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BaillieuWatch (Read 68375 times)
buzzanddidj
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1650 - Jun 14th, 2011 at 11:01am
 
No money for State Schools ...



buzzanddidj wrote on May 30th, 2011 at 1:50pm:
Wandin school outrage over Baillieu backflip

6 Apr 11

http://images.whereilive.com.au/images/uploads/2011/04/06/1ee5115dbe8aea76c6de5e...


THE COMMUNITY at Wandin Yallock Primary School will hold a protest on Friday against what they say are broken promises by the Baillieu Coalition Government to fund the $4.3 million rebuild of the dilapidated school.

Parent and vice president of the school committee Tania Hodgson said the school was told there would be no $2.5 million funding for stage 2 of the school’s building works in the 2011 State Budget, due out next month.


Mrs Hodgson said the school community felt ripped off by Evelyn State Liberal MP Christine Fyffe and Minister for Education Martin Dixon who prior to their November 27 election victory last year, had committed to delivering the funding for the school rebuild to be completed by 2012



http://lilydale-yarra-valley-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/wandin-yallock-...



This is the INEVITABLE - when you rip $400 MILLION out of the public school system, to buy votes in the private schools demographic










... but we CAN find some EXTRA for PRISONS



Mega-jail plan for western suburbs

Royce Millar
June 14, 2011

A DISUSED rocket range in Melbourne's outer west has been earmarked as the location for Victoria's biggest prison, under a confidential scheme developed by Labor and now backed by the Baillieu government.

Documents obtained by The Age reveal the government has allocated millions of dollars for an environmental assessment of Crown land at Ravenhall, near Deer Park, a site approved by Labor for construction of a mega-prison in 2009.

Corrections Minister Andrew McIntosh last month told The Age he knew little about the land and denied knowledge of money being spent on it. ''I'm not aware of any money. I don't know what our obligations [are],'' he said.

But The Age has obtained a memo signed by Mr McIntosh in February in which he approved spending of up to $5.25 million for the environmental assessment of the site.


The Coalition, despite its tough-on-crime policies, did not propose a new prison in its election campaign last year.
Instead it promised $268 million to add 500 beds to existing prisons. In last month's budget it allocated just $35 million for the first 108 of those beds.

However, a surprise inclusion in the budget was $2 million for a business case for a new male prison, the location, delivery model and cost of which would be left to the Department of Justice.

As revealed in The Saturday Age, a business case for a 700 to 800-bed men's prison under a public-private partnership (PPP) had already been prepared under Labor
.


Labor cabinet documents show the construction, maintenance and operation of such a prison would run into billions of dollars over the typical 25-year-life of such a PPP project.



http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/megajail-plan-for-western-suburbs-20110613-1g0...



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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1651 - Jun 17th, 2011 at 10:25am
 
buzzanddidj wrote on Jun 12th, 2011 at 12:41pm:
Sunday Herald Sun
June 12, 2011 1:38AM

PREMIER Ted Baillieu is confronting the fragile reality of a one-seat majority government today.

His parliamentary secretary for police, Bill Tilley, has warned that unless the Government addresses the fiasco surrounding the ousting of deputy commissioner Sir Ken Jones, he will consider the option of becoming an independent


The straight-talking Mr Tilley, approached for comment by the Sunday Herald Sun, clearly expressed his concerns that there had been a
lack of transparency and integrity in the Government's dealings
with Sir Ken.



"I believe in full integrity. I believe in absolute transparency. Those were the words that were used going to the election, having an open and transparent government. And I don't take words very lightly,"
he said.


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/editorials/baillieu-on-thin-ice-over-police-...






Minister won't say if he asked Overland to quit

Thu Jun 16, 2011

The Victorian Government has
refused to say
whether it asked Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland to resign.

The Government has
rejected allegations
there was an ongoing campaign to undermine Mr Overland and force him out of the job.

But Police Minister Peter Ryan has
refused to say
if he pressured Mr Overland to resign
.


http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/16/3245979.htm

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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1652 - Jun 17th, 2011 at 11:10am
 
Overland was a disgrace.

