On the WA One Nation preference deal
John Kotsopoulos writes: “LEAKED: One Nation preference deal emails with WA Liberals” (Wednesday)
Attacks on Trump are now being challenged in the US as counterproductive noise that just allows him to avoid hard questions. Calling down Trump and dismissing his supporters as “deplorables” was an insulting and self-defeating indulgence. The same mistake is occurring here with One Nation and its followers.
Challenged by 3aw shock jock Neil Mitchell to explain how he would implement a deportation policy for young criminals born here a very confident Hansonite was quickly reduced to gibberish. Hats off to Mitchell for showing the way with his gentle but persistent questioning. Turnbull should take heed. Avoiding the One Nation problem is no answer and he must act to stop the preference deal in WA or resign and let somebody with principle to do what he knows is correct.
On Amber Harrison
Gavin Butler writes: Re. “Mayne: Seven, Worner under siege ahead of results briefing” (Wednesday)
Jeff and the SWM Board went public on the deal for Amber Harrison only because it favoured in their opinion their case. Is the SWM Board going to endorse the release of other deals done to former employees where those employees have not been given a fair deal. Of course not. Jeff admits the previous Board acted generously partly with Ms Harrison’s welfare in mind.
It would appear by the release of all the detail by Jeff there may too be a breach of confidentiality and a disregard for the welfare of this young lady. Not a good look for the Chairman of Beyond Blue. I think Jeff should have thought this through a bit more and shown more concern for the individual rather than the corporate bully.
As for SWM CEO Tim Worner, if he was a true professional and a good person he would not be trying to have relationships with employees. The $100,000 slap on the hand that Jeff refers to makes his article even more laughable and a clear sign of supporting the unsupportable.
I thought Jeff had really improved his ways but this latest episode does make me question this.
John – perhaps you should read the full speech from Clinton in context to understand what was being said, and not the deliberately misinterpreted alternative:
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2016/sep/11/context-hillary-clinton-basket-deplorables/
“that other basket of people are people who feel that the government has let them down, the economy has let them down, nobody cares about them, nobody worries about what happens to their lives and their futures, and they’re just desperate for change. It doesn’t really even matter where it comes from. They don’t buy everything he says, but he seems to hold out some hope that their lives will be different. They won’t wake up and see their jobs disappear, lose a kid to heroin, feel like they’re in a dead-end. Those are people we have to understand and empathize with as well.”
She didn’t dismiss them, but rather called to address the issues which leads to the type of disillusionment with government that One Nation wants to harness.