Blog pause

This suppository is closed until January.

Nauru asylum centre 'better than mining camps'

Foreign Minister Julia Bishop has described conditions at the Nauru immigration processing centre as being better than those of most Australian mining camps.

Ms Bishop's comments follow a damning UNHCR report last month, which said the centre was not appropriate for asylum seeker families and their children.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-19/an-bishop-says-nauru-better-than-mining-camps/5168144

Abbott flags changes to parental leave scheme

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has signalled his signature multi-billion dollar paid parental leave scheme may face changes, as the Government works to have it passed by the Senate.

The Federal Government has come under pressure to scale back the scheme, given the dire economic forecasts it released yesterday in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-18/abbott-flags-changes-to-paid-parental-leave/5164870

Hockey reveals budget blowout

The Abbott Government's first budget statement has revealed an economy in dire trouble with historically deep deficits, more people out of work, slower wage growth and massive revenue write-downs.

Treasurer Joe Hockey has unveiled the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) in Canberra, warning that wasteful spending will have to be "eliminated" but that Australians will also wear some hip-pocket pain. ABC

Immigration Health Advisory Group cut

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed criticism of a decision to axe an independent committee that provides advice on the health needs of asylum seekers as "a complete beat-up".

The Immigration Health Advisory Group (IHAG) was established in 2006 but all of the group's members except the current chair, Dr Paul Alexander, have now been sacked. ABC

Abbott Government: Week 13 in review

Missed some posts so this is a bit of a catchup.

• Holden to stop making cars in Australia, Abbott says no bailout
• High Court says no to ACT gay marriage laws
• Royal Commission into union slush funds
• Concerns over Abbott delegating environmental approvals back to the states
• Abbott hosts COAG
• Aged care workers pay rise is cancelled
• Something about Qantas
• Abbott: a gentle smack can be good for children
• Peta Credlin rules Abbott office with an iron fist

High Court throws out ACT's same-sex marriage laws

The High Court unanimously ruled that the ACT's laws were inconsistent with the Federal Marriage Act, and were therefore unconstitutional.

The ruling is a victory for the Commonwealth, which had launched the appeal against the laws. ABC

No pay rise for aged care workers after Coalition scraps Workforce Compact fund

Thousands of aged care workers will miss out on an expected pay rise after the Federal Government dumped a $1.2 billion fund set up by Labor. ABC

Abbott Government: Week 12 in review

• The Government does another 180 on Gonski funding,
• news.com.au photoshops Tony Abbott as the Grinch.
• Coalition MPs attack the ABC.
• Joe Hockey hops in bed with Christine Milne, to do a debt deal.
• Ian McDonald goes off message to criticise the PM's office.
• Julie Bishop goes to Indonesia and says some things about cooperating
• Meanwhile T-Abbs says the spying will continue
• Tony is also very angry at Holden for having everyone on tenterhooks, says they won't get any extra money now.

Holden won't get extra money, says Tony Abbott

Responding to another round of speculation that Holden will shortly quit its Australian assembly operations, Tony Abbott told 3AW on Friday the government would appreciate clarity from the company: “I do wish that Holden would clarify their intentions because at the moment they've got everyone on tenterhooks.”

Abbott said there would be no extra money for Holden “over and above the generous support the taxpayers have been giving the motor industry for a long time”. Guardian AU

Abbott says spying will continue

Mr Abbott on Friday said Australia had not given any undertakings not to spy on Indonesia, in the wake of the espionage row that has seen the diplomatic relationship between Jakarta and Canberra sink to its lowest point in more than a decade.

The comments come after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, following high-level talks with Dr Natalegawa on Thursday, said Australia would "not undertake any act or use our assets and resources, including intelligence assets, in any way to harm Indonesia". Fairfax

Julie Bishop diplomatic superstar

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has agreed Australia will adhere to Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's six-point roadmap to restore relations between the two countries, and also to set up a “hotline” to manage the details of Indonesia's withdrawal of co-operation.

Ms Bishop brought a high-level delegation of bureaucrats and advisers to meet Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natelegawa on Thursday, to begin, in her words, to “restore the relationship” after damage caused by phone-tapping revelations. Fairfax

LNP Senator criticises Abbott advisers 'obsessive control'

Tony Abbott's senior advisers have copped strident criticism from a long-standing Liberal National Senator, who has accused them of having an "obsessive centralised control phobia" over Government business.
Queensland Senator Ian Macdonald made the comments in the Senate this morning in relation to the arrangements for an inquiry into the economy of northern Australia. ABC

Joe Hockey cuts deal with Greens to scrap debt ceiling

Strange bedfellows. Fairfax

Coalition MPs attack ABC

SPEAKER Bronwyn Bishop has taken aim at the ABC, accusing the national broadcaster of not sticking to its charter requiring it to be fair and balanced.The attack came during a meeting of Coalition MPs.
At the meeting, South Australian Senator Cory Bernardi said the ABC was a "taxpayer-funded behemoth" that does not need four TV channels.
He said the ABC should not be privatised but needed to be reformed because "it is not our ABC". He said the ABC was "cannibalising" commercial media, a claim rejected by Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull. News ltd

"Grinch" Abbott

In which news.com.au photoshops Tony as the Grinch.

