There's a whole lot of shaking up going on, by Dylan Welch - The Sydney Morning Herald - 29th November 2007

Today marks perhaps the pinnacle in the remarkable change in both character and duties of what are now two of Australia's most prominent politicians.

First, former Midnight Oils frontman, wacky dancer and activist Peter Garrett.

Second, the three-times married, one-time earring-wearing, guitar-strumming, Labor-voting bikie and medico Brendan Nelson.

But after today's announcements - Garrett to become Australia's Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, and Nelson now the leader of the Liberal Party - have either any wild man left?

Perhaps a comparison might serve to illuminate. First some of the lyrics from "Blue Sky Mine", written by Garrett:

"The candy store paupers lie to the share holders / They're crossing their fingers they pay the truth makers / The balance sheet is breaking up the sky".

And then today's rather less impulsive lyrical achievement:

"I am excited and humbled by the opportunity given to me by Kevin, and honoured to be part of the new Labor Cabinet, as Minister for Environment, Heritage and Arts," Garrett wrote in a statement today after Kevin Rudd announced his new cabinet.

"I am very proud of the comprehensive set of policies and proposed actions we put to the people of Australia in the election campaign, and I am very pleased and proud to be involved in implementing them," he continues, unaware that most of Australia had already tuned out and chucked on a scratched old copy of "Redneck Wonderland" on the stereo.

Then the former Labor-loving, now Liberal-leading Nelson, who once actually wore a diamond earring, something even the most bling-obsessed US rapper is loath to do.

He is also known to fill the halls of Parliamment late at night with his guitar renditions of songs from bands such as The Animals and Slim Dusty.

The man who once declared he had never voted Liberal in his life, joined the Australian Labor Party in 1988 and ran a medical practice with the brother of one-time Labor leader Simon Crean, defected to the Liberal Party in 1994 and has since risen through the ranks.

Though even in late 1994 Nelson showed signs of wavering, when he was quoted as saying: "I would feel equally comfortable as a moderate Liberal as I would in the Labor Right".

He was also once referred to by arch-conservative former Treasury secretary John Stone as a "political hermaphrodite".

Yet as of this afternoon the chameleon-like history of Nelson will almost certainly settle as he assumes the mantle of overlord of the largest conservative party in Australia.

No more diamond earrings, one can assume.

Media Man Australia Profiles

Politics

Peter Garrett

The Environment

Libs turn on Howard, by Phillip Coorey, Chief Political Correspondent - The Sydney Morning Herald - 27th November 2007

If you needed any convincing as to the shape the Liberal Party is now in, read and consider this article, containing powerful quotes, from Phillip Coorey.

SENIOR Liberals including the leadership contenders Malcolm Turnbull and Tony Abbott say the party should dump Work Choices, the policy that cost them so dearly under John Howard's reign.

Frustrations with Mr Howard for staying too long as leader boiled over yesterday, as former senior ministers Alexander Downer and Nick Minchin revealed they had asked him to stand aside as prime minister.

Mr Turnbull and Brendan Nelson emerged as the frontrunners for the Liberal leadership as the disintegration of the old guard continued apace with the resignation of the Nationals leader, Mark Vaile.

"Robert Menzies would be turning in his grave if he saw the condition his beloved party was in today," said Michael Kroger, the Victorian Liberal Party identity and close friend of Peter Costello, who has abandoned his long-term ambition to take over from Mr Howard.

Mr Kroger said the party was at its lowest point since it was founded. It was in government nowhere and its organisation was in bad shape.

Mr Turnbull and Mr Abbott - as well as the former minister Helen Coonan - agreed that Labor had a mandate to abolish Work Choices and that the Liberal Party had to distance itself from the policy. The former minister Christopher Pyne, who will square off against Andrew Robb and possibly Julie Bishop for the deputy leadership, said: "There's no need for us to hang on to old shibboleths. The Liberal Party is not wedded to policies from the previous government."

