I'm putting the Greens below the Liberal party as long as Thorpe is there. That being said, any Australian that would crowd the side of a road just to get a glimpse of King Charles creeps me out.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 9 - Indigenous Round - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Opinion AUSTRALIAN Politics: Adelaide Board Discussion Part 5
- Thread starter Scorpus
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- Aug 9, 2019
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Dutton now only 1 point behind in Albo in the preferred Prime Minister polling
LNP 51 - ALP 49
https://freshwaterstrategy.com/2024/10/21/afr-freshwater-strategy federal-poll-october-2024/
LNP 51 - ALP 49
https://freshwaterstrategy.com/2024/10/21/afr-freshwater-strategy federal-poll-october-2024/
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Oh dear, more dodgey deals by this incompetent ALP Government..
Just a mere $1 Billion.
Article by ALP powerbroker and former Rudd staffer Cameron Milner..
thenightly.com.au
The Nightly
5 Min Read
21 Oct 2024
https://thenightly.com.au/opinion/p...tive-for-a-select-few-c-16466931#coral_thread
There’s always a problem with governments picking winners with taxpayer dollars, but it’s downright electorally toxic if they also pick winners connected to mates.
Voters really don’t tolerate an inside run on our dime, that’s why there are increasing questions and now a stench hanging over Labor’s signature policy Future Made in Australia, more appropriately known as “Future Made for Mates”.
At the May Budget Treasurer Jim Chalmers rose to make the Future Made in Australia program a centrepiece of new expenditure, committing $22.7 billion of taxpayers’ hard earned towards the program. He released multiple press statements, wrote opinion pieces and has been a champion of the Bill to allow the rivers of gold to flow to a select few.
https://thenightly.com.au/opinion/p...tive-for-a-select-few-c-16466931#coral_thread
But the weekend papers carried a story that Chalmers’ loyalty was being questioned because he didn’t have even one line in a recent keynote speech mentioning the FMIA.
So, what’s changed from April, when the first news broke of the eyewatering Australian taxpayer investment of $1b into what was then the relatively unknown PsiQuantum, which claims it will build the world’s first “useful” quantum computer?
Maybe Chalmers’ reluctance to spruik Future Made in Australia confirms what many inside the Canberra beltway already suspect about the program — that it’s become little more than a gravy train of easy money.
The Liberals have delegated Paul Fletcher to run attacks on the PsiQuantam investment. Paul who, I hear you say?
Well exactly, the guy has the charisma of a mortician and the communications skills of an actuarial accountant. With anyone else, this would actually be causing the Government real heartburn.
That said, Fletcher has asked the right questions and has helpfully made accusations under parliamentary privilege.
He’s established that PsiQuantum engaged a small lobbying firm with two key former senior Labor staffers, both very well known to Labor ministers in Canberra, especially the PMO, Chalmers and of course Industry and Science Minister Husic. The firm certainly isn’t among the biggest Labor influencing shops like Hawker Britton, Anacta or Council House.
The Saturday Paper reports that PsiQuantum added another Labor-aligned economics group Mandala, headed by very well-connected Labor staffer Amit Singh. Again Mandala has a name, but it’s hardly one of the big four.
It was also disclosed by the same paper that Blackbird “informally lobbied” Husic on PsiQuantum’s behalf. Under the lobbying code there’s no such exemption for “informal” lobbying.
Then Fletcher made the connection between the point guard senior adviser for tech in Minister Husic’s office, Emma Broad, who is a close personal friend of Kate Glazebrook.
Who is Kate?
Well, Kate Glazebrook is the operating principal of Blackbird Ventures, an outfit deeply invested in the success of PsiQuantum as a venture capital investor. Glazebrook was appointed by Husic in December 2023 to be one of seven people on the body that advises on investment into the industry.
Kate followed another Blackbird Ventures executive Clare Birch, who just happened to shape Husic’s policy on you guessed it, the National Quantum Strategy.
So, well-connected Labor lobby and advisory firms and executives from the very venture capital firm that stands to make massive returns if PsiQuantum — with the help of $1b from the taxpayer — actually invents something that works.
