Of Mandarins & Minions. - Printable Version

Of Mandarins & Minions. - Printable Version

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RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Gobbledock - 04-02-2017

In another piece of 'not surprising' Australian bad news it appears we have made it to the number 1 position when it comes to money laundering and Realestate. Seems the Government has yet another clusterf#ck to add to its list of incompetence and screwup's. While Goldman Sachs Turdball, Fuehrer Morrison and the cigar smoking Dutchman are busy getting us into deeper debt, raiding Pensioners ashtrays for a few coins and making single mothers of handicapped children leave their disabled child while forcing them to go to work, the Chinese and others are allowed to wash their dirty money clean down under, inflating house prices and ensuring that out kids and grand kids will never be able to buy so much as a dog kennel on a pile of dirt;

Australia Has The World's Worst Money-Laundering Property Market

by Tyler Durden
Apr 1, 2017 8:13 PM

Authored by Leith van Onselen via MacroBusiness.com.au,

Transparency International has released a new report, entitled Doors Wide Open: Corruption and Real Estate in Four Key Markets, which has identified Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA as the top four spots targeted by corrupt officials or criminals for real estate crime.

Australia is the worst, failing to address 10-out-of-10 loopholes.

Below are the key extracts:

The real estate market has long provided a way for individuals to secretly launder or invest stolen money and other illicitly gained funds… According to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), real estate accounted for up to 30 per cent of criminal assets confiscated worldwide between 2011 and 2013…

In many such cases, property is purchased through anonymous shell companies or trusts without undergoing proper due diligence by the professionals involved in the deal. The ease with which such anonymous companies or trusts can acquire property and launder money is directly related to the insufficient rules and enforcement practices in attractive markets…

This assessment identifies the following 10 main problems that have enabled corrupt individuals and other criminals to easily purchase luxurious properties anonymously and hide their stolen money in Australia, Canada, the UK and the US:
Inadequate coverage of anti-money laundering provision
Identification of the beneficial owners of legal entities, trusts and other legal arrangements is still not the norm
Foreign companies have access to the real estate market with few requirements or checks
Over-reliance on due diligence checks by financial institutions leads to cash transactions going unnoticed
Insufficient rules on suspicious transaction reports and weak implementation
Weak or no checks on politically exposed persons and their associates
Limited control over professionals who can engage in real estate transactions: no “fit and proper” test
Limited understanding of and action on money laundering risks in the sector
Inconsistent supervision
Lack of sanctions

Australia has severe deficiencies under all 10 areas identified in the research and is therefore not in line with any of the commitments to tackle corruption and money laundering in real estate made in international forums.

In Australia, real estate agents are not subject to the provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering and CounterTerrorism Financing Act 2006. Other professionals such as lawyers and accountants who may also play a role in the sector are not covered either. This means that properties can be bought and sold without any due diligence on the parties. Currently there are no requirements for real estate agents or any professional involved in real estate deals to submit STRs, even if they suspect illegal activity is taking place, and there are no requirements or rules for verifying whether customers are PEPs or their close associates…

In Australia, Canada and the US, the current anti-money laundering framework shows a tendency to rely on financial institutions to conduct the necessary background checks on real estate transactions… there are no checks on cash transactions.

In Australia, 70 per cent of Chinese buyers pay in cash and they represent the largest proportion of foreign purchases in the country.

What a complete and utter disgrace. Legislation to implement the second tranche of anti-money laundering (AML) legislation covering real estate gate keepers has been gathering dust for nearly a decade despite explicit criticism from the global regulator, the Paris-based Financial Action Taskforce (FATF), that Australian homes are a haven for laundered funds, particularly from China, as well as similar warnings from Austrac.

In the meantime, dodgy Chinese money has piled into Australian property, in the process inflating house prices and pricing young Australians out of home ownership.

When will Australia’s politicians finally take action and end more than a decade of neglect by bringing Australia’s real estate gatekeepers into the AML net – as demanded by FATF and Austrac, promised by the federal government in 2003, and intended when the AML legislation was first drafted in 2006?