On the ABC's Lateline last night, Mr Pyne agreed Mr Howard had stayed too long. "No Liberal candidate could look in the mirror and say the leadership of John Howard was not the central factor on Saturday," Mr Pyne said.

Senior Liberals also agreed the Coalition had to abandon its opposition to ratifying the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.

Senator Minchin, the Liberal Party powerbroker and former minister, revealed he had urged Mr Howard to step down in March last year when he marked his 10th anniversary as prime minister. It is understood he pressed Mr Downer to urge Mr Howard to stand down at the time, but Mr Downer was reluctant to do so.

Mr Downer did not start pressuring Mr Howard until this year, and he said last night he did so "more than once". But he added that Peter Costello never had the numbers to defeat Mr Howard.

Senator Minchin said yesterday: "It's always difficult to win five terms, and so I did seek in him [Mr Howard] retiring on top at the 10th anniversary of our government in order to ensure he did not face what regrettably has now occurred."

In contrast to the turmoil of his opponents, the prime minister-elect, Kevin Rudd, got on with the business of government - and warned the Senate not to stand in his way because he had a clear mandate for change.

Mr Rudd said his education revolution would be the priority of his first cabinet meeting next week. He also announced a meeting with the premiers within three months to discuss health, and has already received advice about ratifying the Kyoto Protocol.

Abolishing Work Choices would be the first legislative action next year, he said, and some Liberals who are threatening to oppose it, such as Senator George Brandis, would do so at their peril.

"I thought the Australian people had a fairly clear message on that only a couple of days ago," Mr Rudd said.

Unlike his colleagues, Senator Brandis says Mr Rudd has no mandate to get rid of Work Choices.

While Mr Howard continued to lie low, a tearful Mr Vaile accepted his share of the blame for the election loss and stepped down as Nationals leader. The party will select a new leader this week.

Coalition sources said Mr Abbott did not have a hope in the Liberal leadership contest, and the fight would be between Mr Turnbull and Dr Nelson, who has spent years cultivating the back bench. Dr Nelson and Mr Abbott declared themselves candidates for the leadership yesterday.

Mr Abbott, renowned for offending people, lauded his "reasonably good people skills" as an attribute. He said his aggressive nature was required to hold Labor to account and he would try to end the "destructive" factionalism in the party, especially in NSW.

Mr Turnbull welcomed the competition as eagerness to renew. "We've been walloped by the electorate, but we have got to get off the mat and get started," Mr Turnbull said. "We can win in 2010, but we can't waste time." Mr Turnbull, who argued unsuccessfully in cabinet for the Kyoto Protocol to be ratified, said Mr Rudd had a mandate to do so, and "I don't think anybody can reasonably oppose that".

Mr Downer, a former Coalition leader and foreign minister, said he was not enthusiastic about another stretch in Opposition and would not seek a leadership position. He is likely to move to the back bench to consider whether to remain in politics. Joe Hockey, who had responsibility for Work Choices in the government, ruled out a leadership tilt, but said he would serve on the front bench.

Bitter that the party did not heed his warnings, Peter Costello will stay as a backbencher until he finds a job in the private sector.

Dr Nelson, a veteran of the Howard era, took a chip at Mr Turnbull's three years in politics. Dr Nelson said he had both the energy and the experience to lead.

Mr Rudd will announce his ministry this week and yesterday had a 15-minute phone call with Maxine McKew, who deposed Mr Howard in Bennelong.

New Australian Prime Minster, Kevin Rudd, head of Labour Party

This past Sunday night Kevin Rudd, head of the Australian Labour Party became Prime Minister of Australia. Congratulations Kevin and your great team at the ALP.

Media Release - Greens Shred Work Choices - 16th November 2007

Greens candidates Craige McWhirter and Conny Harris joined one of the
party’s Senate candidates, David Shoebridge to shred a copy of John
Howard's WorkChoices legislation outside Tony Abbott's office in Manly.

