Minggu, 30 Agustus 2015

Cambodia deal in tatters after only four Nauru refugees resettled at cost of $13m each

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Ben Doherty and agencies Monday 31 August 2015

Labor calls Australia’s $55m resettlement deal an ‘expensive joke’ after Cambodia says it has ‘no plans’ to take more Nauru refugees

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Three of the refugees from Nauru are escorted by Cambodian police officers after they arrived in Phnom Penh on 4 June. Photograph: Mak Remissa/EPA

Australia’s $55m plan to resettle refugees from Nauru to Cambodia appears finished, with just four refugees moved to the south-east Asian country at a cost of more than $13m per refugee.

Four refugees – an Iranian couple, Iranian man and a Rohingyan man from Burma – were transferred from Nauru to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh in June.

Since then, they’ve lived in relative luxury in an Australian-funded villa, and will remain there indefinitely.

However, Cambodia expects it will take no more from Australia’s resettlement plan.

“We don’t have any plans to import more refugees from Nauru to Cambodia,” interior ministry spokesman Khieu Sopheak told the Cambodia Daily. “I think the less we receive the better.”

Under the deal, signed by previous immigration minister Scott Morrison and Cambodia’s interior minister Sar Kheng last September, Australia promised an additional $40m in aid to the impoverished south-east Asian country as well as $15.5m in resettlement, housing, education and integration costs for the refugees.

The deal was not contingent on Cambodia taking a certain number of refugees.

Throughout last year, the Cambodian government sent delegations to Nauru to promote the resettlement plan, but very few refugees even met with the government officials. Those visits have ceased.

Joe Lowry, a spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration, which has managed the four refugees’ resettlement in Cambodia, told the Cambodia Daily the group was doing “fine”.

“They have asked for privacy so we are respecting that,” he said. The group is living in a villa in Phnom Penh, originally intended as temporary housing.

“When they are ready to leave [the villa] they can,” he said. “I don’t think any of them have expressed any desire to go.”

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, a former battalion commander in the Khmer Rouge, and who has ruled his country for 30 years, will visit Australia in December.

His regime is regarded as one of the most corrupt on earth. Transparency International ranks Cambodia 156th of 175 countries on its index of corruption perception.

Hun Sen, his family, and associates are alleged to have amassed billions of dollars in personal wealth, siphoning off aid money, and through corrupt sales of natural resources and land.

Rights groups, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, say Hun Sen’s regime crushes dissent in the country through extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, summary trials, censorship and widespread bans on assembly and association.

A spokesman for immigration minister, Peter Dutton, told Fairfax the government was committed to its policy that no boat arrivals would be settled in Australia.

“The government continues to work with Cambodia and other partners, including source countries, to facilitate the return or placement of people on Nauru and Manus Island,” he said.
Labor’s immigration spokesman, Richard Marles, called on Dutton to explain the situation.

“This is an expensive joke and once again we are learning about this through comments from ministers in the Cambodian government rather than ministers in our own government,” he told Sky News.

When the Cambodia deal was signed it was condemned by the United Nations, who described it as “a worrying departure from international norms” and said Australia was shirking its responsibility of people fleeing persecution.

“We are seeing record forced displacement globally, with 87% of refugees now being hosted in developing countries. It’s crucial that countries do not shift their refugee responsibilities elsewhere,” the UN’s high commissioner for refugees, António Guterres, said.

“International responsibility sharing is the basis on which the whole global refugee system works. I hope that the Australian government will reconsider its approach.”

Cambodia deal in tatters after only four Nauru refugees resettled at cost of $13m each | World news | The Guardian

Sabtu, 29 Agustus 2015

Klein Collins 62, Cy Woods 21: BLOOD EVERYWHERE

2015 Record: 0-1

Let's be real here. There is absolutely no reason for me to sugarcoat a 41-point loss. I have watched nearly every Cy Woods football game, and I have never seen a Wildcat football team botch so many snaps. I have never seen the offense have so many plays where they lost 10 or more yards, either. I have never seen a defense miss so many tackles. Put all of those together and, well... you will get what happened Saturday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. There were few, if any, redeeming values to this game. It was definitely a bottom-5 game in this team's history. All the miscues just ended up snowballing and the Cats ended up getting buried under all of it.

But...... if I remember correctly, the Cats got smacked by Klein Collins to open 2014, and ultimately, they ended up having a fine season. Just relax. Repeat after me and take a deep breath in between: It's only the first game. If you plan on voicing your complaints to me, that will be my answer. If you follow sports outside of Cy Woods football, then surely you realize that blowout wins/losses are a part of sports. They will be alright.

Also... with this loss, Cy Woods was swept by Klein Collins, program-wise.

So, What Happened Was...

Not good, to say the least.

Justin Pratt opened the scoring with a 1-yard run. "Justin Pratt touchdown" would be the running theme of the afternoon. Bryson Powers scored the first points of the season on a 2-yard run, but Pratt seized control of this game in a hurry.

End 1st: Klein Collins 14, Cy Woods 7

The wheels completely fell off for the Wildcats in the 2nd quarter. Let's just leave it at that.

Halftime: Klein Collins 34, Cy Woods 7

Tre' Hart's 56-yard touchdown catch opened up the scoring in the 2nd half, but again, it was all Tigers.

End 3rd: Klein Collins 48, Cy Woods 14

The Tigers added a couple more touchdowns in the final stanza for good measure. Austin Goffney had an impressive run as he broke about 4 tackles and tightroped his way down the sideline and into the endzone from 20 yards out.

Final: Klein Collins 62, Cy Woods 21

Ground

So many bad snaps, and all the scrambling around in an attempt to recover the loose balls ended up wrecking a few very promising drives for the Wildcats.

C.J. Jones: 7 carries, 66 yards
Jared Taylor: 3 carries, 45 yards
Jack Barrientez: 4 carries, 18 yards
R.J. Harmon: 4 carries, 4 yards
Josh Carter: 1 carry, 2 yards
Jordan Johnson: 1 carry, 1 yard
Bryson Powers: 13 carries, -22 yards, TD

There were also 4 carries that were attributed to no one. The Wildcats lost 31 yards on those 4 "carries."

Air

The Tigers' pass rush terrorized Bryson Powers and Austin Goffney all day. Bryson did throw a touchdown pass, but he was under siege and threw a couple of picks, one of which came on a very unfortunate deflection.

Bryson Powers: 6-16, 133 yards, TD, 2 INT
Austin Goffney: 2-6, 33 yards

Tre' Hart was one of the few bright spots for the Wildcats as he caught 5 passes for 128 yards, which included a 56-yard touchdown. He was one of only 3 players to catch a pass for the Wildcats.