TONY Abbott today told his troops they will be stuck in Parliament until close to Christmas Eve if Labor doesn't bow to the Government's legislative program.The Prime Minister said he wanted to "ramp up the pressure" on the Labor Opposition, whom he accused of being in denial. News ltd

Govt changes mind again, honours Gonski deals

The Government has moved to quash criticism that it was breaking a promise over schools funding, announcing it will honour Labor's Gonski commitments for four years and boost spending to those states that had not signed up by $1.2 billion. ABC

Abbott Government: week 11 in review

• Chris Pyne washes his hands of Gonski
• The Indonesian President writes back to Tony Abbott
• The plug gets pulled from drug and alcohol assistance
• Julie Bishop annoys China
• Joe Hockey offers billions for states to sell off assets
• Nothing says I'm sorry like an old C-130
• Hockey decides the national interest coincides with the Nationals interest
• Someone got a hold of Abbott's Oxford grades
• Tony Abbott quibbles over what a promise really means

We never promised, says Tony

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the Coalition will honour election promises it has made, not those voters "thought" it was making.

ABC

Tony Abbott's Oxford transcript

Apparently he wasn't the best scholar. Fairfax

The National Interest

Treasurer Joe Hockey this morning announced the decision to reject Archer Daniels Midland's $3.4 billion bid for the eastern grain handle, saying he had to take the national interest into account. ABC

and Barnaby Joyce is going around like the cat that got the cream

Gift to Indonesia to go ahead

Because nothing says I'm sorry like an old transport plane.

Defence Minister David Johnston says Australia's handover of an old C-130 Hercules to Indonesia will go ahead, despite cooperation being suspended between the two countries.
The aircraft flew over Darwin this afternoon and has had its Australian markings removed. ABC

Tony Abbott  is probably the worst re-gifter in the world, considering he just gave Sri Lanka some old boats we don't want anymore.

Hockey offers States billions to sell off assets

States will receive billions in federal government tax incentives if they privatise assets to fast-track the construction of productivity-boosting infrastructure projects under a deal reached between state and Commonwealth treasurers. The arrangement will be of most benefit to NSW and Queensland which own billions in unsold assets, such as power utilities.  Financial Review

Julie Bishop annoys China

China has dismissed Australian criticism of its newly declared air defence identification zone as "completely mistaken", and raised the possibility of damaged relations between the two trading partners. ABC

Plug pulled on Drug and alcohol funding

The Federal Government has withdrawn funding for the national peak body representing the alcohol and drug treatment sector, forcing the immediate closure of the 50-year-old organisation.

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) was told late yesterday that its core funding would be halted as part of the Government's budget deficit reduction strategy. ABC

Indonesian president responds to Tony Abbott's spying letter

The Indonesian president called for calm on the issue, but said bilateral cooperation would not resume until the Australian Government signs up to behavioural protocols and a code of ethics.
Former Army chief Peter Leahy hand-delivered the letter on Saturday, a move the Government labelled a sign of respect, and a presidential spokesman earlier today said the letter was "in accordance to our expectations". ABC

Pyne goes back to the drawing board

Walks away from Gonski. ABC

Abbott Government: Week 10 in review

• Tony Abbott generously gifts two clapped out old patrol boats to Sri Lanka. 
• Malcolm Turnbull mumbles something about the future of the NBN.
• There's a rental house in Canberra costing taxpayers $3,000/week but man of the people Tony Abbott rejected it.
• Indonesia recalls their ambassador over the spying kerfuffle.
• Tony 'No apology' Abbott refuses to apologise.
• A three star general tells Senate estimates no boats have been bought under the abortive boat buyback scheme.
• There's been a mixup on APS job cuts. 
• Indonesia suspends cooperation on people smuggling.
• Jakarta Globe headline: Abbott advisor compares Indonesian foreign minister to 70s porn star
• Amidst all the excitement Barnaby Joyce decides not to go to Indonesia.
• Tony Abbott writes a letter to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Probably doesn't contain an apology but no one knows except SBY (and ASIO, and whoever else reads his mail)

Tony Abbott writes back to Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono over spying row

How quaint. We're not made privy to the contents, of course. ABC

Barnaby decides not to go to Indonesia

Can't help but feel they dodged a bullet. ABC

Jakarta Globe: Abbott Adviser Compares Indonesian Foreign Minister to ’70s Porn Star’

Campaign strategist Mark Textor made the derogatory comment on Twitter as ties between the two countries plunged to their lowest point in years after a series of spying allegations.