Mr Shoebridge said: "As a lawyer practicing in employment and industrial
law I see on a daily basis how unfair the Howard Government's
WorkChoices laws are.

“John Howard’s industrial relations legislation is making life much
harder for working Australians and there is no evidence it has created
jobs or increased productivity.

"Kevin Rudd said he'd rip up WorkChoices, but now he's back flipped and
wants to keep most of it, including individual contracts. Labor wants
‘WorkChoices Lite’.

“The Greens are determined to immediately abolish the Australian
Building and Construction Commission, restore union rights of entry and
reinvigorate the industrial relations commission.

"We also want to scrap AWAs and protect all workers from unfair
dismissal," Mr Shoebridge said.

Mr McWhirter said “Re-electing Greens Senator Kerry Nettle is essential
if Australia is to have any hope of restoring fairness to the industrial
relations system.

“Greens balance of power in the senate will take away from an incoming
Rudd Labor government any excuse for not repealing all of WorkChoices.

“It is vital that John Howard’s control of the senate comes to an end.
The only way that can happen is with more Greens in the senate because
Labor cannot win back control on its own.

“The people the Northern Beaches want to see an end to WorkChoices and
voting Greens is the best way to do it,” Dr Conny Harris said.


For more information:
Conny Harris - 0432643295
Craige McWhirter - 0415958783
David Shoebridge - 0408 113 952

--
Craige McWhirter - Re-energising Mackellar!
0415958783
Greens Candidate for Mackellar

Politics should go by board, by Phillip Adams - 13th November 2007

REMEMBER them changing the guard at Buckingham Palace? Christopher Robin went down with Alice. Will we enjoy a similar spectacle in Australia when guards of all sorts change after a Rudd victory on Saturday week?

That most spectacular variation on Wentworth-style branch stacking, the board of the ABC, comes to mind. When you look for a pattern of government-friendly appointments, only the Bush administration's Supreme Court comes close. The Harris Street headquarters in Sydney may as well be run by Quadrant or the H.R. Nicholls Society.

Kevin Rudd will face a problem with precedent. No sooner had Paul Keating organised the anointing of Brian Johns as the ABC's big cheese than John Howard won his first federal election and the new PM promptly appointed his closest friend as chairman. Johns lost his Canberra power base and found himself answering to the diplomatic and basically decent Donald McDonald. This was, clearly, an untenable situation for both men. And the new chairman found himself facing a roomful of ALP appointees and, worse, a staff-elected director.

I thought McDonald's elevation a good move. He'd have the PM's ear and, with his track record in arts administration, would, I argued, be a buffer between a vengeful Government and the ABC staff. Which is how McDonald began and ended his terms of office. It was what happened in the middle - the Jonathan Shier fiasco - that did the damage. It seemed important to build a bridge between McDonald and Johns. Knowing them both, I volunteered. What, I asked the chairman, might help?

First, scouts honour, McDonald asked me to ask Johns to "do up his shirt buttons at board meetings". It seemed the marvellously rumpled chief executive, an unmade bed on legs, neglected to do so and his ample tummy would loll on the board table. This offended his dapper chairman's sensibilities.

The other issue? Would I suggest to Johns that he ask a couple of the board to resign so the Howard Government could appoint replacements? This, McDonald felt, would take much of the tension out of the Government's relationship with the public broadcaster.

To his credit, McDonald had felt it decent to proffer his resignation from a number of NSW's arts organisations when Bob Carr was elected premier in 1995. The premier's response was civilised: he declined to accept them. When Howard won a year later, I too resigned from all government jobs, such as my board membership of the proposed National Museum. Keating had offered me the chairmanship, but I doubted Australia would get the museum if I stuck around.

(From day one, Howard started clearing the decks of Labor appointees, such as forcing the resignation of Janet Holmes a Court from the body preparing the celebrations for Australia's centenary of Federation. Holmes a Court's job went to Dick Smith, a Howard favourite until he began attacking the Government over aviation safety.)