Tre' Hart: 5 rec, 128 yards, TD
Jared Taylor: 2 rec, 18 yards
C.J. Jones: 1 rec, 20 yards

Defense

Just like last year, the Wildcat defense had no answer for Justin Pratt. The theme on defense was missed tackles. 3rd down defense was a serious issue last year, and after this game, that aspect still needs rectifying. Klein Collins converted 10 (8-14 on 3rd, 2-2 on 4th) of their 16 late-down opportunities.

Special Teams

Luis Reyes hit all 3 of his extra points. The Tigers decided to pooch kick for much of the game, even with their lopsided lead.

C.J. Jones: 4 kicks returned, 51 yards; 2 punts returned, 17 yards
Jared Taylor: 4 kicks returned, 37 yards
Kason Franklin: 2 kicks returned, 17 yards

Jordan Johnson: 3 punts, 95 yards, long of 42
Seth Despres: 2 punts, 62 yards, long of 36

Man of the Match

I suppose Tre' Hart wins it with his 128-yard performance. He accounted for 77% of the receiving yards that were compiled.

Looking Ahead

After a bye week, the Wildcats will begin District 17-6A play, which represents the actual season, in case you were wondering, against the Cypress Ridge Rams on Friday, September 11 at the Berry Center.

Jumat, 28 Agustus 2015

Cy Woods All-Time Roster: Number 1

This is the final post of the Cy Woods All-Time Roster.

Tyler Williamson, also known as "T-Time," was a cornerback in 2008. He was the first Wildcat to wear #1. Tyler was the fastest player in the program, and was by far the best athlete in the Class of 2009. He ran a 4.3 (flat) 40, but that was back when our 40 times were hand-timed. He holds the school records in the 100m and the long jump.

After Cy Woods, Tyler accepted a track and field scholarship at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He specialized in the sprints and the jumps, but the long jump was his event. His personal best in the event at UTSA was 25 feet, 8.75 inches, which was a school record that has since been broken. He also holds the UTSA indoor record, when he jumped 25 feet, 0.5 inches at the New Balance Invitational in 2012. In 2010, he was the Southland Conference champion in the outdoor long jump, and he was a 2-time indoor champion in the Southland, winning 2011 and 2012. In 2013, he was the outdoor long jump champion in the Western Athletic Conference.

After concluding his college career, Tyler became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and launched Kinetic, a personal training service, mainly focusing on footwork (speed, agility, etc.). He's left that venture behind, but he is still working as a personal trainer in The Woodlands. I don't know Tyler all that well, but I know that he is a former Division I athlete who was among the best in the country in his discipline. If you're a Wildcat football player, I think you should check him out.

Side note: While at UTSA, Tyler saved a child who was drowning.

Tyler Williamson, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2008



Tyler Williamson, UTSA Roadrunners track & field, 2009-13


John Polivka, a linebacker, wore 1 in 2009. He was originally a cornerback before moving over to linebacker, and he appeared on all of the special teams in the 2009 season. John also competed as a powerlifter for the Wildcats.

John Polivka (middle), 2009

Patrick Gant, a starting wide receiver and team captain in 2010, was the next Wildcat to wear #1. Pat also played baseball at Cy Woods, and went on to play wide receiver at Prairie View A&M.

Patrick Gant, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2010

One of his old profile pictures on Facebook
Patrick Gant, Prairie View A&M Panthers, 2011-15

Mason Roberts, a wide receiver/quarterback, made the varsity in 2011, his sophomore year. His mother, Linda, is the athletics secretary at Cy Woods, and his father, Robbie, was a former Secret Service agent. His older sister, Susan, played soccer for the Wildcats.

In his three years on the team, Mason evolved into a dangerous weapon for the Wildcats, thanks to his versatility. He was a three-year starter at wide receiver and was also the starting quarterback for part of the 2012 season. Mason is currently a wide receiver at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana.

Mason Roberts, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2011-13
Nicholls State Colonels, 2014-present

Jordan Johnson, a wide receiver/punter, switched to #1 in 2014, his junior year, after getting called up as a sophomore. He was assigned #88 after his promotion in 2013.

In his two full seasons on the varsity, Jordan established himself as a home run threat and was an honorable mention All-District selection in 2014. As a punter, he was a 2nd-team pick. Jordan also featured prominently as a returner as teams made a concerted effort to kick away from C.J. Jones.

As a senior, Jordan was a 1st-team All-District selection in District 17-6A following a season in which he caught 22 passes for 710 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 10 touchdown catches tied the Cy Woods single-season record for touchdown catches in a season, a feat that has also been achieved by Fred Anderson in 2010 and Gary Tesch in 2011. In addition, his 14 career touchdown receptions puts him in a tie for the top spot with Gary and C.J. His 94-yard touchdown reception against Creek is the longest offensive touchdown in Cy Woods history.

His older brother, Eric, played as a cornerback from 2011-12, and just as his brother did, Jordan also competed in track & field for the Wildcats, specializing in the sprints and the jumps. I think he preferred jumping. He will compete in track and field at the collegiate level for Texas A&M beginning in 2016.

Photo by Cameron Brooks
Jordan Johnson, 2013-15; wore #88 in 2013
Texas A&M Aggies track & field, 2016-present

Kamis, 27 Agustus 2015

Cy Woods All-Time Roster: Number 2

2 days to go. Let's look at the Wildcats who have worn #2.

Jarel Richard, a starting cornerback in 2008, was the first Wildcat to wear #2. Jarel is currently serving in the Navy.

Jarel Richard, 2008

Von'Darrick Jones, a safety, was the next Wildcat to wear #2. He also wore this number when he was at Jersey Village. He made the varsity at JV as a sophomore in 2007. VD transferred to Cy Woods before the end of junior year, which would be the 2009 portion of the 2008-09 school year. If you are unfamiliar with Jersey Village football from that time period, they usually brought up the rear in Cy-Fair ISD. He didn't really talk about it very much, to the best of my recollection, but I could tell that he got tired of the losing.

At Cy Woods, he got a fresh start. Von'Darrick might have been a Falcon first, but he quickly acclimated himself to the culture at Cy Woods and became a starter and a team captain in the 2009 season. After Cy Woods, he played at Trinity University in San Antonio. As a player, Von'Darrick was a three-time 1st-team All-SCAC performer from 2011-13 and served as a team captain for the 2013 season.

This season, Von'Darrick will serve as the defensive backs coach at Trinity while working towards completing his degree.