“Apology demanded from Australia by a bloke who looks like a 1970′s Pilipino [sic] porn star and has ethics to match,” said the tweet, which has since been deleted. link

Indonesia suspends cooperation on people smuggling

indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono says all military and intelligence cooperation with Australia is on hold until he gets a proper explanation as to why Australian spies tried to tap his phone.
Mr Abbott used his statement to the House, shortly after Mr Yudhoyono's press conference, to again stress his "deep and sincere regret" over the embarrassment suffered by the Indonesian president. ABC

Job cuts - redux

Political recriminations are flying in the wake of the government's decision to dump its policy to save $5.2 billion by cutting 12,000 public service jobs by natural attrition.

The Coalition is using Finance Department advice to accuse Labor of hiding job cuts of 14,500 over the next four years caused by the ALP's efficiency dividends, and to justify apparently walking away from the policy. Fairfax

No boats bought

Lieutenant-General Angus Campbell has been questioned at a Senate Estimates committee hearing this afternoon.

He told Senators that no fishing boats in Indonesia have been bought.

ABC

Abbott still not one for apologies

Tony Abbott rejects Indonesia's call for spying apology, calls for cool heads amid diplomatic row
Abc

Indonesia recalls ambassador over spying

The diplomatic dream team of Julie Bishop and Co face their biggest test yet. ABC

Taxpayers spending $3,000 a week to rent home Tony Abbott rejected

Mr Abbott has been staying at the Australian Federal Police training headquarters while The Lodge undergoes major repairs.

It has emerged the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet signed a 12-month lease on a house in August, during the caretaker period. ABC

Malcolm hedges on NBN future

Mr Turnbull is now warning of "bumps in the road" in the rollout of "a colossal undertaking" which is now "a daunting challenge"."Make no mistake, to get this project back on track and completed in a reasonable time frame at a reasonable cost is a daunting challenge," he said.  ABC

Boats to stop the boats

Tony Abbott is giving two old Customs boats to Sri Lanka to help stop the boats

The vessels being provided have seen about 10 years of service with Australian Customs and will be brought back to full operational capability at a cost of $2 million.

ABC

Abbott Government: Week 9 in review

• Liberal MPs and their families fly to Canberra on the government jet.
• Scott Morrison is very frustrated by Indonesia
• He reveals he has been thrice rebuffed by Jakarta
• Abbott says five percent is good enough
• The government shuts down parliamentary debate on boats
• Joe Hockey makes a bad comparison over debt
• Scott Morrison defends separating mother from sick newborn
• Julie Bishop rejects Australia is going soft on Sri Lanka
• Tony Abbott continues his No Apology tour by refusing to apologise to the asylum seeker mother
• Scott Morrison disses the Senate, says you're not the boss of me
• Tony Abbott praises Sri Lanka for addressing human rights, war crimes
• He had no ulterior motive whatsoever, oh except signing a deal on people smuggling

Tony Abbott to sign deal on people smuggling with Sri Lanka at CHOGM

I guess this was why he was saying such nice things about Sri Lanka. ABC

Tony Abbott praises Sri Lanka for addressing human rights, war crimes

Other Commonwealth prime ministers, notably Britain's David Cameron and Canada's Stephen Harper, have fiercely condemned Sri Lanka's reconciliation efforts and human rights abuses since the end of its civil war in 2009 but Mr Abbott said Sri Lanka had made significant and promising progress. fairfax

Scott Morrison disses Senate

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has refused to reveal if he will comply with a Senate demand for reports on all asylum seeker incidents at sea, arguing that the previous government had failed to comply with 75 similar requests for papers.

Challenged on whether he considered himself answerable to the Senate, Mr Morrison replied that he considered himself "answerable to the Australian people".

Fairfax

Tony 'No Apology' Abbott

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he "deeply" regrets that an asylum seeker was given limited access to her sick baby, but won't apologise "for what happens when people come to Australia illegally". ABC

Bishop rejects Australia going soft on Sri Lanka

Ms Bishop met with Mr Hague but says she did not discuss the issue of human rights abuses.

"I'm a personal champion of his preventing sexual violence in conflict initiative, so we didn't discuss that specifically, because I'd attended his presentation," she said. ABC

Scott Morrison defends limiting mothers time with sick newborn

Instead of apologizing like a normal person Scott double s down ABC

Joe cries Wolf over apples and oranges

The Federal Government's move to raise Australia's national debt limit from $300 billion to $500 billion does not signal a debt ceiling crisis in Australia, but it does signify that the current debt limit will be exceeded later this year. Allowing that to happen without prior legislative authority would create uncertainty.
However, Mr Hockey overreached when he compared that prospect with recent events in the United States. Given the fundamental differences in the two political systems, the "tremendous uncertainty" experienced in the US would not be mirrored here
ABC

There are no boats. Stop talking about boats

An early attempt by Labor to force the Abbott government to be more transparent about its efforts to stop asylum boats has failed, after the Coalition used its thumping lower house majority to shut down debate.

