Below is a copy of an email message sent to the senators Glenn Lazarus and Nick Xenophon, of the Australian senate, on 18 April 2016.
Hello.
I am writing to you both, due to the references to the both of you, in the ABC online news report at
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-17/brandis-says-double-dissolution-election-likely/7332898
which, at the time of writing this message, included the following text;
"
Double dissolution election likely as Parliament set to examine two key bills, Brandis says
By political reporters Matthew Doran and Jane Norman
Updated April 18, 2016 00:56:34
Federal Attorney-General George Brandis has indicated it is highly likely Australia will head to a double dissolution election on July 2, saying he does not expect the Senate to pass two key pieces of Government legislation.
Parliament has been recalled early for an extraordinary sitting to debate the Coalition's bill to reintroduce the construction watchdog, the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), and the Registered Organisations bill, which aims to treat union leaders like company directors.
The ABCC Bill has already been rejected once by the Senate, while the Registered Organisations bill has been blocked twice.
Both pieces of legislation will be introduced on Monday, and both need to be passed for a double dissolution to be avoided.
Senator Brandis told Sky News he thought that was unlikely.
"I think it's impossible to imagine a set of circumstances in which the ABCC bill passes and the Registered Organisation bill doesn't," he said.
"
and
"
South Australian Independent senator Nick Xenophon, whose team looks set to take more seats in the Senate and challenge for a number of South Australian lower house seats at the upcoming election, told the ABC he did not expect the Senate to sit for the full two extra sitting weeks.
"I think it's unlikely to go through, I think it's almost inevitable that we'll have a July 2 election," Senator Xenophon said.
"There's the second reading stage, which is basically a vote to say 'should this legislation be further debated, should it be going into committee where you can consider amendments to the legislation?'
"I think it's touch and go whether it will even get through that first hurdle.
"I'll be voting for the second reading stages of that bill, I think it's important that we debate the bill, I'm sympathetic to a number of measures in the bill, but there needs to be some amendments."
"
and
"
Senator Xenophon, along with other crossbenchers, wants a number of amendments to the ABCC bill.
"
and
"
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his Employment Minister Michaelia Cash have both said they would not consider amendments that would change the nature of the legislation.
That would mean Senator Glenn Lazarus's demands for a national anti-corruption body would not be considered.
"I certainly won't vote for [the ABCC] in its current form," Senator Lazarus told ABC Insiders.
"I've always been a campaigner for a national corruption and misconduct watchdog and I think it's a very relevant point.
"I don't think we need to be attacking one particular sector, we need to be covering all misconduct and corruption."
"
Now, I am writing to you, regarding two significant aspects regarding this, with both matters, I believe, needing to be raised, and, entered into Hansard, regarding the bill.
The first aspect, is the issue of blatant corruption, whereby the office of prime minister is misused by the incumbent, for mercenary purposes, as mentioned in the forwarded message below. I note that I have not received any acknowledgement, other than an automated acknowledgement, from the senator for WA, to whom the forwarded message, is addressed, further decreasing the confidence in the senators for WA.
The second, is the overall issue of bribery and corruption, involving members of state and federal governments, specifically, the LNP, as is shown in the material following that forwarded message, where legislation, and, representation in the parliaments, are purchased by bribes paid to the members of the parliaments.
Thus, in the context of these two aspects, is the need, as stated by senator Lazarus, for the parliament to take his approach, that the members of the parliament, " need to be covering all misconduct and corruption".
So, I ask you both to consider all of the material raised in this email message, with the prospect of raising it in the senate, and, asking why the federal government is seeking to protect its own members, and, all LNP members of parliaments, from being investigated for bribery and corruption.
That is, unless bribery and corruption, are officially legal and acceptable in the federal parliament, and in the state parliaments, of Australia, as the federal government would apparently have us believe.
Thank you in anticipation.
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: Question for asking in the recall of the senate
Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2016 15:54:21 +0800
From: Bret Busby
To: Senator Sue Lines
Hello.
I understand that the senate, and, the whole of the federal parliament,
is being recalled for an extraordinary sitting, for the prime minister
to force a double dissolution of the federal parliament.
I have a set of questions for you to put , in the senate, and, if a
Question Time is refused to be provided, to make a motion to suspend all
other business of the senate, until a Question Time is to be provided,
to allow the prime minister to explain a significant act of misconduct
and abuse of office, with the prospect of a possible censure motion, and
a motion of no confidence in the prime minister, and, to possibly seek the impeachment of the prime minister, to be put to the senate.
I have just read the ABC online news report, at
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-04-12/prime-minister-criticised-for-only-meeting-liberal-donors-wa/7320320?section=wa
wherein, is written
"
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been criticised for using a
taxpayer-funded trip to attend a Liberal Party fundraiser in Karratha.
