STACKS ON: Petro's Last Term? He Can Count On It

Not everyone in the Liberal party is focused on the federal election expected in November or December.

Kooyong wannabe and merchant banker Joshua Frydenberg  is openly campaigning for pre-selection for the blue-ribbon seat, currently held by The Age's favourite Liberal Petro Georgiou.

TEAM JOSH

Frydenberg, an enthusiastic recruiter, has put over 100 people in Kooyong branches.  The only problem is, they're all from Malvern, Armadale and Toorak in Higgins.  (Under Liberal party rules, many ALP patriots will find odd, you can vote in the preselection of the branch you are in, not on seat you live in. Go figure.)

As many of them are doctors it's just as well.  How else could the suburban transplant work?

Joshua is very busy making house calls himself and has been driving around Melbourne's ritziest suburbs dropping off piles of membership forms to lieutenant operatives.

It seems his constant phone calls to many of the locals has them bothered to the point of wanting to change their telephone numbers or going into witness protection.

COMPARISONS WITH EL TOWKE

With neither the Kennett faction not the Kroger/104 crowd supporting this lone merchant banker vigilante in his one-man ambition mission, is this man Victoria's answer to Michael Towke?

Through the fog of war, one clear fact emerges, this is almost certainly going to be Petro Georgiou's last term in office.

Game on.

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DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN: A Bleak Inside Look In The Troubled Victorian Liberal Party

The OC has been attempting to understand what's going on right now within the Victorian Liberal Party. After eight years in Opposition, they should be starting to seriously muscle up, getting ready for Government when the political cycle turns against Labor.

A change of Labor leader might disturb that cycle, although the shift from the popular Bracks to the tougher Brumby might have afforded them some opportunity.

Well it certainly doesn't look they're yet ready to exploit it, if there is.

One important caveat. The Liberal Party is a strong institution, particularly in Victoria. In the event of a Rudd victory, every scribe and leftard journaliste wishful thinker will point to their Opposition status in every Australian jurisdiction as grounds to bury them. It will be nonsense. In politics, you just never know what's around the corner. Queensland Labor without Beattie won't be the same, he'll probably be shuffling off next year. And Stanhope in the ACT is apparently really on the nose, with him being seen as the first potential Labor domino to fall.

But in Victoria right now, despite some good people operating behind the scenes, and a couple of possible stars emerging, the whole Liberal show seems to be a shambles, as these different accounts of what's really going on might explain.

STATE DIRECTOR GIG

Liberal insiders are continuing to talk up the chances of Stuart Eaton, former Baillieu confidant for the position of state director of the Victorian Libs.

They argue that Red Ted's office would have been a complete disaster last year without him.

Eaton is understood to have been reluctant to leave the politics caper after the last state election but agreed to keep his missus happy (sounds like a pretty good reason). He is considered to be very keen to get back in the saddle.

As previously reported, he will be opposed by Simon Morgan, backed by the Kroger-Costello camp. Both are regarded as competent and able but that won't stop a big fight developing over Julian Sheezel's replacement.

RED TED'S BUNKER IN CRISIS

Liberal sources have also revealed that the Baillieu office is far from being a happy team from Hawthorn (no jokes about their football team please).

Michael Kapel, a curious character who once ran the patriotic body the Australia Israel Jewish Affairs Council and published the names and addresses and contact details of all the members of One Nation, is appearing to struggle a bit with the transition from his private business which included importing umbrellas from China to the strange tasks of being Red Ted's Chief of Staff.

While Kapel has rubbed up several people the wrong way and is criticised by some as a "cold fish", he ought not be underestimated in the OC's view. He's smart and tough and probably introduces a desperately needed amount of "mongrel" to the noblesse oblige world of the Baillieu. It was for these reasons that Kapel was occasionally employed by billionaire corporate crook Solomon Lew to assist him in various capacities, until Lew's flunky Michael McLeod ordered him chopped.

THE ONGOING RULE OF PRINCESS DI

His predecessor Peter Fraser was regarded quite well also, but was considered to be comprehensively undermined and white-anted by "Princess" Di Rule, whose reign is considered very unlikely to end until Ted's does.

Fraser had come from former Liberal leader John Brogden's office where he reputedly had a free hand over staff and even fund-raising. Down here, he had none of that. Princess Di looked over his shoulder constantly, Liberal insiders say and Ted foolishly kept his CoS out of the loop.

Peter Fraser's critics say he would fold under pressure, acting like Isaac Mizrahi in a tantrum in a "frockumentary".

THE NAME "O'BRIEN" IS WHISPERED IN THE WOOD PANELLED CORRIDORS

Liberal insiders have basically written off any chance of Ted Baillieu becoming Premier, with many pointing to the young former barrister Michael O'Brien as being their "only hope." Clearly not ready yet, the young Costello-ite has impressed with his efforts to beat up the gambling licences into a mini-Watergate. While it all appears to be a non-event to the OC, measured in column inches O'Brien has done well with it, performing well in the house too.

MULDER UNHAPPY

The younger brigade disparage the choice of some, Terry Mulder as being uninspiring, lazy and hopeless. Mulder enjoys some support from a few country MPs but apparently would struggle to get more than half a dozen in the party room to back any move against Ted.

Mulder is believed to be thoroughly bored with Transport and increasingly bored with Parliament generally with the Leadership looking like a distant possibility at best now.

Insiders observe that he has left most of his portfolio work to functionary Edmund Carew. Our snout says perhaps unfairly to Mr Carew and to sufferers of the condition that "He shows what people Aspergers syndrome can achieve if people only show them a bit of love."

ASHER KEEN TO RETAIN DRIVER

Another possibility, Louise Asher wouldn't challenge her faction-buddy Baillieu and put into jeopardy that sweetest of Spring Street perks, the car and driver that is allocated to the four Opposition Leaders. This basically puts the days of concern about drink-driving behind one, as you can sloshed most nights and be quietly bundled into the taxpayer funded limo and safely driven home without risk of VicPol doing you over for drink driving and the resulting scandale.

A particularly mean observer has told the OC that when Ms Asher climbs into the state provided vehicle, her appearance is reminiscent of a "widgie" (an old term for a Kath n Kim I think) scrambling into a limo for a hens' night. How nasty is that? Where else could you expect such observations to be freely made but on the OC. I point out in Ms Asher's defence that she has the wisdom to barrack for Essendon.

ANDY MAC SICK OF COPS

One also occasionally considered, shadow Police Minister Andrew McIntosh also not very happy where he is, sources say. He wants to be Shadow Attorney-General, hates dealing with Police and is also despairing about the Liberals' prospects for getting into government.

HELEN CHARDONNAY

Last and least is shadow Health Minister Helen Shardey, once known for serving up tasty ham treats to rabbinical guests at her Caulfield electorate office.

With a smile only ten thousand dollars worth of dentistry can buy, Helen Chardonnay has been keeping a very low profile since the state election with many thinking she might be bumped off by an increasingly impatient David Southwick, who has run for federal Parliament, just missed out on beating toad Evan Thornley in the upper house and is now looking for the "sure thing" of Caulfield.

Critics say she was only given Health to annoy David Davis - now busy recruiting in Sandringham as we've previously reported- by a vengeful and at the time hard-drinking Leader Robert Doyle and that she should probably return what doesn't justly belong to her.

Game on.