PsiQuantum can’t tell you if they’ve actually got a working model.
Blackbird Ventures makes investments in all manner of start-ups. They are long-term investors.
So it’s notable that the partner of Blackbird Ventures, Niki Scevak, has been making long-term investments in Labor.
Scevak can be found back in 2015 attending Labor Party policy forums with none other than Ed Husic. In fact, the Labor for Innovation Group was chaired by a CEO of another Scevak’s investments at the time.
Ever since, Scevak hasn’t been far away from a helpful media endorsement of the latest Husic pronouncement.
Fast forward and now Husic appears to be Blackbird Ventures’ volunteer head of marketing.
Husic can be found promoting a Blackbird-backed company called Nomad Atomics in July last year.
Husic announced an exclusive licence for space launches in March for Gilmour Space, another Blackbird Ventures-backed company, while another, Cortical Labs, got a science grant from Husic’s ministerial portfolio.
Husic even helped out spruiking in an out-of-portfolio speech about how super funds, taxpayer money and even tax cuts should further help out venture capital firms that back innovation.
Then last week another of Scevak’s ventures, SunDrive, ran into huge problems. Despite getting $1b from the Future Made for Mates fund, they couldn’t make their solar panels in the Hunter Valley, but would instead send production offshore to China. Scevak’s Blackbird is a key investor in Sundrive and he sits on their advisory board with another Blackbird Ventures executive, Robyn Denholm, Blackbird’s operating partner.
Husic is currently leading the Government’s policy review into AI regulation. And you guessed it: Blackbird has invested in multiple AI start-ups too.
There’s nothing like the free money that governments dish out.
Government grants and funding also massively drive company values as the endorsement and validation of valuation gold.
And it’s even better if, like PsiQuantum, you get to work exclusively with the Government working up your funding proposal.
Of course, knowing the minister for over a decade, employing lesser-known but excellently connected advisors and having multiple companies marketed by the same minister may very well be just a happy coincidence.
But punters won’t buy it. They start with a healthy cynicism and think politicians are only in it for themselves and they won’t be taken in by the Albanese Government’s Future Made for Mates boondoggle.
We’ll all know soon enough if the LNP win the Queensland election this Saturday. The LNP has promised an audit of all Labor funding decisions. That will include no doubt a deep and searching probe about the $500 million of Queensland taxpayers’ funds that went to PsiQuantum under Husic’s deal.
Get out the popcorn, it’s about to get very interesting.
Just a mere $1 Billion.
Article by ALP powerbroker and former Rudd staffer Cameron Milner..
Labor’s $1b Quantum leap has been lucrative for a select few
CAMERON MILNER: There’s always a problem with governments picking winners with taxpayer dollars, but it’s downright electorally toxic if they also pick winners connected to mates.
thenightly.com.au
CAMERON MILNER: Albanese Government’s Future Made in Australia fund has been lucrative for a select few
Cameron MilnerThe Nightly
5 Min Read
21 Oct 2024
https://thenightly.com.au/opinion/p...tive-for-a-select-few-c-16466931#coral_thread
There’s always a problem with governments picking winners with taxpayer dollars, but it’s downright electorally toxic if they also pick winners connected to mates.
Voters really don’t tolerate an inside run on our dime, that’s why there are increasing questions and now a stench hanging over Labor’s signature policy Future Made in Australia, more appropriately known as “Future Made for Mates”.
At the May Budget Treasurer Jim Chalmers rose to make the Future Made in Australia program a centrepiece of new expenditure, committing $22.7 billion of taxpayers’ hard earned towards the program. He released multiple press statements, wrote opinion pieces and has been a champion of the Bill to allow the rivers of gold to flow to a select few.
https://thenightly.com.au/opinion/p...tive-for-a-select-few-c-16466931#coral_thread
But the weekend papers carried a story that Chalmers’ loyalty was being questioned because he didn’t have even one line in a recent keynote speech mentioning the FMIA.