The Prime Minister flew into the Pilbara town on Sunday night, before
attending a $500-a-head fundraiser breakfast the next morning for the
West Australian branch of the Liberal Party.
"
and
"
Traditional owners of the Pilbara region are disappointed the Prime
Minister did not take time to meet with them and other residents in the
town.
"If he was coming all the way out here from Canberra, he should have at
least gotten out and met some people in the community, whether they are
Aboriginal or not," Ngarluma tourism operator Clinton Walker said.
"He's coming out to our country, he doesn't even acknowledge anyone
here. Why go to all that trouble, if you're not going to have a yarn to
people?"
Mr Walker is calling on the Prime Minister to support a campaign to give
a local Indigenous site World Heritage listing.
Dampier local and yacht club vice commodore Len Vertigan said he was
also disappointed the Prime Minister did not make time to meet with
community members who did not have $500 to donate to the Liberal Party.
"They just need to start looking at things from the electorate's point
of view," Mr Vertigan said.
"And that is, if I had to do something with my business, I look at the
best economic way of doing it.
"Unfortunately politicians don't do that. They just see it as an avenue
of raising money for their own political party ... or 'let's just get
out there and wave the flag because there's an election coming up'."
"
and
"
Karratha Liberal Party branch president Peter McDowell said the Prime
Minister's WA visit originally only included a stop at Barrow Island,
but he and Durack MP Melissa Price fought hard to have Karratha added to
the itinerary.
"
and
"
Mr McDowell said Mr Walker and others had been invited to donate $500 to
the Liberal Party to attend the breakfast if they were keen to put their
concerns to the Prime Minister.
"
and
"
The Prime Minister declined to be interviewed by local ABC Radio during
his visit to the region, and his office refused to reveal the cost to
the public of his trip to the town.
"
The questions are thus;
"I ask the prime minister to confirm or deny that he is using his office
and taxpayer funded trips, to hire himself out as a mercenary, like some
members of the Western Australian state government, representing the
interests of only those who can afford to pay the mercenary fees that he
expects in addition to his remuneration as prime minister, and, I ask
how much taxpayers' money was used to fund his trip to the north of
Western Australia, to solicit his mercenary fees, and why his office has
refused to provide that information. I also ask whether such misconduct,
and, the publicised moving of the prime ministers' extreme riches, into
a haven for tax evasion, are appropriate conduct for a prime minister of
this country, and why the prime minister should not be censured by this
house of the parliament, and, by the lower house of this parliament,
and, why a motion of no confidence in the prime minister, should not be
put in each house of the parliament, for conduct unbecoming of a prime
minister and for increasing the disrepute of the the parliament."
....................................................
1.
At
http://whoswho.co.za/company/news/364489
as viewed at 2145 on 17 April 2016, was
"
PICK N PAY PUSHES ON WITH FRANKLINS SALE - Michael Bleby
24 November 2010
PICK N PAY is hoping to receive a cheque in five days' time for its FRANKLINS portfolio after would-be purchaser METCASH yesterday said they would push ahead with the transaction despite the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission blocking the deal last week. The move by METCASH effectively dares the ACCC to resort to legal action to halt the sale. PNP will be thanking its lucky stars if it can close the deal for the agreed R1.4bn after all. The ACCC has run into a storm of criticism from Australian commentators for halting PNP's planned sale to METCASH. Critics said the regulator did not consider the effect a strengthened METCASH business would have in challenging the two largest supermarket chains, COLES and WOOLWORTHS. The Australian senate yesterday voted to hold an inquiry into the commission's decision to block the sale, after senators from the rural-constituency National Party argued for the sale to go ahead, saying it would strengthen independent supermarkets. The senate inquiry will report back by Dec. 17.
"
Metcash, including its Australian subsidy "IGA", has been a long time payer of bribes to the National Party, especially in Western Australia, where the National Party, in return for the bribes, has provided legislation restricting trading hours in Western Australia, so as to deliberately cause harm to the Western Australian and Australian economies, and, to deliberately cause harm to Western Australian and Australian companies.
Now, here, is shown that the bribery and corruption, extend to the Australian federal parliament, where the bribes paid to the national party, buy its services in the Australian senate, again, to provide benefits to the payers of the bribes to the National party, and, to deliberately cause harm to Australia.
2.
At
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/senator-ron-boswell-lobbies-for-company-that-donated-to-his-election-campaign/story-e6freon6-1225960462795?nk=e471db861d95dec3d4f7cf6a3cce3a30-1460900190
as viewed at 2154 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Senator Ron Boswell lobbies for company that donated to his election campaign
STEVE LEWIS AND MICHAEL MADIGAN THE COURIER-MAIL NOVEMBER 25, 2010 12:00AM
VETERAN Queensland Nationals senator Ron Boswell is in hot water after lobbying in parliament for a company that donated $30,000 to his re-election campaign.