UPDATE: Sources say that Stuart Eaton has in fact moved onto Andrew Robb's office. Petro Georgiou is doing the numbers for Eaton and has reportedly indicated that Eaton will be accommodated in a senior role whatever happens. So if he loses the state director's contest, there are suggestions that Michael Kapel might be shunted aside from the CoS spot. Eaton is very close to the Tedster and this would be regarded as an asset in any future tussles with Kapel. Underestimating this international man of mystery and umbrella importer is not recommended though. He'll put up quite a fight.

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HOWARD'S HOPE FOR ROPE-A-DOPE: Delayed Election, Crazy APEC Capers and A Refocus on National Security

Peter Costello's bestest lunch-buddy and probably the most powerful Liberal outside parliamentary politics (who will probably never get there now), Michael Kroger has come out and said exactly what the OC has been thinking about the election's likely timing.

ALL IN THE TIMING
Speaking on Lateline last night, the former Victorian division of the Liberal Party president said that he thinks a December election, on either the first or eighth is likely. Either late November or early December has gotta be it I think.

There's nothing in it for the PM to call it earlier, with the polls not great, as Kroger pointed out the country's mood generally improves in December as the weather warms up and holidays loom.

QUEENSLAND WEIRDNESS
The Libs are also hoping that Labor will spend a big chunk of its money in September and October as it is very curiously buying lots of air time in Queensland TV markets right now. The longer they leave the poll, the more they can stretch Labor's resources and still match them in Queensland media buys during the campaign period.

It's not ideal painting yourself into a date corner, because you lose the advantage of surprise as realistically the election cannot be later than the fifteenth of December but with the 2PP polling remaining pretty stubbornly fixed, I believe Howard has little choice but to go longer and hope for stronger.

WHY APEC WILL BE GREAT FOR HOWARD
At this moment nothing is going right. BUT there's APEC around the corner. President Bush - contrary to some media reports is coming - and his presence will provoke every kind of leftard, moonbat, anarchist thug and terror aspirant into frenzied violence on Sydney's streets. Don't believe for a second the President's presence is an electoral problem for John Howard, it's neither a positive nor a negative. But the consequences of violent and rampaging ultra leftists attacking Police and trashing Sydney's streets will be unambiguously positive for the Prime Minister. There'll be vision of RAAF jets flying above Sydney, keeping us safe. And courageous young men and women of the Police withstanding the worst excesses of the nation's dirtiest. Our leader will be photographed looking Presidential next to Presidents, Prime Minsters and potentates and speaking sternly to camera about the disgraces of the unwashed.

Make no mistake, APEC will be positive. Perhaps not with some Sydneysiders greatly inconvenienced. And certainly not in inner-city latte lounges who culturally side with protesters armed with marbles, sharp objects, bags of bodily excretion and foul mouths. But the debate will shift to national security and economic issues as they are the focus of APEC. Workchoices, health and education, Labor's issues will be starved of oxygen during the summit and several days after that. And the further out of the city you go, the more they'll be appalled by the excesses of violent protesters.

DYSON'S: PATRIOTS OF THE MONTH
Which reminds me. We received an email earlier in the week from a leftist group bitterly complaining about a bus company Dyson's who had taken a booking to transport three busloads of the nose-ringed up to Sydney from Melbourne.

When a company executive and the board reviewed the booking and realised who their client was, they said no thanks, take your dirty business elsewhere. Remember Dyson's the next time you're thinking about booking a bus for your event or local party plebiscite :-) They are true patriots.

That's why APEC will be positive for the PM. Because the overwhelming majority of Australians are with Dyson's. We respect the right to protest but we know that ultra-leftists are incapable of doing so peacefully. They attack the brave working people in the Police, vandalise public property and threaten the safety of leaders. We know that these violent, angry people are closer to the agenda of a Pol Pot than a Martin Luther King Jr.

FLOATS LIKE A BUTTERFLY STINGS LIKE A BEE
So there's a glimpse of sunshine for the Prime Minister on what seem very cloudy days indeed. Those still impressed by how this political dorky ninety pound weakling turned into a mighty uber power-champ are still wondering whether he can win one more. Muhammad Ali made the Rope-A-Dope boxing method famous and if Little Johnny can win from here, they should truly call him The Greatest.

Game on.

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MONDAY MADNESS: Madgwicks Caught Up In Property Deal Imbroglio As Michael Brereton's Mates Pick Up The Pieces

Sleazy Melbourne law firm Madgwicks is believed to be benefiting from a bitter business struggle that has broken out between two patriots, Liberal Joe De Simone and former Labor government Industry Minister Alan Griffiths, well-known for his involvement in the "Sandwich Shop" affair which rather unfairly led to his resignation from the Keating Ministry.

Less well-known is that Griffo bounced back from that disappointment to make a $30 million killing from the development and sale of a company called QUANTM. He purchased the technology from the CSIRO which had decided not to pursue its commercialisation itself, as is usually its custom. His original investment was said to be around quarter of a million dollars, representing a magnificent rate of return, and a much deserved one given his hard work on the business in the years that followed.

QUANTM is essentially very high-capacity computer software that quickly analyses the cheapest routes for the placement of new road infrastructure, in some case achieving tens of millions of dollars of savings for clients like the Californian railway system. Griffiths engineered sale of the company to a huge US technology company Trimble for an officially undisclosed sum.

So Griffo did very well indeed for himself and has kicked on to the Perfect State where he lives in luxury as an investor and family man in Brisvegas.

Not satisfied with his $30 million pile ("You can never be too rich or too thin" says diet-pill popping billionaire Sol Lew), Griffin has made several shrewd investments.

JOE DE SIMONE
One of them has involved him in a potentially dreadful conflict with the wily Liberal Joe De Simone. De Simone has been in the IT business for many years, has been active in the Liberal party on the Kroger-Costello side of the Victorian fence (his wife was a Senator for a time) and has built a successful business career too.

Indeed, it was De Simone who at one stage teamed up with now state Labor backbencher Evan Thornley when he ran a subsidiary company of the National Union of Students to form a chain of computer shops branded "The Smart Shop".

Having grown up in the bear-pit of student politics when the Berlin Wall was still up, De Simone plays hard. After emerging unscathed from a near single-handed battle against communists, trotskyists and PLO-sympathisers in the late 1970's, he doesn't shy from a fight. De Simone's Liberalism is of the tribal variety, more reminiscent of the old Catholic NSW ALP Right than the refined atmosphere of cocktail parties and drinks at the Melbourne Club.

ENTER MICHAEL BRERETON
Alan Griffiths and De Simone met through a solicitor Michael Brereton, who has recently come to attention as a result of a bloody battle with the Australian Tax Office over Operation Wickenby. Without going into those sordid details, this has had a devastating effect on Brereton's business and led his mate Griffiths to buy him out of a property development project "Seachange" in which all three had been involved.

Brereton first came to the attention of the OC because of his connection with the sleazy Melbourne law firm Madgwicks.

PETER KENNEDY MIRED IN SLEAZE
Delightfully it seems that they are also sleazy Melbourne law firm Madgwicks also part of the dramatis personae in this latest stoush, acting for Griffiths. It is alleged - and the OC has no proof of this directly - that senior Madgwicks partner Peter Kennedy is a very close mate of Michael Brereton, an association some believed to have been forged over a relaxing snort with deceased barrister Peter Hayes. Kennedy eulogised Hayes at his wake. Hayes of course was found comatose after a particularly nasty episode with a prostitute and drugs while in Adelaide waiting for Brereton to arrive.

Kennedy is also thought to be providing Brereton assistance in his battles with Australian authorities.

