I know it is a coalition but Bishop now has to step aside for Truss
because that is the way the coalition works.

So, why don't they have a NP as a deputy when in Opposition ?

Because it seems that Bishop has done all the hard yards for a few years now
but is now going to be Foreign Minister.

Abbott and her were a good team, with others, shame to split it up.

A good thing indeed. If arrivals aren't publicised, how will people know whether he has really stopped the boats or not? :=

Nothing wrong with being Foreign Minister; you get some great jaunts...sorry, overseas fact finding missions :E. She should be good. I wonder if she'll need to take her husband so he can talk to men about issues, a la Bob Carr :E? His absence on the nightly news will be another bright spot.

Exactly, chuboy.

MTOW, if they stem the people smugglers' trade l'll be cheering alongside you, though possibly for different reasons. However, if they don't, then people need to hear about it. The Libs' assurance on this issue was a key election promise, so they should be kept to account on it.

Whenever a government (any government, usually state) announces that they don't want to publicise a particular law and order issue I get deeply suspicious. It often means that they want to shove an out-of-control problem under the rug :suspect:.

The 'we don't want to encourage copycats' argument is valid enough wrt teenage nuisance offences like train surfing et al, but it does get overused when the community is annoyed about an issue (these days usually an un-PC one involving one of several ethnic groups) the Police Minister either can't or won't deal with.

Anyway, we'll see. If they can fix the issue, great. If they can't? :uhoh:
Time will tell.

Interestingly, the fact that he is wealthy appears to have contributed to his appeal. A fair bit of disillusionment out there about career pollies in it for the perks who never get anything done for the country.

To see someone who already has billions in assets, nice cars, private jets and all the rest, running for parliament - it's reasonable to think they really are in it to provoke change and not to line their pockets.

I do agree he should liven up the years to come if nothing else :p

Timing is perfect.
Abbott has released a statement on AS a few minutes ago.

Still talking tough.

Smugglers may test our resolve: Abbott
Smugglers may test our resolve: Abbott

Prime minister-elect Tony Abbott expects people smugglers to test his government's resolve but insists the coalition is determined to end their trade.
Mr Abbott promised during the election campaign that in the first 100 days of a coalition government a three-star military commander will be tasked with leading asylum seeker boat operations under what he calls Operation Sovereign Borders.
He now says that will begin the day his government is sworn in, which is expected to happen early next week.
"I think the people smugglers now know that things are going to be very, very different in this country and in the seas to our north," Mr Abbott told Fairfax Radio on Monday.
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"It wouldn't surprise me if they attempt to test the new government's resolve but they will certainly find our determination more than equal to theirs."
He warned that asylum seekers coming by boat would also find a "very different situation" in Australia.
"One of the things that will happen very swiftly is that people who come here illegally by boat, even those who might ultimately be found to be refugees, will not get permanent residency of our country," Mr Abbott said.
His comments come as the first asylum boat was intercepted hours after he was elected prime minister.
The boat, carrying 88 passengers and two crew, was spotted by a border patrol aircraft northwest of Darwin on Sunday.

I am heartily sick and tired of the hypocrites. Several politicians have whinged about Palmer spending a lot of money on his campaign. So what? As The Liberals, Nationals, ALP, Greens all spent a lot of money, I can't understand what there are on about. But the one big spender was a certain heiress and noted right-winger who gave $50,000 to help Barnaby Joyce transfer to the Lower House. Will said heiress be 'pulling strings' when BJ becomes Deputy PM?

Re Bishop/Truss: (unless the Libs make a change in the deputy leadership this week -highly unlikely), I think Julie Bishop remains deputy leader of the Liberal Party, but Truss, as leader of the National Party and the leader of the minor Party making up the Coalition, is Deputy Prime Minister. As far as I'm aware, it's always been that way. I wasn't aware that Bishop held a deputy leader of the Opposition position that was senior, or even equal to Truss' position while they were in opposition.

WitW, I tend to agree with you in your comments about government secrecy. The only time a government of any persuasion wants to keep information from the public is when that information is embarrassing to the government. The only positive spin I could put on Abbott's comment about not publicising boat arrivals (and I admit, it's a huge stretch, bordering on - no, way past - not even remotely credible), is if he is trying to regain John Howard's promise of giving us a boring life without day to day crises.

It's one thing for Tony Abbott to say "asylum seekers will find things have changed"; it's something else for him to institute policies that will actually bring that promise/threat to fruition, particularly with a well-oiled (and to date, taxpayer-funded) human rights machine waiting in the wings to challenge him and appeal at every step along the way.

There you have it; TPVs. They worked last time and I was never against the concept (though it's hated by human rights advocates). It will be interesting to see if they're as effective this time around.

One thing is certain over the next 4 years.

We will hear a lot of bleating and screaming from the lefties
and the human rights advocates.

Andu said
"human rights machine waiting in the wings to challenge him and appeal"

I think Abbott is going to remove a fair amount of the appeals that are available to them. I read today that the right of appeal against an ASIO assessment will be removed.

Craig T is due in front of the Melbourne Magistrates tomorrow,10th. First of the dominos etc ?

"Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose".

Mark Abib, Bob Carr, Sam Dasyari and Paul Howes. All nominated or about to be nominated for a senate seat by the Australian Labour Party.

Looks as if Kevin's reforms have not lasted too long.

Abib and Howes? :ugh::ugh:
Hope the ALP like being on the Opposition benches then.

Someone said that Carr might resign his Senate seat and move on.

Anyone heard anything along these lines ?

I believe that's where the Howes link comes from ........ Carr resigning that is.

I don't think Craig T can count on much support from his Labor cronies now.

The ABC is reporting that an American journalist and his Dutch photographer, both with passports and tourist visas, were aboard the last country shopper boat to arrive. They're also reporting that the pair have been arrested. I wonder why? If you have a valid visa and present yourself at a Customs and Immigration port, (as I can only assume Christmas is), surely you're not breaking any law? Or am I missing something?

The media reports I have read said since they had normal and correct entry documentation they were processed through the normal Customs and Immigration point and where they go from there is up to them.

So it will be interesting to see what is the truth.

Aiding and abetting? Particularly if they witnessed the destruction of passports and other documentation on board.

I'd have thought that if they reported, and even better, photographed the so-called asylum seekers doing that, they should be congratulated.

On suspicion of making the government look dorky. :E

Seriously? I'd have to read through the Migration and Customs Acts to be sure (and being Shiraz o'clock, that ain't gonna happen :}) but IIRC...if you intend to arrive in Australia by boat (such as an ocean going yacht) or private aircraft, you are obliged to notify DIAC, Customs and DAFF prior to your arrival and organize to meet with them.

If you are not arriving in a designated customs port (there's a list in the regs) you must get their permission prior to landing. This usually involves agreeing to pay a transport cost to get the relevant officers to your arrival point.

I guess they could argue that they reasonably believed that the ship's captain had organized all that and the whole thing would get messier than the Birdsville Races (and attract more adverse publicity :ouch:), so the government's probably wisely decided not to go there.

That's as I remember it, anyway. :8