The long-serving senator has spearheaded a parliamentary inquiry into Metcash, whose takeover bid for Franklins supermarkets was blocked by the competition watchdog.
But Australian Electoral Commission records show the grocery giant donated $30,000 to Senator Boswell's 2007 campaign - through the National Party's Queensland division.
Senator Boswell initially denied receiving any funds from Metcash when challenged over the election donations.
"I have never taken a cent from anyone," he told The Courier-Mail.
"It might have my name on it but they certainly didn't give it to me."
But after being shown the AEC records - which clearly show Senator Boswell received $30,000 - the man universally known as "Bozzie" backed down from his earlier remarks.
"Any inference that a campaign donation might influence my role as a senator is wrong," he said.
Senator Boswell has been a champion of small business during his 27 years in federal parliament.
He has successfully pushed his Coalition colleagues to amend competition laws to protect small business from the big end of town.
But his lobbying for Metcash has raised eyebrows among political observers - who say Senator Boswell should have been more upfront in disclosing a conflict of interest.
On Tuesday, he pushed the Senate to back an inquiry on why the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission blocked Metcash's purchase of Franklins supermarkets.
The ACCC claims the takeover would reduce competition, but Senator Boswell argues it would actually increase Metcash's clout to take on Woolworths and Coles.
ACCC head Graeme Samuel will be called before the Senate inquiry to explain the decision.
The Courier-Mail understands Metcash - Australia's biggest grocery wholesaler - has supported Senator Boswell's election campaigns on other occasions.
A Metcash spokesman said the company gave money to all political parties - including Labor, the Liberals and Nationals.
"
Once again, the National Party, as a member of the federal government, and, especially, a national Party senator, showing how corrupt is the federal parliament and the national Party, whereby bribes control the actions of the National Party; of the federal government, and, of members of the Australian senate.
3.
At
http://www.theland.com.au/story/3532133/metcash-turns-the-corner/?cs=4951
as viewed at 2200 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Metcash turns the corner
By SUE MITCHELLDec. 2, 2015, 7:58 a.m.
VETERAN retailer Fred Harrison says investors calling the death of the independent grocery sector and the demise of wholesaler Metcash are foolhardy.
"When people say Metcash will die what they're saying is the key independents will die and that's not going to happen," said Mr Harrison, who runs Ritchies Stores, Australia's largest chain of IGA supermarkets.
"I'm not saying it's easy, but to write us off is foolhardy."
After a 73 per cent drop in earnings over the past three years, Ritchies' profits rose almost four-fold in fiscal 2015, from $2.5 million to $9.7 million, and sales returned to growth, rising 1 per cent to $854 million despite the closure of four loss-making stores.
Mr Harrison expects sales to reach $1.1 billion this year after Ritchies completes the acquisition of the 15-store Fishers IGA, which will boost Ritchies' presence across Victoria.
He attributes the company's earnings turnaround to a combination of external and internal factors, including better customer service, a wider fresh food range, exclusive premium food brands and a popular loyalty offer.
Metcash's decision to cut prices on 2000 major product lines had enabled Ritchies to compete on price with Coles and Woolworths, while Metcash's Diamond Store refurbishment program had helped Ritchies boost sales of fresh foods at flagship stores such as Daisy Hill.
"We were sick to death of being perceived as being expensive - Price Match on the 2000 lines we're involved with made sense," Mr Harrison said.
"It gave consumers a bit more confidence that they could buy some of those product items knowing they weren't necessarily going to get it cheaper down the road.
"Price Match draws a line in the sand but for us to be successful we have to continue to exploit our points of difference.
"Instead of trying to be a mini-me Coles, Woolworths or Aldi we try to create good points of difference. The majors can't compete with successful independents … we don't have a cookie cutter approach so it's hard for the chains to target us and pin us down."
IGA's retailers' share of the grocery market has fallen from 19 per cent to 14 per cent over the past five years, but there are finally signs that independents are fighting back.
Amid the most intense competition for many years, same-store sales at IGA retailers rose 0.6 per cent in the October half, the best performance for two years. Metcash's sales to supermarkets rose 0.1 per cent and would have risen 1 per cent if not for disruption at the storm-damaged NSW distribution centre.
Analysts are divided over whether Metcash's better than expected IGA sales are due to Woolworths' underperformance or whether the worst may indeed be over for the independent sector after a few tough years.
UBS analyst Ben Gilbert believes structural challenges will continue and expects the market share of independent supermarkets to fall to about 11 per cent over the next few years.
"IGA is not a business built to win on price," said Mr Gilbert. "If the majors start cutting prices aggressively we think IGA will be most under pressure given lack of scale and high levels of fixed cost leverage."
However, Morgan Stanley says Metcash's five-year transformation plan is starting to deliver for the wholesaler and independent retailers.