Michael Brereton's former lover and employee Miranda Ball was given a job at the notorious firm (known for having strippers celebrate partner's biirthdays over morning tea) when Brereton could no longer afford to keep her. It is even said that the married man Kennedy crashes overnight from time to time at Brereton's Docklands penthouse after a bender. How very sharing.

Both Kennedy and Brereton are believed to have claimed that Griffiths "owes" Brereton, a rather strange claim that is no doubt disputed by the patriot. Kennedy has also incorrectly claimed around town that Griffiths once worked for Brereton and that it's in "his interests" to help Brereton out. Kennedy is no doubt profiting from the misery Brereton is in, with lawyers set to soak up most if not all of his remaining fortune. Such is the charming world of lies, disloyalty, malfeasance, spin, skulduggery, subterfuge, threats and intimidation in which the law firm Madgwicks is actively involved. Their reputation isn't in the gutter for nothing.

THE DISPUTE...
Under Kennedy and Miranda Ball's guidance, Brereton and Griffiths have now teamed up against De Simone to force a fire sale of the assets of the "Seachange" development which De Simone opposes because he says -probably correctly from what we've heard - that the profits would be much greater if the partners in the business allowed the intended development (of retirement villages) to proceed.

The OC understands that De Simone has already offered to buy out Griffiths, with a view to getting the project off the ground, delayed as it has been by various acts of wrongdoing and malfeasance by Brereton and complicated by the crisis in Brereton's business interests.

Griffiths is understood to have declined this offer and is pushing from his minority position in the business to sell it up. His mate Brereton has even got involved by engaging the services of private investigators who are believed to be causing as much as trouble as they can dream up for De Simone including briefing ASIC against him, planting stories with naive journalists and other tricks of the Nixonian variety.

Not one to take such intimidation lying down, De Simone has responded too, sacking Griffiths from the board of directors of several Seachange group companies in a so far bloodless coup.

It wouldn't be an OC scandal without the Age being knowingly concerned. They haven't reported on the above directly but have certainly made much mention of Brereton's troubles. Insiders say that it is fortunate that the Age journalist involved - John Garnaut - is the son of a close friend of Alan Griffiths and has largely kept him out of the yarn. So far.

SET TO EXPLODE
An ugly stoush in the courts, including the detailed exposition of the financial relationship between Michael Brereton and all those involved, is in the offing. Could this be the final whiff of sleaze from the rotting carcass that is Madgwicks before it's finally buried by the authorities? We will know soon enough.

Developing...

Game on.

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NAPALM IN THE MORNING: Western Suburb Liberal Stacking Intrigue After Claimed Yet Disputed Electorate Office Row

Patriot Liberal MP Bernie Finn is one of few state Liberals with a pulse and a zest to return to government. Although his electorate office has been in the news recently over the employment of a Canadian national Sarah Bonnier as one of his electorate staff.

While the media attention has been on the fact that the clearly well credentialed political staffer has been working here on a section 457 visa, there is a delightful back story of the kind we specialise in. And no, it's not a Junie Morosi yarn. It's much more interesting and uncertain.

An informed Liberal source says that the former Canadian model (informed witnesses say this claim is most probably not correct) was employed only after Mr Finn sacked his former adviser, Chistina Culliver. This claim is hotly disputed though by Liberal patriots who say all that happened was that Ms Culliver was asked to take three weeks' leave, which she happily agreed to, and she made use of the time by helping out in the office of Senator Ronaldson. That's what the OC calls teamwork.

Our source claimed she was none too impressed at this turn of events and while being snapped up in the office of Senator Michael Ronaldson, she is believed to be planning to unleash the wrath of a woman scorned upon our Bernie. Her friends also deny this claim, saying she has every intention of returning to the Bernie tent at the earliest opportunity.

SLIDING DOORS // WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?
Our Liberal source claimed last night that Ms Culliver has "switched teams" from the Kroger-Costello grouping which supports Finn to newly align herself with the Baillieu-Kennett faction in order to slot Bernie. Again sources close to Culliver strongly deny this claim, as do those in touch with Jenny Matic, meaning that our source may be a troublemaker! (Unimaginable I know)

Our source claimed that Culliver has teamed up with Baillieu-Kennett faction matron Jenny Matic to wander the western suburban badlands "engaging in branch development". Again this is emphatically denied by both parties.

A Liberal insider describes the tensions in the west:

Angry at being kicked out of the office, Ms Culliver is trying to roll Bernie at preselection time - highly possible given that Bernie only won the last preselection against Jenny Matic 18 to 25.

The pretty much defunct Coburg branch is believed to be the focus of their initial stacking campaign which insiders say "has had a flood of new applications". The branch is the home of former Melbourne University Liberal activists Amy Keenan-Dunn and Hamish Jones. Critics of those two say they "raped and pillaged" the branch and dispute any prospect of the branch being revived.

Ms Culliver's fiance Robert Mandanici has been accused of factional intriguing before by the left-wing press so she would have been going into battle with some serious back-up. Close Mandanici associate (but not believed to be the best man designate) Emanuel Cicchiello, Liberal candidate for Holt who belatedly slayed anti-semite loon Ken Aldred, was also said to be a potential adviser in what seems to be a somewhat abortive coup attempt.

We doubt Bernie will score an invite as Ms Culliver will be busy formenting plans of her own to crash his party. While others believe that Bernie will be an honoured guest.

If you've figured out who to believe, please let us know on the OC hotline 0415 99 33 26.

Game on.

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MONDAY MADNESS: Left-Wing Newspaper Execs Attempt To Cheat Victorian Taxpayers

If it's Monday, it's Monday Madness.

On Saturday, left-wing newspaper The Aged poured scorn on Labor moderate David White and his firm of lobbyists Hawker Britton in a three thousand three-hundred word hatchet job.

Deep within in its verbose murky waters was an parenthetical admission (try saying that under-water) that did seem rather hypocritical in the circumstances:

(The Age engaged White to give advice on its commercial relationship with the Government.)

Hypocritical certainly. Coy also. And most definitely incomplete.

During 2004, it became obvious to senior corporate bureaucrats at Fairfax that the Age's collapsing circulation figures had the potential to impact very adversely on the amount of employment advertising that the Victorian Government gave the left-wing newspaper.

They set upon a plan - a conspiracy if you consider them to be communist criminals, as we do - to use political protection to innoculate themselves from any potential changes to the Government ad spend resulting from their collapse in readership.

The process was to be the subject of a formal tender which ended up not being concluded until last year.

A major figure in the drama was Andrew Hockley, the head of communications in the Premier's Department, widely regarded as a no-bullshi* kinda dude who would be far more interested in the facts and figures about reaching the most amount of people for the least amount of taxpayers' money, not any other tricks.

It was this climate of desperation that saw The Age do practically anything to give away subscriptions, sometimes for less than 10% of the normal price (that's of not off) to football club members, community groups, students and all sorts to blatantly inflate their numbers so advertisers wouldn't flee in terror. Many long-standing advertisers were dropping off, only to be filled with rather ugly alternatives like Goldfingers strip joint in the City, an operation some say is associated with organised crime.

ANYONE GOT DAVID WHITE'S MOBILE?
But as the figures looked pretty bad, Fairfax panicked and flicked the switch to lobbying, or influence peddling as some might call it.

They hired the leading light on the Christmas tree of Labor lobbyists, Hawker Britton. In Melbourne, this creation of the NSW Right is run by the longest surviving Minister of the Cain-Kirner era, David White.

The OC understands that White and his loyal offsider and Labor Unity stalwart Danny Pearson were amused to hear from the Age and were delighted to be taking their money.