So, what’s changed from April, when the first news broke of the eyewatering Australian taxpayer investment of $1b into what was then the relatively unknown PsiQuantum, which claims it will build the world’s first “useful” quantum computer?
Maybe Chalmers’ reluctance to spruik Future Made in Australia confirms what many inside the Canberra beltway already suspect about the program — that it’s become little more than a gravy train of easy money.
The Liberals have delegated Paul Fletcher to run attacks on the PsiQuantam investment. Paul who, I hear you say?
Well exactly, the guy has the charisma of a mortician and the communications skills of an actuarial accountant. With anyone else, this would actually be causing the Government real heartburn.
That said, Fletcher has asked the right questions and has helpfully made accusations under parliamentary privilege.
He’s established that PsiQuantum engaged a small lobbying firm with two key former senior Labor staffers, both very well known to Labor ministers in Canberra, especially the PMO, Chalmers and of course Industry and Science Minister Husic. The firm certainly isn’t among the biggest Labor influencing shops like Hawker Britton, Anacta or Council House.
The Saturday Paper reports that PsiQuantum added another Labor-aligned economics group Mandala, headed by very well-connected Labor staffer Amit Singh. Again Mandala has a name, but it’s hardly one of the big four.
It was also disclosed by the same paper that Blackbird “informally lobbied” Husic on PsiQuantum’s behalf. Under the lobbying code there’s no such exemption for “informal” lobbying.
Then Fletcher made the connection between the point guard senior adviser for tech in Minister Husic’s office, Emma Broad, who is a close personal friend of Kate Glazebrook.
Who is Kate?
Well, Kate Glazebrook is the operating principal of Blackbird Ventures, an outfit deeply invested in the success of PsiQuantum as a venture capital investor. Glazebrook was appointed by Husic in December 2023 to be one of seven people on the body that advises on investment into the industry.
Kate followed another Blackbird Ventures executive Clare Birch, who just happened to shape Husic’s policy on you guessed it, the National Quantum Strategy.
So, well-connected Labor lobby and advisory firms and executives from the very venture capital firm that stands to make massive returns if PsiQuantum — with the help of $1b from the taxpayer — actually invents something that works.
PsiQuantum can’t tell you if they’ve actually got a working model.
Blackbird Ventures makes investments in all manner of start-ups. They are long-term investors.
So it’s notable that the partner of Blackbird Ventures, Niki Scevak, has been making long-term investments in Labor.
Scevak can be found back in 2015 attending Labor Party policy forums with none other than Ed Husic. In fact, the Labor for Innovation Group was chaired by a CEO of another Scevak’s investments at the time.
Ever since, Scevak hasn’t been far away from a helpful media endorsement of the latest Husic pronouncement.
Fast forward and now Husic appears to be Blackbird Ventures’ volunteer head of marketing.
Husic can be found promoting a Blackbird-backed company called Nomad Atomics in July last year.
Husic announced an exclusive licence for space launches in March for Gilmour Space, another Blackbird Ventures-backed company, while another, Cortical Labs, got a science grant from Husic’s ministerial portfolio.
Husic even helped out spruiking in an out-of-portfolio speech about how super funds, taxpayer money and even tax cuts should further help out venture capital firms that back innovation.
Then last week another of Scevak’s ventures, SunDrive, ran into huge problems. Despite getting $1b from the Future Made for Mates fund, they couldn’t make their solar panels in the Hunter Valley, but would instead send production offshore to China. Scevak’s Blackbird is a key investor in Sundrive and he sits on their advisory board with another Blackbird Ventures executive, Robyn Denholm, Blackbird’s operating partner.
Husic is currently leading the Government’s policy review into AI regulation. And you guessed it: Blackbird has invested in multiple AI start-ups too.
There’s nothing like the free money that governments dish out.
Government grants and funding also massively drive company values as the endorsement and validation of valuation gold.
And it’s even better if, like PsiQuantum, you get to work exclusively with the Government working up your funding proposal.
Of course, knowing the minister for over a decade, employing lesser-known but excellently connected advisors and having multiple companies marketed by the same minister may very well be just a happy coincidence.
