I am 100% with Andrew Hastie on this issue, corruption is one of the single biggest threats a country can face and if not for people like Andrew Hastie Australia will succumb, as our dealings with countries rampant with corruption grow. I do understand the problems this create amidst the $6.45 billion threat to stop imports of our meat and wine exports to China, however it is vital they respect our business and political ethics. Corruption have been directly linked to GDP it weakens the economy in multiple different ways and many different levels, see transparancy.org corruption perceptions map here http://www.transparency.org/cpi2017 This must not be swept under the rug. https://www.theguardian.com/austral...nce-agencies-over-hasties-donor-bribery-claim
I could not agree more. Corruption is the single biggest threat to democracy It is one of the things that worry me most about the Trump regime in America - there are those who are not only excusing the blatant corruption but are encouraging others to do so as well.
Yes Americans want their country back but they are looking in all the wrong places. They should take a good hard look at the role corruption play within their society and even more so the irony for having voted for a man that embodies corruption. Their political system is rigged to promote parties and politicians either buying themselves a position of power (Hillary) or being bought (Trump) also the Republicans in their quest to retain power in the House or Representatives. All the more reason for Andrew Hastie to speak out. If I look at the list below of types of corruption, Trump qualifies for each and every section on a number of them in my opinion, certainly under People alone, discrimination, harassment, ineptitude, interest conflict, nepotism, cronyism and plagiarism (Melania) are indisputable.
I don’t often praise Shorten, but credit where credit is due. He went against a fair number of Labor members and backed Hastie in parliament. He could of simply just shut up and played the bi-partisan card. Will be interested to see the fall out here. Will Hastie be banished to Liberal afterlife? And will Shorten stick to his guns? Will Billy Boy finally show some backbone and go after this? If Shorten plays his cards right here, he may well have one foot in the door of the Lodge.
Absolutely!!! I am glad we have the system we have and the PM is only te "first among equals". Can you imagine Trump being elected PM here?? There is simply NO WAY he would qualify.
Yep! There is a time when party politics has to take a back seat and corruption is one of them. Look I understand how tempting it is to take money as these days campaigning is expensive but once you have accepted that cash then there is a onus on you to return something. I agree with Scarlet Witch - I have been watching American politics for some time now and the money being paired into Washington there is concerning because America IS seen as one of the countries that has held itself up as an epitome of democracy
If Hastie is banished to Liberal afterlife it would mean corruption and bribery have triumphed over truth, and in this scenario Turnbull have dishonoured himself.
Diuretic said "Could be some domestic politics in this one. I would suspect Dutton is involved." I think he's right. We're all hamstrung by fear of upsetting our major trading partner. This has led it to think that any sort of behaviour can be tolerated and excused. Andrew Hastie, well said.
If anyone still have doubts over whether Andrew Hastie should have said anything, here's more on how long this have been going on. 3 year coverup and millions in donations, Huang threatening to withdraw $400 000 over Australia's intention to conduct freedom of navigation near disputed parts in SCS. Turnbull warns China to respect Aussie sovereignty https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/turnbull-warns-china-to-respect-aussie-sovereignty
Andrew Robb should not have accepted that job. It looks very suss. The report on the ABC sounds ominous and notches my paranoia up several points. -One theory bandied about by Labor is that Mr Hastie was doing the dirty work of Tony Abbott loyalists to cause trouble for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop at an awkward time.... Other pundits suggested the Americans had put him up to it, that he was part of a grander conspiracy... The truth is simpler, but not without its own complexity. ... Mr Hastie's an ultra patriot. He's a low church Christian democrat brought up in stout Scottish Presbyterianism. He's avowedly anti-Communist... The 35-year-old is a rich combination of old school politician in a young man's frame and a non-declared member of the unofficial dark state, a former member of the Special Air Service Regiment who has been embedded in the intelligence community for more than a decade. For a couple of years he was a member of SAS's 4 Squadron, a clandestine intelligence unit within the most elite of Army squadrons that blurred the line between military and intelligence. Those close to him say he did what he did because he has become sincerely worried about the influence of China on Australian institutions and politics.
It absolutely infuriates me the way Mark Dreyfus is using this issue to try and get Hastie to step down... ****ing traitor shooting the messenger, he should just grow a pair. What Turnbull does here will tell me everything I need to know about him. https://www.theguardian.com/austral...ver-bribery-allegation-a-concern-dreyfus-says
Mark Dreyfus is a disappointment. This is something concerning the security of our country and they should not be partisan about it. After poor stupid Sam Dastyari we should all have learned a lesson.
There is nothing the Chinese would like more than for Hastie to be removed from the security committee, which country is Dreyfus serving because it sure as hell is not Australia
Dreyfus spewing this rot shows Labors position quite clearly. I think it also shows how much power Shorten actually weilds within his own party. I guess Bills balls are about the same size as Mal’s after all.
Really good article in the SMH, we should all thank Andrew Hastie for shaking out this nest of traitors, I'm deeply disappointed with Car and Keneally, don't tell me they had no idea what effect their actions would have... selling out their country. https://www.smh.com.au/national/bei...t-foreign-influence-laws-20180527-p4zhtw.html
Turnbull rises to the occasion and does what Australia needs him to do. Australia's intelligence laws face most significant review in 40 years https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/31/asia/australia-intelligence-review-china-intl/index.html
Can I say I am proud of you my fellow Aussies? Corruption, no matter who or which party should NEVER be tolerated in politics and that standard should be applied equally It is refreshing to come here and see that standard upheld Thank-you
You all talk about President Trump being corrupt, but seem to be missing the point that every single Australian politician is also corrupt to the bone. If mongrels like Shorten & Turnball were living in the olden days, they would be hurled from the Tarpeian Rock, or chucked into the Tiber in sacks. The total mess our society and country is in, reflects that not one Australian politician is above deception, corruption or a willingness not to accept bribes to feather their own nests at everyone else's expense. The only logical way to stop corruption is to remove the power and authority politicians have given themselves, and to make them accountable and responsible like every other member of the community. Until people stop re-electing these corrupt nit-wits - then they are doomed to Albert Einsteins theory of: its clinical insanity for someone to do the same thing over & over again and expect a different outcome.
Professional politicians are a curse everywhere. Just as in Australia, they get their backsides firmly planted in that seat and it's difficult to dislodge them.
They can be dislodged by the will of people. The people just need to stop re-electing the same corrupt morons every three years like clockwork. It's really not that much of an intellectual effort, but when it comes to Australians intelligence is not a high priority. Especially when you consider the majority prefer to know about the sex lives of strangers & TV personalities than the qualifications and education of the political candidates they constantly elect.