They dutifully did their thing and tried to mount the best possible argument for diminishing the extent to which circulation numbers were factored in to decisions about employment advertising.

We are told that Hawker Britton and in some cases Age executives met with public servants and with senior level political staff to prosecute their case. We do not know what arguments or inducements if any were offered in support of their "ignore statistics" proposition.

Their efforts can be seen as an effort calculated to corrupt a government tender in a shabby attempt to retain taxpayer revenue they were not otherwise entitled to receive. By the rather loose and casual definitions applied by the likes of former teen shoplifter Michael Bachelard, this would make them fraudsters.

And in light of varying government lobbying scandals from Perth to Pete Costello's best mate Michael Kroger, it is well worth considering whether this effort to rig the government's process was successful.

It wasn't. Last year's tender awarded considerably more government ad spending to The Age's competitor the Herald-Sun, recent Asia-Pacific newspaper of the year, a newspaper with a proportional reach practically unrivalled in the English speaking world.

We asked a News Limited executive whether they used lobbyists to sort out government tenders and he laughed "No mate, there's no budget for that shi* around here. We'd rather win it on our product, reach, good looks and charm."

As they did.

Game on.

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TAX AND SPEND: Big Government Conservatism Packs On The Kilos

Bill Clinton declared - at a time when many in the White House needed reminding - that "the era of big government is over."

Peter Costello's biggest idea of his Treasurership - other than that GST thing - is locking away taxpayer money in "future funds" and now "endowment funds" to be invested sagely by public servants buying and selling shares on the stock market.

Everyone hails this is as brilliant.

Call me old fashioned but this idea seems like a mix of Singapore big government - John Cain winner picking madness.

The single best "investment" the government can make is trusting the Australian people with their own money. They simply don't need public servants to invest their money for them on the stock exchange.

But the culture in Canberra right now is to collect every last dollar out of the economy and then hand it back - with great ceremony - in middle class welfare family payments, bonuses for solar heating, babies and everything else you can think of. And not satisfied with that, Peter Costello is hoping to lock in spending years into the future.

Labor of course would be an even more enthusiastic social engineer than the tinkering Treasurer.

Labor make sone good point though, the government coffers are full because of the mining boom which sets the stage for an unprecedented and ugly auction between a Prime Minister desperate to go out a winner and the hungriest Opposition Leader for a long time.

And we'll know pretty soon how responsive voters will be to all this. The government needs to get some bounce from the budget and probably will. But the longer this government has gone the more it has forgotten first principles. I cannot imagine Peter Costello and Michael Kroger gleefully talking up the prospect of coming up with multi-billion dollar public servant managed investment funds over yum cha in Little Bourke Street in the days prior to 1996. It might be good politics but it's not good policy.

Game on.

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DISGRACE: Mad Bad Ken Aldred Back From The Political Dead

Former Liberal MP and vile anti-Semite conspiracy theorist Ken Aldred has been astonishingly preselected by the Victorian Liberals for the marginal seat of Holt.

Aldred won a tight contest, defeating former Knox councillor and evangelical Christian from the Kroger/Costello grouping Emanuele Cicchiello by two votes by the Liberal preselection process which comprises 60% local preselectors and 40% central which are randomly selected from State Council members.

Ken Aldred is believed to be closely associated with weirdo Lyndon Larouche whose Australian franchise is called the Citizens Electoral Council. They reputedly met in February 1993 at the Larouche compound.

ANTI-SEMITE SELECTED
Armed with forgeries provided by the Larouche organisation, Aldred made a spectacular Parliamentary attack on prominent Jewish leader and Mark Leibler in Parliament in 1995 which made some outrageous and obviously false claims namely that:

■ He was a Mossad agent

■ He was guilty of money laundering

■ He was guilty of espionage and

■ He was in league with or receiving funds from drug traffickers in Suriname.

To take a step into insanity click here for the link.

Aldred has been condemned by the B'nai B'rith Anti Defamation League as an example of anti-semite lunacy.

He has been slammed by the Australia/israel Jewish Affairs Council over his appalling activities and his acting in concert with one of Australia's most infamous race-hate organisations:

In 1995, Ken Aldred stood up in federal Parliament and read into the record forged documents defaming Mr Leibler. An investigation by the Review and detailed inquiries by the Australian Federal Police revealed that the documents Mr Aldred had tabled were indeed forgeries aimed at smearing Mr Leibler and then Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Michael Costello. The Review’s then editor, Michael Kapel, carried out an extensive investigation into the activities of the Citizens Electoral Council in Australia. The special report published in June 1996, revealed that the CEC was involved in spying on the Jewish community, harassment, mistreatment of its own members, defrauding of vulnerable citizens and abusing of Australian democracy. The ABC’s Four Corners program on 24 June 1996 also exposed the CEC’s use of racial vilification, smear campaigns and other criminal activities against innocent Australians.

It will no doubt cause Liberal donor Mark Leibler understandable and considerable concern if Ken Aldred is pictured alongside supposed supporter of the Jewish community, the Prime Minister John Howard on thousands of How To Vote cards throughout the Holt electorate.

Indeed, this is no mere local rebellion with his daughter Mary (understood not to share his extremist views) working as a Ministerial staffer in the Howard government and wielding considerable clout in the Victorian division as a "multiple recruiter" par excellence.

The OC understands she did not think his candidacy was a good idea. Nor do we. The PM should take decisive measures to boot him out.

The Admin Committee of the Victorian division must formally ratify his candidacy. Ordinarily this is just a formality. In this case, Aldred is no ordinary candidate, he is a disgrace who cannot be tolerated within any party in the mainstream of party politics.

So patriots fully comprehend the enormity of this clown's loopiness we provide for your amusement just one of his speeches which - based entirely on documents found to be forgeries - makes a plethora of false claims:

05 June, 1995 Mr ALDRED (Deakin) (1.44 p.m.) —In this debate on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 1995-96, which covers the administration of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, I wish to bring to the attention of the House, through this Main Committee, a matter of national importance. I refer to the provision of secret funds paid by D. Toemin, Special Officer of the Embassy of the Republic of Suriname located in the Hague in the Netherlands. I will read the full text of the letter, which is marked `Deliver by hand' covering this transaction which is on the official letterhead of the Ambassador of the Republic of Suriname. The letter is as follows:

Ambassade van de Republiek Suriname

Alexander Gogelweg 2

2517 JH Den Haag

Tel: 070-650844

Cable: Suramb

Telex: 32220 Amsur NL

The letter has the word `VERZONDEN' marked on the top-right hand corner. It continues:

Uw kenmerk Uw brief van Ons kenmerk

Your reference PAR 67 Your letter dated OCT 1991 Our reference DESI 7

DEN HAAG. nov. 1991

Bijilage(n)

Enclosure(s)

Onderwerp Political payment

Subject ex Indonesia

EXCELLENCY!

We hereby convey a security case containing six hundred and fourty thousand United States Dollars******* (US$ 640.000.) as agreed with agent Mark Leibler.

The above mentioned funds should be distributed according to the schedules held by your Excellency.

Please sign the second letterhead copy and hand this personally to one of the two authorised Mossad agents

RECEIVED ABOVE FUNDS:

D. Toemin

Special Officer

I hold two copies of this letter, which are identical in all respects except one. Copy 4 has no signature against the notation, `Received above funds', whilst against this notation on copy 2 there appears the signature of Mr Michael J Costello. The letter is also addressed to `Micael J. Costello esq., CBRR-7842-3988-AS, Australia'. This would appear to be a location code for Mr Costello at a Canberra address. It is the same on both copy 2 and copy 4 of the letter.