I passed on McDonald's requests to Johns, whose shirts remained unbuttoned. Nor did any board member fall on his sword. It took a process of attrition to replace the Labor-leaning ABC with one in Howard's image. This branch-stacking not only continued but also showed an ideological escalation with the recent additions of Janet Albrechtsen and Keith Windschuttle. And as well as the stacking there was the sacking of staff-elected director Quentin Dempster.

Let it be said, however, that the dark days of Shier have not returned, that before he left the building McDonald succeeded in calming down the place and the audience. Russell Balding was a good interregnum managing director while the newie, Mark Scott, though warmly endorsed by conservative columnist Gerard Henderson, seems to be respected by the staff.

And, though a constant target of right-wing criticism, I'm still there at the ABC. The board and I have, it would seem, a simple arrangement. We simply ignore each other. If the culture wars are raging at the ABC, neither Albrechtsen nor Windschuttle has demanded heads on plates. Television ratings are through the roof, largely thanks to the risk-taking irreverence of The Chaser's War on Everything. Has the incumbent board gone troppo? Many in Howard's ministry argued that McDonald allowed himself to be seduced by the ABC and had gone over to the dark side. I await Albrechtsen's next opinion page column and Windschuttle's first edition of Quadrant with interest.

A Rudd government would have to deal with the rage of ALP supporters who believe the ABC is in the hands of the enemy. Surely Dempster, the staff-elected director, will be welcomed back. But board appointments? Unless there are a few resignations, it'll take years to change the political balance.

Rudd has a great opportunity to end party-affiliated appointments to the ABC. There are proposals to change the whole approach, to ensure that these crucial jobs go to the most talented irrespective of their political sympathies. Rudd still has time to make an announcement. Meanwhile, the US principle applied when the presidency changes hands, of immediate resignations right across Washington, has its merits. The best and brightest can be reappointed, the rest shown the door.

Media Man Australia Profiles

Phillip Adams

Politics

ABC

Another bad campaign day for PM, by Michelle Grattan - The Age - 28th October 2007

Perhaps he thought if he ignored it, the question would go away. It didn't. Again and again, John Howard was asked about the report in the weekend Australian Financial Review that Malcolm Turnbull had recently urged that the Government, even at this late stage, ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Repeatedly, Howard simply parrotted that what we need is a new agreement.

The political embarrassment in the small shopfront in North Parramatta was palpable. It was one of the bad moments of the Coalition's campaign, of which there are now a few.

For once Howard's Saturday did not take him to Bennelong. Instead he turned up in a Labor seat that the redistribution has made Liberal.

The chances of Liberal candidate for Parramatta Colin Robinson reaching Parliament in the present climate appear zilch, but Robinson has a special claim to fame. He's a member of the Electrical Trades Union ("proudly so," the PM said). That means he shares a kennel of sorts with Dean Mighell.

The ETU is a punching bag for the Government but Robinson can be held up to prove the PM's point that he's not against unions as such — anyway, Robinson has never been an official. (Robinson said people very rarely talk to him about WorkChoices and don't complain about it, which seems rather surprising.)

Howard's day began badly. A Canberra Times poll in the bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro indicated that Special Minister of State Gary Nairn may be headed for a big loss. This was at odds with Liberal polling Howard reported to the party room before Parliament rose. A Nielsen Online national poll had Labor ahead 56-44 per cent.

The PM had no fewer than three press secretaries in attendance for his doorstop in the shopfront. After some Howard words about full employment and union thuggery, questioning soon turned to why he hadn't agreed to Turnbull's proposition. "What we need is a new international agreement … with all of the major emitters," the PM said. He did not talk about what was said in cabinet, he said, relaunching into the need for a new international agreement, a line he delivered at least half a dozen times.

Howard's (and later Turnbull's) failure to deny it has effectively confirmed the report about Turnbull's proposal. It is very damaging for the Government, showing ministers divided over what has been a key difference between Labor and the Coalition. Turnbull also emerges publicly as the good guy on climate change, something that won't endear him to a few of his colleagues.

