police it?
  Who is going to decide which of us is “addicted” to gambling & in particular the Pokies
  Unless ALL, & I mean ALL, those addicted to Poker Machines come out & declare their addiction the whole programme is a farce. This will simply not happen.
  Addicts, be they drug, gambling or any other variety, mostly exist in a State of Denial. The number who actually seek help with their problem is minuscule.
  The only way to come to terms with the whole issue of Poker Machine Gambling is to target the most addicted of all:
  The State & Territory Governments of Australia.
  It was our politicians who approved legislation allowing these machines to be operated within their borders.
  They did so because they KNEW people would become addicted to them & this meant that they would have an endless & ever-increasing supply of TAX. They WANTED people to use them. They WANTED people to become addicted to them.
  They now feign alarm at the results of THEIR stupidity.
  Why do the Laws/Regulations those self-same politicians created DEMAND that Gaming Venues with Poker machines MUST open at 7.00am daily & remain open until 3.00am the next day?
  If their concerns, rather than being the dishonest one’s they now espouse, were honest they would immediately move to allow these Gaming Rooms to only open between 9.00am & 5.00pm Monday to Friday.
  They would immediately Legislate to phase out these machines within 10 years of the legislation being passed.
  The Pro-Pokies Lobby have claimed these machines support & promote “Friendly Social Interaction”, they “Bring People Together” and all sorts of other blatant lies.
  On the very rare occasions I have been into any of these Gambling Dens all you see are pathetic, zombie-like creatures sitting on their stools, glass by their side, unflinchingly staring at the screen before them & fingers poised above gambling keys. There is no conversation, no inter-action, no socialising. If it wasn’t for the noises coming from the machines these places would be as silent as the grave.
  Just like the Gillard-Rudd Fuel & Grocery Watch Programmes the Wilkie/Xenophon proposals will simply become multi-million dollar ALP disasters. The whole proposal is unworkable & unenforceable.
  
  Reply
- stephen says:
  
  06:48pm | 03/09/10
  
  Gabi Watson, the American, who, on his honeymoon drowned his wife and was convicted of manslaughter, is due for release in november. When that happens, the Alabama authorities want to re-charge him in the American courts, and have asked the WA Attorney -General for full court documents.
  He has been rebuffed, supposedly because of what we fear may be done to him.
  My question is, what aspect of the Law is our anxiety in giving this information, part of ? Once his sentence has passed, he is a free man. What business is it of our authorities what then happens to Mr. Watson ?
  Is not Alabama free to do what they will ? Once his sentence here has passed, our responsibility to him will expire.
  
  Reply
fairsfair says:

12:00pm | 06/09/10

It is actually QLD, as the incident occurred on the Yongala off Townsville. The DPP offered a plea deal to Watson (reason why he returned to Australia voluntarily) and he accepted charge of Manslaughter.

Alabama seek to try him for Murder as apparently they are able to if they can prove that he “planned” any of his actions before he left the US. In requesting Tina Watson name him as her life insurance beneficiary before they left for their honeymoon (which she told him she did, but ran out of time to do so at the time of their marriage) and then Watson fronting up at her insurer immediately upon his return - they think they can.

Try and get your hands on the Australian Story of this from a few weeks back. It is quite interesting to see - even though Alabama could not reveal all their cards. It also explains why double jepardy does not apply in this instance. There are also issues with the Alabama Governor and the application of hte death penalty. Very convaluted and sad story.

Unfortunately I think the issue the whole time has been the “responsibility” that is mentioned in the original post. The QLD DPP appear to have taken the opinion that “we won’t waste aussie dollars on an american crime” and investigate and prosecute this fully. Not good, but I am sure their are reasons for that that will never be disclosed to the public.

Needless to say, Alabama don’t like us much for this and rightly so. If the shoe was on the other foot Australians would be outraged.
Dan says:

12:09am | 06/09/10

BarbaraT is right. He committe the crime in Australia was was charged and convicted in Australia.

As for Alabama, well, if they want to impose the death penalty, it is our business. We are opposed to extraiditing people who may then be executed.
BarbaraT says:

04:39pm | 05/09/10

How can they do that. he didn’t commit the crime in the State of Alabama or any American territory for that matter. He committed the crime in Australia and was charged and convicted of the crime, although pleaded. I would have thought that the only course of action left to the family is a civil case against him?
- Polly Waffle says:
  
  04:03pm | 03/09/10
  
  Are the Abbott and the Bishops are losing their faith in gods yet?
  
  Reply
Aitch B says:

10:23am | 05/09/10

@Rob:

What a ridiculous comment to make. And if you want to bag Abbott for his Christain beliefs then you should equally bag Rudd. But of course rusted on hardliners like you are so selective that you won’t, will you, Rob?
Rob r Charteris says:

01:04pm | 04/09/10

LOL they could be taken out by an Atheist yet! Your post reminds of news film of a church in Haiti that was completely flattened by an earthquake and right across the road the Pub was still standing with people out front having a beer. I guess rAbbott didn’t pray hard enough either that or his god thought better of it.
ricko says:

10:44pm | 03/09/10

if Julia losses she may discover religon and pray for a miracle.
- Gloria Soames says:
  
  03:38pm | 03/09/10
  
  If Abbott threw a billion at Dennison,would this be the benchmark for every electorate, 150 billion,which could translate to one thousand jobs at 1,000,000 a year for every electorate.These guys then would pay 500,000 tax and Abbott gets the money back, economic sleight of hand at its best
  
  Reply
- Graham S says:
  
  02:34pm | 03/09/10
  
  And no mention that Australia declared war on Germany today, 03/09/39. More the pity we didn’t include the French in on that declaration
  
  Reply
- Paul Neri says:
  
  01:16pm | 03/09/10
  
  “On 3 December 2008 Gordon Wood was sentenced to 17 years, with a minimum time in prison of 13 years [for murdering Caroline Byrne whose body was found at the bottom of a cliff at the Gap). “
  
  “She [Justice Latham] sentenced him [Des Campbell who pushed his wife off a cliff] to a minimum of 24 years jail, with an extra nine years to be served on parole.”.
  
