- Adbot
-
ADBOT LOVES YOU
|
|
|
#
¿
May 12, 2024 08:06
|
|
- tithin
- Nov 14, 2003
-
[Grandmaster Tactician]
|
The party of superior economic management, of adults.
Warning: might be News Ltd link, idk and cbf looking it up, assume it is based on the font.
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.
|
#
¿
Jan 3, 2016 06:44
|
|
- tithin
- Nov 14, 2003
-
[Grandmaster Tactician]
|
"http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jan/04/malcolm-turnbull-lashes-out-at-the-australian-over-reporting-of-briggs-scandal?CMP=soc_567 posted:
Malcolm Turnbull has criticised the Australian newspaper for publishing a pixelated photo and identifying details of a woman who complained about the inappropriate behaviour of Jamie Briggs, which led to his resignation as minister.
Briggs resigned as cities minister last weekafter an investigation found he acted inappropriately with a female public servant in a Hong Kong bar.
The Australian newspaper published a front-page pixelated photo on the weekend of the woman and Briggs’ chief of staff at the bar, as well as her age and position in the public service.
The prime minister has criticised the newspaper and Coalition members involved in the leaking of the photo, warning their behaviour could deter other women from coming forward with complaints of inappropriate behaviour.
“From the outset I have sought to ensure the privacy of the public servant concerned has been protected,” he said in a statement released late on Monday.
“Publishing the identity of a complainant in a case like this not only infringes their privacy, it serves actively to discourage other women who are concerned about the conduct of a superior from raising a complaint in the future.
“I urge all parties to respect the public servant’s privacy.”
Briggs has admitted the photo was taken on his phone and was circulated to colleagues before and after the complaint, though he says he did not leak it to the Australian.
Turnbull’s reproach comes after the public sector union criticised the sending of the photo as a“gross breach of privacy”.
The prime minister also said Peter Dutton’s language was “clearly inappropriate” when hecalled a journalist a “mad loving witch”.
“As I advised the minister yesterday his language was clearly inappropriate as he recognised by apologising immediately to Ms Maiden,” Turnbull said in a statement released on Monday evening.
Dutton texted the political editor for Sunday’s News Corp papers, Samantha Maiden, calling her a “mad loving witch” in a message which was supposed to be sent to Briggs on Sunday.
Maiden had written a column critical of Briggs and authored the story which revealed he had sent the photo of himself with the public servant to colleagues before and after her complaint.
Dutton apologised for the text message and Maiden accepted it.
Asked if it could be guaranteed the complainant would not face any career-limiting repercussions, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) said her privacy was being respected.
“Dfat takes seriously the welfare of all its staff,” the statement said.
“Dfat has exercised its duty of care responsibilities for the officer concerned, including providing appropriate support and seeking to protect her privacy. For privacy reasons, we will not comment further.”
Briggs called his behaviour towards the public servant an “error of professional judgment” but has not detailed publicly what happened in what he described as a “very crowded bar”. Briggs’s chief of staff, Stuart Eaton, was also present during the night and text messages between Eaton and the public servant were also published by the Australian.
“We interacted between the three of us and with others in what I believed at the time was an informal manner,” Briggs said when he resigned.
“However, in the days following the evening, the public servant ... raised concerns about the appropriateness of my behaviour towards her at the venue.
“I’ve apologised directly to her but after careful reflection about the concerns she raised and the fact that I was at a bar late at night while on an overseas visit, I have concluded this behaviour has not met the particularly high standards for ministers.”
|
|
#
¿
Jan 4, 2016 22:59
|
|
- Adbot
-
ADBOT LOVES YOU
|
|
|
#
¿
May 12, 2024 08:06
|
|
#
¿
Jan 1, 2016 13:03