The proposal apparently came up as ministers cast around for ways to improve the Government's fortunes as it headed to the election. It is not that surprising it was rejected. It would have gone back on what the Government has said for years. Whether such a last-minute repentance would have done much good is questionable anyway — it might have just been seen as total expediency. But that it was discussed is a measure of the Government's concern about the climate change issue, and its wider situation.

Asked whether he was worried about electoral defeat, Howard scoffed yesterday, asking for the next question. That was when David Luff, one of the press secretaries, decided enough was enough, and ended the news conference.

The PM soon made for his car, telling journalists to go and see the new anti-union power ad Joe Hockey was launching. Then he sped off. We are left to speculate about who leaked the Kyoto story — in which Turnbull declined to comment on the cabinet discussion but agreed that there were arguments for such a "symbolic" move — and with what motive.

The cabinet has usually been nearly leak proof. Perhaps some are now writing the history before what they see as a likely defeat.

Candidates to face off at public forum - St George and Sutherland Shire Leader - 25th October 2007

Voters will have a chance to see candidates for the seat of Cook in action at a public forum on climate change next week.

Liberal candidate Scott Morrison will face Labor's Mark Buttigieg and the Greens' Naomi Waizer at Hazelhurst Regional Gallery on Tuesday at 7.30pm.

Mr Buttigieg has been hailed by the Sutherland Climate Action Network as being "well ahead of his own party" on climate change.

Forum organiser Jonathan Doig said Mr Buttigieg's responses to the environment movement's survey at TheBigSwitch.org.au had been impressive.

"It's exciting to see a local politician openly support what the scientists tell us is necessary, which the vast majority of voters also want," he said.

"We look forward to a lively and informative debate on Tuesday night."

Mr Doig said Mr Morrison had not yet responded to The Big Switch survey, but has agreed to attend the forum. Candidates will present their climate solutions and then face audience questions.

The forum will be introduced by University of NSW renewable energy expert and author Dr Mark Diesendorf.

Details: 7.30pm Tuesday, October 30, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, 782 Kingsway, Gymea. Entry by donation. No bookings needed, 0409 049 185.

Rudd yet to give the nod on Sunday debate, by Stephanie Peatling - The Sydney Morning Herald - 16th October 2007

I was interviewed on ABC Radio Mid North Coast this morning by Fiona Wyllie on this matter. I made it clear to her and the audience that an election is for everyone and not supposed to be elitist, and also that pay TV was a luxury of sorts, and that I in face used to work directly in the pay television industry. In addition, that by Howard wanting the debate to be on pay TV only is yet another example of him being out of touch with everyday Australians, some of which can't afford pay TV.
http://www.abc.net.au/midnorthcoast


Two national television networks are busily making arrangements for a debate between the two leaders to take place this Sunday night, but whether the Labor leader, Kevin Rudd, will turn up has yet to be confirmed.

The ABC and Sky TV are preparing for a 90-minute debate between the Prime Minister, John Howard, and Mr Rudd that will be organised by the National Press Club.

The ABC is planning to broadcast the debate live on television, radio and the internet from 7.30pm, with commercial networks also expected to show it.

Although Mr Howard is keen for the encounter, Mr Rudd refuses to say whether he will be there. Mr Rudd wants three debates, including one on industrial relations, over the campaign.
"Let's be fair dinkum about this," Mr Rudd said.

"If you get to this Saturday or Sunday, at the end of the first week of a six-week campaign, will all of Mr Howard's policies be on the table? No, will all of our policies be on the table? No."
Mr Rudd also wants to establish an independent commission to set the terms of election debates. He said it was "silly and just wrong for the government of the day … to set the rules, the timing and the contents of the debate".

But Mr Howard scoffed at the idea saying it was "the bureaucrat coming out in Mr Rudd, rather than the leader".

He is unlikely to change his mind and agree to any further debates.