Immediately following the opening of proceedings on Wednesday, the Manager of Opposition Business, Tony Burke moved a motion to call Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to explain the Coalition's approach to stemming the flow of asylum seeker boats

Fairfax

Five percent reduction good enough for Abbott

The Abbott government appears to be walking away from a long-standing bipartisan agreement to lift Australia's target for cutting carbon emissions if global action on climate change is strengthened.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Tuesday said the federal government had made "one commitment and one commitment only" to reduce Australia's emissions by five per cent by 2020.

But both Labor and the coalition have since 2009 pledged to increase Australia's emissions reduction target to 25 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020 if there's genuine global resolve Fairfax

Scott Morrison rebuffed

Jakarta has rejected Australian requests to send asylum seekers back to Indonesia on two occasions since the start of Operation Sovereign Borders, the Abbott government has revealed.

In a rare move, given the secrecy surrounding the Coalition's border security regime, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison revealed on Sunday the Coalition had made four requests to Indonesia to accept asylum seekers that Australia had picked up in Indonesia's search and rescue region. Fairfax

The frustration of Scott Morrison

Indonesia's refusal to accept the return of asylum seeker boats is "very frustrating", Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has said, in what appears to be a swipe at Australia's northern neighbours.

Mr Morrison said in Sydney on Monday there was “no real rhyme or reason” why Indonesian authorities had not taken stricken asylum seekers back to their shores after a three-day impasse late last week. Fairfax

End Labor waste

But Liberal waste is fine

Yesterday, WA-based ministers, backbenchers, spouses and their children flew out of Perth bound for Canberra on one of the Government's 737 Boeing business jets.

The West Australian newspaper has reported that the fuel costs alone for the VIP flight will be more than $30,000. Abc

Abbott Government: Week 8 in review

whatup T. Abbs?

• Business lobby urges the Commission of Audit to implement congestion charging
• Commission members get paid a cool $1500/day
• Joe Hockey blows out the budget by $3.1 bn
• Chris Pyne found to be talking out of his arse on independent public schools
• The ACCC claims to be running out of money, asks Hockey for more
• Greg Hunt claims scrapping the carbon tax will immediately lower electricity prices. Somehow.
• Joe sticks up for Tony, because action man Abbott is flat out running the country.
• Fairfax captures footage of Tony not answering questions from some mean journos. They obviously didn't get Joe's message. Also, this now qualifies as political journalism.
• George Brandis keeps a promise to Andrew Bolt, sticks up for white people's freedom of speech.
• A boat was almost turned back.
• Tony Abbott talks to journalists for long enough to say "it wasn't me" who cut funds for CSIRO.
• Indonesia declares itself unimpressed with turn back the boats.
• The boat that was almost turned back was not turned back after all.
• "But my wife is super well qualified" is heard after Tony tells MPs to boot family members off the payroll. 

Abbott tells MPs to kick family members off payroll

TONY Abbott's "sack your family" edict to MPs who double dip and employ family members has sparked warnings some will defy the order.

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald Sun, the Prime Minister insisted he would not allow the new Parliament to descend into "a circus" and wanted to clean up the entitlements rules before ushering in a more "courteous, respectful'' approach. News

Boat not turned back

TONY Abbott's government capitulated to Indonesia on Friday night, ordering a Customs boat with up to 63 refugees on board to go to Christmas Island. Fairfax

Indonesia not taken with "turn back the boats"

Indonesia has declared it will refuse to take back asylum seekers rescued by Australian ships, casting doubt over the government's ''turn back the boats'' policy.

A mid-ocean stand-off between the two countries continued on Friday night off Java as Indonesia said it would not take a group of boat people who made a distress call on Thursday unless there was a threat to life. Fairfax

Abbott says "wasn't me" on CSIRO cuts

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has denied ordering bosses at the nation's peak science organisation to cut up to 20 per cent of its workforce.

A political storm broke on Friday after The Canberra Times revealed that up to 1400 scientists and researchers at the CSIRO would lose their jobs under the terms of a government-imposed ban on the public service renewing temporary contracts. fairfax

Boat almost turned back

Australia and Indonesia were involved in a mid-ocean stand-off in the early hours of Friday morning as a customs vessel tried unsuccessfully to return a boatload of rescued asylum seekers to a reluctant Indonesia. Fairfax

George Brandis changes the law for Andrew Bolt

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Attorney-General George Brandis will fulfil an election promise next week and introduce legislation to repeal a section of Racial Discrimination Act that conservative journalist Andrew Bolt was found guilty of breaching.

The repeal of the laws that make it unlawful to offend and insult people because of their race will be the first legislation Senator Brandis will introduce to Parliament, according to The Australian newspaper. Fairfax

Abbott ducks questions on Howard climate speech (video)

fairfax

'the claims are exaggerated' says John Howard Fairfax

Well that explains everything Joe

Treasurer Joe Hockey has defended Tony Abbott's low profile since the September election, saying the Prime Minister is "flat out" running the country. Fairfax

Repeal carbon tax = lower electricity price INSTANTLY

the magic of Greg Hunt


Environment Minister Greg Hunt says scrapping the carbon tax will bring down electricity prices "immediately", despite more warnings from business that it could take time.