I especially draw the attention of the House through this Main Committee to the signature of Michael Costello on the letter, which is identical to the signature block applied on pages iv, 208 and 261 of the annual report of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for 1992-1993, placed on those pages in his official capacity as present secretary to the department.

Independent forensic tests by a recognised expert in this field reveal that not only are all these signatures identical, but also that there is no indication of document interference. Even if the signature block was applied by an unauthorised person to the Suriname letter, its presence must still be explained.

This particular signature block of Mr Costello—there are others—has been available for some years. In addition, further tests by an experienced microscopist show that both copies 2 and 4 of the Suriname letter are of the same paper, type and weight. It is worth noting that Mr Costello was overseas during the periods 16 to 26 October and 20 to 21 November 1991, which correlate with the October and November 1991 dates shown on the letter. According to the official visits record of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, he was the deputy secretary in 1991. During that year, he visited Chile in South America. Previously, again as the deputy secretary to the department, he had visited Brazil in 1989.

Noticeable too are the four security identification points placed in an identical or rectangular position on the top left-hand side of each copy of the letter. The intriguing references in this letter are `VERZONDEN' stamped on the letter, meaning to send or dispatch, and the word `Desi 7' may well refer to a correspondence series in relation to Suriname's former military strongman, who is still the central figure in Suriname's drug trade, Lieutenant Colonel Desi Bouterse.

Suriname is a small, remote country on the north-east coast of South America, with a population of over 400,000. The population includes many ethnic groupings descended from slaves, who were brought to Suriname by the former Dutch rulers from Africa, India and Indonesia. The capital of Suriname is Paramaribo, which may well relate to the reference `PAR 67' on each copy of the letter. Suriname is such a small country that there is no Australian diplomatic post there, although the Australian High Commission at Bridgetown in Barbados has a visiting, reporting and consular responsibility for Suriname.

It is Suriname's status as a drug source, a distribution country, which has been of particular concern to Dutch and US authorities. Over the last decade Suriname has also become notorious as a transit country for drug trafficking from Colombia and as a centre for cocaine production for Europe—in particular the Netherlands—and the United States.

In 1991 the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the DEA, visited Suriname to investigate drug trafficking. Over the last two years, the DEA has run a vigorous anti-narcotics program, in conjunction with the new government of Suriname, installed in 1991. The program includes the training of police, customs and military police officers to foster better cooperation among those services.

The key figure in Surinese politics is Lieutenant Colonel Desi Bouterse. As a sergeant major, he seized power in 1980, and ruled from 1980 to 1988. In this period he sought to align Suriname with Libya, Cuba and Grenada. After the invasion of Grenada by the United States in 1983, Bouterse turned to civilian rule, although he maintained the constitutional right to intervene in political affairs.

In 1986 Bouterse allegedly deposited several million dollars in the notorious and now defunct BCCI Bank in Miami. A contract written in Dutch and signed by Hank Goedschalk, the then governor of the Suriname Central Bank and a close associate of Bouterse, called for the Camari Corporation, based in the Netherlands Antilles, to lend the Surinese government $US200 million in cash. In the same year, 1991, the Dutch foreign intelligence agency, the IDB and the Dutch intelligence agency, the BVD, began investigating drug trafficking, especially cocaine coming from Colombia to Suriname and going on to Holland and the United States.

In 1986 Bouterse's right-hand man, Captain Etienne Boerenveen, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring to use Suriname's air fields as bases for exporting cocaine to the United States. According to intelligence reports, Bouterse paid $US600,000 for Boerenveen's defence.

One of the partners in the conspiracy claimed that Bouterse and Boerenveen intended to channel the profits into the country's economy and split the balance. Boerenveen was sentenced to 12 years in prison and released early in 1991. On his release, he was promoted by Bouterse from captain to commandant and appointed commander of the military police and central intelligence services of Suriname's armed forces. In 1990, the Netherlands, faced with a growing drug problem arising from drugs from Suriname, expelled two diplomats, who had ties to Bouterse, for drug related activities.

Desi Bouterse resigned as Suriname's army chief in November 1992. He established himself as an international businessman and went on to form the National Democratic Party, the NDP. Despite his formal departure from the military, Bouterse has maintained a well-armed private army and still has a significant number of sympathisers in the armed forces.

As head of the NDP, Bouterse has used his position to run a populist campaign against the unpopular economic austerity programs foisted on President Ronald Venetiaan by the IMF and the World Bank. His political rhetoric is characterised by a `narco-nationalist' style, mainly directed against the Dutch. Regrettably, Bouterse has indeed increased his power after the death, in December 1993, of Pablo Escobar Gaviria, who was the head of Colombia's notorious Medellin cartel.

The political power base of Bouterse is not to be underestimated. His money, which is derived from the drug trade, keeps many followers loyal, especially in the local police force. The Medellin cartel was already in decline prior to Escobar's death. Its operations have diminished or collapsed into the business network of the Cali cartel. Escobar had been a regular visitor to Suriname from 1987 to 1989, and there were several meetings between Bouterse and Escobar. Bouterse continues to control the jungle infrastructure which facilitates the transhipment of narcotics.

Etienne Boerenveen, Bouterse's previously referred to right-hand man, is still currently a senior adviser to the defence ministry. After serving out his prison sentence in Miami, Boerenveen had no trouble re-entering Suriname's military structure. In effect, he is the day-to-day liaison for Bouterse to the armed forces brass, though in fairness it must be said that not everyone in the Suriname military is corrupt.

According to the 1994 US Department of State Report on international strategy to combat narcotics trafficking, Suriname is not itself a money laundering centre. The report states:

The non-convertibility of Suriname's currency and its limited financial market steer money launderers elsewhere.

Although Suriname is remote from financial scrutiny, its banking system does have representatives abroad. Due to its status as a former Dutch colony, it has links to both the Netherlands and Indonesia. In fact, those of Javanese descent make up over 16 per cent of the population.

Significantly, Dutch investigators have established leads that Bouterse's gang has tied up with a similar network of Indonesian military officers. The major lead is the NV Musa Indo-Suriname investment group, which in August 1993 asked President Venetiaan if it could buy the rights to Suriname's trees. It was eventually granted 375,000 acres near the Guyana border, where Bouterse allegedly plays a major role.

Bearing these comments about Desi Bouterse, his associates and networks in mind, I turn now to the documents I am specifically dealing with today. In this context, the following questions arise. First, why is Mr Mark Leibler, a prominent Melbourne tax lawyer who at one stage served on three separate advisory committees to the Commissioner of Taxation and who was a major witness before the Public Accounts Committee inquiry into the Australian Taxation Office which took place from 1991 to 93, acting as an agent in a major financial transaction involving the Israeli intelligence service, the Mossad, and the Secretary to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Michael Costello?

Second, what is the `distribution schedule' held by Mr Costello and referred to in the two copies of the letter, and who is on it? Third, was any of the $US640,000 paid to Mr Costello for his personal use, and if so, why? Fourth, was any of the $US640,000 paid to Mr Costello acting as an agent for the Labor Party for election or other purposes? Fifth, and alternatively, was any of this money paid to Mr Costello for services rendered to any foreign government or foreign intelligence service? Sixth, was any of the money derived from the proceeds of crime, most especially drug trafficking, as Suriname is well known as a drug source? Finally, is the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade aware of the involvement of his permanent head in this transaction, and if not, why not?