From the minute the Coalition came to power he was determined not to work with them, and the fudging of figures just made it worse.

Personally, bring back Sir Ken.  At least he had integrity.
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Re: Baillieu: "We Can Do Better" (or maybe n
Reply #1653 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 8:30am
 
buzzanddidj wrote on Feb 7th, 2011 at 5:56am:
Education facing big cuts

February 7, 2011

THE Victorian Education Department is facing budget cuts of almost $350 million over the next 4½ years.

Opposition education spokesman Rob Hulls said department officials had told him at a briefing last week they had been ordered to find $338 million in savings, including $36 million by June 30.

''Here we go again - one of the Liberal government's first decisions is to hack into the education budget,''
Mr Hulls said. ''These are substantial cutbacks … they have decided to turn their back on the state school system.''

The Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals said the cuts were particularly galling given
the Coalition would increase funding to non-government schools by $240 million over the next four years
, starting from the beginning of the 2011 school year.

''I can't understand why more money is going to the private sector when we have so many government schools that need to be brought up to scratch,'' said president Frank Sal.

''Clearly from a government secondary perspective, I'd be very concerned if they are cutting any dollars from the government school sector.''

The Coalition spokesman said savings would be made by reducing expenditure on media, marketing, advertising, political opinion polling, external consultants and legal advisers, the size of ministerial offices and travel expenses.

''Savings … will be made across all departments without cuts to public servants,'' he said.

But the Victorian president of the Australian Education Union, Mary Bluett, said
any suggestion that funding cuts would not affect schools was nonsense.


''I can't see where the cuts can come from - Victoria already has the leanest education bureaucracy in the nation,'' she said. ''They want to cut $338 million from the education budget at a time when every other state and territory is increasing their funding for education.''



http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/education-facing-big-cuts-warns-opposition-201...







Greensborough College's bid to let students wear blankets to school

June 22, 2011



BLANKETS could become part of the official uniform at a Melbourne school where the heating system keeps breaking down.
Sick of sending their children to chilly classrooms, parents at Greensborough College are demanding the school's uniform policy be amended to include bedding.

Principal John Conway said the school's "overloaded" power system had already suffered three blackouts this winter, causing heating and lighting to shut down.

After missing out on funding in the state Budget last month
, the school council has come up with its own solution to help students keep warm.


Council president Glen Martin will tonight put a motion to "allow students to wear blankets".

"As long as it's an appropriate, inoffensive blanket, we think students should be allowed to bring them into classroom when it is too cold," he said.

Mr Conway said he supported the motion.

He said he had become "very flexible" about school uniforms because students were wearing extra layers to keep warm.

"You wouldn't find much difference (in temperature) between the inside and the outside sometimes," the principal said.

"We have light timber construction buildings with no insulation, and there are more portables going in each year because we are growing, and this has exacerbated the problem.

"The system can't cope, especially in the mornings when it is trying to heat up the place."


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/greensborough-colleges-bid-to-let-students-wear...


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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1654 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:43am
 
Minister for Water Peter Walsh today announced the extension of the rainwater tank grant scheme for bushfire-affected households.

Visiting Kinglake today, Mr Walsh said the scheme provided grants of up to $1000 for residents to purchase and install rainwater tanks as they rebuild homes destroyed in the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

“More than 2100 houses were lost during the 2009 bushfires and many people are still rebuilding,” Mr Walsh said.

“As a part of this process, the Victorian Coalition Government is extending one-off rebates on rainwater tanks to help families rebuilding after the fires.

“More than 165 households in bushfire affected areas have already received grants to purchase and install rainwater tanks.

“The scheme will now be extended until June 2012 so that these grants continue to be available during the ongoing recovery process.”

The grants are available to residences eligible to receive a Destroyed Homes Payment through the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund for tanks which meet Australian Design Standards.