"Our discussions with independent retailers indicate that their profitability has improved recently which indicates that the Price Match campaign is working," said Morgan Stanley analyst Tom Kierath.
Metcash shares, which had halved in the past year, jumped 13 per cent or 20¢ to an 11-month high of $1.68 as analysts upgraded their full year profit forecasts, taking gains this week to 73 per cent.
"It's been a tough couple of years but we are all a bit smarter and wiser," Mr Harrison said. "You learn a lot more in challenging years than when things are swimming along. But we would not be taking on the Fisher stores if we weren't confident we had a strong long-term future."
"
which shows that, despite the lies and misrepresentations from the National Party across Australia, IGA and its parent company, Metcash, are not in any way, either small businesses, or, independent retailers.
4.
At
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/former-queensland-mp-scott-driscoll-committed-to-stand-trial-on-16-fraud-and-fraudrelated-charges/news-story/e69ecd0fdaf46a1764e8a153b13b0cf1?nk=e471db861d95dec3d4f7cf6a3cce3a30-1460901892
as viewed at 2206 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Former Queensland MP Scott Driscoll committed to stand trial on 16 fraud and fraud-related charges
May 18, 2015 11:09am
Brooke BaskinThe Courier-Mail
DISGRACED former state MP Scott Driscoll has been committed to stand trial over corruption allegations.
The 40-year-old former Liberal National Party MP walked silently past waiting media outside the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday after Deputy Chief Magistrate Terry Gardiner committed him to stand trial.
Driscoll wore a grey suit, had combed his hair back and appeared downcast during the brief hearing.
He did not enter a plea, other than to say “no thank you, Your Honour” when asked if there was anything he wished to say about the case against him.
Driscoll will stand trial in the District Court at a later date on 16 charges, including nine charges of making a false entry in an official record; five counts of fraud and two counts of corruptly soliciting favour in relation to principal affairs or business.
Prosecutor Carson Lloyd tendered witness statements from 63 individuals.
Driscoll’s lawyer, Trent Jones, conceded there was a prima facie case against the accused.
The former lobbyist fronted a Queensland court for the first time in October last year following an 18-month Crime and Corruption Commission investigation.
The charges involve allegations revealed by The Courier-Mail that Driscoll attempted to solicit $400,000 from retail giants Coles and Woolworths on October 5, 2012 while he was an MP in the seat of Redcliffe.
At the time Driscoll was allegedly controlling a lobby group representing small retailers, primarily the IGA network of stores, in their trading hours battle against the big supermarkets.
IGA owners were allegedly still in a dispute with Driscoll at the time the money was allegedly obtained by Driscoll’s Queensland Retail Traders and Shopkeepers Association (QRTSA).
Some of the money was allegedly paid to Driscoll’s family business, Norsefire.
"
Still more bribery and corruption, involving IGA/Metcash, and the Liberal/National Party - this time, involving bribery and corruption in the Queensland state parliament.
6.
At
http://whoswho.co.za/company/news/364489
as viewed at 2214 on 17 April 2016, was
"
17 October 2009
The 800-pound gorilla standing in the way of extended trading hours
Labels: Perth, politics, retail trading hours
We keep hearing the same arguments against deregulation of retail trading hours in Western Australia: small shops will be put out of business by Coles and Woolworths and the results of the referendum held in 2005 on this issue show that the public do not want reform. Unfortunately, we would be naive to assume that the opponents of deregulation who give these flawed arguments have the general community's interests at heart and not their own.
The ACT and Northern Territory both have completely unregulated trading hours. Tasmania's trading hours are unregulated on all but two and half days of the year. Notwithstanding the claims made by the independent grocers' lobby, liberalisation of trading hours in other states and territories has not had an adverse impact on the performance of independent grocers.
The people were not asked in the 2005 referendum whether they wanted extended trading hours, but whether they thought it was good public policy. Furthermore, IGA led a fear campaign in the lead up to the referendum with claims such as extending trading hours threatens 15,000 jobs, which is totally absurd.
All the economic debate that has surrounded this policy issue is just a distraction from the grubby rent seeking and politics that are driving the resistance to reform. Metcash, the distributor for IGA and Foodworks that benefits from the current regulatory regime, donated a total of $26,000 to the WA Nationals for the financial year of 2007/2008, as reported on the Australian Electoral Commission's website.
The disclosed donations for the financial year of 2008/2009 are yet to be published, but they will be interesting indeed. The Barnett Liberal government introduced legislation to extend retail trading hours, but this was blocked by the Nationals and Labor opposition. The Liberal government then explored an alternative approach to extending trading hours without passing legislation through the Western Australian Parliament: extending the boundaries of the Perth tourism precinct, which the Nationals said they would block via a disallowance motion—they even blocked changes that didn't affect the constituents of any of the seats they hold.
"
which reinforces the fact that trading hours restriction laws in Western Australia, are controlled by the bribes paid by the IGA/Metcash. to the National Party.
