quote:

Mr Eaton, who travelled on to London with Mr Briggs, did not hear from the consular staffer again until November 30, when she was at work. After the staffer texted him, saying she wanted to talk “about Friday night”, he called her immediately.

She told him that Mr Briggs had made an “inappropriate” comment to her while at the bar. “She said that she didn’t want to make a complaint but she wanted him to talk to the minister so he didn’t say it again,’’ a source said.

It is understood the investigator’s report said the consular staffer did not want the matter to go further. Mr Eaton, who declined to comment when contacted yesterday, is believed to have informed the investigator of the substance of the texts but was not asked to provide them for examination.

teacup posted:

I feel so sorry for this lady. Hopefully her career is not affected by this.

quote:

DETECTIVE Chief Inspector Peter Fox will leave the NSW Police Force at midnight on Thursday – exactly 36 years, seven months and three days after walking in.

He feels vindicated by evidence at last month’s inquiry into police involvement with a Catholic Church child sexual abuse reporting group, and relieved to leave without disciplinary action against him over the November 2012 television interview that led to a royal commission, but ended his career.

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/mp-verity-barton-faces-a-coup-from-her-own-party-after-failing-to-pay-a-16k-campain-bill/news-story/7ea9c2e777e78fae4bc1e6e8f32224c3 posted:

BUNGLING Broadwater MP Verity Barton is set to be knifed by her own party – all over a dispute with the LNP over funds the party claims it is owed to help her get elected.

Furious behind-the-scene arguments have spread throughout the party over a $16,000 campaign debt which Ms Barton has refused to pay, despite “massively” going over her budget.

To make matters worse, LNP heavies told the Bulletin they were “outraged” to learn Ms Barton had been “bragging” on Instagram about taking a lavish trip across Europe next week, even though she hasn’t paid “a single cent” towards the bill.

The dispute is the latest in a series of controversies for the serial non-bill paying MP who was forced to release a statement admitting to driving unlicensed in 2012 and 2013 claiming she lost her licence after an “oversight” meant she had not paid road tolls and fines.

It was later revealed there was a third, 11-day suspension from December 6, 2014.

Senior LNP sources say this latest row will move State Electorate Council president Richard Towson or former minister David Crisafulli to seize party endorsement for the seat which Ms Barton has held for two terms.

Ms Barton said the Europe trip was a birthday present from her mother and wiped her hands of responsibility for the campaign debt.

“Well, the LNP and the treasurer within the LNP look after fundraising within the LNP and

there were members of my local campaign team which organised the fundraising, so that’s not really a section that I am across at all, unfortunately,” she said.

“I have always had a hands-off approach when it comes to fundraising.

“I prefer to focus on issues on the ground.

“I have had campaign team members and the LNP help with fundraising instead.

“I didn’t manage the budget or the fundraising part, so I would not be aware what the arrangements were and I have always had a hands-off approach to fundraising.

“The trip that I am about to go on is a gift from my mother for my birthday.

“I am taking a couple of weeks because I haven’t had a holiday in five years.

“We are going to a few different places, including the UK where I was born.”

A senior sitting member on the Gold Coast told the Gold Coast Bulletin Mr Towson, who was now the Broadwater branch president, had the votes to topple Ms Barton, a two-term member.

It is also understood former minister David Crisafulli MP is eyeing off the seat.

Both Mr Crisafulli and Mr Towson declined to comment.

Ms Barton said she would not comment on the looming LNP coup as she was too focused on running her electorate.

“I am focused on doing the best job I possibly can to represent the Broadwater within the community and within the parliament,” she said.

Sitting LNP members on the Coast said Ms Barton’s campaign came into financial difficulty because of a lack of willing donors.

“Verity did not do much in the way of fundraising and ultimately overspent and now the membership has been left to mop up the mess,” one source said.

“She refused to put any cash in and that has blown the mind of the members.”

Another said they had managed to raise more than $100,000 for their electorate and thought it was “pathetic and lazy” of Ms Barton not to take responsibility for her campaign.