ABC

ACCC runs out of money

Surely as Treasurer its Joe s job to make sure the bills are paid

News

Liar liar Pyne on fire

The ABC fact checks Chris Pyne on independent school outcomes, and finds him unsubstantiated.

There has been no measured improvement in student outcomes in WA independent public schools. "All international evidence" does not point to the fact that the more autonomous a school, the better the outcomes for students.
Mr Pyne's claims are unsubstantiated

Hockey dumps tax measures

Treasurer Joe Hockey says the Government will ditch or change tax measures proposed by the previous Labor government at a cost of $3.1 billion to the budget, including a contentious cap on self-education expenses. ABC

Auditors paid $1500 a day

more on Tony's commission of audit..

Members of the team hand-picked by the Abbott government to rein in spending will be paid $1500 a day. SMH

Congestion cuts on the cards with Commission of Audit

MOTORISTS should pay for a congestion tax or more tolls in capital cities, business groups lobbying the Abbott Government's razor and revenue gangs has argued.The man heading up the Commission of Audit - the Business Council of Australia's Tony Shepherd - has previously thrown his support behind a congestion tax. news

Abbott Government: Week 7 in review

• Scott Morrison says if you go to a brown-infested country, don't expect to just come back
• Centrelink: Coming soon to a post office near you
• Tony Abbott declares an end to Australia's longest war. Hope he told the Taliban
• Protesters burn an effigy of T-Abs, chase Hockey down the street
• 12,000 lazy public servants to get the chop
• Tony reassures us all our spies are legal
• Barnaby Joyce tells people not to be sheep when they see footage of animal cruelty
• Julie Bishop will have a little talk with Indonesia about 'trust'

Trust Julie Bishop

Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa says it is "not cricket" forAustralia to spy on the region at the behest of the United States, adding he has sought clarification from his Australian counterpart Julie Bishopon an important issue of "trust". Guardian

Barnaby says don't be a sheep

Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says the live export regulation system is working, despite new footage showing Australian sheep being mistreated in the Middle East. Abc

Our spies are legal

Tony Abbott told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday that he would not make public comment on intelligence matters in keeping with longstanding practice, but he suggested any activity being undertaken by Australian agencies or officials was entirely lawful Guardian

Aps cuts

 

The Federal Government has revealed its plans to rein in public service recruitment and cut 12,000 positions abc

Students burn Tony Abbott effigy, chase Joe Hockey

there may be hope for young people stilll

The protesters burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Tony Abbott and threw shoes at Liberal Party headquarters in a rally against proposed federal funding cuts to higher education.

About 100 student protesters gathered outside parliament house in Spring St before the group marched into the city.

news.com.au

The end of the war

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has used a surprise visit to Afghanistan to declare the end of Australia's longest war.

Speaking at a special ceremony at the Australian-run base in Tarin Kot in Uruzgan province, Mr Abbott told a gathering of Australian and international troops and Afghan leaders that the Afghanistan war is complicated.

ABC

Centrelink is now your Post Office

because selling Medibank wasn't enough

Labor and the unions have leapt on reports the Abbott Government is considering a plan for Australia Post to take over Centrelink's front office operations.
Treasurer Joe Hockey is known to be in favour of consolidating service delivery and has put "everything on the table" for the Government's newly formed Commission of Audit. ABC

Go to Syria, don't come back

Mr Morrison said the Federal Government was concerned about Australians involved in the Syria conflict returning to "disrupt the significant social cohesion we have in this country".
An insurgency expert has told The World Today that Australians make up "by far the largest" contingent of Western recruits to Syrian armed groups, and that those coming home could act as recruiters among the Middle Eastern community. ABC

Abbott Government: Week 6 in review

Here we go again

• Abbott goes on photo op with RFS
• His gay sister gets engaged
• Joe Hockey increases the debt limit. National credit card something something
• The Government will challenge ACT gay marriage laws
• Flogging off assets starts with Medibank
• Climate change isn't a factor in bushfires, says Tony
• Anyone who thinks it is, is talking through their hat
• Possible DD trigger: Direct Action tied to supply
• Barnaby Joyce says that free range could cause a bird flu epidemic
• Tony unimpressed by some more hogwash about climate change\
• Wrap it up guys the boats have stopped in just 50 days
• Carbon tax = SOCIALISM.

previous weeks wrap ups here

Carbon tax = SOCIALISM

"Let's be under no illusions the carbon tax was socialism masquerading as environmentalism," he said.

"That's what the carbon tax was."