Von'Darrick Jones, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2009; played at Jersey Village in 2007 and 2008

Photo uploaded by him to his Facebook page.
Von'Darrick Jones, Trinity Tigers, 2010-14 (as a player), will serve as a coach beginning in 2015

Sidebar: He also has videos of himself on YouTube when jerking was a thing. You do remember that....... right?


Casey Hicks, a wide receiver in 2010, was the next Wildcat to wear #2.

Jamaul Tompkins, a safety, made the varsity in 2010, his junior year, and wore #28 that season. He became a starter in 2011 and switched to #2. He was 25% of the most feared secondary in Cy Woods history. He, Josh Holley, Deonte Davis, and Alfred "Bama" Pullom were merciless. They backed up their talking with some punishing hits. After Cy Woods, Jamaul signed with Midwestern State University, a Division II school located in Wichita Falls, and played there for a couple of seasons.

Jamaul Tompkins (left), Cypress Woods Wildcats 2010-11; wore #28 in 2010
Midwestern State Mustangs, 2012-13

Peter "Chuck" Garza, a running back, wore #2 when he was called up to the varsity in 2012, his junior year. He became Samuel Stewart's primary backup in 2013 and also saw some action as a safety. Chuck mainly liked making defenders miss, but he was a pretty tough runner, too. He is now a wide receiver at Bethany College in Kansas.

Peter Garza, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2012-13
Bethany Swedes, 2014-present

Justin Lawson, a cornerback, wore #2 in 2014. His older brothers were all involved in Cy Woods athletics; David, his oldest brother, was a wide receiver in 2009, and his other older brother, Davonne, was a student athletic trainer from 2009-13.

Justin Lawson, 2014

C.J. Jones switched to #2 as a junior in 2015 and continued to build upon his breakout sophomore season. As we have seen over the past two seasons, C.J. can do it all on offense, but he will likely be called upon to do a little more in 2016, especially early in the season. In 2015, he set a new single-game record for rushing yards with 346 against Jersey Village, and he enters 2016 with a couple more records in his crosshairs.

Rabu, 26 Agustus 2015

Cy Woods All-Time Roster: Number 3

Three days remaining.

Hayden Dobbs, a starting linebacker and team captain in 2008, was the first Wildcat to wear 3. He was one of the top performers on the defense and earned a 1st-team All-District 15-5A selection. After Cy Woods, he moved on to play at McNeese State.

Hayden Dobbs, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2008

One of his old profile pictures on Facebook.
Hayden Dobbs, McNeese State Cowboys, 2009-13

Derek Nelson, a wide receiver, wore 3 in 2009. He joined the Army after graduating.

Derek Nelson, 2009

Phillip "P.J./Peedy" Johnson, a cornerback, wore 3 in 2010. He was one of the primary backups and occasionally started. Coach Neill once asked him what the ZIP code of Cypress was and he replied "713!!!"

Phillip Johnson, 2010

Demetri King, a wide receiver in 2011, was the next Wildcat to wear this jersey.

Demetri King, 2011

Jake Seaboch switched to 3 in 2012, his senior year, after getting assigned 87 following his callup in 2011. He was a starting wide receiver in 2012 and returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Cy Lakes.

Jake Seaboch, 2011-12; wore #87 in 2011

Devin Hokanson was the next Wildcat to wear #3. He was also a starting wide receiver and was known for his excellent hands. Devin is now playing at Bethany College in Kansas.

Devin Hokanson, Cypress Woods Wildcats, 2013
Bethany Swedes, 2014-present

Reid Epps, a wide receiver in 2014, was the most recent Wildcat to wear this number. His cousin, Chad, played as a safety in 2008. His younger sister, Hannah, plays softball for the Wildcats.

Reid Epps, 2014


Jacob Kainer made the varsity in 2015, his sophomore year, and served as the backup quarterback. He'll battle to become the starter in 2016. Jacob is also a standout lacrosse player.

Senin, 24 Agustus 2015

Bill Shorten's approval rating improves as Coalition slides further

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Katharine Murphy Deputy political editor Tuesday 25 August 2015

Labor leads the two-party preferred vote 54% to the Coalition’s 46%, while Tony Abbott’s popularity falls three points to 30% after horror parliamentary fortnight

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Bill Shorten and Tony Abbott at a reception for the Australian netball team after their World Cup victory. Shorten’s net satisfaction rating is ahead of the prime minister’s for the first time since May. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, has improved his personal standing with voters in the latest Newspoll survey, which continues to point to an emphatic ALP victory if a federal election was held immediately.

The latest poll of 1,700 voters published in the Australian has Labor ahead of the Coalition on the two-party preferred measure 54% to the Coalition’s 46% – and the Coalition’s primary vote also slipped below Labor’s.

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Coalition at risk of losing Canning by-election, poll shows

Latest Newspoll puts Coalition’s margin in the formerly safe seat held by Don Randall at just 51%-49% in two-party-preferred terms

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After a horror parliamentary fortnight for Tony Abbott, Shorten’s personal approval ratings lifted by five points, and his dissatisfaction rating fell by the same amount. Shorten’s net satisfaction rating is ahead of the prime minister’s for the first time since May.

The prime minister’s satisfaction rating was also down three points in the survey to 30%, and dissatisfaction with his performance went up two points. Shorten is ahead of Abbott on the preferred prime minister measure.

Labor has now been ahead of the Coalition in two-party preferred terms in more than 150 consecutive published opinion polls. This latest Newspoll is the 29th consecutive survey that has put Labor in front of the Abbott government.

On Tuesday the treasurer, Joe Hockey, brushed off the poll findings, saying the government could bounce back.

“I saw this in 2004, I saw it in 1998,” he told the Nine Network.

“I have seen it previously, where we have gone on to win an election, even weeks and months just after those sort of polls.

The government faces a by-election in the West Australian seat of Canning next month following the death of long serving MP Don Randall. That contest looms as a test of Abbott’s leadership.

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Coalition facing huge election defeat after horror weeks, latest poll shows

Fairfax-Ipsos poll puts Labor lead at 54%-46% on two-party-preferred basis, implying the loss of between 36 and 44 Coalition seats

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A number of government MPs are deeply concerned about the negative poll trend, about erratic decision-making, and about rolling divisions within senior ranks of the government.

The last fortnight saw various cabinet ministers engage in open warfare about same sex marriage, and a significant split emerge between the prime minister and his chief parliamentary tactician, Christopher Pyne.