Mr Walsh said the Victorian Coalition Government was committed to helping Victorians use water wisely and rainwater tanks were a great way to contribute to overall water efficiency.

“Now is a great time to install a rainwater tank, with typically cooler and wetter weather starting to set in over winter.”

Water tank grants that are available to bushfire-affected residents include:

$1000 for a tank 4000+ litres connected to all toilets and laundry;
$900 for a tank 4000+ litres connected to all toilets; and
$500 for a tank 2000-3999 litres connected to all toilets.
“Rainwater tanks not only reduce our reliance on water from our storages, but have great environmental benefits through the capture and re-use of stormwater,” Mr Walsh said.

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And why not, if you will permit me; why shouldn’t I, if you will permit me; spend my first week as prime minister, should that happen, on this, on your, country - Abbott with the Garma People Aug 13
 
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1655 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:44am
 
Minister for Local Government Jeanette Powell has met with representatives from Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra shire councils to announce almost $850,000 in grants from Round 2 payments of the Local Government Clean Up Fund.

Buloke will be receiving $346,078, Loddon $293,717 and Gannawarra $207,062 in Round 2 funding.

The Round 2 payments to assist flood-affected municipalities with the long and costly clean-up process are in addition to $100,000 each Shire Council received in Round 1 funding.

“The Victorian Coalition Government moved quickly to provide generous assistance for local councils facing financial pressures as a result of the devastating floods,” Mrs Powell said.

“The Local Government Clean Up Fund was a special Coalition Government initiative to help councils deal with the range of clean-up and repair tasks resulted from the floods.

“Removing the general debris the floods produced was a significant expense for councils across the state.

“As the municipalities hardest hit by the floods, Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra shire councils will receive the most funding from the Clean Up Fund,” Mrs Powell said.

Buloke Shire Council will receive a total payment of $446,078
Loddon Shire Council will receive a total payment of $393,717
Gannawarra Shire Council will receive a total payment of $307,062
The three shires have now received more than $1.14 million from the $5 million Local Government Clean Up Fund.

The fund has assisted 29 councils throughout Victoria in dealing with the cost of cleaning up after the floods.

The joint Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements picks up the cost for much of the other recovery and reconstruction work undertaken by councils.
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1656 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:46am
 
Is this an extension of a previous Labor government rebate system or an extension of a Liberal Coalition policy.  It is however a sensible approach
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1657 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:46am
 
The Coalition Government will put Victoria’s transport ticketing system back on track with an effective and reliable ticketing system for passengers and a financially responsible outcome for Victorian taxpayers.

Premier Ted Baillieu said extensive technical, commercial, and financial analysis of the existing system and options for Victoria’s transport ticketing system has now been completed.

Since March, high-level discussions have been held with NTT Data, the new Japanese parent company of the myki contractor Kamco.

Mr Baillieu said the government’s negotiating team had recently met with NTT Data in Japan to finalise discussions over the future of myki, and secured commitments to deliver the ticketing system within new parameters.

Today’s announcement will enable the final negotiations for the revised contract to proceed with the local subsidiary.

“The revised contract will deliver a reliable ticketing system with strengthened project management and governance arrangements ensuring system improvements and content delivery occur on schedule and on budget,” Mr Baillieu said.

“Improved project management governance and key performance measures will be a key part of the revised ticketing contract.”

A third-party certifier will also be appointed to oversee the remaining build phase to ensure the system fully meets the State’s and the public’s requirements.

A rigorous testing and project oversight regime will also be introduced which will inform the third-party Certifier at critical evaluation points up to the end of the delivery phase.

The complexity of the project will be reduced where possible in order to provide a reliable ticketing system and reduce the risk of further unnecessary cost increases.

Changes to the initial project design will include:

removing V/Line intercity trains and long distance V/Line coach services from the initial scope until at least steady state operations are achieved in metropolitan Melbourne and major regional centres;
eliminating to the extent possible the introduction of disposable short-term cards, which are currently only in use on certain regional bus services; and
operating trams without smartcard ticket vending machines (after Metcard equipment is removed).
The ticketing system will be used in Melbourne and on V/Line’s ‘commuter belt’ to Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Seymour  and Traralgon.