ABC

Wrap it up guys the boats have stopped

So sayeth Abbott:

His 'stop the boats' pledge was already being realised, the prime minister said, despite Labor shifting to a hardline policy on Kevin Rudd's return as PM in June.
'I don't want to underestimate the difficulty of that challenge but they are stopping,' Mr Abbott said.
'Over the last month, illegal arrivals by boat have been scarcely 10 per cent of the peak under Labor in July.'
Mr Abbott said immigration officials had been 'managing a problem' under the ALP.
'Our determination is to end the problem,' he said.
'Our determination is not to guide the boats, our determination is to stop the boats.'
The coalition's asylum seeker policy was one on a long list of achievements Mr Abbott said the government had already ticked off.

Sky news

Abbott rubbishes climate link

It's hogwash according to Tony.

Barnaby Joyce on bird flu

The Federal Agriculture Minister claims there will be more avian influenza outbreaks and more chicken deaths if there is an increase in free-range egg production.

Barnaby Joyce says a move by Woolworths to phase out eggs from caged production systems has the potential to destroy the New South Wales chicken flock and, subsequently, the state's egg industry. Abc

Direct action tied to Supply

FUNDING for the centrepiece of Tony Abbott's Direct Action climate change policy, the Emissions Reduction Fund, will be attached to budget appropriation bills under contingency plans to thwart expected efforts by Labor, the Greens and crossbench senators to scuttle the policy. Australian

"talking through her hat"

said Tony Abbott to a UN official:

Earlier this week, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,Christiana Figueres, said the fires proved the world is "already paying the price of carbon".

ABC

Abbott says climate change but a factor in fires

THE prime minister has written off climate change as a factor in the NSW bushfires and defended his voluntary work in fighting the fires. News
    

Abbott to flog off Medibank

THE Abbott government will act within weeks to sell its first major asset as it hunts for deep cuts to public spending by launching an audit commission with unfettered scope to identify billions of dollars in budget savings.

The sale of health insurer Medibank Private will be under way before Christmas as the government appoints advisers to a scoping study to prepare it for a trade sale or public listing. Australian

Abbott Government to challenge ACT's move to gay marriage

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott says his objection to the ACT's decision to legalise gay marriage is a "legal one", not a moral one. News

Joe hockey increases the debt limit

It's now Five Hundred Billion Dollars

Abbott's gay sister is engaged

Totes awkward at family dinners.  News

Action man Abbott helps out RFS

Also poses for a few photos

Abbott Government: Week 5 in review

What new ways has Tony found to ruin Australia this week?

• Government at odds with IMF over carbon pricing
• Number of women on opposition front bench is 11x greater than on Tony's
• George Brandis' $13,000 bookshelf is too big to fit in his office
• Tony releases carbon repeal bill, urges Labor to 'repent' on carbon
• Govt floats the idea of flogging off the HECS debt
• Backbencher Don Randall buys an investment house, like everyone else in Australia.
• The cops are called over expenses. They decline to probe further
• Billionaire Twiggy Forest gets offered a job heading a review into Indigenous employment.
• Abbott revokes clean energy grants, saying 'you didn't say no takebacks'
• Temporary Protection Visas return 
• Tony Abbott proposes digging up the dead, reburying them in Canberra

A little quieter than previous weeks, sure, its tough work being Tory.

Bring out your dead

Prime Minister Tony Abbott proposes national war cemetery for Canberra. Senior members of the Returned Services League (RSL) have poured cold water on the idea. "I would be horrified at the thought of people proposing to dig up and uproot graves of people that are long dead or recently dead," he said. ABC

TPVs are back

The Federal Government has officially re-introduced the Howard-era temporary protection visas (TPV) in a bid to deter more boat arrivals.

Under the Migration Act, the visa gives refugees protection for up to three years and prevents the visa holder from applying for permanent protection. ABC

Should have said "no takebacks"

Abbott to revoke $53m clean energy grants.  Guardian

Jobs for billionaires

Mining magnate Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest will head a review initiated by the Federal Government into Indigenous employment and training programs. Indigenous Times

Update: police not probing Abbott, Brandis

thanks for that headline, Courier Mail

Federal Police called over expenses

A federal Labor MP has formally asked the Australian Federal Police to investigate the travel claims of the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General "as a matter of urgency". ABC

Scraping around the bottom of the backbench barrel

Another Liberal expenses fiddler: Don Randall checks out an investment home in Cairns on the taxpayer dollar ABC

Government to flog off HECS debt

The Government has not commented on claims in the West Australian newspaper that it could look at privatising some of the more than $20 billion it is owed through HECS at the upcoming Commission of Audit. ABC

Abbott urges ALP to repent on carbon

Draft legislation released.  Abc

George Brandises library

His $13000 bookshelf is too big to move into his new office. Fairfax

11:1

that's the number of women in shadow cabinet compared to in Government. ABC

Abbott set for carbon clash with IMF

THE Abbott government is heading for a clash with the International Monetary Fund and the OECD over its plans to abolish the carbon tax.