The government’s trade union royal commission – a process which was applying political pressure to Shorten over his trade union history – also ran into significant strife, with commissioner Dyson Heydon having to hear submissions over whether he should excuse himself from proceedings after it was revealed he had intended to address a Liberal party fundraiser.

Heydon’s decision is pending.

The prime minister is attempting to get the government’s central political messaging back to jobs and growth, but he will spend the next week in remote Indigenous communities.

The treasurer Joe Hockey on Monday flagged the prospect of future income tax cuts – but refused to answer questions about how the government would fund such a move.

Bill Shorten's approval rating improves as Coalition slides further in Newspoll | Australia news | The Guardian

Selasa, 18 Agustus 2015

Tony Abbott reads 'riot act' to ministers over same-sex marriage

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By political editor Chris Uhlmann, James Glenday, and Anna Henderson Tuesday 18 August 2015

Tony Abbott in Question Time Photo: Tony Abbott said ministers had been warned there "would be consequences" for any who did not maintain discipline in future. (Andrew Meares/Fairfax Media)

Related Story: Dastyari slams anti-gay marriage blogger over 'evangelical claptrap'

Related Story: Poll shows potential 10 per cent swing against Liberals in Canning

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has told his joint party room that ministers have been "read the riot act" for having public spats in the wake of last week's messy gay marriage debate.

On Monday night Cabinet agreed to hold a popular vote on the issue after the next election, but members of the frontbench are publicly divided over whether the mechanism should be a constitutional referendum or plebiscite.

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull argued the vote should take place in this term of parliament so it is off the agenda before the next election.

The Leader of the House, Christopher Pyne, has also accused the Prime Minister of "branch stacking" by including the mostly conservative Nationals in last week's marathon debate that endorsed a binding vote against same sex marriage in this term.

Admitting it had been a scrappy fortnight for the Government, Mr Abbott told the joint-party room meeting this morning that ministers had been warned there "would be consequences" for any who did not maintain discipline in future.

His warning came as one backbencher castigated her Cabinet colleagues for their behaviour.

The Member for Gilmore, Ann Sudmalis, spent five minutes berating ministers for what she saw as the debacle after the same-sex marriage debate last week.

Ann Sudmalis Photo: Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis was cheered by other backbenchers after she berated ministers over the same-sex marriage "debacle". (photo: Justin Huntsdale)

She said Cabinet ministers were sacrificing people in marginal seats for the luxury of expressing their own views in public, and called for "unity".

When she sat down she was cheered by other backbenchers.

The comments were seen as being out of character for Ms Sudmalis, who does not often speak at the party room meetings.

"I didn't take on this position to see my country's future frittered away," Ms Sudmalis told ABC local radio after the meeting.

"I just added some perspective on it from a marginal seat holder, saying that we've got a great message to take forward.

"We are actually doing the country good and that message has been lost and we need to work together."

Julie Bishop warns public divisions could play into by-election

Several Liberals say during the meeting Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urged her colleagues to think about how their actions could impact on the upcoming by-election in the Western Australian seat of Canning.

One told the ABC "the message was clear, before you open your mouth think how this might play in a campaign".

A plebiscite or a referendum?

ABC election analyst Antony Green explains the difference between a plebiscite and a referendum.

 

Another said the deputy Liberal leader was "making the point [that] how we fare in Canning will have implications for how the government is judged by the media and the community".

Agriculture Minister and Deputy Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce said the Government had found a resolution.

"The party room guided by the Prime Minister has drawn a line under this issue," he told ABC's Capital Hill program.

"So the issue, therefore, is dealt with, we will not be changing policy during this term of government.

"Whether it's a plebiscite or a referendum, that will be discussed in the future."

Mr Abbott has said he will provide more details of the mechanism for a popular vote within weeks.

From other news sites:

Tony Abbott reads 'riot act' to ministers over same-sex marriage - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Senin, 17 Agustus 2015

Coalition facing huge election defeat after horror weeks, latest poll shows

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Staff and agencies Monday 17 August 2015

Fairfax-Ipsos poll puts Labor lead at 54%-46% on two-party-preferred basis, implying the loss of between 36 and 44 Coalition seats

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New poll figures put Tony Abbott’s leadership under further pressure Photograph: Glenn Hunt/AAP

The Coalition faces a thumping election defeat with a swing of 7.5% against it, according to the latest Fairfax-Ipsos poll.

That would mean the loss of up to 36 Coalition seats – Labor needs just 21 to form a majority government.

The government trailed Labor 54% to 46% on a two-party-preferred basis, the poll taken from 13-15 August showed. And using the stated second preferences of respondents, rather than the allocation of preferences as they flowed in September 2013, the Coalition’s position worsened to 56%-44%, implying the loss of up to 44 seats.

Warren Entsch 'lives in hope' his marriage equality bill will succeed eventually – as it happened

Dyson Heydon may have to consider his royal commission role, the government fares badly in the latest Fairfax polling, and Coalition MP Warren Entsch introduces his same-sex marriage bill

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The government’s primary support has dipped to 38% – just two points above Labor’s 36%, with the Greens on 16%, according to the poll published by Fairfax Media. The Coalition won 46% of the primary vote at the last election.

The government has endured several nightmare weeks, embroiled in the expenses row that led to the resignation of Bronwyn Bishop as Speaker, engaging in open internal conflict over same-sex marriage and fending off claims of partisanship against the trade union royal commissioner, Dyson Heydon.

Tony Abbott’s disapproval rating slipped one point to 59% in the poll. With his approval rating at 35% that left him on a net rating of minus 24%.

The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, gained four points on his approval rating, taking it to 39%, but with 49% disapproving was still on a net rating of minus 10.

The poll found Malcolm Turnbull led as preferred Liberal leader and prime minister among all voters on 41%, ahead of Julie Bishop on 23% and Abbott on 15%. But among Coalition voters Abbott still led with 33%, with Turnbull on 25% and Bishop on 23%. Just 6% of Coalition voters wanted the treasurer, Joe Hockey, as leader.

The poll of 1,402 respondents also showed public support for marriage equality remained high at 69%.

Coalition facing huge election defeat after horror weeks, latest poll shows | Australia news | The Guardian

Minggu, 16 Agustus 2015

Coalition a victim of its own trickiness as colleagues lose faith in Tony

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Lenore Taylor Political editor Friday 14 August 2015

As the divisions deepen and the polls get worse, the government is again descending into a self-defeating cycle of instability and suspicion

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Tony Abbott at question time on Thursday. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian

Behind the Abbott government’s very bad week – a careening series of disasters that looked like the political version of an AAMI ad – is a common thread that could wreck it permanently. Tricky politics has driven Tony Abbott into yet another crisis.