Or will the Australian Government continue to turn a blind eye to the dirty foreign money flooding into Australian property?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-04-01/australia-has-worlds-worst-money-laundering-property-market

The lucky country hey, where a house is not affordable, where $300 a week in food won't feed your family, where $100k per year is an average salary for 2 parents working full time and it still won't won't pay the bills, where the average brand new shitbox Korean inported car cost over $20k, where the cost of fuel and electricity is some of the dearest in the world, where it is dearer to buy a house in Mackay than it is in New York. And isn't it funny how the ATO will come after an Aussie for putting a tax return in one day late or for claiming a pair of Raybans as a work expense, yet every town in Australia has Chinese shops, businesses, markets, all carrying signs on the counter of 'Cash Only', yet nothing ever gets done about that......

Tick Tock

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Gobbledock - 05-05-2017

Of PM's, lap dogs and imbeciles

Team Turnbull outdid themselves this week. Below is just a small snapshot of the past weeks assclownery;

Malcolm the debt maestro visits the white shoe brigade;

So what does an ex Goldman Sachs bankster do when he visits the new neocon President in New York? Of course, he visits his brethren on Wall Street. Malcolm 'Goldman Sachs' Turdball will be revisiting his grass roots and rubbing shoulders with Wall Street today. I wonder what discussions they will be having? I know, Malcolm will be saying;
"It's ok boys, Australia supports the military industrial complex and we will be borrowing more money from you Banksters to pay for more war machines. It's a win win for the elite. More debt for Australia means more money we need to borrow which in turn makes your ruling elite even richer because it is you who loan is the money or buys our treasury bonds. Yes I support you". Isn't it interesting how ex Goldman Sachs people are becoming Presidents and Prime Ministers around the world, how they rule the Federal reserve, how they can't resist putting their countries further into debt? Coincidence? Hardly. Conspiracy? Nope. Fact? Yes. Reason? Same mindset and methodology - borrow from the Banksters and make them very very rich. You can enjoy watching our national debt grow by the second at the below link. Half a trillion dollars and rising;

http://www.australiandebtclock.com.au

Snot Morrison;
Speaking of debt, how is this for a load of bullshit, Scott Morrison's good debt/bad debt propaganda;

https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2017/04/abc-morrisons-good-debt-bad-debt-budget-fiddle/

Not to be outdone by Malcolm, used car salesmen Snot Morrison couldn't but help promulgate the need to bury ourselves in high levels of debt. What a complete and utter douchebag.
Speaking of douchebags;

Barn head Joyce;
More taxpayer wastage by the todger photographer. - Barnaby has recently engaged on a $25 million waste of money moving by public servants to Tamworth. Shit Barnaby, I guess it's just taxpayer money. Fuck it, add it to our national debt, what's another $25m? And while you're at it, I see another failure of you and your beloved Nationals is the white spot prawn issue in Queensland;

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/white-spot-prawn-disease-farmers-fury-at-failure-to-test-imports/news-story/8784dad2cc5edbf9b328fba6b1ce4738

No worries, only $30m and counting. Prawn farms destroyed, farmers livings destroyed, a food source being destroyed, and you didn't have the balls to even show up in Queensland to discuss it. Twat

That's just a wee sample of this weeks political ineptitude. We didn't add the ongoing bitch slapping between Turdball and Abbott, PETA Crudlin sticking her nose into other peoples business again, and of course Bill Short'one avoiding the still foul smelling Union/Gillard/AWU mischief.

And you wonder why CAsA and the other aviation bureaucracies barely rate a mention......

TICK TOCK

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 05-16-2017

Sandy still banging the drum on GA decimation - Wink

For and on behalf of Sandy via the Oz in comments:

Quote:Elena

@Quentin @Alexander

In 2014, the Commission of Audit recommended that 65 per cent of government agencies could be rationalised or abolished i.e. some 890 agencies are not needed and if abolished could save $70B annually

(P2 comment: Bye the bye, I believe Elena (above) was quoting from a recent Cory Bernadi blog: Coalition's Labor Budget)

Alexander

Elena thank you for information, putting a number on it is important to give us scale.