A letter from the federal director of the Liberal Party, Brian Loughnane, to his Labor counterpart, Tim Gartrell, put no less than 15 stipulations on the debate.

The Great Hall of Parliament House will be the venue for Sunday night's debate. A panel of five journalists will be chosen by the National Press Club.

Sky TV confirmed the political editor of its news channel, David Speers,would moderate the debate.

The Greens leader, Bob Brown, weighed in, saying there should be three debates and he, too, should participate.

"There are many issues where Labor and the Coalition have exactly the same position … The Greens are the real opposition and should be included in the debates," Senator Brown said.

The Greens - Craige McWhirter - Solar power to Re-energise Mackellar - 22nd August 2007

This weekend I will commence my campaign to “Re-energise Mackellar” by taking renewable energy to the people of Sydney’s northern beaches Mackellar electorate.

By powering common household items, I will be bringing home the practical reality of solar power at Winnermerey Bay on Saturday, from 10-4pm and Avalon Markets on Sunday, from 10-4pm.

I’ll be taking an array of 6 solar panels to public parks, providing an opportunity for people to get hands on experience with solar power. The panels will be running a variety of household electrical goods, such as televisions, water pumps, DVD's, computers and even a Nintendo Wii console.

By taking renewable energy out to the public, I will be demonstrating the viability of renewable energy to the general public and commencing my efforts to re-energise the electorate of Mackellar.

Once people begin to become familiar with renewable energy, they will realise that climate change is not an economic cost but an economic opportunity that this nation cannot afford to miss.

By failing to make renewable energy affordable to the average Australian, Bronwyn Bishop and the Howard government have failed the Australian people by placing their ideological faith in iron-age fuels such as coal and the ironically named "clean coal" before the best advice of our leading scientists and economists who are advocating national investment into renewable energy.

The Greens believe that the transition to renewable energy can provide a jobs-rich era of sustainable economic prosperity. It's an opportunity that we can't afford to miss out on.
More information: Craige McWhirter, 0415958783

Media Man Australia Politics

Profiles

Media Man Australia Politics

Media Man Australia Environmentalists and the environment

Best Regards
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia
e: greg@mediaman.com.au
w: www.mediaman.com.au

Media Man Australia Politics Profile Updated

Our friend Penny Wynne was mentioned in The Manly Daily again today

Penny Wynne profile

Politics profile

Manly For Families Blog

Politics Profile Update

The Media Man Australia Politics profiles have been updated:
Media Man Australia Politics

Political Media Updates

I would suggest that politics will take a place in the following news stories

Virgin Star vs Virgin Group of Companies - Network Nine 'A Current Affair'

Michelle Leslie - 'The Bulletin' - Markson Sparks - Messages On Hold - Shane Warne

Virgin Star vs Virgin Group of Companies - ABC, Channel Seven 'Today Tonight', Australian Financial Review 'Rear Window', BBC, Virgin Radio, Media Channel, New York Times, Washington Post

More news soon.

Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia
e: greg@mediaman.com.au
w: www.mediaman.com.au

Protests - Manly Beach This Friday, Free Beaches For All, IR etc

Help keep Australian beaches free for all.

Join us this Friday at Manly Beach to protest against Manly Council.

It will be "Blood On The Sand" and "Beach Blast 2005".

Remember, "Sack the Council!"

Tell Crikey Media, ABC, SMH, The Tele, Nine (ACA and Today), ...anyone. Read all about it!

IR is big news and so is keeping Australian beaches free for all. Go People Power!