So many of the prime minister’s problems begin in the strange netherworld of decision making, where policy is crafted to fit a slogan rather than the other way around, based on the insulting assumption that voters are too dumb to notice.

All politicians, from all sides, weigh policy ideas against how they might play in the electorate but this government is coming up with the slogan and calculating the political “play” before it even has a policy. It’s a reckless way to run the country. Now the trickiness is sometimes aimed at internal opponents as well as Labor.

Same-sex marriage, for example, was going to be a difficult issue for any Coalition leader. In the end the party backed Abbott’s view that it should continue to oppose any change to the definition of marriage during this parliament but that this position wouldn’t be tenable any longer and that maybe there should be a popular vote on the issue.

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Cabinet ministers engage in open warfare on same-sex marriage

Scott Morrison hits back at George Brandis on legality of referendum, saying: ‘Lawyers will always have a lot of views on a lot of things’

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But now supporters of same-sex marriage see Abbott and other opponents of the idea taking the confused party-room non-decision about what should happen after the next election and crab walking it towards a process that will ensure nothing ever happens.

Abbott has the slogan all ready – he’s for a “people’s vote” and the Labor party is for a “politicians’ vote”. He just didn’t have a policy.

Malcolm Turnbull and others say the party room did not in fact make a definite decision in favour of a “people’s vote” at all and there is obviously no decision on what kind of people’s vote. Some are opposed to a change, like Scott Morrison (who is apparently positioning as the conservative’s preferred alternative leadership candidate), are talking up the idea of a constitutional referendum which would ensure change never happened, and isn’t even necessary because we already know the federal government has the power to make laws about marriage, as the attorney general very pointedly pointed out to his cabinet colleague on national television.

The ministerial slugfest via TV grabs continued through Friday in a kind of real-time display of government divisions. Perhaps if the cabinet had been consulted before the surprise party-room meeting and had come up with a strategy things would have turned out differently. But there are a lot of same-sex marriage supporters in cabinet, so that might have got in the way of the tricky.

The “people’s vote versus politician’s vote” slogan strategy was designed to “neutralise” the issue, but in fact has ensured it will continue to be an issue right through the next poll. Tricky has quickly turned into a political car crash.

The Coalition’s new climate change targets may yet turn into another example. They aren’t enough to meet Australia’s share of limiting global warming to 2C and they are behind many developed nations but they aren’t as low as some of the government’s previous decisions on climate policy might have led us to anticipate.

Live Tony Abbott faces worsening polls and same-sex marriage bill – parliament live

The government would face a loss of 36 seats according to the latest Fairfax polling as parliament resumes today, as the Coalition MP Warren Entsch introduced his same-sex marriage bill. Follow the day’s news live …

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This, we are informed by numerous commentators, is so the government can run the slogan that it will protect the environment without wrecking the economy (like Labor will). But there is, as yet, almost no detail about how the government intends to meet the target and therefore no way to measure the economic cost of either plan. The government got around this by the Daily Telegraph suddenly unearthing three-year old modelling of targets it asserted were Labor’s. When there are actual costing of alternative policies the cost may not be all that different. And, in any event, polls show voters are willing to wear some cost increases, and don’t trust the Coalition’s bona fides.

More tricky-gone-wrong came with the revelations about the royal commission into trade union corruption.

It was designed with two main objectives in mind – to examine deeply concerning allegations concerning some trade unions and to mortally wound the one-time union leader Bill Shorten. The former could have been achieved with the judicial inquiry the Coalition promised during the election campaign, or by using existing processes, such as the courts. But the latter was obviously much better served by the gravitas of a royal commission. It was reported at the time that the Coalition was so enthusiastic in pursuing its political goals that the terms of reference had to be corrected in cabinet because as originally drafted they would have actually set up a royal commission into the Labor party rather than the labour movement.

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It was this real suspicion of political motivation that lent lethal credibility to the revelation that the royal commissioner Dyson Heydon had agreed to speak at a Liberal party fundraiser – a fact that will be used to try to shut down the hearings, sully the commission’s findings and certainly blunt its usefulness as a tricky political manoeuvre.

And this week came after many other examples of backfiring trickery – like the attempt to head off cabinet discontent over unconstitutional and unworkable citizenship laws (that had been flagged for a year in the media but never presented in detail to the cabinet) by getting backbenchers to write a letter asking that they go further. Almost every constitutional lawyer in the country has now lined up to say the bill is, indeed, likely to be unconstitutional and may even lead to the stripping of the citizenship of scores of folk convicted in the past of damaging commonwealth property. It is unclear how the government intends to handle this.

At the same time the government’s policy agenda is thin and confused, its days filled with ad hoc announcements, and protestations about jobs and growth and ill-defined stories about intentions to get even tougher on national security than its already extremely tough stance.

Voters had already lost trust in the prime minister, dating back to his first ill-considered budget. His colleagues’ faith got pretty shaky earlier this year as well. They are now once again expressing despair. As the divisions deepen and the polls get worse, the Coalition is again descending into a self-defeating cycle of instability, suspicions and second guessing of the leadership intentions of Turnbull or Morrison or Julie Bishop.

Some argue the government just needs a clear narrative to sell its policies. But that would require the trickiness to be set aside long enough to figure out what they are.

Coalition a victim of its own trickiness as colleagues lose faith in Tony Abbott | Lenore Taylor | Australia news | The Guardian

Minggu, 09 Agustus 2015

Tony Smith chosen as new Speaker of the House of Representatives

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Daniel Hurst Political correspondent Monday 10 August 2015

Former incumbent Bronwyn Bishop resigned a week ago after becoming embroiled in an expenses scandal

untitled Tony Smith has been nominated by the Liberal party to be the new Speaker. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Victorian Liberal MP Tony Smith has been elected as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives after the resignation of Bronwyn Bishop from the key parliamentary post over a travel expenses scandal.

Smith, a former staffer to Peter Costello and until now the chair of the joint standing committee an electoral matters, pledged to give all MPs a fair go but also called for an improved level of discourse.

Smith, the MP for Casey since 2001, also promised to stop attending regular party room meetings – a gesture of independence that the Labor party and some within the government had suggested as a way to draw a line under Bishop’s partisanship.

“It’s my view that the Speaker should not only be but also should be seen to be independent of the partisan day-to-day foray,” Smith told parliament after his elevation to the role.

“I think the decision is symbolic but it’s also practical.”

Smith was one of four MPs to seek the position at a Liberal party room meeting in Canberra on Monday morning, prior to the resumption of parliament.