The government will negotiate for Metcard operations to continue until the end of 2012 to ensure that the smartcard system is working effectively and reliably for commuters before Metcard is phased out completly. This will include a Metcard removal test period.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder said the revised contract, oversight, monitoring and testing regime will ensure the chronic system and project delivery failures that have plagued Victoria’s ticketing system will end and the risk of further cost blowouts will be minimised.

“Many problems with the myki ticketing system originated with the inadequate contract the Brumby Labor Government entered into which did not include appropriate governance, project management or financial controls for a project of this size and complexity,” Mr Mulder said.

“As a result, the project has blown out by hundreds of millions of dollars, and experienced ongoing delays and systemic failures.

“There are no easy answers to fix the long legacy of Labor’s myki mess,” Mr Mulder said.
Mr Baillieu said negotiating a revised contract for the ticketing system was the most cost effective outcome for Victorian taxpayers and would allow a reliable ticketing system to be delivered in the shortest possible timeframe.

“The costs of paying out the existing contract, removing the existing system infrastructure, and funding a new system would be far higher than the funding required to make myki work,” Mr Baillieu said.

“The Coalition Government will deliver a reliable, effective, and financially responsible ticketing system for Victorians.”
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And why not, if you will permit me; why shouldn’t I, if you will permit me; spend my first week as prime minister, should that happen, on this, on your, country - Abbott with the Garma People Aug 13
 
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1658 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:48am
 
Water customers will face further hikes in the price of water from July 1 as Victorians pay for the legacy left by the Brumby Labor Government.

Minister for Water Peter Walsh said the Victorian Coalition Government was concerned about the impact the rising price of water was having on vulnerable Victorians.

“The biggest price hikes will be felt in Melbourne, with price rises of 15 per cent for Yarra Valley customers and 14 per cent for South East Water and City West Water customers,” Mr Walsh said.

“For the average customer, these increases equal an extra $118 a year on Yarra Valley Water bills, $100 a year on South East Water bills and $94 on City West Water bills.

“These price increases are locked in as part of the five-year water plans developed under the Brumby Government.”

Mr Walsh said the Coalition Government was trying to ease the burden for the most vulnerable by boosting concessions for low-income households in the coming financial year.

“From July 1, the Coalition Government will increase concessions for water and sewerage at a cost of $62.9 million to help more than 700,000 households,” Mr Walsh said.

“It is estimated that an additional 32,000 households will receive water and sewerage concessions for the first time this coming financial year.”

Mr Walsh said the former Labor Government failed to augment Melbourne’s water supplies in a sensible way to keep pace with population growth.

“For more than 10 years Labor ignored practical measures such as stormwater harvesting and recycling to augment Melbourne’s water supplies,” Mr Walsh said.

“When storages fell to 28.4 per cent in June 2007, Labor panicked and announced the Wonthaggi desalination plant and the north-south pipeline at enormous cost to water users.

“The bad news for customers is that prices will continue to rise to meet the full cost of Labor’s desalination plant, which will slug every Melbourne household an extra $400 a year for the next 28 years.”

Mr Walsh said the Coalition Government was focused on increasing the city’s use of stormwater and recycling water to make households more self-sufficient and help them to reduce their water use.

“We have established the Living Victoria Ministerial Advisory Council which is reviewing the way we pay for water,” Mr Walsh said.

“Subject to the findings of the Ministerial Advisory Council, we intend to base at least 60 per cent of the average water bill on consumption instead of fixed costs,” Mr Walsh said.
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And why not, if you will permit me; why shouldn’t I, if you will permit me; spend my first week as prime minister, should that happen, on this, on your, country - Abbott with the Garma People Aug 13
 
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buzzanddidj
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1659 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 2:29pm
 
lisa.greek wrote on Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:46am:
Is this an extension of a previous Labor government rebate system or an extension of a Liberal Coalition policy.  It is however a sensible approach





It's Federal flood relief funding - with the "ribbon cutting" being done by the Baillieu Government




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'I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.'