That amount of saving alone would likely reduce the deficit substantially. Not to mention the economic boost by reducing red tape, cutting fees for unnecessary regulatory permits and dispensing of bureaucratic time delay. As just one example, for anyone who thinks that in the main permissions are reasonable, here is typical situation.

A senior flight instructor wishes to restart a flying school at a regional airport, the previous incumbent works for the Civil Aviation Safety Authority in the area of permissions. A fee of $8000 upfront is required to process the application in accordance with a supposedly standard CASA model operations manual. Twelve months later and much binding in the marsh still not done.

Repeat this scenario thousands of times by all the other 'independent' Commonwealth Corporate bodies, Departments and hundreds of other instrumentalities to appreciate the pervasive magnitude of our dysfunctional system.

Regarding flying school example, in the US of A no such permission required, and many US pilots ply their skills in Australian skies if proof were needed to justify what commonsense tells us. We can't afford the present trajectory, also that $70 billion of 2014 would be more like $80 or $90 billion today. Alex

& in reply to a Judith Sloan Oz article:

Alexander

@Jenniffer

Kelly O'Dwyer has no policies of her own any more than most of the Ministers. It's really obvious that the convoluted machinery of the anti free enterprise regulatory bank control system is purely work of the ever more inventive bureaucracy.

Ask how many more highly paid bureaucrats (we don't have public servants any more) will be needed to asses strict compliance to a few thousand pages of new rules that can only be interpreted with force by whim of the all powerful bureaucracy. Shades of our dysfunctional $ black hole Air regulator CASA which is destroying General Aviation. Rule of law? Out the window.

Follow the money as it is being sucked into the 400,000 strong artificial city of Can'tberra.
With apologies to Simon Birmingham who, with little support, is making an effort to prevent the whole country from being totally submerged in a Greek type debt from which recovery is near impossible. Alex in the Rises.

MTF...P2

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Gobbledock - 05-19-2017

'Of minions, millions, malfeasance and mess-ups'

A little breakdown from yet another week in Australian life where Government incompetence gets matched to hundreds of millions of dollars blown;

ATO rort of $165m fraud. This time a senior ATO bureaucrat is implicated in fraudulent activities;

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-18/tax-fraud-allegations-could-risk-investigations-senator-says/8537608

Billion dollar Navy lemons. The Navy and Australian government can now proudly add Navy ships to its list of other lemons - Sea Sprite aircraft at hundreds of millions of dollars and billions of dollars on Collins class submarine lemons.

http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-19/navy-cant-rule-out-design-faults-as-cause-of-ships-problems/8542382?pfmredir=sm

Panama Papers; And on a final note, although the majority of mainstream Presstitutes are being quiet on the Panama Papers, the Simply Marvellous Horse Pooh published this little article;

http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-economy/post-panama-papers-call-to-name-and-shame-people-behind-secret-shell-companies-20170425-gvrz9o.html

Don't forget that our very own Goldman Sachs Turnbull has been mentioned previously as being listed in the Panama Papers. An offshore global rort that is now valued in the trillions.

Oh well, this is politics I guess. Nothing to see here, move on, borrow a few hundred billion more and make sure the elite and oligarchs are protected at all costs.

Tick $$$ Tock

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Kharon - 05-20-2017

There is a solution -

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 05-31-2017

ATP's fund bureaucratic obfuscation in Estimates - UDB.. Confused

Via the Oz:

Quote:Defence pays PR firm $2m to dodge Senator’s questions
Rory Callinan

The Australian

12:00AM May 31, 2017

The Defence Department has paid more than $2 million to a public relations company that gives bureaucrats acting lessons to perform well at Senate estimates hearings.

The Victorian-based company, Media Manoeuvres, has even been featuring a testimonial purportedly from a top-level bureaucrat in the Defence’s Maritime Systems Division, spruiking the training on its website as “a must for all involved in Senate estimates process”.

The bureaucrat is not named but is described as the “chief of staff” for Defence’s Maritime Systems Division.

The division oversees navy and army maritime capability, including the amphibious ships that have been at the centre of major controversy over defective propulsion problems that have taken both vessels out of action for months.

This week in estimates, Defence bureaucrats were required to field questions about problems with the ships, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide, which cost $1.5 billion each.