7.
At
http://aunews.indywatch.org/archiver/aunews.indywatch.org/resources/timemachine/2015/158/allstate.html
as viewed at 2227 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Food and grocery firm Metcash, which owns the IGA chain of supermarkets, crashed 17.7 per cent after warning investors it would not pay a final dividend.
"
which shows that IGA is owned by Metcash, which is an African corporation sabotaging Australia.
8.
At
https://business.highbeam.com/3548/article-1G1-86868221/metcash-plans-purchase
as viewed at 2232 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Metcash Plans A Purchase.
Article from: Africa News Service | June 7, 2002 | Copyright
Johannesburg, Jun 07, 2002
The board of Metcash Trading, the 64%-held Australian subsidiary of Metro Cash & Carry (Metcash), is planning to acquire a fourth business division in the Asia Pacific region to add further diversity to earnings.
Metcash Trading CEO Andrew Reitzer told an Investment Analysts' Society presentation in Cape Town yesterday that Metcash Trading's three existing businesses in Australia Independent Grocers of Australia Distribution, Campbells Cash & Carry and Australian Liquor Marketers were performing well and generating strong cash flow.
In the next three to four years Metcash Trading would like to add a fourth "business pillar" that could be earnings-a-share neutral in the first and second year after acquisition, and a strong contributor from the third and fourth years onwards
"
further confirming that Metcash, an African corporation, owns "Independent Grocers of Australia".
9.
At
http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard\hansard.nsf/0/b1f8825a8be58971c8257570000f8184/$FILE/A37 S1 20080410 p2237b-2249a.pdf
which is the Hansard record of goings-on in the WA parliament;
"
Extract from Hansard
[ASSEMBLY - Thursday, 10 April 2008]
p2237b-2249a
"
we have the National Party earning its bribes from IGA/Metcash, by representing the interests of IGA/Metcash; the payer of the bribes to the national party, and acting against the interests of the state of Western Australia, and, against the interests of Australia, and, against the interests of Western Australian and Australian companies and economies.
And, of particular note, is the text on page 8 of that document,
"
Mr E.S. RIPPER: It certainly was not in the question. We will be going to the next election with a policy for
extended trading hours. We want to give our people and our businesses the right to make a choice about these
matters. We want to give our businesses the right to make a choice about when they open. We do not want to
favour one group of businesses or one business structure over another. We certainly do not want to force our
customers—for market share consideration—to shop at stores that they would rather not shop at. That is the
logical conclusion of the argument put by the National Party. The National Party is arguing that market share is
wrong; therefore, on certain days of the week, customers will be forced to shop at shops that they do not really
want to shop at. Market share is ultimately determined by the individual decisions of individual customers. If
people do not want to shop at Coles, they do not need to shop at Coles. The National Party is saying that even if
people do not want to shop at IGA, on Sundays they will be forced to shop at IGA, because the National Party is
worried about IGA’s market share! I do not believe that is the right approach. I believe people should be free to
choose where they want to shop and when they want to shop.
"
And, remember, the bribes paid to the WA National party, by IGA, the African multinational criminal organisation, which bribes, the WA National party have taken, to cause direct harm to the Western Australian people, the Western Australian businesses (Coles is a Western Australian company, Woolworths is an Australian company, and, IGA is an African criminal organisation, paying bribes to the WA National party, to buy control of the trading hours in Western Australia).
This is why the parliament of the state of Western Australia has implemented in law, restrictive trading practices, that favour the African criminal organisation over Western Australian and Australian companies, and, are designed to deliberately cause harm to both the Western Australian and Australian, economies and people.
I believe that the restrictive trading practices, imposed by the corrupt WA state parliament, are in breach of federal law. And, the restrictive trading hours in Western Australia, are controlled by bribes paaid by IGA to the Western Australian National Party, which controls the corrupt state upper house of parliament.
10.
At
http://shoppinginterest.com.au/news/newsdetails/item_98930/driscoll-to-face-court/
as viewed at 2303 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Driscoll to face court
Posted: 2015-05-18 01:44:07
Original link: http://www.insideretail.com.au/blog/2015/05/18/driscoll-to-face-court/
Queensland MP, Scott Driscoll, will face a District Court jury over allegations of dishonest and fraudulent behaviour, including that he solicited thousands of dollars in secret commissions.
The 40 year old did not enter a plea in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Monday when he was committed for trial on 16 fraud and fraud related charges.
It’s alleged that in October 2012 Driscoll solicited at least $400,000 in secret commissions on behalf of the Queensland Retail Traders and Shopkeepers Association (QRTSA) from Wesfarmers and Woolworths.
There’s no allegation he received the commissions.
It’s also alleged that between August 2011 and May 2013 Driscoll committed fraud offences worth $725,000, including dishonestly obtaining sums of more than $30,000 from the QRTSA and Metcash.