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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1660 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 2:44pm
 
What about the millions upon millions upon millions of dollars Brumby tied us up to with the de-sal plant?


That was a winner wasn't it???


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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Re: Baillieu: "We Can Do Better" (or maybe n
Reply #1661 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 3:59pm
 
buzzanddidj wrote on Mar 6th, 2011 at 7:15pm:
Andrei.Hicks wrote on Mar 6th, 2011 at 6:15pm:
VICTORIA - Saddled with millions upon millions in debt for a de-salination plant that nobody needs.






Only ENGLISH logic could claim that the recent 14 year drought was our first and last

Baillieu's spin on the
"$30 BILLION
"cost has been nothing short of
"interesting"



buzzanddidj wrote on Mar 2nd, 2011 at 7:09am:


LABOR has no regrets about its decision to sign the controversial desalination contract that could cost households up to $24 billion over the next 30 years.

The key architect of the project former Water Minister Tim Holding said
Victorians will thank the Bracks/Brumby government for its decision when the next drought comes.


"I don't expect bouquets for politicians but I think we will be extremely grateful as a city and a state in years to come
we used the time of the drought to diversify our water sources
,'' he said.

"We now have
a rainfall independent source of water
we know there will be dry years in the future and as our population grows this desalination plant will be a city saver. It will save our cities from future droughts and insure the city against population growth.''

Mr Holding also defend the decision to build a big desalination and said he would do the same if he had his time over again.

"It was the lowest cost option,'' he said.

Mr Holding slammed the Coalition government's attacks as being just political point scoring.

He said it is a fixed the price contract at $5.7 billion and that hasn't changed since it was first signed in mid 2009.


"The figures being bandied about our inflation adjusted dollars that seek to calculate the value of a dollar in 30 years time,'' he said.

"They are not relevant it is like asking the cost of a litre of milk in 30 years times, the cost of a loaf of bread in 30 years time... it doesn't provide any meaningful terms for Victorians.''


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/melburnians-face-rocketing-water-bills...




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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1662 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 5:18pm
 
buzzanddidj wrote on Jun 22nd, 2011 at 2:29pm:
lisa.greek wrote on Jun 22nd, 2011 at 10:46am:
Is this an extension of a previous Labor government rebate system or an extension of a Liberal Coalition policy.  It is however a sensible approach





It's Federal flood relief funding - with the "ribbon cutting" being done by the Baillieu Government





Some problems reading Buzz, this is Coalition policy thanks mate.

“The Victorian Coalition Government moved quickly to provide generous assistance for local councils facing financial pressures as a result of the devastating floods,” Mrs Powell said.

“The Local Government Clean Up Fund was a special Coalition Government initiative to help councils deal with the range of clean-up and repair tasks resulted from the floods.
“Removing the general debris the floods produced was a significant expense for councils across the state.

“As the municipalities hardest hit by the floods, Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra shire councils will receive the most funding from the Clean Up Fund,” Mrs Powell said.

Buloke Shire Council will receive a total payment of $446,078
Loddon Shire Council will receive a total payment of $393,717
Gannawarra Shire Council will receive a total payment of $307,062
The three shires have now received more than $1.14 million from the $5 million Local Government Clean Up Fund.

The fund has assisted 29 councils throughout Victoria in dealing with the cost of cleaning up after the floods.

The joint Commonwealth-State Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements picks up the cost for much of the other recovery and reconstruction work undertaken by councils.
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And why not, if you will permit me; why shouldn’t I, if you will permit me; spend my first week as prime minister, should that happen, on this, on your, country - Abbott with the Garma People Aug 13
 
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1663 - Jun 22nd, 2011 at 6:17pm
 
At least Ted hasn't claimed on THIS occasion - that the Brumby Government left a "black hole" in flood recovery funding

He's tried it on with everything ELSE





Has he set a
"blanket appeal"
yet, for the
state schools he CUT funding to
- as a means to
INCREASE funding to private schools ?