Since 2004, Media Manoeuvres has received a regular stream of the Defence contracts totalling just more than $2.1 million. The latest contract was to run from October last year to March 28 and was worth $29,647, according to the government tenders website.

The company says its senate estimates course includes theory, performance skills for answering questions, simulations and role-plays, comprehensive playback, trainer review and analysis, individual written reports and a digital download of performances.

A Defence spokesman said some Defence personnel undertook media training to support them in their engagements from time to time with media, and in their appearances at public forums. Training is provided through another department.

The department’s expenditure on coaching has shocked senator Derryn Hinch, who on Monday questioned Defence bureaucrats in the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade estimates hearing about consultant expenditure. “I’m gobsmacked. This is Noddy Land,’’ he said.

“Estimates is designed to show the Australian people some transparency, where their money is going and here we have the Defence Department spending more than $2 million to teach themselves how to avoid questions.”

Senator Hinch, a former journalist, said he would seek more information about the situation.

Expenditure detailed on the government tenders website shows Defence listed the contracts mostly as “media awareness training”. The spending ranged from $1.03 million in April 2012 to $10,842 in November the same year.

Two other government entities — the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority — were listed in the tenders website as having contracts with Media Manoeuvres.

The Media Manoeuvres’ website prominently features testimony advertising the estimates training.

“The balance of practical and theory was good and the feedback was valuable. This course is a must for all who are involved in the senate estimates process,’’ says the undated testimonial from the Defence staffer.

Late yesterday, following questions from The Australian to Defence and the company, the testimonial was removed from the company’s website

Media Manoeuvres is directed by former Crown Casino public relations manager Sam Elam, whose articles are promoted on the company website, including such titles as “Off the Record”, “What does it really Mean” and “Declining media requests — How to minimise the damage”.

No comment - Dodgy

MTF...P2

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Gobbledock - 05-31-2017

Ha ha ha ha!! Hilarious isn't it? Ol Gobbledock has known about this folly since the 80's. Politicans also get trained in how to not answer a question with 'yes' or 'no', but leave the question unanswered by providing spin and waffle. They are also trained in how to not break eye contact with a person asking questions so that they don't get distracted from the line of bullshit they are delivering, and they are trained how to answer questions without using any form of body language or movement so they don't get caught out lying!! Some of this training is done by trainers who are former Cops etc. It is actually a skill in itself, and let's face it - most Politicans are supreme liers and cheats. Hell, I reckon most could even orgasm or have boiling oil poured over their genitals without so much as flinching a facial wrinkle!!

As is well known, politicans and bureaucrats are deceptive shonks. Cardboard cutouts, fakes and actors who couldn't lay straight on a morgue table.

Go get em Hinch. Expose the rot!!!

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 05-31-2017

Update: The 'human headline' continues to out obfuscating bureaucrats - Dodgy

Oz follow up Wink

Quote:Defence pays PR firm $2m for lessons on how to perform well at Senate estimates

Senator Hinch quizzes the DFAT panel about media training. 4:15

Senator Hinch quizzes the DFAT panel about media training during senate estimates.

May 31st 2017

38 minutes ago

/video/video.news.com.au/News/

[img=0x0]https://i1.wp.com/pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/news/content/v2/origin:video_integrator.lnZGZlYjE6rhwdd-r_vzc3j7KIgRNryr?t_product=video&t_template=../video/player[/img]
Rory Callinan

The Australian

12:43PM May 31, 2017

At least four Foreign Affairs bureaucrats have outed themselves as having received controversial taxpayer-funded training in how to handle senate estimates questions after they had to raise their hands in a hearing to confirm if they had attended the courses.

The bureaucrats’ special schooling was revealed after Senator Derryn Hinch followed up revelations in The Australian about the Defence Department having paid just over $2 million to a public relations firm that offers acting lessons for public servants fronting estimates hearings.

Senator Hinch who had expressed concerns about the Defence expenditure asked this morning for anyone in the room in the Foreign Affairs Estimates Committee hearing to confirm if they had received the training.

In a show of hands at least four bureaucrats including Foreign Affairs Secretary Frances Adamson and First Assistant Secretary Richard Sadlier confirmed receipt of the training.