Other allegations include that Driscoll dishonestly used his electorate office for QRTSA purposes and falsified nine entries in the minutes of QRTSA meetings.
The former Liberal National Party member won office in the Newman government’s landslide March 2012 election victory.
He resigned from the party a year later following allegations of improper behaviour, before quitting the parliament in disgrace in November 2013 after he was found guilty of misleading the house.
"
which shows that Metcash, the parent company of "IGA" was directly involved in paying bribes to members of the LNP.
11.
At
http://origin.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2015-05-18/former-queensland-mp-scott-driscoll-ordered-to-stand-trial-on-fraud-charges/1448576
as viewed at 2311 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Former Queensland MP Scott Driscoll ordered to stand trial on fraud charges
Updated 18 May 2015, 14:15 AEST
Former Queensland LNP MP Scott Driscoll is committed to stand trial on 16 fraud and fraud-related charges.
Former Queensland LNP MP Scott Driscoll has been committed to stand trial on a date to be fixed on 16 fraud and fraud-related charges.
The 40-year-old appeared in Brisbane's Magistrates Court this morning over charges including soliciting secret commissions, fraud, and fraudulent falsification of records.
The charges deal with events between August 2011 and May 2013 and centre on his involvement with the Queensland Retail Traders Association.
It is alleged that in that period, Driscoll committed fraud offences worth $725,000.
Driscoll has been accused of soliciting $200,000 from Wesfarmers and the same amount from Woolworths; using his Redcliffe electorate office for association purposes; taking more than $30,000 from the association; and obtaining more than $30,000 from grocery wholesaler Metcash.
Driscoll's lawyer said he had been instructed to agree that there was enough prima facie evidence for a trial.
More than 60 witness statements have been tendered.
When asked by a Brisbane magistrate if he had anything to say, Driscoll replied: "No, thank you, Your Honour."
Driscoll's trial will be held in the District Court at a date to be fixed.
He won Redcliffe for the LNP in 2012, but became an independent when the party lost confidence in him in March 2013.
"
- this time, the reference is from the ABC, regarded as generally impartial in political matters.
12.
At
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/moves-to-extend-shopping-hours-sparks-internal-war-within-barnett-government/news-story/635301ece851aae653c3f365ea20a1b4
as viewed at 2332 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Moves to extend shopping hours sparks internal war within Barnett Government
February 28, 2015 6:46pm
JOE SPAGNOLOPolitical EditorPerthNow
AN internal war has erupted within the Barnett Government over moves to extend shopping hours in Perth.
Leaked emails obtained by The Sunday Times – circulated between National and Liberal MPs this week – show deep divisions within government over the further deregulation of shopping hours in Perth.
....
As reported in The Sunday Times last week, the Liberal Party recently discussed expanding retail trading hours in Perth at a party room meeting in Busselton.
Woolworths then wrote to Mr Edman, who in turn sent the email to his colleagues.
“I was very interested to read recent media reports about the reform of retail trading hours,” Woolworths government relations manager Michael Samaras said.
“I thought you may be interested in the attached ABS statistics on jobs created in the retail sector since Sunday trading was introduced in August, 2012. They are compelling. Reform is good for shoppers, good for retailers and good for jobs.
“In the two years since the introduction of Sunday trading between 11am and 5pm in the Perth metropolitan area, 20,700 new retail jobs have been created.
“This represents a 15.8 per cent increase, which is more than three times the growth rate in retail across the rest of the country.”
Nationals MLC Martin Aldridge then forwarded Mr Edman a paper prepared by IGA in 2014 titled “The Lights Are Out on Extended Trading Hours”, which concluded that “extensions to retail trading hours have benefited the major national retail chains at the expense of smaller independent retail businesses and their owners”.
"
once again showing the National Party in WA, to be earning their bribes from IGA/Metcash.
13.
And, what is the outcome of the bribes paid by the IGA/Metcash, to the National Party in Western Australia, to buy legislation favouring the IGA/Metcash?
At
http://www.perthnow.com.au/business/supermarket-chain-iga-to-open-eight-new-wa-stores-in-2016/news-story/02d5690339172f76648d7645ee26abd6
as viewed at 2338 on 17 April 2016, was
"
Supermarket chain IGA to open eight new WA stores in 2016
November 27, 2015 2:43pm
VETTI KAKULASPerthNow
IGA will open another eight West Australian stores, while upgrading 20 existing outlets, in the next 12 months.
Among the locations for the new stores are South Guildford, City Beach, the Tuart Ridge estate in Baldivis, and Alkimos.
IGA says the eight stores will create 250 full-time jobs.
The moves comes as German discount supermarket giant Aldi prepares to open 70 WA stores, starting from mid-2016.
Metcash Food and Grocery Supermarkets WA general manager Grant Ramage said significant resources had been invested at WA IGAs to keep the region competitive and benefit retailers.