But punters won’t buy it. They start with a healthy cynicism and think politicians are only in it for themselves and they won’t be taken in by the Albanese Government’s Future Made for Mates boondoggle.
We’ll all know soon enough if the LNP win the Queensland election this Saturday. The LNP has promised an audit of all Labor funding decisions. That will include no doubt a deep and searching probe about the $500 million of Queensland taxpayers’ funds that went to PsiQuantum under Husic’s deal.
Get out the popcorn, it’s about to get very interesting.
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Yeah them renewables..
AEMO Daniel Westerman chief no less.
AEMO Daniel Westerman chief no less.
- Dec 29, 2000
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When abortion becomes political, women make their voices heard
Senior Liberal figures are shying away from discussing abortion rights, and lessons from America may be the reason why.
Could be a bit of a curve ball come election time.
Senator Price raising it will complicate things for the Coalition.
Agree it’s ridiculous that anyone could be focussing on this issue. It’s a 4-5m house for the man performing Australia’s most important role and who has been working at a high level for 30 ish years. And sold at least one investment property. Turnbull owned a Harbourside mansion. Not sure how many realise that so many people, normally boomers, are sitting on 5-20m of assets (my 15 years as a Financial Adviser in a relatively middle class part of Oz)
Staying with friends in Freshwater (the renamed suburb as deemed to be more valuable that the old Harbord) last week and the LAND VALUE around 1km from the beach is circa 10,000 per sqm (5m for a 500sqm block). Our housing situation is totally ###### up caused by many factors but esp negative hearing, Boomers have creamed it and it’s definitely generational robbery but Albos new property ain’t no big deal IMO
- Moderator
- #7,483
She hasn't been aligned with the Greens for nearly 2 years, they forced her out after the bikie scandal.
She's an absolute disgrace and an embarrassment to Australian politics.
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Kane McGoodwin
Make me an Admin!
- May 21, 2001
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Seems more concerned with being an attention seeker than really fighting for causes.
- Jul 19, 2010
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The major parties love her because she takes the focus off them.
Look over there, it’s Lidia Thorpe misbehaving.
On the list of problems caused by Australian political leaders she’s about number 48,000.
jackster83
Killing with a smile
She's a useful idiot.
She'll get the David Speirs treatment soon enough, once she's outlived her usefulness.
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LOL
We're looking at you Albo..
We're looking at you Albo..
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Rabish Binney
Left out overnight
I have just seen Steven Miles speech after losing the QLD election
What a f*** disgrace this guy is. Hasn’t even phoned Crisafulli to concede.
The most disgraceful speech made in State history by a Leader who lost.
For Graeme Richardson, an ALP Stalwart to describe the speech as ‘crap’ says it all.
Love to hear the ALP apparatchiks reaction to this.
No wonder Queensland has gone down the gurgler…
What a f*** disgrace this guy is. Hasn’t even phoned Crisafulli to concede.
The most disgraceful speech made in State history by a Leader who lost.
For Graeme Richardson, an ALP Stalwart to describe the speech as ‘crap’ says it all.
Love to hear the ALP apparatchiks reaction to this.
No wonder Queensland has gone down the gurgler…
- Aug 30, 2021
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Didn’t he say the Libs wouldn’t win a majority and was patting himself on the back and it looks like the Libs actually will claim majority?
Rabish Binney
Left out overnight
He is the worst Premier of any State there’s ever been.
Absolute campaigner.
Even the ALP luvvies on here must be cringing in their boots.
But doubt they’ll spin it somehow.
- Aug 30, 2021
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Nah that’s Dan Andrews
Rabish Binney
Left out overnight
Richo on Sky News praising Crisafulli for his speech whilst denouncing flog Miles for his.
Wow. That’s as harsh as you can get
You can’t make this up.
Interesting to see what Albo’s luvvies on here think.
Rabish Binney
Left out overnight
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No way anybody will ever cause the damage Dicktator Dan inflicted on Victoria, Miles is a deadset clown but he's harmless compared to Dicktator Dan.