Ms Adamson said in the 2016 to 2017 financial year the Department had paid a company run by former television reporter Laurie Wilson and Associates $28,740 to ensure that “our staff are familiar with estimates rules”.

The admission prompted Senator Hinch to remark: “Oh a nice little lurk”.

Earlier Senator Hinch said: “I thought estimates committee hearings were to find out with a lot of transparency, how taxpayers money was being spent and now I find out that $2 million had been spent by the Defence Department to show how you don’t have to answer questions.”

Ms Adamson said that DFAT’s training was “much tamer than that” referred to with respect to Defence.

She said her department was as “keen as we can to be helpful to the members of the committee”.

Senator Derryn Hinch quizzes DFAT officials about media training for their appearance at Senate estimates this morning.

Defence’s $2.1m training bill

Senator Hinch was following up revelations published in The Australian that the Defence Department had paid about $2.1 million to Victorian company Media Manoeuvres which offers special acting lessons for bureaucrats so they can perform well at Senate estimates hearings.

The company had even featured a testimonial purportedly from a top-level bureaucrat in the Defence’s Maritime Systems Division, promoting the training on its website as “a must for all involved in Senate estimates process”.

The bureaucrat was not named but is described as the “chief of staff” for Defence’s Maritime Systems Division. Following questions from The Australian yesterday the testimonial was removed from the Media Manoeuvres website.

The Maritime Systems Division oversees navy and army maritime capability, including the amphibious ships that have been at the centre of major controversy over defective propulsion problems that have taken both vessels out of action for months.

Earlier this week in estimates, Defence bureaucrats were required to field questions about problems with the ships, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide, which cost $1.5 billion each.

Since 2004, Media Manoeuvres has received a regular stream of the Defence contracts totalling just more than $2.1 million. The latest contract was to run from October last year to March 28 and was worth $29,647, according to the government tenders website.

The company says its senate estimates course includes theory, performance skills for answering questions, simulations and role-plays, comprehensive playback, trainer review and analysis, individual written reports and a digital download of performances.

A Defence spokesman said some Defence personnel undertook media training to support them in their engagements from time to time with media, and in their appearances at public forums. Training is provided through another department.

Expenditure detailed on the government tenders website shows Defence listed the contracts mostly as “media awareness training”. The spending ranged from $1.03 million in April 2012 to $10,842 in November the same year.

Two other government entities — the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority — were listed in the tenders website as having contracts with Media Manoeuvres.

The Media Manoeuvres’ website had prominently featured the testimony advertising the estimates training.

“The balance of practical and theory was good and the feedback was valuable. This course is a must for all who are involved in the senate estimates process,’’ said the undated testimonial from the Defence staffer.

Efforts to contact the staffer were unsuccessful and Defence said the testimonial had been put up on the website some years earlier.

Media Manoeuvres is directed by former Crown Casino public relations manager Sam Elam, whose articles are promoted on the company website, including such titles as “Off the Record”, “What does it really Mean” and “Declining media requests — How to minimise the damage”.

A Defence spokesman late yesterday said: “As part of any training, participants, including Defence members, may be asked to give feedback to the relevant training provider,” he said.

“Defence policy is that any inference or implication that Defence itself is making an endorsement of the company must be avoided or mitigated.”

Efforts to contact Ms Elam were unsuccessful.

MTF...P2

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Gobbledock - 06-01-2017

Arseclown Of The Week Award....
Barnaby Joyce...

"Barnaby Joyce: Linking Terrorism To Refugees Is Like Linking It To Testicles";

http://m.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/06/01/barnaby-joyce-linking-terrorism-to-refugees-is-like-linking-it_a_22120650/

The footage of the interview is quite disturbing. The bloke is definitely fu#ked in the head! Too much sun? Too much time spent with his nose up Malcolm's ass? Too much time spent away from reality while living in club cuckoo land Canberra? I'm starting to worry about Barndog's comments about testicles, taking selfies at urinals, what's gonna be next?