The house met at 10am to elect the new Speaker as its first item of business after the winter parliamentary recess.

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Smith was nominated by the MP for the neighbouring seat of Deakin, Michael Sukkar, and the motion was seconded by the MP for Robertson, Lucy Wicks.

Sukkar said Smith had the experience, temperament and strength necessary to instil respect and trust in the institutions of parliament.

“He is a Holden man through and through,” Sukkar added.

There were no other nominations from the floor of the parliament, leading to the declaration that Smith was elected as Speaker.

Tony Abbott, who had vowed to avoid another “captain’s pick” in the Speaker selection, congratulated Smith on assuming “this high and important office”.

The prime minister said he was confident Smith would maintain order in the house by commanding the respect of both sides of the chamber.

Abbott, who moved the motion to nominate Bishop after the 2013 election, also praised the former Speaker for being “a warrior for the causes that she believed in”.

“Despite some admitted errors of judgment, she has served this parliament, our country and her party with dedication and distinction for over 30 years,” he said.

The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, called on the new Speaker to apply standing orders fairly to both sides of the house and to ensure straightforward questions led to straightforward answers from ministers.

Shorten welcomed Smith’s pledge not to attend party room meetings and said he brought to the role “a proud tradition of advocating for a more accountable, more representative Australian democracy”.

“For all our clashes with the former Speaker, we wish her well,” Shorten said.

The leader of the house, Christopher Pyne, added his voice to the tributes to Bishop, but said Labor parliamentarians’ comments were inconsistent with their “not-so-generous remarks not long ago”.

“I seconded her nomination two years ago to be Speaker,” Pyne said. “She has been felled in most unfair circumstances by politics today.”

Smith recognised Bishop for being “a wonderful servant of our party”.

“Can I thank the house for the confidence you have placed in me. There is no greater honour in the parliament than to be elected by one’s peers. I’m a servant of this house and all of its members.”

Smith said he would give a fair go to all MPs in the chamber, but in return he expected a level of discourse that reflected that.

He said while parliament should be a robust place because it was the arena for the battle of ideas and ideals; “it needn’t be rude and it needn’t be loud”.

“That is something I’d like to see improved,” he said.

Smith said he had friends on both sides of the chamber and he would seek to meet periodically with the leader of the house, the manager of opposition business and independent MPs to discuss the operation of parliament.

Earlier, Smith said he had been humbled by the support he received from the party room.

He also thanked the three other Liberal candidates for the speakership – Russell Broadbent from Victoria, Andrew Southcott from South Australia, and Ross Vasta from Queensland – saying they were his friends.

“I think that friendship amongst the four of us was reflected in the civility of this contest,” he said after the party room meeting. “That’s all I’m going to say. The house begins in about 15 minutes so I’m just going to go off and prepare for that.”

The final vote in the Liberal party room was between Broadbent and Smith. Smith won that contest by 51 votes to 22.

Abbott left the party room meeting together with Bishop, whom he kissed on the cheek in front of the cameras.

The Greens MP Adam Bandt urged Smith not to forget independent and minor party MPs, saying over 20% of Australians did not vote for either Labor or the Coalition.

Tony Smith chosen as new Speaker of the House of Representatives | Australia news | The Guardian

Senin, 03 Agustus 2015

Abbott says he will pay a personal price for backing Bronwyn Bishop

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Gabrielle Chan Tuesday 4 August 2015

Prime minister reveals he won’t make a ‘captain’s pick’ to choose new Speaker, adding that it’s likely his friend’s career in parliament ‘is substantially at an end’

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Bronwyn Bishop and Tony Abbott in Parliament House in June. Photograph: Mike Bowers for the Guardian

Tony Abbott has admitted he will pay a personal price for failing to act sooner to remove his friend and ally Bronwyn Bishop amid the scandal over her expenses and said he would not make a “captain’s pick” to replace her.

“The government has inevitably paid a price and I dare say there will be a little personal price for me but let’s not forget that, while Bronwyn has made some very serious mistakes, ultimately she was the one who paid the highest price,” Abbott said.

“She lost the position that she loved and it’s likely her career in parliament is substantially at an end. That’s a high price for someone who has dedicated 30-odd years to public service.”

Abbott’s admission comes after February’s failed leadership spill motion when he pleaded with his colleagues for six months to turn around the government’s fortunes. The return to parliamentary sitting on Monday will be the six-month anniversary of his “near-death experience”.

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The first order of the day will be a Liberal party room meeting to choose the next Speaker before parliament sits at 10am. That meeting will decide the Coalition’s nomination for the role.

Jockeying has begun among Liberal MPs for one of the most prestigious jobs in the parliament. It offers a pay rise of 75% on a backbencher salary along with extra staff and office facilities.

While a clear favourite has yet to emerge, Liberal members are agreed on the fact that Abbott should not make another “captain’s pick”.

“My instinct is not to make a captain’s pick,” he said on Tuesday.

Bishop was Abbott’s personal choice for Speaker after the 2013 election and he said she had done a “good job” in recent times.

“I think Bronny has done a good job in the chair, particularly in the last six to 12 months. Inevitably all of us take a bit of time to settle into these positions but I think Bronwyn has deftly handled the parliament in recent times.”

A number of Liberal backbenchers have expressed interest or been raised as potential speakers. They include the South Australian MP Andrew Southcott, the Victorian MP Tony Smith, the father of the house, Philip Ruddock, and the Victorian MPs Sharman Stone and Russell Broadbent.

Abbott said he had spoken to Southcott, whom he declared was an “excellent bloke”.

“I’m going to try to avoid so-called captain’s picks here, in the end, this is a matter for the Liberal party room to choose a nominee for the speakership,” he said.

“This will be a party room process, as it should be. I’m confident there will be a number of candidates … may the best one of them first of all win the nomination and then hopefully become the Speaker.

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Abbott’s prediction about the end of Bishop’s parliamentary career will also ignite interest in her seat of Mackellar, which takes in Sydney’s northern beaches next to the prime minister’s seat of Warringah.

Bishop’s preference was her staffer Damien Jones, though his role in the entitlements scandal is considered to have lessened his chances among local Liberal members.

Bishop resigned as Speaker on Sunday, three weeks after revelations that she took a $5,000 helicopter trip from Melbourne to Geelong for a Liberal party fundraiser. It was followed by a series of revelations about her entitlements spending.

Abbott announced a whole-scale review of the entitlements system – to be led by former head of the Department of Finance, David Tune, and the head of the remuneration tribunal, John Conde – which will aim to give “the public confidence”.