"
which shows that paying bribes to members of parliaments in Australia, is an effective business strategy, and, apparently, is "Standard Operating Procedure in Australia".
And, at
http://www.armadale-wa.net/TradingHours.html
as viewed at 0004 on 18 April 2016, was
"
In 2009, four years later; from a copy of a Letter To The Editor, that I submitted to the WA Sunday Times on 24 September 2009, the Letter, unfortunately, not being published by the Sunday Times;
With the debacle involving the restrictive trading practices involved in the regulated trading hours in WA, and the short attention span of some WA voters, I thought that people should be aware of a few facts.
1. From http://abc.gov.au/news/stories/2008/03/12/2187010.htm?site=news ; "Premier promises to bring WA into the 21st century on trading hours. ...The Premier, Alan Carpenter, has told the ABC deregulated trading hours will be a key Labor Party platform heading into the next State election. ..."We will go to the next election with a policy of deregulating our trading hours, modernising our economy, bring Western Australia into the 21st century on this issue".
This led, surprise, surprise, to a massive backflip by the WA Labor Party.
Influence? (Is that due to money that IGA/Metcash has stated that it has paid to the ALP?)
2. From http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2009/07/16/iga-and-metcash-sign-landmark-agree ment-as-growth-plans-gather-pace.html ; "The IGA National Council announced the deal today, with Metcash - the owner of the IGA brand".
3. From http://www.metcash.com/index.cfm?page_id=2109 ; "Metcash Trading Limited Australasia (Metcash) is a leading marketing and distribution company operating in the food and other fast moving consumer goods categories. It has three Business Pillars - IGA Distribution, Campbells Cash & Carry and Australian Liquor Marketers.
Metcash is currently one of the best-performing stocks on the Australian market, a status that vindicates strategies put in place by management since Metro Cash and Carry South Africa acquired control of the business in 1998."
4. From http://www.metro.co.za/ ; "METCASH AFRICA has extensive Wholesale and Franchise Retail interests in South Africa, and operates in five other African countries namely Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Swaziland and Lesotho".
So, IGA is part of a massive, overseas-owned, multinational corporation, probably bigger than Wesfarmers (that owns Coles) and Woolworths Australia, combined.
Added 15 October 2009:
And, if you shop at IGA, you are supporting an establishment that assists Robert Mugabe, by trading in the country that is subject to his corrupt dictatorship.
And, similarly, some political parties, like the WA National Party of Western Australia, that is partly funded by IGA, are partly funded by an establishment that assists Robert Mugabe, by trading in the country that is subject to his corrupt dictatorship, and are thus assisting Robert Mugabe. Now, we see where the National Party of Western Australia, gets its policies.
And, an example of how an overseas owned corporation has purchased policies from the National Party of Western Australia, see http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,26209513-2761,00.html .
"The National Party of Western Australia - proudly owned and controlled by overseas companies".
Now, ask yourself, how much funding does the Western Australian Labor Party receive from Metcash South Africa, via IGA, to buy policies, as with the National Party, that favour the overseas owned multinational corporation, to the detriment of Australian companies and to the detriment of Western Australians, and to deliberately reduce employment for Western Australians?
After all, the Labor Party/National Party coalition, which dominates the WA state parliament, is clearly working in the interests of only the overseas owned, multinational corporations, that have purchased their votes in the parliament.
So, who gets to buy the votes of the Labor Party, in parliament?
The article at
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26051968-5006786,00.html
states "Rudd keeps Labor Party donor names from public"
"PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan have refused to release documents under Freedom of Information laws that would reveal the Labor donors they met with as part of the business observers programs run at state and federal party conferences.
While Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has released such information under FOI, and also outside the act, Mr Rudd and Mr Swan are hiding behind exemptions that claim the documents relate to their party affairs and not government roles.
John Howard used a similar tactic.
Business observer programs are a lucrative fundraiser for the major parties, who allow business people to buy time with a minister to raise an issue. Invitations for the recent federal and state programs featured Mr Rudd and Mr Swan by their title. "
So, the Labor Party, apparently, hides from the public, that it is supposed to represent in parliament, who actually has purchased the votes of the Labor Party members of parliament.
It is interesting, how the decision of the Western Australian parliament, regarding trading hours in WA, is controlled, and, thence, the WA state parliament, is controlled, by overseas-owned, multinational corporations, that are probably far larger than the Australian corporations that are disadvantaged by the decisions made by the parliament that is apparently under the control of these overseas-owned, multinational corporations.