Barnaby, for winning the 'arseclown of the week award' you receive not chocolate frogs, but 12 months of free lithium and 12 months of electric shock therapy. (Naturally all funded by the taxpayer)

'Unsafe mental health for all'

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 07-14-2017

M&M a Mandarin Vet & a deckchair reshuffle at MT HQ?

Was drawn to the following Mandarin article as the pic featured M&M's pumpkin head... Rolleyes

Quote:Special Report

APS leadership turnover set for another jolt — for better or for worse
by Verona Burgess
The high turnover of APS secretaries is expected to continue next year, but a ministerial reshuffle could cut short even more top mandarins' careers, writes Verona Burgess.

Reference quote:

Quote:...Further afield, Infrastructure secretary Mike Mrdak’s second term, which finished on July 1, has been extended by just six months, after eight years in the job. Mrdak, now the longest serving secretary of the 18, is an exceptional talent.

No other department secretary’s term is up this year but the turnover has been incredibly high in the last decade — 31 have resigned, retired or been fired...

Hmm...I wonder does his time in the top DoIT job correspond to 8 years of GA industry decline??

So is M&M earmarked for Mandarin promotion or is he going to be taking the platinum handshake?

Also from that article I note the following.. Shy

Quote:...Usually the next appointment to Defence is immediate. But the associate secretary, Brendan Sargeant, remains acting in the job while all roads in Canberra point to a Cabinet reshuffle by Christmas — which could directly affect some secretarial positions.

IOS wish list: Could that reshuffle please include 6D being shuffled off the Aviation chessboard and a junior minister, preferably in the form of Sen Fawcett, put in place to oversee the shambolic farce that is aviation safety (mal-)administration in this country - Huh

MTF...P2

Ps While on M&M, here is the answer to QON CORP #1: 1-5 Corporate Services
PDF 85KB 07/07/2017

Quote:Senator Roberts, Malcolm asked:

Senator ROBERTS: … Mr Mrdak, what is your remuneration per year? Australians would like to know that.

Mr Mrdak: Yes, my remuneration is set by the Remuneration Tribunal. It is $620,000 per annum.

Senator ROBERTS: That is all-inclusive—all entitlements?

Mr Mrdak: I can get you the details of it—I think that is my pay remuneration. On top of that, there would be

superannuation.

Senator ROBERTS: If you could get me the total then, please.

Mr Mrdak: Certainly. It is published by the Remuneration Tribunal. It is publicly available, Senator. I am at a

certain band in the secretary's level, but my remuneration is of that order.

Answer:

Please refer to http://remtribunal.gov.au/offices/secretaries.

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 08-01-2017

BOM under fire for hole in the stats - Blush

Via the Oz:

Quote:
Quote:Bureau of Meteorology opens cold case on temperature data

Scientist Jennifer Marohasy and amateur meteorologist Lance Pidgeon at the Goulburn airport weather station that recorded minus 10.4C on July 2. Picture: Jane Dempster

The Australian

12:00AM August 1, 2017

[size=undefined]GRAHAM LLOYD

Environment Editor
Sydney
[img=0x0]https://i1.wp.com/pixel.tcog.cp1.news.com.au/track/component/author/472f9e6dbba205c1a1c31a21cedcaf64/?esi=true&t_product=the-australian&t_template=s3/austemp-article_common/vertical/author/widget&td_bio=false[/img][/size]

The Bureau of Meteorology has ordered a full review of temperature recording equipment and procedures after the peak weather agency was caught tampering with cold winter temperature logs in at least two locations.

The bureau has admitted that a problem with recording very low temperatures is more widespread than Goulburn and the Snowy Mountains but rejected it has attempted to manipulate temperature records.

The bureau’s chief executive, Andrew Johnson, has called for an urgent review and the immediate replacement of recording equipment at a number of undisclosed sites. The action was outlined in a letter to federal Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg and follows weeks of turmoil over why data showing minus 10.4C readings at Goulburn and Thredbo went missing.

Bush meteorologist Lance Pidgeon blew the whistle on the missing data after watching the minus 10.4C Goulburn recording from July 2 disappear from the bureau’s website. “The temperature dropped to minus 10.4, stayed there for some time and then it changed to minus 10 and then it disappeared,” Mr Pidgeon said.