Best Regards
Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia

Member: Manly For Families

Media Update

For more information contact:

Greg Tingle
Director
Media Man Australia

Is New Orleans the beginning of the end of the war in Iraq? Margot Kingston's Web Diary

Is New Orleans the beginning of the end of the war in Iraq? Margot Kingston's Web Diary

I guess there's not any oil in New Oleans. I didn't see too many celebs standing on the roofs there either. At least they got Fats Domino out of there, and Channel Nine did there little thing...made great tv, for the right price. Pity they left behind 20 other Australians! Network Nine can get a few Aussies out of the mess, but the Australian Government can't get people out of there. Is this the new WaterGate? Suitable name. The Flood gates may have opened to the impeaching of President Bush. Someone needs to tip off John Howard and George Bush...perhaps they should use Howard Baer's www.theanonymousemail.com After all, Howard established www.politics.com Amercian appears to be its own worst enemy. Perhaps Iraq and China may want to give the Yanks a helping hand?!

The Dos and Don’ts of Disaster Relief -Sydney Morning Herald - Radar blog

The Dos and Don’ts of Disaster Relief -Sydney Morning Herald - Radar blog

What is it going to take to get George Bush the ass?

Ok, he knows there's WMD's in Iraq, because his government sold them into there, we have another Vietnam going on, and now he can't clean up his own backyard, and the world was focusing on Bali and Live8 a few months ago.

Here's an interesting exercise...grab a copy of the bible, read some of the quatrains of Nostradamus, witness world events, and compare the "coincidences".

Howard Baer from www.theanonymousemail.com has invented a great way to top of politicians and such about all sorts of matters, without fear of repercussion.

Who are those 3 anti-christs anyway?

My mate Steve Cooke in Scotland must have known something when he established www.worlddisasterhelp.org

Bob Winstead in the US from "Entrepreneurs" fame did well to establish www.unity05.com

Something tells me that Red Cross is going to be very busy in the coming days, weeks, months and years. At least people with too much money can find plenty to spend it on these days.

Stay tuned for more big news.

Best Regards
Greg Tingle

Sexing up the election - Sydney Morning Herald - Radar

As appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald

Kissing babies is so five minutes ago. With this election, the accessory for the debonair pollie is not a screaming rugrat to plant a wet one on, but a secret sordid past, writes Georgia Lewis.

Why risk catching a day-care centre cold when you can tell the world how you kissed someone other than your wife instead?

The member for Parramatta, Ross Cameron, apparently tired of the hypocrisy of his Mr Family Values persona, thought confession might be good for the soul - and the poll - and admitted to an affair with "an exotic solicitor". Whether the voters are as forgiving as his wife remains to be seen, but maybe he thought he'd catch some Bill Clinton-style charisma as a result. Like the revelations of former prime minister John Major's affair in Britain, it does make one look at a seemingly boring guy in a new light.

Mark Latham copped a mouthful from his former wife about what a terrible husband he was. There was tittle-tat about whether the relationships with his first and second wives overlapped and others came out of the woodwork with claims about a raunchy buck's night video. Latham made a tearful plea to leave his family alone, but maybe wasn't that embarrassed when he said: "Can I give you the breaking news? I had an active love life before marriage."

There was a certain swagger about him as he went on to say that it'd be big news if he didn't have an active love life as a single man. Especially as John Howard lived at home until his wedding day at age 32. It was Latham's big chance to win the blokes' vote by coming across as a skirt-chasing legend, a connoisseur of western suburbs strippers and a wearer of breast-festooned barbecue aprons.

Whether this will work for Latham remains to be seen. It's just another one to add to their list of differences. Will Aussies go for a bloke who put it about a bit? Or will we stick with a bloke who probably tucks his singlet into his freshly ironed underpants?

Whatever the case, pollies' secret pasts at least make this already tedious campaign a little bit more interesting. If only we were allowed to enjoy the skeletons in the closet of female politicians in the same way, instead of seeing them burned at the stake a la Cheryl Kernot. Seriously, folks, we haven't evolved that much at all.

Greg Tingle's (that's me) published comments...

Sex sells...even in politics. The exception proves the rule, and the exception is this case in John Howard. Look at what happened in the California Recall election. When the Arnold "scandal" broke re : Oiu Magazine interview, his popularity went up. Some other sexy and entrepreneurial candidates also got a decent media guernsey including Abner Zurd (Lori Fontanes, film maker), Mary Carey (adult actor) and Larry Flint (adult industry entrepreneur). Arnold Schwarzenegger proved to be the complete package. It appears that Ronald Regan had the formula of charisma, acting, sexy charm and smarts, right all along, and others have followed.

