Jumpingmanjim posted:

Good government starts now.

PaletteSwappedNinja posted:

Why the gently caress do they keep announcing things only to immediately backpedal? Like, I can buy the idea that they're being forced to backpedal on some of these issues under the weight of basic and obvious scrutiny but why hasn't Credlin or anyone made an effort to have them work through this poo poo in private and then have individual ministers announce things only when they know what the hell they're selling?

Kommando posted:

MARCH BRISGOON AUSPOL MEET



Where are we eating, when are we eating?

Do we want to return to Sukachi now its reopened and spend $400 on chicken and beer, or go to Mu'ooz like we keep intending to, or shall we pick a new indian place?

Cartoon wants to come and meet early april so im fine with any time/place

"smh posted:

A small fleet of brightly coloured Vietnamese fishing boats based in Darwin are believed to be replacing the orange lifeboats used by the Customs and Border Protection department to tow back asylum seeker boats that make it to Australian waters.

Fairfax Media understands that 10 red, blue and green wooden boats have been bought by the Customs department from Dragon Industries Asia as "tow back" boats in a multi-million dollar project.

Having succeeded in "stopping the boats", it appears the Abbott government has opted for a cheaper alternative to the orange lifeboats, which cost the government $7.5 million last year.

It is believed each orange lifeboat, which can only be used once, costs about $200,000.

On the Dragon Industries Asia website it confirms that the Customs and Border Protection Department is a client and that it has has tasked the company to deliver 10 "alternative vessels" from "preliminary design".

S/E Asia manager, Marc Brujins, moving 5 specialized transportation craft to a heavy lift vessel for final delivery! pic.twitter.com/njL7D3WKmu — Dragon Ind. Asia (@Dragon_Ind_Asia) October 3, 2014
On its online company profile it says: "Recent projects include: Australian Customs and Border Protection 10 x Alternative transportation vessels Supply, project management and delivery."

"This project was delivered to exceptionally tight deadlines, with final delivery of all vessels within 18 weeks of project inauguration," it says.

"Upon completion of the vessels Dragon was given a repeat order to be delivered by the end of the last quarter in 2014, further enhancing Dragon's ability to service it's [sic] clients quality, delivery and management needs."

In a company tweet, it shows one of the managers Marc Brujins sitting on a tugboat, with the caption, "moving 5 specialized transportation craft to a heavy lift vessel for final delivery!"

The boats are now being stored at Spot on Marine in Darwin. A spokeswoman of the firm told Fairfax Media to contact the Customs department for any further information.

When Dragon Industries Asia was contacted on separate days by Fairfax Media, a spokesman said that the company was actually a software company. Then on a separate call, the spokesman refused to hand over the details of the managing director Tim Clements.

In a Facebook message, the company replied to Fairfax Media inquiries saying: "Please be advised that any information in relation to Operation Sovereign Borders must be obtained from the Australian Government.

The immigration department also did not deny the boats had been procured, refusing to answer questions on why the boats had been brought or for what purpose.

A spokesman said: "Customs and Border Protection uses a variety of vessels to prepare for and perform its maritime tasks."

PaletteSwappedNinja posted:

Why the gently caress do they keep announcing things only to immediately backpedal? Like, I can buy the idea that they're being forced to backpedal on some of these issues under the weight of basic and obvious scrutiny but why hasn't Credlin or anyone made an effort to have them work through this poo poo in private and then have individual ministers announce things only when they know what the hell they're selling?

Kommando posted:

Paging CraziTolradi. Also pictured, Anidav, Shadeoses, Bifauxnen, Urcher, and less frequent posters.

Konomex posted:

We spent 7.5 million on orange life boats last year, each one costs 200,000. That's 37.5 boats last year, roughly. So no, we haven't stopped the boats. The fact the government is seeking cheaper alternatives, and thus more dangerous alternatives, would indicate the boats continue to come.

Graic Gabtar posted:

The boats were stopped and then the passengers and crew were sent back.

That would count as a boat being stopped.

markgreyam posted:

class warfare

cpaf posted:

I am so, so sorry CraziTolradi

Graic Gabtar posted:

The boats were stopped and then the passengers and crew were sent back.

That would count as a boat being stopped.

Graic Gabtar posted:

The boats were stopped and then the passengers and crew were sent back.

That would count as a boat being stopped.

Orkin Mang posted:

kill urself! die!!

Graic Gabtar posted:

The boats were stopped and then the passengers and crew were sent back.

That would count as a boat being stopped.

Graic Gabtar posted:

The boats were stopped and then the passengers and crew were sent back.

That would count as a boat being stopped.

Orkin Mang posted:

kill urself! die!!

MC Eating Disorder posted:

genuinely snorted out loud when I read this.