He relayed his concerns to scientist Jennifer Marohasy, who has queried the bureau’s treatment of historical temperature data. After questions were asked, the bureau restored the original recording of minus 10.4C to its website. A bureau spokeswoman said the low recording had been checked for “quality assurance” before being posted.

Media’s silence of the scams

The bureau said limits were set on how low temperatures could go at some stations before a manual check was needed to confirm them. “The bureau’s quality control system, designed to filter out spurious low or high values was set at minus 10 minimum for Goulburn which is why the record automatically adjusted,” a bureau spokeswoman said.

“The error was picked up yesterday internally and quality control processes are being reviewed for those stations where temperatures below minus 10 are possible.”

Dr Johnson told Mr Frydenberg the failure to record temperatures of minus 10.4C at Goulburn on July 2 was due to equipment being “not fit for purpose”.

A similar failure had deleted a reading of minus 10.4 at Thredbo Top on July 16 even though temperatures at that station had been recorded as low as minus 14.7 in the past. That temperature was still blank on the bureau’s website yesterday.

Dr Johnson said failure to record the very low temperatures had “been interpreted by a member of the community in such a way as to imply the bureau sought to manipulate the data record”.

“I categorically reject this implication,” he said.

The bureau’s handling of temperature data and the homogenisation of records to form a national average has been controversial.

It has said warmer minimum temperatures were one reason for the upward trend in average temperatures due to climate change.

In a letter to Mr Frydenberg, Dr Johnson said: “Preliminary analysis had indicated the ACORN-SAT national temperature record had not been affected by the issues experienced at Goulburn and Thredbo Top Station.” But, he added, electronic hardware “not only at Goulburn and Thredbo Top Station, but also a small number of other automatic weather stations in cold climate locations, are not fit for purpose”.

“I have taken steps to ensure that the hardware at this locations is replaced immediately,” he said. “To ensure that I have full assurance on these matters, I have actioned an internal review of our AWS network and associated data quality control processes for temperature observations.

“The review will be conducted by a member of the bureau’s senior leadership team and will involve independent external expertise where appropriate.

“I expect the review to be conducted in a matter of weeks and I will report back to you as soon as it is completed.”

Dr Marohasy said Dr Johnson’s claims of equipment failure were easily disproven by the screen shots that showed the very low temperatures before being “quality assured” out.

She said claims the omission of the very low temperatures did not affect the national temperature record were also easily disproven.

“While Goulburn station is not a listed ACORN-SAT station, it is used to homogenise Canberra and Canberra is an ACORN-SAT station,” Dr Marohasy said.

The bureau did not respond to questions about how widely the quality control system had been applied and at what upper temperature the cut-off had been set.

Dr Marohasy has evidence of the initial minus 10.4C recording at Thredbo before it was deleted for quality assurance.

“This either reflects an extraordinary incompetence, or a determination to prevent evidence of low temperatures,” Dr Marohasy said.

MTF...P2

Ps I can't help but be bemused by the parallels with;

(a) the fact the BOM as a government agency is seemingly untouchable with any sort of liability or responsibility on what is apparently corrupted data. This untouchability was also prevalent in the BOM being causal to the Mildura Fog landing duck-up and the PelAir cover-up, combined with the 16+ year identified safety issue of un-forecast weather events at Norfolk Island (see HERE); and

(b) the apparent missing safety data/AAI reports from Australia that was supposed to be forwarded through to ICAO ADREP which can also only lead to slewed/corrupted (aviation safety) data.

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 08-22-2017

Sandy on War & Peace - Wink

Via one or two IOS/PAIN email chains... Rolleyes

Quote:Recently I had occasion to make an incident report to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB).

I rang and spoke to an officer about the procedure which is either an online form or a written report.

Having explained the nature of the incident I was advised not to make my explanation into "War and Peace" (1st. ed. 1225 pages by L. Tolstoy).

If the advice had been given in a light hearted or joking manner then maybe think nothing of it. But no, it was given in a condescending tone in order to display superiority and the classical learning of this clever person compared to an ignorant peasant pilot.