Tony Abbott says he will pay a personal price for backing Bronwyn Bishop | Australia news | The Guardian

Minggu, 02 Agustus 2015

Coalition MPs demand proper say on next Speaker as Bishop quits

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Shalailah Medhora and Lenore Taylor Sunday 2 August 2015

Party room ballot could decide successor to Bishop as Tony Abbott tries to draw a line under the damaging affair by launching a ‘root and branch’ review of expenses

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Bronwyn Bishop: ‘It is because of my love and respect for the institution of the parliament and the Australian people that I have resigned.’ Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Coalition MPs are demanding a real say in the selection of a new Speaker after the embattled Bronwyn Bishop finally resigned to end the expenses scandal paralysing the Abbott government.

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Bishop was Tony Abbott’s “captain’s pick” for the job after the 2013 election victory, but MPs say a return to a Coalition party room ballot for the position, and the selection of a new Speaker seen as truly independent, would help repair the damage the government has sustained over the affair.

Tony Abbott announces an inquiry into politicians’ entitlements. Link to video

Contenders include the “father of the house” and former Howard government minister Philip Ruddock, veteran Victorian MP Russell Broadbent and Nationals MP and former minister Bruce Scott.

Despite insisting on Thursday she would not be resigning, the scandal continued and Bishop finally tendered her resignation as Speaker of the House on Sunday. The prime minister made the announcement on Sunday afternoon.

“Regrettably, not withstanding rules that this government put in place ... there are still too many situations where members of parliament can do things that are inside entitlement, but outside public expectations,” Abbott told reporters.

Abbott was keen to take the focus off Bishop, saying the system was broken.

“This has obviously been a very difficult day for Bronwyn Bishop,” he said.

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“I believe that in the vast majority of cases, for the vast majority of the time, that is exactly what the public has got. They have got people in the parliament who are serving them to the best of their ability,” the prime minister said.

“Nevertheless, it has become apparent over the last few weeks, particularly in recent days, that the system does need fundamental reform. That’s exactly what there will be under this government because the public deserves it.”

He announced a whole-scale review of the entitlements system – to be led by the former head of the Department of Finance, David Tune, and the head of the Remuneration Tribunal, John Conde – which will aim to give “the public confidence”.

Abbott said it will not be a “quickie” review, but rather a “root and branch” audit of the system.

The review will report back to the government in the first half of 2016.

Technically the Speaker is elected by the House of Representatives, but the government’s numbers mean its nomination will get the job. During the Howard years the Coalition nomination was on occasions decided by a Coalition party room ballot.

Some commentators had suggested independent Cathy McGowan for the job, but she said she wasn’t interested.

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“I’m absolutely focussing on being the member for Indi,” she said. “It’s got to be someone from the government.”

The scandal began on 15 July when it was revealed the Speaker spent over $5,200 to charter a luxury helicopter for an 80km trip from Melbourne to a golf club in Geelong in November 2014 where she spoke at a Liberal party fundraiser.

Abbott put Bishop on “probation” but news of questionable uses of public money kept on coming, including stories that she used taxpayer dollars to attend the weddings of two colleagues, Sophie Mirabella in June 2006, and Teresa Gambaro in 2007.

She said the use of the money was “within the guidelines” but revelations on Sunday that she spent more than $1,000 on limousines in one day when she was an opposition minister in 2012 proved the last straw.

Ministers were reduced to daily fire fighting duties as each new story forced some kind of government response.

But the furore ended when Bishop issued a statement on Sunday explaining her decision.

“I have not taken this decision lightly, however it is because of my love and respect for the institution of the parliament and the Australian people that I have resigned as Speaker,” she said.

The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said Bishop’s resignation was overdue.

“Mr Abbott has blamed the system, but it was Mrs Bishop’s addiction to privilege that was the real culprit,” Shorten said in a statement.

He said the announcement of the review should not absolve Abbott of publicly releasing the finance department’s investigation into Bishop’s alleged misuse of entitlements.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, who had vowed to bring about a no confidence motion in the Speaker along with Clive Palmer, said the federal police should investigate whether Bishop has committed any criminal fraud. He said he was relieved by her resignation.

“Thank God for that. Watching this saga unfold was worse than getting your wisdom teeth out,” Wilkie said in a statement.

He wanted the review to stamp out the practice of MPs “tripping around Australia for all sorts of private reasons”.

Coalition MPs demand proper say on next Speaker as Bronwyn Bishop quits | Australia news | The Guardian

Bronwyn Bishop resignation

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August 03, 2015 12:16PM

Bronwyn Bishop has resigned as Speaker after becoming embroiled in a travel expenses scan

Labor has called for an investigation report to be made public despite Speaker Bronwyn Bishop's resignation. Play Video

Bronwyn Bishop has resigned as Speaker after becoming embroiled in a travel expenses scandal. Source: AP

EXCLUSIVE

Veteran MP Philip Ruddock has declared he is available for the role of Speaker and has vowed to be “fair”, “fearless” and “non-partisan” if he secured the role.

The Father of the House, who has been in federal parliament since 1973, said he is happy to serve in the position if that is what his colleagues wanted.

“I’ve had a small number of people call me about whether or not I would be interested in the role,” Mr Ruddock told News Corp Australia.

“But I am not going to pre-empt what all my colleagues want. If they do decide they want me as Speaker I am available and happy to serve.”

However Mr Ruddock said those small number of colleagues did not yet include the Prime Minister.

“I suspect he is going to wait and see what the majority of the party wants,” Mr Ruddock said.

The 72-year-old said if he was placed in the role of Speaker he would seek to be a “middle ground” Speaker.

“I hope I would be fair and fearless,” the member for Berowra in Sydney said.

“I think when you are in that position you do need to step back from being unduly partisan.

“If you look at the Westminster system, on which ours is modelled, that is the way Speakers have been over time.”

Ready to work ... Phillip Ruddock said he’d be willing to take the role of Speaker.

Ready to work ... Phillip Ruddock said he’d be willing to take the role of Speaker. Source: Supplied

Asked to reflect on former Speaker Bronwyn Bishop’s style - who was often criticised for being too partisan - Mr Ruddock simply said he would be more of a middle ground speaker, if his colleagues chose him for the role.

“I would say some people like that (partisan) style but I prefer more of a middle ground approach,” Mr Ruddock said.

“I would point people to my position as Deputy Speaker in the 1980s and judge me based on that.”

The veteran MP, who is the longest serving parliamentarian in the House of Representatives, was dumped as chief government whip by the Prime Minister following the leadership spill in February.