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'I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.'


- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
 
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Re: BaillieuWatch
Reply #1664 - Jun 24th, 2011 at 1:14pm
 
Is the
"match made in heaven" ...


(Ted & Rupert)


...  
over
?








Premier Ted Baillieu's government, the new kings of spin

Herald Sun June 23, 2011



Spin City is alive and well with Baillieu Government ministers relying on almost the same number of media advisers as last year's Brumby government.
An updated Ministerial Media Contact List shows the Coalition employs 21 spin doctors, including media unit head Josephine Cafagna, whose name does not appear on the list
.

At the peak of its powers before last year's election, the Brumby media unit consisted of 22 advisers -- one more than the Coalition, which has built up its numbers since winning office.

The Government claims the new swag of advisers cannot be compared to the Brumby era, because some policy advisers were now taking on media responsibilities.

"A number of Coalition media contacts are full-time policy advisers who also undertake some media responsibilities, unlike the former government who assigned multiple full-time media advisers to work in a central spin unit," a Government spokesman said.


The spokesman said ministerial staff numbers had been cut by 50 and was “a lean administration in contrast to the bloated ministerial offices that had developed under the former government".

The Coalition, despite promising to be more transparent, has refused Freedom of Information requests to release details about the number of staff employed by the Office of Premier and Cabinet and their salaries.

After dealing with unrelenting attacks on its reliance on media manipulation while in power, Labor scrutiny of government spokesman Martin Pakula said the spinning wheel had come full circle.

"The refusal by the Premier to reveal which political staff are employed in his office and what they are paid shows that his promise to cut ministerial staff numbers was just hollow spin," Mr Pakula said.

"He may be employing just as many and paying them twice as much and there is nothing open or transparent about the Premier using his private staff to knock back legitimate FoI requests."

A Labor FoI request for details about the Coalition's staff was rejected because the Government decided the request did not "relate to the affairs of an agency", raising questions about for whom the staff work.



http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/baillieu-the-new-king-of-spin/story-f...





buzzanddidj wrote on Jun 6th, 2011 at 9:27am:
Ombudsman called on to sort out FoI delays

Stephen McMahon
Herald Sun
June 03, 2011


The Opposition claims applications for documents under Freedom of Information have not been answered or, if they have, only after the State Government has exceeded the 45-day legal limit.

Documents shown to the
Herald Sun
show that some requests that are more than three months old have not been answered.
The Herald Sun has more than 20 FoI requests of its own that have not been acted on within the specified time period
.


This week, the Opposition wrote to Ombudsman George Brouwer calling for an investigation.

This has triggered a political brawl. The Baillieu Government says that Labor's claim is "bogus".

The letter to Mr Brouwer calling for an investigation highlights delays by Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge and the Department of Human Services in responding to FoI applications.

In the letter, Opposition health spokesman Gavin Jennings said he was concerned that there had not even been a "formal acknowledgment" of some FoI applications dating back to mid-March.

"I therefore ask that you investigate the processing and management of FoI requests by the office of the Minister for Community Services to determine whether or not appropriate measures have been taken to ensure the Minister is fulfilling her obligations pursuant to the Act," Mr Jennings said.

But a government spokesman said these were "false claims" that undermined the importance of the issue and years of work by media organisations to restore government accountability and transparency.

One of Premier Ted Baillieu's election promises was to introduce legislation for an independent FoI commissioner. This is expected to happen after the winter break.

The Ombudsman's office refused to comment


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/major-probe-into-state-secrecy/story-...








Quote:
In his first press conference. Mr Baillieu said he came to power with no hidden agenda and under his government, "What you will see is what you will get".

"There will be no hidden agenda, no spin, no secrecy.
Accountability and transparency will the principles that underpin our government
.



http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/victoria-premier-elect-ted-baillieu-ready-t...


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'I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.'


- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
 
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