The Hon. Joseph Guerino Tripodi BEc (Hons) MP

And know we get to little Joe, for those who don’t know the whole Tripodi family is very well known in the Fairfield-Cabramatta area. So seeing little Joe start off in Young Labour where both our Reba and Joe pushed for the take over of the right wing faction.

Since then:

• Reba and Joe broke off their proposed marriage,
• Joe joined a sub-faction of the right wing called the “Terrigals” (little up market for right wing Labour don’t you think?)
• Been accused of sexual assult by a Young Democrats staffer (the matter was droped by the staffer)
• Has nearly had a apprehended violence order slap on him (only to have the alleged victim withdraw the matter at the last minute)
• Been involved in the mess surrouding the Orange Grove Shopping Centre and alleged “doing a favour for Westfields”, he was cleared when the final report was brought down.
• Got promoted to parliamentary secretary position in 2003
• Surported his mate Morris Iemma to the leadership position…..

The list goes on…..and on…….

So since 1995 our Joe Member of Fairfield has been:

• Minister for Housing (1 Feb 05 to 10 Aug 05)
• Minister for Roads (3 Aug 05 to 17 Feb 06)
• Minister for Energy (17 Feb 05 to 2 Apr 07)
• Minister for Small Business and Regulatory Reform (2 Apr 07)
• Minister for Ports and Waterways (2 Apr 07)
• Plus Legislative Assembly representative on the Senate of the University of Sydney, Parliamentary Secretary Assisting the Minister for Transport & the Min. Assisting the Min. for Forests, Member, Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Vice-Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Member, Joint Standing Committee upon Small Business and Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

Busy boy even if Peter Draper doesn’t think so…..

What I wonder is, what has Joe done for Fairfield lately it seems by his hansard (see Joes Parlimentary Page) that he hasn’t said much at all about Fairfield since 2005.

But let us not be hasty to judge, let us go have a go look at his website……….oh does he have one? Can’t find it on Google or Yahoo…….well……. Try again, maybe we should look and see if he has written anything on the NSW Labour Party website but it seems that their are no news items on the website infact the whole site seems more about getting members and funding!?!

Even the the Offical Labour Party website has no mention of our little Joe.

So what has Joe been doing for Fairfield……..who knows………..?

Poll Bludger Article on our Joe - Very Good write up on our Joe (Recommended Read)

Joe’s Parliment Page

My Article on Reba

Tamworth’s MP puts the boot in……

I think Polly bashing should be a national sport, it’s just so much fun. What’s nearly more fun is watching them bash each other.

Thanks to Peter Draper MP for Tamworth who spent his Chrisy Holidays checking out the Hansard so he could rate his proformance last year against other MP.

Well Petey turned up some interesting stats that may leave some MP making some very quick statements in question time.

Apparently if you go and count up the amount of questions and/or statement made by the MPs you find out that some MPs are a little shy and don’t make very big contribution.

MR Petey Draper’s too shy list seems to include half of the Natonal and Liberal Party (Peter Debnam being pointed out for special attention), but perhaps that isn’t surprising.

And perhaps what is surprising is that Joe Tripodi and Cherie Burton both Labor.

As much as I would to give Petey a harty slap on the back for bringing this matter to the attention of the electorate I just can’t bring myself too, you see back in 2003 our Petey believed that Farmers and “Sportsman” for some reason NEED semi-automatic pistols with barrels smaller than 120mm………I’m not a country girl nor do I know anything about guns so maybe I just don’t get it but…….why does a farmer need a pistol?

From Petey’s Hansard:

I strongly condemn this bill, which, is yet another anti-country initiative, and, of course, the majority of people who will be directly affected live well outside the major cities. It is legislation that will directly disadvantage a group of legitimate and decent people who pursue a legitimate and decent sport. Under the new regulations a revolver with a barrel under 100 millimetres will become illegal. Any semiautomatic with a barrel length of less than 120 millimetres will also be deemed illegal. Most semiautomatic pistols have 100-millimetre barrels, so the vast majority will be non-compliant.

But hay I don’t live in Tamworth and Petey isn’t my MP so if that’s the view of the people of Tamworth then fair enough. 

Rule of Thumb – Never congratulate a Poly to much

ABC News Report

Mr Draper’s website

Sandy Head

Well, well, well if I needed any proof that the Liberal’s Dr Nelson is the best leader for the Liberal Party, then his main rival good old Malcolm Turnbill as just provided us with a beauty.