“Members are not supposed to spend more than they take in and (Ms Barton) should have known exactly what was being spent and what on,” the MP said.

It is understood LNP bosses became so frustrated with Ms Barton’s campaign debt that the party’s coffers have already paid around half the bill.

Ms Barton is still being chased for the other $8000 but sources say she is resisting the request.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/music/enough-is-enough-mike-baird-calls-for-crackdown-on-music-festivals-over-drugs/story-fni0c60r-1227696059552 posted:

MUSIC festivals will have to clean up or shut up after a series of drug arrests and overdoses marred the notorious Field Day Festival, Premier Mike Baird warned yesterday.

Declaring “enough is enough”, Mr Baird said all festival organisers would be held accountable for “distressing and avoidable” drug-related overdoses after another partygoer came close to dying at the Sydney event.

The 23-year-old woman was rushed to hospital in a critical condition on Friday night after collapsing from a suspected MDMA overdose.

More than 180 people were charged with drug ­offences.

The woman, one of several people who suffered overdoses during the event in The Domain, was released from St Vincent’s Hospital yesterday afternoon following a remarkable recovery.

It follows three drug-related deaths at Sydney music festivals in the past year, including 25-year-old pharmacist Sylvia Choi, who died of an overdose at Stereosonic Music Festival at Olympic Park in November.

Mr Baird said he would call on “relevant ministers” to review the system for issuing permits to organisers of music festivals and demand more extensive screening at entry points.

“Individuals need to take responsibility for their actions, but so do the organisers of these festivals,” he said.

“In the light of this latest distressing and avoidable incident, I will be asking the relevant ministers to review the current system of regulating events held on public land, including the system for granting permits for public events such as music festivals.”

He said festival organisers who did not comply with new requirements would be shut down.

“If new rules and procedures place additional burdens and costs on organisers, so be it — and we will also examine denying permits to organisers who have not done the right thing in the past,” he said.

“Enough is enough. This simply has to stop.”

Police Minister Troy Grant said the government made “no apologies for its strong stance against the use of illegal drugs”.

A Field Day spokeswoman said a number of overdose victims were rushed to the emergency department while more than 200 people were treated by paramedics. Police charged 184 revellers with drug offences, 30 less than last year. Eight of those were charged with drug supply, including two people allegedly found with a large amount of MDMA.

A 26-year-old woman was allegedly found in possession of 100 ecstasy tablets and a 19-year-old man allegedly had 81 ecstasy tablets. Both were granted bail and will appear at Downing Centre Local Court on January 28.

Teenager Georgina Bartter died last year after a reaction to a drug taken at Harbourlife in the Royal Botanical Gardens. In September, Nigel Pauljevic, 26, from Albury, died from an overdose at Defqon dance festival in Penrith.

ewe2 posted:

Here's another fantastic example I've only just seen on twitter:



That's almost fractally wrong. Not just that they don't get why Briggs got the boot, not just that they want the right to go full idiot on an overseas taxpayer-funded junket, they saw nothing wrong in telling the loving media about it too.

Pickled Tink posted:

Magog posted:

I don 't even go to any music festivals but gently caress this boring state.
3 deaths in the past year, literally less than 1 in a million in this city, despite the status quo probably leading to worse outcomes than possible.

Birb Katter posted:

So Dutton went to send "mad loving witch" about Samantha Maidens Briggs bit to Briggs but sent it to Maiden instead.

Birb Katter posted:

So Dutton went to send "mad loving witch" about Samantha Maidens Briggs bit to Briggs but sent it to Maiden instead. Dutton is getting _lightly smoked on the front page of the tele

Birb Katter posted:

So Dutton went to send "mad loving witch" about Samantha Maidens Briggs bit to Briggs but sent it to Maiden instead. Dutton is getting _lightly smoked on the front page of the tele

tithin posted:

I can't wait to play auspol simulator 2016, I hear that they implemented a new shitpost generating algorithm and updated the team rosters.