In other news is there any chance of scheduling the next Brisbane Goonmeet on a weekday night? I work Friday-Sunday nights usually and if I have it off I usually don't feel like going out anyway, but I'd love to come get food poisoning and make awkward jokes about stairs with you guys. If we're accommodating Cartoon and its on a weekend don't gently caress with that on my account, but just putting it out there now I've been posting long enough to feel comfortable meeting some of you in a public place, especially now that I've seen you all and know that I will be the most handsome and worst dressed person in the room

Mithranderp posted:

He is a very beautiful person he just doesn't know how to smile.

quote:

Asked again whether he accepted the UN’s findings about Manus Island, Abbott said the conditions were “reasonable under all the circumstances” and “all of the basic needs of the people on Manus Island are being met”.

“Everyone’s needs for food, for clothing, for shelter, for safety are being more than met, thanks to the good work of the PNG government, the Australian government and the people who are running the centre,” he said.

MC Eating Disorder posted:

I'm sure there was one on sunday recently that I almost wound up going to but I was broke and didn't feel comfortable begging for someone to buy me a beer when Anidav obviously already has that racket sewn up

cpaf posted:

I am so, so sorry CraziTolradi

Kommando posted:

who?

thatfatkid posted:

Sorry i don't bemoan the fact that I live in a country that is stable, holds regular and fair elections, has strong trade unions, workers rights, decent healthcare, public education etc etc.

Drugs posted:

Who are the people who don't post but turn up to goon meets? Who are these people?

Kommando posted:

We're always able to buy you a beer or a naan. Fair go mate.

markgreyam posted:

the posters and the post-nots

Kommando posted:

Lurkers like Captain Red.

Drink up Captain.

MC Eating Disorder posted:

I'm really uncomfortable asking people I've never met before to buy me a beer but now that you've offered I'll make sure to bee-line my way to you and suggest we do shots of whisky first thing when I arrive

katlington posted:

A few days ago, but,

Abbott sounds british as poo poo here. 4 toilets for 400 people is meeting basic needs. Not for you or me or for tony or any other australian but it's fine for them, they're used to it. As for safety well, I feel safe, don't you?

Mad Katter posted:

IDGI, can't they just dig their own grid?

Drugs posted:

Who are the people who don't post but turn up to goon meets? Who are these people?

Bifauxnen posted:

My hubby also tends to comes along (he got left out of the photo for some reason I can't remember). He doesn't have an account, and I haven't encouraged him to get one since he already spends way too much time arguing with people on different parts of the internet, so I think it's good for us to diversify our forum portfolio.

Kommando posted:

quote:

Tony Abbott backs closure of remote Indigenous communities, says living in them a 'lifestyle choice'

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has backed a WA Government proposal to close a number of remote Indigenous communities, saying it is not the taxpayer's job to subsidise people's "lifestyle choices".

The WA Government flagged the closure of up to 150 of the state's remote Aboriginal communities after the Federal Government, which funded about two-thirds of the state's remote Indigenous settlements, announced in September it was transitioning that responsibility to the states over the next two years.

Speaking in Kalgoorlie, Mr Abbott said it was up to the state to decide what services it would deliver and where.

He said the decision to close communities was not unreasonable if the cost of providing services, where there are no schools or jobs, was excessive.

"What we can't do is endlessly subsidise lifestyle choices if those lifestyle choices are not conducive to the kind of full participation in Australian society that everyone should have," he said.

"In order to get kids to school and adults to work, you've got to have a school.

"If people choose to live miles away from where there's a school, if people choose not to access the school of the air, if people choose to live where there's no jobs, obviously it's very, very difficult to close the gap.

"It is not unreasonable for the State Government to say if the cost of providing services in a particular remote location is out of all proportion to the benefits being delivered, fine by all means live in a remote location, but there's a limit to what you can expect the state to do for you if you want to live there."

The Kalgoorlie-Boulder Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Hugh Gallagher said the Prime Minister should be concerned about the profound impact it would have on Aboriginal culture and the business community.

"He needs to certainly be aware of it and that's actually an issue of business significance and community significance," he said.

I would ask him where that fits within the Government's policy on closing the gap?
Hugh Gallagher, Kalgoorlie-Boulder CCI
"It has the potential to change the complexion of this city in particular over the next decade.

"I would ask him where that fits within the Government's policy on closing the gap? Because it is just so important that regional culture is retained and sadly it begins to shrink when it's in capital cities."

Laverton Shire president Patrick Hill said there was too much uncertainty at the moment and people were extremely worried.

Mr Hill said he had not been told if the three Aboriginal communities surrounding his shire would be closed or where those people would be housed within the small northern Goldfields town.

"In Laverton we've got three communities - the Mulga Queen, Cosmo Newberry and Mount Margaret and we haven't heard if any of those will be closing yet," he said.

"The biggest thing we're concerned about is closing down these communities and moving the residents into the regional centres like Laverton, Leonora or Kalgoorlie-Boulder without housing.

"Where do these people get moved to after the communities close and what happens to them? What resources are going to be provided to them to move?

"We don't want them all camping out underneath the trees around the town, they are going to need housing and that's our concern.

"We don't want people moved out of the areas that they've come from."

Drugs posted:

"Australia is grouse" - a middle class white bloke