He has stated that the “skill shortage is a myth” not sure what fairy tale book your reading Mal but us here in the real world know that their is a very broad skill shortage and Mr Swan’s better safe than sorry approach is a welcome change from where I stand.

Mind you the really funny thing is a 2007 budget article on Mal’s website sort of stated otherwise, so a change in seats changes your mind does it Mal????

Well see for yourself after all he does say “skill-shortage trades” though he doesn’t list which those trades are………

But then there is the News item on the Liberal Party of Australia website from Feb this year that outline how “skill-shortages” don’t just occur in the metro area but effect the country areas too. Hay not going to argue about that statement. But fairs fair our Mal didn’t write this article it was the national’s Mr Truss.

Oh and then their was Mal’s mate Andy Southcott who wrote a news article in Jan this year about TAFE colleges having a role in reducing the “skills-shortage”

Skills or No Skill do we have them or not ……..personally when we de-valued liberal education system we lost skills but to each his/her own………….

Fortunately Mr Swan dropped the funniest one liner  so fair this year, when he said that old Mal head was full of sand…………….

ABC News – Chronic skills crisis a myth: Turnbull

NSW is it time to change from Labor to Liberal?

I do realise that I have a hot temper and that is what I am most likely talking (okay typing) with right now.

But honestly the joke is over I’m sure their is a way the NSW people can toss out the Labor Party Government now and not wait for an election.

Hospital not correctly built, designed or run and though we don’t have 3rd world health-care you can’t tell me that this rubbish is normal.

Possibly tangled up in the ICAC investigation.

The not so stunning efforts of our Reba

Killing native birds

And just going from one stuff up to the next including the trains that don’t fit into tunnels

Mr Barry O’Farrell has unfortunatly not only been very loud in making his presents known, but with the media going after the government like a dog to a very tasty bone isn’t doing him any favours. 

Then you have a few members of the Liberal Party that from my point of view are giving a less than impressive proformance.

The question is can the NSW public remain angry enough to last until the next election, if past experiences are anything to go by most likely not.

The Hon. George SOURIS, BEc, DipFMgt, FAIM, FCPA MP

The Member for the Upper Hunter, The Shadow Minister for Gaming and Racing, The Shadow Minister for Sports and Recreation and Minister for Major Events would appear on the face of it to be a busy boy, I mean three portfolios and the Upper Hunter and all.

But have a read of his speeches in Hansard some time and maybe you’ll get a different impression, particularly the most entertaining is the one I’ve linked below in”Read this” basically he has tried to have shot at the Minister for Gaming and Racing Mr Grant McBride and got both barrels back at him…he he he….and you though our Ministers and Shadow Minister were seriously looking after us, instead of acting like a bunch of five year olds in a Kindergarten. Well at least the Speaker is earning his money.

Read this from the Hansard it paints an picture of our The Hon. George SOURIS, BEc, DipFMgt, FAIM, FCPA MP as wholly embracing the more relaxed work/life balance (insert large amount of sarcasm here). But wait there is more!!!

But perhaps our Georgie is just very busy with his Rotary Club duties…..how very noble.

Or maybe it’s all those letters after his name that slow him down..he is such a clever boy. (hang on I think I’m going to shed a tear of pride….. no no wait…..nope it’s gone)

Though really he time is taken up by a gang made up of the Member for Wakehurst, Member for Cronulla, Member for Murrumbidgee, Member for Coffs Harbour, the Leader of the National Party and our noble Member for the Upper Hunter that rumble rouses in parliamentary sessions. (think of South Park’s Rumble)

It appears that any chance this “in” group gets to cause trouble they seize it with the giddy glee of school kiddies.

Maybe they should experience their second childhood on their own time not taxpayer time.

Our Georgie also likes the terms “my displeasure” and “I oppose”. One Speech about the BHP Billiton Caroona Mine Project understandably something that the rich Hunter growing area wouldn’t want (one tick for him). Our George showed his “displeasure” with both terms no less than 5 times. I would recommend to the Minister to get himself a Thesaurus (Macquarie Thesaurus would get my thumbs up).

I can honestly say that I’m glad he ain’t my member and I extend my sympathy to the Upper Hunter Region…….