The Australian of 10 August 1993 described Mr Costello as an `unusual diplomat'. He certainly is. He is allegedly the architect of the unfulfilled Cambodian peace plan, yet he has served only 3 1/2 years abroad as a diplomat. Costello has no experience in Cambodian affairs and has not lived in Asia. He speaks no Asian language. The Australian of 26 January 1990 cited a journalist as commenting:

He [Costello] is Asia illiterate. And yet he is supposed to bring peace to Cambodia. I find it very odd.'

Indeed. The truth is that Mr Costello is a monument to mafia mateship. The government's reaction to the public disclosure of Costello's relationship with Valeriy Zemskov, an officer of the KGB's elite special reserve, with whom Costello shared many long lunches, dinners and animated conversations, was a typical case of mafia mateship. The government reached for the whitewash brush to paint over the truth of the Costello-Zemskov relationship, yet a cabinet in-confidence minute to the then foreign minister, Mr Hayden, of 11 March 1986, clearly showed that MI5 had warned ASIO of Zemskov's real status in January 1985.

Since Costello's unprecedented promotion to the position of secretary, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has leaked so much it is in danger of becoming incontinent. In the second half of 1994, we saw the leaking of the most sensitive Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade documents in relation to the Cambodia crisis. Costello himself has been suspected and interviewed, on previous occasions, by the Australian Federal Police in relation to the disclosure of official information.

ASIO and ASIS have undergone serious inquiries and reports of both inquiries are most disturbing. It has long been suspected that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade should also be the subject of an inquiry. It is highly unlikely that any inquiry could be conducted as long as Mr Costello remained secretary to the department.

I emphasise that I am seeking to table these documents in the national interest. There are many fine people in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade who serve Australia's interests well, at home and abroad. They have a right to know the truth about their departmental head. The Australian people have a right to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The minimal response the government should make is to ensure that Mr Costello is immediately stood down as the Secretary to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, pending non-partisan investigation into the serious issues I have raised today. To assist in this process, I am sending the Hansard record of this speech to the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police. In respect of Mr Costello himself, I expect a comprehensive explanation, not the waving of his `good behaviour' plaque from certain ASIO officers.

Full and proper investigation of serious issues of national concern such as this—not government attempts to close off debate and curb press freedom by gaoling journalists, as we are witnessing, for instance, in respect of the proposed ASIS legislation—is essential. This will be difficult for the government to do on this issue, as I will have much more to reveal at a later date.

In conclusion, I seek leave to table the two copies of the letter I referred to earlier in this speech.

Leave not granted.

Game on.

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EGGED ON: Paul Austin Still Fresh From Wiping Election Egg off Face Turns On Red Ted // We Join In The Fun

NOT THAT LONG AGO THE AGED LOVED RED TED

The Aged's politico scribus rex Paul Austin has finally turned on his little mate Red Ted Baillieu.

Today he opined:

Baillieu is famously fit, but you can see why some Liberal hardheads are convinced that the next Liberal premier of Victoria is not even in Parliament yet.

What a remarkable contrast to his slavishly talking up of Red Ted on various issues where the Leader was attempting to appease those sipping behind the Latte Curtain.

It seems like yesterday that Austin's remarkably insightful analysis had him arguing that Red Ted had "won the election campaign" and had screaming Age headlines on election day as pictured above which turned out more than a little embarrassing for all concerned when his gains turned out to be very minimal indeed.

The fickle and egg-faced Austin has now officially dropped Red Ted like a hot spud.

And perhaps not without good reason. Parliamentary insiders tell the OC that His Redness is turning into an increasingly isolated figure, with one wag calling him the "Howard Hughes of Spring Street."

He is causing a great disturbance in the Force by refusing to conduct door-stops for media. Only Iron Chef Brendan Donohue has been able to coax him out of hiding, causing him to take off the tissue box shoes and sashay out back for a quick cameo or two with pre-arranged questions.

DI'S RULE
Parliamentary colleagues are also not seeing much of the millionaire recluse and mutter darkly that Di Rule is stealthily taking over Wayne Manor as Acting Chief and may refuse to hand over the much sought after temporary promotion and sweet payrise. She is regarded as the Mormons to Red Ted's Howard Hughes.

Several Liberal members of the OC Investigations Unit (Anti-Red Ted Taskforce) noted the Leader's lamentable effort at Question Time on Tuesday where his ill-phrased questions to Bracks on what should have been a gimme issue on the Tony Mokbel - Kelvin Thomson - Marsha Thomson bizarre love triangle turned the whole thing into farce. It culminated in the Speaker giving Ted an opportunity "to expand on the original question" which the shame-faced Ted acknowledged as "very generous." Those familiar with the clumsy suburban solicitor Dennis Denuto arguing the "vibe of thing" in The Castle will be familiar with the standard of Ted's advocacy.

IRON MIKE O'BRIEN

Red Ted's botched questions brought into focus the forensic and fiendishly precise efforts this year of barrister and newbie Michael O'Brien who may yet emerge as a Leadership contender from the Kroger/104 Exhibition Street forces. Tis early days for the lad, who no-one could ever describe as Red except after a few beers, but as Obi Wan said may be their only hope.

So the next Leader - and who knows maybe Premier - may very well be sitting right under Paul Austin's much-picked nose.

Game on.

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USELESS: Please Don't Read

Useless gossip for you at home, as a little treat for those who haven't gone to Noosa for the long weekend:

■ Some are saying a Victorian based Shadow Minister is being investigated for similar problems to those that seem certain to end the Parliamentary career of Andrew Laming from Queensland.

■ Others have noticed that the Minister responsible for liquor licensing regulation in Victoria in 2000 when Kelvin Thomson signed a reference for prospective licensee and gangster Tony Mokbel was Kelvin's then spouse Marsha Marsha Marsha Thomson. An unfortunate coincidence indeed.

■ Reports from Friends of Indi suggest Mrs Mirabella hasn't been in the best of health lately. We wish her the all the best.

■ The Federal Opposition Leader is believed to regularly convene with senior crew members in what enjoys the cosy name of the "Planning Committee". It meets after Sunrise on Fridays. Yes, that's the Sunrise show after the Ruddster's regular appearance on the programme. Joe Hockey presumably isn't invited.

■ Many people are impressed by Barack Obama. Wait til they get a load of this guy.

■ 6 more posts are we will have had 3000 stories since the OC was founded. What do we have planned? Better figure something out.

■ A member of the Socialist Left faction, believed to be a close associate of Kim Carr is the one who led Kelvin Thomson to be writing a reference for the gangster. A valuable lesson for all. Anyone from the SL asks for something, just say no, they're robably in league with organised crime. Or something like that.

■ Kristine Byrne, the woman at the centre of the Richard Dalla-Riva sex harassment scandal, has quietly failed to re-contest her position on the Liberal Party Executive in RDR's seat. Just as well.

■ Some Victorian Liberal Baillieu supporters are surprised to see the recycling of many familiar faces as candidates for the looming internal Party elections. Usually MPs and candidates steer clear of these positions and yet Reagan fan patriot Scott Ryan has re-nominated despite being in the safe-ish #3 Senate spot. Those opposed to Kroger forces say this is proof that they have a problem attracting talent. They would say that though.

■ Many of those eerily pre-occupied with smiting Senator Conroy - who I remind patriots is needed on that wall - are taking pleasure in the elevation of Joseph Ludwig as Attorney-General. Some say Joseph is the Robert Ray backed candidate for the Deputy Leadership of the Senate after the election regardless of whether Labor wins or not. The good Senator has much on his plate at the minute with the most festive National Executive elections giving him hours of entertainment and joy.