Magog posted:

I don 't even go to any music festivals but gently caress this boring state.
3 deaths in the past year, literally less than 1 in a million in this city, despite the status quo probably leading to worse outcomes than possible.

Birb Katter posted:

So Dutton went to send "mad loving witch" about Samantha Maidens Briggs bit to Briggs but sent it to Maiden instead. Dutton is getting _lightly smoked on the front page of the tele

Nibbles! posted:

Isn't it the case that you can't OD on MDMA anyway? It's heat or dehydration that gets you? Do they still stop you taking your own water into festivals?

Nibbles! posted:

Isn't it the case that you can't OD on MDMA anyway? It's heat or dehydration that gets you? Do they still stop you taking your own water into festivals?

The ABC posted:

WA Labor in election-winning position in latest newspoll

Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett's grip on power has slumped just 15 months out from the state election, a poll out today shows.

The Newspoll, published in The Australian newspaper, shows the Labor Party has increased its primary vote from 33 to 42 per cent in the past six months.

Labor now leads the Coalition 53 to 47 per cent on a two-party-preferred basis.

This could give Labor a two-party-preferred swing of 10 per cent, which would allow it to claim 10 seats and form Government.

It is the first time Labor has lead the Coalition since Mr Barnett came to power in 2008.

Veteran political analyst Peter Kennedy said the Coalition had only itself to blame for the slump in the poll.

"One of the problems for the Government has been the deteriorating budget position," he said.

"I think its reputation as an economic manager, or financial manager, is on the line and that's where Labor has been making inroads.

"The good result for Labor sets the battle lines for the rest of the year and Mr Barnett will have the job ahead of him to peg Labor back."

Cabinet reshuffle, financial management key to retaining power

The Government has battled a worsening budget position on the back of a plunging iron ore price.

Mr Barnett has campaigned for the state to secure a greater share of GST revenue in order to fill budgetary black holes.

The Mid Year Economic Financial Outlook released last month projected the Government's deficit would balloon to $3.1 billion by the end of the financial year.

This will eclipse the state budget estimate in May of $2.7 billion.

Mr Kennedy said the only good news for the Government was it still had time before Western Australia went to the polls in March next year.

"Still 15 months out from the next elections, so there's plenty of time for Mr Barnett to turn the ship around," he said.

"Remember he will have a reshuffle of the Cabinet very shortly, and that will be an important opportunity to get his team in place to face the election early next year.

"I think the reshuffle of the Cabinet and also the budgetary position will be crucial in deciding who wins next year."

Labor leader Mark McGowan has also increased his popularity among voters.

He leads Mr Barnett as preferred premier, 41 to 36 per cent.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-04/wa-labor-in-election-winning-position-in-latest-newspoll/7065794

open24hours posted:

The gallery?

Amoeba102 posted:

Yeah, it's been there for a while but I only just saw it recently.

Graic Gabtar posted:

Never been despite going to Tasmania a few times a year. On the list, but I don't know if I want to explain a bunch of exhibits to four wide eyed children.

I'm told that you can rate exhibits there. The kicker is that the ones down voted actually get moved to more prominent places.

Also, apparently there is a balcony cafe there that serves awesome chips, c/d?

Amoeba102 posted:

MONA didn't live up to the hype. I didn't rate any of the pieces, because I didn't realise you could until right at the end. I didn't get chips from the balcony cafe so I can't confirm or deny.

Nibbles! posted:

Isn't it the case that you can't OD on MDMA anyway? It's heat or dehydration that gets you? Do they still stop you taking your own water into festivals?

Anidav posted:

Troubled electronics retailer Dick Smith has placed its shares in a trading halt ahead of an expected announcement about its debt financing.

The company expects to make an announcement about its funding position and debt financing covenants by Wednesday.

Dick Smith shares have plunged in recent months after it issued two profit warnings following disappointing sales in October and November.

Anidav posted:

We're basically weeks away from JB HiFi and Harvey Norman being the only big consumer electronics retailers left?

I mean Brisbane only has Todd's HiFi and the occasional mom and pop computer shack. WoW sight and sound disappeared off the face of the earth.