Article: Businessman risks jail for e-mail secrecy, by Jessica Coomes

Businessman risks jail for e-mail secrecy
Web site owner says he won't tell on user

Jessica Coomes
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 23, 2005 12:00 AM

SCOTTSDALE - A Web site that would be nothing without its anonymity is being compelled to reveal the name of a customer.

But the site's founder would just as soon go to jail as unmask the user.

TheAnonymousEmail.com, based in Scottsdale, lets subscribers send e-mails without attaching their names.

One anonymous user sent e-mails to several employees of Mobilisa Inc. in Washington state, and attorneys for the company secured a subpoena this month to force the Web site to expose the sender.

"I won't give up my company. I won't give up this person's name," said founder Howard Baer of Scottsdale, who's expecting contempt of court charges. "If I have to go to jail, that's what I'll do. I haven't had a vacation this year anyway."

Mobilisa, which develops mobile devices for the government and military, did not want to comment on an active case.

If the content of the anonymous e-mails had threatened someone's life, Baer said he'd be the first to reveal the name. But as far as Baer can tell, the e-mails exposed a couple's affair.

"Is it a nice thing to do? I guess that's anyone's opinion," Baer, 63, said.

"Is it illegal? No."

Baer has started several companies and now operates four. He wouldn't say how many people subscribe to TheAnonymousEmail.com, which has four employees.

The site has been up since the end of April and has been threatened with legal action four to five times, Baer said. But this is the first time the threats have come to fruition.

"If we beat this one," Baer said, "I think it'll hold off anyone else."

PRESS RELEASE: COURT ORDERS THE ANONYMOUS EMAIL.COM TO TURN OVER SUBSCRIBERS NAME AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

COURT ORDERS THE ANONYMOUS EMAIL.COM TO TURN OVER SUBSCRIBERS NAME AND PERSONAL INFORMATION.

AnonymousEmail. President refuses to cooperate citing First Amendment Rights

Scottsdale, AZ, August 16, 2005-www.TheAnonymousEmail.com has received a subpoena from Mobilisa, Inc, a developer of mobile and wireless services for the government and military. The subpoena demanded that the anonymous web site disclose the identity of a subscriber who sent an anonymous email to several Mobilisa employees containing a love letter written by one of Mobilisa’s officers to his girlfriend. It appears that the officer is married and the AnonymousEmail sender also emailed a copy to his wife.

On July 15, 2005, Howard R. Baer, founder of TheAnonymousEmail.com, was contacted by the prestigious Washington DC law firm, Preston, Gates and Ellis, requesting all information regarding the identity of the subscriber be saved pending the subpoena. TheAnonymousEmails attorney filed an objection to the subpoena stating that there was no evident reason for the company to turn over its records and that doing so would jeopardize the very existence of TheAnonymousEmail.com.

Baer stated, “If there was a crime committed or someone’s life was threatened, we may consider the request, but from what I can determine the man got caught and is somewhat upset. I have all intentions of maintaining the integrity of our web site and the anonymity of our subscribers and I have no intentions of giving up their name.”

About www.TheAnonymousEmail.com

TheAnonymousEmail.com is operated by The Suggestion Box, Inc., a privately held corporation headquartered in Scottsdale, AZ. The Anonymous Email was created as a new vehicle of self expression. In the spirit of the First Amendment, it aspires to extend the freedom of speech to everyone, without forcing anyone to identify themselves.

Corporate contact Media Contact:

TheAnonymousEmail.com Melanie McBride

Howard Baer Tel: 480-773-7754

Tel: 480-385-3850 Cell: 480-862-9094

Email-hrbaer@aol.com Email: Melanie@Mcbridecomm.com