■ Some patriots complain that in order of ghastliness the increasingly wrinkly though expensively dressed Virginia Trioli's messed up hair exceeded Ni-Cola Roxon's on Lateline with the well-coiffed Christopher "Don Dunstan" Pyne looking quite shiny and dry-blown by comparison. CP even spoke suggestively of someone waiting at home keep him home introducing a degree of sexiness to the national debate appreciated by many patriots. Ni-Cola was not outdone with her quick response about pulsating Eveready batteries. Can I suggest to these seeking such gratificatino from LateLine that they should either get out more, turn to late night SBS or hook up with pornstar Comrade Lev Lafayette who supplies comrades with his ample titilation.

Game on.

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LIBS: More OC Liberal Blogging

■ OC Investigators report on the latest from 104 Exhibition Street: Kroger types are fearing the worst at the upcoming Liberal Party State Council AGM. Jenny Matic, loyal to Ted Baillieu and current State Vice President, having defeated the Kroger candidate in 2006, Jeanette Milne, is unopposed for female Vice President. Jeffistas expect to win most of the Admin Committee positions.

■ Other patriot Investigators respond saying there's even more to the story:

The only reason Jenny Matic is unopposed is that costello.kroger dealt on the constitutional reforms in the Young Libs, and Matic was stupid enough to agree without realising the implications. Now the Baillieu group will certainly split, with Matic and her small swag of votes voting in favour.

The big question will be which way will Ted and his immediate followers go: with David Davis still on the warpath after what he calls a "disgustingly grubby" campaign against his "long time friend and colleague" Rich Dalla-Riva, council is sure to be fiery.

Rumours of Young Lib president Alex Lew being berated by 104 for not pursuing these reforms as aggressively as expected have prompted the calling of a young liberal movement council, with the executive being warned to get these reforms through. Alex himself was told "get it done. just get it done or there'll be problems"

Game on.

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RONALDSON SERVED: They Come From Far and Wide to the OC to Dish Out Takedown Soup

A member of the OC Investigations Unit has checked in to bury Senator Michael Ronaldson not to praise him:

Victorian Senator Michael Ronaldson, the bright light of the Victorian Division of the Liberal Party is well known for leaving a trail of destruction having fuelled deep division in Liberal ranks in each Federal Electorate seat for which he has been a "patron" senator.

Geelong is deeply divided as a result of the political undermining and manoevering of one Kelvin Grant, a Michael Ronaldson and Robert Doyle employee whose pastime was undermining Ted Baillieu, Lousie Asher, David Davis, the local Federal MP (OC:? Undermining Gavan O'Connor, I thought he did all that by himself or are they referring to Stewie Macarthur) and some of the state Liberal candidates.

In Ballarat, Senator Ronaldson personally handpicked a string of disastrous Federal candidates after he ditched the Seat of Ballarat (having spat the dummy when the PM did not give him a promotion, he resigned, pulling a Mary Delahunty). (OC: "Pulling a Mary Delahunty is this the new term for feigning illness and injury? I'd personally favour the term "Pulling an Olexander" although that might also conjure some unpleasant associations. On a more serious note, we understand that the Senator was genuinely very unwell and has made an excellent recovery)

Ronaldson then promptly lost the seat when as his successor, Ronaldson recruited Russell Marks for Ballarat, a short lived relationship indeed. For the 2004 Fedeal Election, the Senator recruited Elizabeth Metushka for the seat of Ballarat, which was an unmitigated disaster.

For the 2007 Fed election, Ronaldson found himself another candidate for Ballarat- Mr Copeland who has subsequently resigned. Now the good Senator has recruited a National Party blondie ( no other worthy person in the Liberal Party to contest Ballarat? Well, not with legs that long and hair that blonde, anyhow!) for Ballarat. (OC: Hey, there's no anti-blonde discrimination allowed on the OC)

Lastly, this "country senator" (OC: much safer than being a "country member") with an office at 4 Treasury Place and apartment in Spring Street,promised to move into Bendigo, but being a little too far from the Costello/Kroger power games at 4 Treasury Place, 101 Collins Street, and 104 Exhibition Street, he just cannot bear to leave the CBD.

However, he has opened a "clinic" in Bendigo, with party HQ footing the rental bill and local Liberals paying for the outgoings. Boy, are they seething! With so many unhappy at the conduct of Senator Ronaldson, who was special adviser to Helen Kroger during her disastrous regime (OC: Very harsh), is it any wonder that Ronaldson has been passed over for promotion on many occasions.

How many stuff ups can this man muster before being exposed for what he is: totally disloyal to the Liberal Party and incompetent to boot!

Game on.

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THRASHING: Costello Flames Dozens of Leading CEO's as "Unfit to be Prime Minister" // Macquarie Source Slams Costello as "Dilly-Dallier"

The Treasurer of Australia, Peter Costello's extraordinary performance on Lateline last night has shocked the Australian business community.

He has flamed some of the Chief Executive Officers of the corporate clients of Burke's lobbying firm in Western Australia saying if running for office "they would be unfit to be the Prime Minister of Australia".

To be exact he said:

"Well if one of those er chief executives of those companies were running for Prime Minister I would say on the basis of their connection with Brian Burke there were unfit to be Prime Minister."

He said this contrast the role of CEOs with Kevin Rudd but the implication of dishonesty is clear enough and represents an outrageous slur on many of the nation's corporate leaders.

He claimed that they were paying a fee to Burke - impliedly corruptly - because "he (Burke) has such a hold on the Western Australian Labor Party. That's obvious."

MAC BANK STRIKES BACK
One Macquarie Bank employee known to the OC who spoke on condition of anonymity told us this morning "Allan Moss (Macquarie's CEO) probably thinks the same of Costello. Look at his dilly-dallying over the Qantas bid. In fact I can think of twenty people at Macquarie who'd do a better job than Costello. I reckon you'd have to go back to the Whitlam era to see this sort of big-mouth stupid attack on business...Makes you wonder who'll be buying tickets at Liberal fund-raisers in Perth and Sydney this year."

COSTELLO'S LOBBYING TIES THAT BIND
Costello's best mate is a lobbyist and investment banker Michael Kroger who does pretty much exactly the same thing as Burke. If Kroger does, it's legitimate, if Burke does it's "morally and politically compromising" and is so corrosive that it rules out all clients - some of the most respectable and competent and decent corporate leaders in this country from political office.

Kroger is not just a mate, he is Costello's best mate. Freedom Freddy has reported on the OC that Kroger is an over-bearing influence on Costello's life even down to selecting flat-mates in the Treasurer's Canberra digs. If he's choosing who he lives with presumably Kroger the lobbyist has quite the influence on his mate on other questions.

A BRIDGE TOO FAR
Peter Costello has got an election to win later in the year and we can acknowledge that as such he is "taking care of business" but as the chief economic policy maker in the government we could expect a more responsible and measured approach than questioning the morality and fitness for public office of many of the nation's business leaders

This witch-hunt about Brian Burke has already peaked and is in rapid decline. The government has everything going for it - an economy that's booming, a mostly stable, mostly united team, state and territory Labor governments everywhere to help them argue 'checks and balances' - and yet both Abbott and Costello have sounded unhinged about the Burke issue.

MUCH FOR RUDD TO PONDER NOW
Mind you, there is much for Labor to think about too. While it's true that the profound public scepticism about our political leaders means that this issue was never going to do Rudd much harm even if he'd had a relationship as close with Burke as Costello does with his best mate and lobbyist Michael Kroger, it is also true to say that it took from Thursday til yesterday for Rudd to finally appear confident in handling the issue.