Bhutto’s Death a sad day and a possible sad future

Well no doubt lots of blogs and news articles will be written about this one……..In reality as a born and bred Australian their will be little direct impact of Bhutto’s death here but that doesn’t mean I’m not aware of the impact it will have for Pakistan and on a small scale the world……..in the short term……

Even if you think that the death of such a woman has no effect on you, I would advise you to think again and take note we humans are going to pay for her death and the death of others like her in some unexpected way in the future and it won’t be our generations that pays but most likely (as history has shown us before) many generations down the track.

I personal never agreed with all of Bhutto’s Party Policies nor would I say that I’m a fan of her personally, but I don’t need to like some one to respect them.

I am also aware that I am not a Pakistani and the views and beliefs she represented are not for me to like or dislike ( she never claimed to represent me), but that doesn’t mean I walk around with blinkers on.

The facts are Bhutto was a leader and the sort of leader that Pakistan could do with right now. She had a good domestic and foreign policy, her belief in a fair but strong government system and her want for peace for her people was something that anyone can understand and want.

But perhaps the most outstanding thing about her was she was a strong, determined, principled and not willing to compromise on the core points of her beliefs.

In short a good leader.

Now Pakistan faces an election without one of the major candidates, many days of rioting, deaths and maybe a weaker government (thought I hope this may shock some into action).

But some will still think and say those words that to me sound like the ringing of death bells. These word are of the sort that have sealed the fate of many before me and no doubt many after……

“So, what does it have to do with me!?!”

One of the last times some one spoke those words we were reward with a world war that didn’t just touch one life but millions…….confused?…….don’t be I will explain.

 

The death of Archduke Ferdinand  heir of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the hands of assassins on a June day in 1914 in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo (ring any bells, it should, funny how history repeats). The assassins were driven by the belief the the death of Archduke Ferdinand would some how lead to the freedom of Serbia and Slavs in general from the grip of Austrian-Hungarian control ( as you can see I, by my account that I think the assassins weren’t correct in there assessment of the situation to say the least, but you can form your own view).

Two months after his and his wife death, the German government and Kaiser grew tried of what they saw as excuses and deliberate lies designed to mislead them and declared war thinking that as well as getting back at the people responsible for the Archduke’s death would also gain control over more land and promise of some colonies (which their expanding empire needed).

Well long story short many million of deaths later, Germany is signing the Treaty of Versailles which would plunge Germany into famine and bankruptcy and lead to the trumpet of war sounding again this time in the guise of Hitler and his Nazis Party.

Both wars would crumble the British Empire and completely crush the Ottoman, Austrian-Hungarian, German Empires and many smaller kingdoms. It would leave Iraq and surrounding countries in chaos and damage or robe all directly and indirectly involved of a generation of young men and women.

Noticing a pattern now, granted the social scientist out there would want me to expand on my short explanation as no doubt you could prattle on for hours on this subject.

Sometimes it only takes the death of one to end the life of many.

The death of Bhutto should be seen not as evidence that war is on the way for all of us but as one of histories little possibilities. The sort of possibilty that the wise kept an eye on.

As for the Pakistani people, chin up, don’t strike back with anger (she wouldn’t have wanted that), stand at peace together.
The Australian- Anger and violence at Bhutto’s death

Reuters – Pakistan’s Bhutto Assassinated

The Hon. Reba Meagher MP

May I introduce to you the Member for Cabramatta the Honorable Reba Meagher MP.

Well what a bright spark our Reba started out as back in 1994 when she retained the seat for the Labour Party after the death of Paul Newman.

For those of you who can remember Paul Newman was the first political assassination in Australian history, and his loss in such a manner sent some very unsettling shock waves through a community that for the most part, supported him in his efforts to clean up Cabramatta.

Our Reba’s first speeches in parliament reflect the community feeling about Paul Newman and his death. She made what at the time was seen as brave and defiant statements about carrying on with Paul Newman’s changes to Cabramatta and not letting his ideals die with him…….in fact upon reading her speeches I can know recall why I voted for her in the first place.

How times and people change. Re-reading over Reba’s speeches and statements since and you get the very strong feeling of a tired old weak maid.

Considering the resent and not so resent bungles by the Department of Children Services, major issues with the public hospital system and lack luster performance all round from the Labour Party you start to wonder if they have lost the stomach of government.

Here’s a hint for you Reba if you not “ready to rumble” on our behalf then get out of the bear pit. We don’t want half-arsed efforts.

The Hon. Reda Meagher MP – Parliamentary Page

Reba’s “under construction” Home Page