Note: Above, in the text of the article about senator Boswell, published 25 November 2010, is reported that a spokesman for IGA/Metcash, stated that that (criminal) organisation had "donated" money to each of the major parties that control the WA state parliament, and, therefore, the regulation of trading hours in WA; "Labor, the Liberals and Nationals", and, the union that is supposed to represent (but directly acts against the interests of) the shop assistants in Western Australia, and, which controls the selection of senate candidates in WA, including one of its own officials, having been imposed on Western Australia, as a senator for Western Australia, in the federal parliament, is strongly opposed to the deregulation of trading hours in Western Australia, as that would reduce the financial benefit to IGA/Metcash, through the regulation of trading hours in Western Australia, that has been purchased by the "donations" from IGA/Metcash, paid to the ALP.
Maybe, one day, the people of WA will be able to elect a democratic parliament; government of the people, by the people, for the people, and, not be ruled by one that is controlled by foreign interests.
"
.....................................................
And, as cited above, in the cited ABC news report about the ABCC bill and the policies of sentaors Xenophon and Lazarus, regarding that bill;
"
"I certainly won't vote for [the ABCC] in its current form," Senator Lazarus told ABC Insiders.
"I've always been a campaigner for a national corruption and misconduct watchdog and I think it's a very relevant point.
"I don't think we need to be attacking one particular sector, we need to be covering all misconduct and corruption."
"
And, it is thus, clear, that Australia desperately needs "a national corruption and misconduct watchdog", and, that entity needs "to be covering all misconduct and corruption", especially, including corporations and members of parliaments, and, the bribes paid to members of parliaments and trade unions, especially where the bribes paid to the members of the parliaments, and to the organisations that control the members of the parliaments, control the laws made by the parliaments, and the policies of the trade unions.
I suppose that it is not surprising, with the other corruption in the parliaments of Australia, that the corruption in Australia, is actively encopuraged by the federal government, given that we have a prime minister actively involved in treason and tax evasion;
at
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labor-attacks-malcolm-turnbull-over-investments-in-cayman-islands-tax-haven-20151014-gk8pg9.html
(dated 15 October 2015)
is
"
In July last year, Fairfax Media revealed Mr Turnbull – whose wealth
is estimated at $200 million - invested in a "vulture fund" based in
the Cayman Islands.
"
and
"
Malcolm Turnbull has taken a pummelling in Parliament over his
personal investments in a Caribbean tax haven, including two
registered at a Cayman Islands address described by US President
Barack Obama as "the biggest tax scam on record".
"
and
"
Mr Turnbull was later peppered with questions, with Labor's Tony Burke
pointing out that the Prime Minister had declared new investments in
Caymans-based hedge funds even after Australian Tax Commissioner Chris
Jordan had described the Caribbean nation as a "tax haven" at a Senate
hearing.
"
and, at
http://www.sbs.com.au/comedy/article/2015/10/15/turnbull-claims-money-only-sent-cayman-islands-offshore-processing
(also, dated 15 October 2015)
is
"
“While it may be true that I haven’t paid as much tax as I should that
is nothing to do with this Cayman Islands investment. I’ve avoided
paying tax the way all clever Australians do: I made sure that I was
already rich and then took advantage of a system that’s stacked in my
favour.
“To contribute anything more than the bare minimum I’m able to wrangle
myself into owing is frankly unAustralian. The Australian people do
not want a leader who loves to pay tax.
"
and
"
The Prime Minister also denied that possible tax havens in the Cayman
Islands would necessarily be a bad thing.
“Even if these allegations were true, isn’t it a nice step up to have
a Prime Minister who knows the tax code well enough to rort it?
Doesn’t that fill you with any sense of confidence? I want my leaders
to be smart enough they can find loopholes in laws and the like. I
mean, provided it’s tax stuff and not a secret war - but even then,
good job finding that loophole.”
"
So, he is an admitted tax avoider, who claims that it is the duty of
the prime minister, to avoid paying tax, thence, to deliberately cause
harm to Australia, and who claims that rich people should be protected
from paying their fair share of tax.
So, we have a prime minister who is deliberately sabotaging Australia,
and, who separates Australia into the rich and powerful ruling class,
being above the law, and, the working class, who alone, have to pay
for the excesses of the rich and famous, and, who alone, have to carry
the country.
It is not surprising, that many people have the opinion that the most
successful crooks in Australia, are the members of the federal
parliament.
In the Concise Oxford Dictionary (8ed, 1990),
"treason" - "(in full high treason)" - violation by a subject of allegiance to the State
"traitor" - "a person who is treacherous or disloyal, esp. to his country"
"I’ve avoided paying tax the way all clever Australians do: I made sure that I was
already rich and then took advantage of a system that’s stacked in my
favour."
A traitor, and the highest level crook in Australia.
So, as some people say, the most successful crooks in Australia, become members of parliaments, and, the most successful crook, and, highest level of crook, in Australia, is the prime minister.
This web page is authorised by Bret Busby, 2 Pelham Street, Armadale.
I can be contacted by email by clicking on the link at Bret
This web page was last updated on 26 April, 2016.