The leaders of both institutions have strongly endorsed carbon pricing and will report on steps being taken to introduce it in their assessments of member economies. "Our message to finance ministers is you can raise your revenue by doing the right thing, and by the same token you are going to also take care of the future of your grand children," IMF managing director Christine Lagarde said at the fund's annual meeting in Washington. Australian

Abbott Government: Week 4 in review

A relatively quiet second  half of the week as Abbott seeks to consolidate progress made on ruining Australia.

• In the wake of rortgate, Abbott rules out reform on MP expenses
• Tony and Mal Brough take home the silverware at the Ernies
• Clive Palmer thinks he has Abbott on the ropes, legislatively speaking
• Abbott speaks of his desire for three Free Trade Agreements in 12 months. And a pony.
• Scott Morrison takes a break from hoping people don't notice any boats to hoping people won't notice he paid back expenses.
• Soon afterwards the Coalition claimed GREAT SUCCESS as only one boat arrived this week.
• Scott also convinced some asylum seekers that the Coalition has made Australia so terrible, they went back where they came from.
• Everyone loves a good expenses scandal, even the Poms.
• George "I'm a QC you know" Brandis confirms the Government feels threatened by gay marriage and will challenge the ACT's prospective laws.

Brandis confirms challenge to ACT gay marriage

Attorney-General George Brandis described the territory laws on Thursday as ''a threat'' to the ''well-established position'' that marriage laws should be nationally consistent and were the domain of the Commonwealth.

Senator Brandis informed the ACT government of the legal challenge in a phone call on Wednesday night before confirming the move at a meeting of state and territory attorneys-general on Thursday.

Fairfax

View from abroad: Torygraph

Tony Abbott, Australia’s prime minister, has defended his use of tens of thousands of dollars of parliamentary expenses to attend weddings and sporting events, saying MPs should not be “prisoners of their offices”. Tele UK

Go back where you came from

So sayeth Scott.

Boatwatch

Just the one according to the drip feed of information the public is allowed. News

Scott Morrison caught in expenses gate

He's repaid them.

Three FTAs and a pony

 

Tony Abbott wants free trade deals with Japan, South Korea and China in 12 months. Also a pony News ltd

Palmer holds Abbott's legislative agenda to ransom

Shine on you crazy diamond

Mining magnate Clive Palmer is threatening to block all the Abbott government's legislation – even measures he supports such as scrapping the carbon price – unless his party gets more staff and resources. Fairfax

Brough and Abbott take home Ernies

The organisers of the Ernie awards for sexist comments have given Prime Minister Tony Abbott the ''repeat offender'' award, while another Liberal MP, Mal Brough, took out the political Ernie for the ''Julia Gillard Kentucky Fried Quail'' menu Fairfax

Abbott rules out reform of MP expenses

Under pressure to explain why taxpayers should spend thousands of dollars to help politicians compete in sports events and attend colleagues' weddings, Mr Abbott said there would “always be arguments at the margins” and changing the rules would achieve nothing.
“I'm not proposing to change the system,” Mr Abbott said on Thursday.
Advertisement“You don't want members of Parliament to be prisoners of their offices.” Fairfax

Midweek roundup: Week 4

I don't know whether the expenses scandal counts as a scandal since the info's been out there for years, but w/e here we go with the week's scores and highlights

• Barnaby says Gina bought him cheaply, saving taxpayers money.
• Defence Minister D. Johnston defends censored report, because you can't handle the truth, or national security or something.
• Tony Abbott's excited about consummation with China.
• Scott Morrison proposes a new plan: lock innocent people up for being innocent, and when they get out, lock them up again because there's a 0.13 percent chance they could commit be charged with a crime.
• Tony Abbott does a Barbra Streisand by trying to repay Slipper wedding expenses on the sly.
• And some claimed for an iron man thing.
• The ABC gets on the bandwagon, revealing that ' Mr Abbott has claimed thousands of dollars to take part in various sporting events in recent years.' 
• Abbott prostrates himself* before Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak in an act of contrition.
• Victims of terrorism get compo, and it's not at all because they are middle class white people.
• Abbott cries crocodile tears over the time he was in Bali enjoying a holiday with his family, and then it was ruined. By terrorists.
• Abbott proclaims to everyone in Asia that Japan is Australia's BFF, so everyone else back off okay.

*: may or may not have actually occurred

Abbott's no apology tour of Asia continues

Tony goes and puts everyone else off by proclaiming Japan's our BFF.

"As far as I'm concerned, Japan is Australia's best friend in Asia and we want to keep it a very strong friendship," Mr Abbott told Mr Abe, before the talks were closed to the media. ABC

Family man Tony Abbott reminisces about terror attacks

TONY Abbott remembers vividly that fateful day in 2005 when he, his wife Margie and his three daughters were holidaying in Bali.

They were asleep when three bombs went off, two at a food court on Jimbaran beach and a third at Kuta Town square, claiming the life of four Australians and injuring a further 19.

His sister called him from Australia to ask if he was OK, and told him there had been an attack.
 