The claims regarding Burke were a beat-up but it was Rudd looking like he'd done five rounds with Mike Tyson.

And where were the counter-punches? Swan did well yesterday and the retired champ Keating was masterful as always but there was Friday and Saturday and Sunday in between and nothing much.

If Labor wants to win the election it's going to need to step up and snatch it from John Howard's cold, dead hands. The idea that the Australian public enjoying the fruits of commodity price boom that is turning Perth into Shangri-La and giving the rest of the country magnificent prosperity will easily hand it over to an inexperienced Opposition is a fantasy so bizarre that you'd have to be mincing around Tim Gartrell's office or be gliding around on the plush carpet in the Leader's office to believe it.

Oppositions don't win elections, Governments lose them. That makes the highest calling of the combatants in Oppositions to lay into the Government and hard. Tis a simple game. The Government attacks about Brian Burke (as they were bound to eventually). Opposition counters about lobbyists in Canberra and the extent of the inappropriate relationships starting with lobbyist Michael Kroger and Peter Costello, the ties between Abbott and Burke, Prosser and Burke, Mirabella and Noel Crichton-Browne (which are strongly denied of course). Then ups the ante by proposing tough new laws regulating lobbyists or even - apologies to Bruce Hawker - banning them. Yes, banning them. This is not rocket science, but without a spark of courage and will and guts, rocket ship Rudd won't be leaving the ground.

Game on.

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KILL THE WITCH: Witch-Hunting Brian Burke Is Not Just Bad for Brian Burke It Diminshes All of Us

Thanks to a well placed source we broke the news about Ian Campbell's resignation first it seems, a long way ahead of AAP and anyone else. Another triumph for the OC Investigations Unit and yet there is no cause for celebration about what's going on in Perth right now.

TWO RANTS FOR YOU AT HOME FOR THE PRICE OF ONE
Time doesn't often permit the OC to wander into the badlands of the blogosphere to share the good news of freedom.

Which is a real shame because there's some good stuff out there but sadly the operations of the OC Investigations Unit requiring more offline activity than regular blog surfing can permit. But when discussions turn to my favourite subject (guess who) though, I do often feel obliged to pop in and defend my honour or impale a leftist or whatever.

ClubTroppo is one of these sites and they were having a crack at us about defending Brian Burke which of course is just not allowed because, well no one can really explain why.

It's strangely appropriate that a different Burke from a different time tells us an essential truth which we ignore at our peril:

All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.

Well bugger it, I tell myself. I've pondered this situation very carefully. Look carefully at the detail, look carefully at the allegations. If Burkey's done the wrong thing I'll say so but if it's all just hot air and phooey then I'll say that too. And so far it is.

WHAT IS BURKE'S CRIME?
Burke is accused of being a highly persuasive lobbyist, who was given an amount of access to government decisions by politicians that I personally believe to be inappropriate. Yes, inappropriate. The balance went too far but as far I can tell, no laws have been broken. If Ministers have behaved inappropriately and if politics demands it they should resign. Seems to me that Premier Carpenter has gone to nearly absurd lengths to punish anything remotely thought to be inappropriate. And of course today the theatre of the absurd gave us an elaborate encore when Federal Minister Ian Campbell resigned for doing nothing more than meeting Brian Burke for twenty minutes. It's a joke of course. And the joke is on us.

But this level of careful analysis is beyond too many in the media who smell blood and who want more.

Burke's just bad they say. He's a lobbyist. He's a convicted fraudster they emphasise. It's the vibe of thing, we don't know what he did, we just know it's really really wicked-bad.

So anyone meeting with the man must immediately resign while beating oneself with a stick. Even after a twenty minute meeting about nothing much.

It's as if The Burke has magic powers that must be curtailed lest he get everything he wants. Only when he's pulverised or dead or broke can we all be safe they seem to be suggesting.

ABBOTT & COSTELLO SHOULD HANG THEIR HEADS
Even the hitherto well regarded are getting in or cashing in on the craze.

Peter Costello says anyone meeting Burke is "morally compromised", although it's cool for his bestie (Michael Kroger) to be one of Melbourne's most avaricious lobbyists who blatantly cashes in on his association with the Federal Treasurer. Tony Abbott even reckons Brian Burke is the "devil", perhaps the final indication that a person I once highly regarded as a person of faith and honour is actually nothing more than a piece of sh*t.

Strong words but that is how it is on this night of the witch-hunt March the third 2007.

These men might have an election to win - and I respect that - but the rest of us want to live in a nation where some decent standards apply.

And at the moment they're not.

THIS WILL PASS
History tells us that every era of madness and collective hysteria fades, be it McCarthyism, Tulip mania, the dot com bubble, even back to the original witch-hunts.

They were all realised ultimately to have reached heights of stupidity and craziness that could only be recognised with hindsight.

Make no mistake we are in such a time and it's only when those willing to say so outnumber the witch-hunters that than simple recognition of reality will occur.

Anyway, this is what we had to say. One of the resident leftistes opined that the OC had compared the persecution of Brian Burke with that of the Nazis, not true as it happens but that doesn't normally slow them down.

So here I am quoting myself in full (could there be any finer source?) which in part repeats some of the points made above but I know many patriots cannot get enough:

Greetings to y'all and in particular the darling Darlene, first up I have certainly not made the comparison you think I've made. There was no event even remotely comparable to what the Germans set out to do after Wannsee.

The point is simple: if Brian Burke's rights are to be trampled, who's next?

Many get hot under the collar about human rights on an ideologically selective basis. Those who squeal like stuck pigs about David Hicks are silent as church mice about Brian Burke's rights.

Brian Burke has - to the best of my knowledge and I've tried to follow the activities of the CCC investigation - not been accused of any crime in relation to his lobbying activities.

He was convicted - and punished - of over-claiming his travel expenses to the tune of $17,000 during 1986 through 1988. His story - which I believe - is that he botched the paperwork. Perhaps that's what they all say, but in his case quite a reasonable explanation given that he was the rather busy Premier of WA and had filled in the forms himself. Certainly he didn't appear to need the money.

But in the climate of the time, as WA was in the midst of the "recession they had to have" and the resulting political crisis, Burke was repeatedly slotted by juries in Perth. Unfairly, as subsequent successful appeals demonstrated.

My understanding is that he was ultimately acquitted of all charges other than travel expenses matter.

So when he is repeatedly referred to by the free-lunch and Cabcharge brigade of Australian journalism as a "convicted fraudster", that's what they're talking about. A conviction relating to some botched overclaimed travel expenses of $17,000 twenty years ago. Twenty years ago!

It is surely time to move on and to let him do so.

There is a hysteria about Brian Burke that has led to resignation insanity, culminating this afternoon in Tory Ian Campbell quitting over a twenty minute meeting about not much.

Of course Campbell was on the way out anyway but at one level - going back to my original point - there is something highly disturbing about watching a pack attack someone. We've all seen it, some have been victims, some joined in, most of us look on in silence thankfully saying "Thank God it's not me."

Holding people to account is one thing but mindless, hateful hysteria - promoted in some cases by men in positions of great responsibility and power - is not only wrong but should terrify all Australians. If it can happen to Brian Burke it can happen to you.

If Brian Burke has done wrong let him be punished but when a man I once respected Tony Abbott states with straight-face that Burke is the "Devil" then I think we all know at some level that a degree of evil has injected itself into the politics of personal destruction at play here.

Darlene is a voice of reason ultimately when she says:

The concept of serving one’s time and moving on with one’s life should be respected.