Mr Ruddock was said to be privately furious about the move which pinned him for apparently not keeping Mr Abbott adequately informed of the level of discontent amongst his party.

However, publicly, Mr Ruddock respected the move.

SHORTEN: BISHOP LOVED THE ‘HIGH LIFE’

His comments come as Opposition Leader Bill Shorten criticised Bronwyn Bishop, saying she was addicted to spending in the wake of her resignation over travel expenses.

“What is clear is that Ms Bishop was addicted to the high life,” the Opposition Leader told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.

Asked if politicians should all fly economy class rather than business, as suggested recently by western Sydney MP Craig Laundy, Mr Shorten agreed.

“If it is a short distance then yes probably so,” Mr Shorten said.

Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten critcises Bronwyn Bishop’s spending habits. Pictur

Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten criticises Bronwyn Bishop’s spending habits. Picture: AAP Source: AAP

MALCOLM TURNBULL WARNS MPS

His comments come after Malcolm Turnbull urged his colleagues to rein in their entitlement spending, and instead view expense claims “as though it was our own money”.

The Communications Minister, who last week took a train from Melbourne to Geelong in an apparent swipe at Ms Bishop extravagant helicopter ride, said the culture of entitlement needed to cease.

“I personally like to take public transport because I find it more interesting and engaging,” Mr Turnbull told ABC Radio.

“But however you get around you’ve got to bear in mind that it is other people’s money and to use it responsibly and prudently. And to use no more than you need to do your job.”

While he welcomed the Prime Minister’s announced review into the entitlement system, ultimately Mr Turnbull said it was up to individual members and senators to do the right thing.

“At the end of the day it depends on individual members and senators spending no more than they need to get the job done,” he said.

Twitter photo tweeted by Malcolm Turnbull of himself catching the train from Melbourne to

Twitter photo tweeted by Malcolm Turnbull of himself catching the train from Melbourne to Geelong to visit Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson. No helicopters used. Source: Twitter

“I also take issue with the whole word entitlements - you’re not entitled to anything. If you were working for a business it would simply be called travel expenses because it is the expenses of doing your job.”

Mr Turnbull believed a smartphone app can bring the parliamentary entitlements system into the 21st century.

Mr Turnbull has welcomed a review into the system, telling Sky News it was stuck “very much in the last century” with the potential for plenty of money and paperwork to be saved.

WILKIE CALLS ON AFP TO INVESTIGATE

Key independent Andrew Wilkie, who was prepared to co-sponsor a motion of no confidence in Ms Bishop if she did not resign as Speaker, said he believed the Australian Federal Police needed to investigate any potential fraudulent activity.

“I am pleased that Bronwyn Bishop has finally seen sense and resigned from the Speakership, but that must not be the end of it,” Mr Wilkie told ABC radio.

“Some of the trips she has taken could be said to be fraudulent.

“I am not accusing Bronwyn Bishop of fraud I am simply saying on the face of it there is something very dodgy here and it really should be looked into by the Australian Federal Police not the finance department.”

Andrew Wilkie says the AFP should investigate if Bronwyn Bishop committed fraud.

Andrew Wilkie says the AFP should investigate if Bronwyn Bishop committed fraud. Source: News Corp Australia

Mr Wilkie said he had personally experienced his colleagues coming to Tasmania for private trips and then asking to meet with him for a coffee so they could claim the trip on entitlements.

“If any member of parliament including the Speaker has gone on a trip and paid for it at public expense, if that person was actually on a principally private trip and he or she signs a form at the time saying it was an official trip principally for official purposes then that is fraud,” Mr Wilkie said.

Parliamentary secretary Steve Ciobo told ABC TV today the Bronwyn Bishop’s travel expenses saga “diminishes all of us as members of parliament”.

Politicians had two tests to satisfy with their travel claims - the parliamentary rules and community expectations.

Mr Ciobo said it would be great if a woman replaced Mrs Bishop as Speaker.

“I think it’s important to have someone who is strong and someone who has some experience with the parliament obviously,” he said.

Ms Bishop yesterday announced her resignation after three weeks of furore over her expense claims.

BETS ON RUDDOCK TO REPLACE BISHOP

The Herald Sun originally revealed that the speaker last year paid $5227 to charter a helicopter from Melbourne to Geelong at taxpayer expense. The journey takes just over an hour by car.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott yesterday announced a review into the entitlements system and said the rules were ambiguous.

The contest for the coveted role of Speaker is set to intensify today after Mr Abbott began consultations with colleagues last night.

Cabinet Minister Scott Morrison who last week refused to back Ms Bishop said whoever took her job needed to be the right candidate.

“I think there are a lot of good candidates and it is important the parliament now does its job,” Mr Morrison told 2GB’s Ray Hadley.

“Obviously Philip is the father of the house and is very experienced and a very good candidate but there are many other good candidates and I think its important for the party to go through the grass roots process to move forward with a new speaker.”

Bookies have Mr Ruddock as the firm favourite to take the Speaker’s chair.

Mr Ruddock’s odds have shortened from $4 down to $2 according to the latest run sheet.

Larger than life independent MP Clive Palmer is the longest odds at $251 out from $101.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott held a press conference yesterday to announce that Bronwyn Bis

Prime Minister Tony Abbott held a press conference to announce that Bronwyn Bishop resigned from the position of speaker. Source: News Corp Australia

ALTERNATIVE SPEAKER OPTIONS

By Peter Jean

Senior South Australian federal Liberal MP Andrew Southcott has emerged as a possible replacement.

Dr Southcott, who has been the MP for Boothby since 1996, is being promoted as an alternative to “Father of the House’’ Philip Ruddock and soon-to-retire Nationals MP Bruce Scott.

The former medical practitioner has confirmed he has been approached by colleagues about running for the post.

“I’m flattered that my name has been mentioned. It’s not a position I’ve been seeking and I’ll be talking with my colleagues,’’ Dr Southcott said.

“It would be an honour for any member to be Speaker.’’

Dr Southcott served as an opposition shadow minister and parliamentary secretary between 2007 and 2013.

Labor wants Deputy Speaker Bruce Scott to take over from Mrs Bishop.

Mr Scott, a Queensland Liberal National Party MP, is planning to retire from Parliament at the next election.

Another possible candidate is Victorian Liberal MP Sharman Stone, who recently spoke out in favour of the Coalition preselecting more female candidates for Parliament.

The Speaker is elected by the House of Representatives. The Coalition’s majority on the floor of the House ensures its candidate will be elected.

The government parties are expected to meet next week to select a candidate.

Bronwyn Bishop resignation: Malcolm Turnbull urges MPs to spend less