  Seems cliffs matter in sentencing.
  
  Reply
- Reg says:
  
  12:27pm | 03/09/10
  
  Do you mean diversionary breasts or diversionary articles?
  
  Reply
- fairsfair says:
  
  08:53am | 03/09/10
  
  damn, I see the politics free zone has not taken on. I had high hopes.
  
  Reply
Mr Shallow but kind says:

09:43am | 03/09/10

Damn as well, no more diversionary breast articles either
- Brian Daly says:
  
  08:11am | 03/09/10
  
  No gripe, just like to wish the best sister in law a person could have a happy birthday. Debbie Edwards, Lismore
  
  Reply
- Farkurnell says:
  
  07:21am | 03/09/10
  
  Lucy,
  Although not agreeing with all the politics of Andrew Wilkie he has put the spotlight on the club industry and there dubious method of raising revenue thru pokies.My ears are burning already from the screams of outrage that membership fees ,bear & bistro prices are going to increase to cover the loss of pokie revenue.Acknowledging that clubs do a lot of good in the community ,maybe some of the Baby-boomer members can pay a bit more for fees ,food and bear instead of squirrelling their money away in their misguided beleive that their adding to their grandkids inheritance.We all know their kids & grandkids are going to squabble over it ,when they are pushing up daisies ,and will put al ot of it back into the pokies so that their kids or grandkids can go hungry.
  
  Reply
Farkurnell says:

08:58pm | 03/09/10

Dave ,It is about them and the pokies.Maybe I got the generations wrong .Should it be parents of Baby boomers.The smart baby boomers are spending their parents and the kids inheritance in France and Italy, hence the recent Tourism imbalance.
TheRealDave says:

01:16pm | 03/09/10

Hang on - I thought Baby Boomers were blowing the inheritance by spending it while they can…because its always been about them?
- T.Chong says:
  
  07:17am | 03/09/10
  
  The larf of the week has to be the antics of funny old Fred Nile , with his defence that any ‘net porn site visited, was only for research.
  No doubt he is right, the hits, etc is legit, but where was Fred ? in Egypt, some how his trip and defence from the biblical land seems so appropriate (more research, no doubt)
  Funniest Fred moment- during the mid 1980s, Fred somehow broke his arm , so during a paliamentary debate, Fred was paraded around in parliament on a wheelchair, dressed in his pjs, slippers ,dressing gown, arm in sling.
  Funny theatrical Fred.
  
  Reply
ricko says:

03:12pm | 03/09/10

extract form the Fred Nile Researcher job interview ... “you mean I’ve got to look at all those sites ,and get paid for it”
Macca says:

08:00am | 03/09/10

Now Now Now, nothing wrong with a bit of thorough research. We often criticise politicians’ policies for lacking detail. No more can we criticise Fred Nile for the same thing
- Jed says:
  
  06:37am | 03/09/10
  
  Australian Slang:
  
  ‘to Russell Crowe your mobile phone…’
  
  (throw) - Proud of that one!
  
  Reply
fairsfair says:

08:55am | 03/09/10

Hahahaha - good ol’ Rusty.

‘Thats a Kerry Packer…’

(cracker)
- acotrel says:
  
  06:33am | 03/09/10
  
  The election was fought on the basis of Tony Abbott’s ‘claytons’ policies, which the voters accepted in good faith! After we find we have a hung parliament, and independents to satisfy, we then find there is an $11B black hole in the costing. The system should be much better than that! Lies are one thing, total deceit is another!
  
  Reply
Northern Steve says:

09:24pm | 05/09/10

Acotrel, you got nothing better to do than publish the same thing twice?
Tell you what, I’ll agree with you when you recognise three things:
1) Labor only submitted about 25% of its policies when it was in opposition in 2007
2) Treasury does not share its assumptions and basis for calculations with the opposition, which forces them to second-guess things like predicted growth rates, borrow rates etc.
3) the NBN has not yet been costed, and when (if) it ever is, we’ll see the cost blow out massively.
- Notus says:
  
  06:27am | 03/09/10
  
  Watching developments in Canberra this week reminded me of the vexed question: “Why has an elephant got big ears?”
  Knowing the answer: “Because noddy wouldn’t pay the ransom” did not help much. Could this be a reference to the much maligned Tony Abbott? Will I be accused of the sin of “political commentary” in Open Thread?
  Roll on to the weekend.
  
  Reply
- acotrel says:
  
  06:23am | 03/09/10
  
  There should be legislation to ensure that policies proclaimed during election campaigns must be assessed by treasury.Except for the fact that we have a hung parliament, and independents to satisfy, the $11B black hole in Abbott’s policies would never have been revealed! He could have been elected to govern on the basis of BS!
  
  Reply