News ltd

Abbott puts a price on victims of terrorism

The number is "up to $75,000" in compensation. ABC

Tony Abbott's crocodile tears

Mr Abbott says he offered an “act of contrition” to Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak when they met for the first time on the sidelines of the APEC leaders’ summit in Bali last night.

But he told Mr Najib the Coalition's problem was with Labor's policy, not with Malaysia. Australian

Rortgate continues

ABC's 7.30 can reveal that Mr Abbott has claimed thousands of dollars to take part in various sporting events in recent years.
In 2012 he went to the famed Lorne Pier to Pub race in Victoria and claimed $1,444.
In August that year Mr Abbott went to Coffs Harbour for its cycle challenge, claiming $1,002.
The next month he went to Wagga Wagga for its Lake to Lagoon fun run and claimed $515. ABC

Expenses scandal claims ironman

Abbott's paid back a bit more money.

Tony Abbott quietly repays expenses for Slipper wedding

Not much to add. Australian

Let them out, then lock them up again: Morrison

Asylum seekers who live in the community and are charged with a crime are having their visas cancelled or being returned to immigration detention centres.
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the crackdown came after a rise in the number of serious offences allegedly committed by asylum seekers on bridging visas or in community detention.
"Warnings from the coalition about risks to the community and the need for tighter controls were not only ignored, they were mocked," the minister said on Monday.
The federal government has revoked 14 bridging visas due to criminal charges, including 10 cancellations since the federal election, Mr Morrison said on Monday.
There are more than 21,300 people in Australia on bridging visas. Fairfax

Abbott wants to consummate with China

"It would be wonderful if a trip towards the end of the first half of next year was consummated by an agreement here," he said.
"Our intention is to move as quickly as we can. I would be disappointed if we couldn't conclude a significant free-trade agreement with China in 12 months." ABC

Defence Minister David Johnston backs censored report

The victims' families called for a coronial inquest into the incident following the release of a highly-censored Australian Defence Force (ADF) report into the deaths last month.

But Defence Minister David Johnston said such reports should remain "virtually unintelligible" to protect personnel still in Afghanistan. SBS

Barnaby defends wedding trip

Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says the fact that mining magnate Gina Rinehart paid for him to fly to a wedding in India helped make the trip cheaper for taxpayers. ABC

Abbott Government: Week 3 in review

What have Tony and friends been up to since last time ? Ask the media!

• Tony sandbags, incurs wrath of Indonesian press corps
• New Zealand is 'not a consolation prize', guys
• Julie won't use taxpayers money to save you from piracy charges, Indonesian jails, or whatever. That's for travel expenses
• Malcolm puts Ziggy in charge of deconstructing the NBN
• Scott Morrison lets Syrian refugees join the line, tells others not to queue jump.
• Tony Abbott says he will treat all Senators with respect.
• Joe Hockey faces a decision to be made, and decides not to make it just yet.
• Scott Morrison bravely decides not to let journos talk to asylum seekers. Not that they could before.
• He also denies that there was ever any policy to tow back boats. It's all a media misrepresentation
• Abbott is confident of repealing the carbon tax, because he bought all the Senators-elect gift baskets.
• T.Abbs tells Prince Harry 'everyone feels like a monarchist', pimps out his daughters
• Julie Bishop has a word on the sidelines with the Russians about the whole piracy thing
• Everyone that has ever gone to a wedding and claimed expenses (haven't we all) is now looking over their shoulder, because Fairfax has found their Watergate moment.

and that's all that passes for political journalism in this country, until next time.

Weddings expenses cause headaches

Barnaby Joyce, Julie Bishop and Teresa Gambaro collectively claimed more than $12,000 in ''overseas study'' allowances to pay for their flights

Tony Abbott repays expenses after charging taxpayers to attend Sophie Mirabella's wedding

If in doubt, don't claim expenses, Malcolm Turnbull tells colleagues

Julie Bishop talks on the sidelines about protestor

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has officially registered concerns with the Russian government over the treatment of an Australian Greenpeace protestor. Ms Bishop had talks on the sidelines of the APEC meeting in Bali with Russia's deputy foreign minister Igor Morgulov. ABC

Tony Abbott to Prince Harry: ' everyone feels like a monarchist'

Mr Abbott told the crowd: "Prince Harry, I regret to say not everyone in Australia is a monarchist, but today everyone feels like a monarchist".

He said it was "fitting" that the Crown was still a "symbol of continuity and decency in public life". Fairfax

Abbott confident of repealing carbon tax

Labor and the Greens are against the move, so in the new Senate Mr Abbott will have to convince six crossbenchers to pass the legislation.
Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm, Democratic Labour Party Senator John Madigan and Family First's Bob Day also support moves to scrap the tax, but not all of them back the Coalition's carbon reduction policy.
Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer has indicated his party supports the repeal but says its three senators will wait to see all bills before guaranteeing support. ABC

Scott Morrison: Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia

Coalition ‘never had a policy of towing boats back’, says Scott Morrison
Immigration minister accuses media of ‘misrepresentation over a long period of time’ Guardian