Week in Review: 9 February

Resuming normal service:

• Youtube suspends Tony Abbott's account
• the Liberals raked in $13m in donations last cycle
• a question mark is raised over penalty rates
• Joe Hockey tells us to prepare for cuts
• No really he means it, too many tax dollars spent on handouts
• a lifeboat lands on the Indonesian coast
• Brandis v Human Rights Commission

Change to law governing Human Rights Commission

Federal Attorney-General George Brandis is planning to legislate reforms for the Human Rights Commission amid concerns it focuses too heavily on anti-discrimination issues.
Senator Brandis has previously criticised the commission for being too narrow and selective in its view of human rights.
He says he will introduce legislation into Parliament this year to ensure the commission carries out the role it was designed for.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-02-09/government-plans-legislation-to-change-human-rights-commission/5248006

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

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. 

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

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

George Brandises library

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

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

Abbott Government: Week 2 in review

Building on achievements of Week 1 and since the midweek review

• The Nats struggle for relevance, break ranks over uni services fees
• Resources Minister Ian Macfarlane wants Barry O'Farrell's gas
• Abbott promises not to violate Indonesia
• Australia declared open for business...
• ..but Ministers' doors remain closed to journalists, unless they have Tony's blessing.
• The Indonesian Navy disagrees with Tony.
• The Indonesian Foreign Minister accidentally on purpose leaks what he thinks of Julie Bishop.
• Are you a business person? The Indigenous Council wants you!
• Diplomatic dream team faces dilemma over West Papuan arrivals
• All this hubbub is just a 'passing irritant' though.
• The Navy sends asylum seekers back to Indonesia.
• An asylum boat sinks, after radioing Australia for help. People drown. 
• Joe Hockey talks down the Budget, which is in better shape than expected.
• Asylum Boat 2: Returned to Indonesia Boogaloo.
• The three star general in charge of stopping boats chooses a great time to go on holidays.
• Tony Abbott turns his back and walks away from questions about boats.
• Brandis and Barnaby practice austerity, Coalition style. Thanks for the perks, suckers.

until next time!

More austerity from Brandis and Barnaby

Two of Prime Minister Tony Abbott's most high-profile ministers claimed thousands of dollars in taxpayer entitlements for attending the wedding of close friend and Sydney shock jock Michael Smith. Fairfax