Nothing new here, typical Commonwealth public employee. Years ago we would have said 'public servant' but now the many that are employed by Commonwealth corporate bodies are not in fact public servants. Moreover they eschew the term public servant for that denotes lower status. Status in Canberra is everything, it's not for nothing that remuneration is 42% higher in Canberra (pop. near 400,000) than the average nationwide.

Commonwealth corporations, independent and largely unaccountable bodies were designed to regulate and administer with little or no cost to government or to make money and contribute to general revenue. A unique "user pays" hybrid design experiment off the back of the Thatcher privatisation reforms. Unfortunately the user pays only if there are users, and only if there is real value. Without a free and competitive market there can be no acceptable standard and therefore the model is, and with irrefutable facts in hindsight, a failure.

Unfortunately being monopolies they perpetuate themselves with make work programs, the never ending and outrageously expensive rules rewrite (now unworkable rules of strict liability criminality) by the Civil Aviation body (CASA) being a perfect example. Monopolistic fee gouging for completely unnecessary permissions or licences along with runaway wages and uncontrolled expenses add to internally bloated budgets.

An interesting exercise would be to make an overall cost benefit analysis of the unique corporate body administration of civil aviation in Australia which began some 29 years ago. Having lived and worked in General Aviation (GA) for more than 50 years it is obvious that the costs to community in lost businesses and jobs far outweigh the sums gained by the fees that are extorted by the regulator.

A department controlled by a responsible Minister overseeing and administering with a rational, internationally compatible rule set is needed. This would be effective and efficient with tax revenues from a healthy industry much greater than the industry destroying fees and massive ever churning paperwork burdens which are currently imposed.

The bureaucratic War on GA should cease, CASA will resist at every turn, therefore only action by Parliament can bring a new and prosperous Peace.

Sandy Reith

To which I replied with:

Excellent post Sandy, will copy & paste to AP in due course...

In the meantime (& very much related) the following CASA letter is from a recent post I made on the airports thread - DFO accident update: A tale of obfuscation and political expediency -

Reference 16 December 2004 correspondence from CASA to DOTARS:

Quote:

Again you can see all the familiar syntax & trademarks (pugmarks) of a government agency that is totally unaccountable and firmly of the belief that they are a law unto themselves - unbelievable!

& Sandy responded with:

An open comment to the letter in your link.

One can't help thinking that they are too lazy, careless and bereft of a sense responsibility to provide any considered and potentially valuable opinion.

So much for "safety" or the public good, instead they will fall back onto someone else's inexpert interpretation of "the rules". If built contraventions come to light and impinge into defined operational spaces then narrow or shorten the runway, problem solved and back to planning the next trip to summery Montreal and the annual QLD seminars out of freezing Can'tberra.

Organising those OS and interstate jollies is a serious business. Many worrisome details to be considered, coordinating flights, hotels, transfers, cocktail meet and greets and extra curricula activities on the resting days. They must have talent, or great travel consultants, probably the latter, never heard a complaint in the last 50 years.

Sandy

& from dedicated IOS & PAIN BRB committee member Rudders:

"Safety! thru clarety...I love that .! Nothing like a good red....at

taxpayers expense.
You can say anything when yre half cut

Ha hahha ha ...'Managers will be able to see a coherent 'big picture'
With CAsA the big picture is continuing regulatory chaos. The
industry sees that...but not the perps !

This sort of verbal crapology has Dr Discrepancy written all over it.
Equals the verbal vomitus of McComick in a Senate hearing where he
claims he'll not tolerate .."false accusations and unwarranted
demagogery against his staff."

Hence CYA 101 for those employees that engage in any criminality and
just invoke the Code.

Typo there too,...by the end of 2003. 2033 probably if you want to
try a date on it.

Actually its like the universe...without end, so any given figure is a
fail.

& finally from Tony T:

Call John Cleese – this is “right down his ally”.

Talk about gobbledygook speak – this takes the cake.

This is a typical – “we can’t tell you anything until you go ahead and buy the land and make all the plans, present them to us and we’ll assess it then” - (meaning we’ll tell you why you can’t do it) never mind about the massive cost.

Sheesh

Tony

Next a blast from the UP past - Smile

Via Tailwheel:

Quote:"It cements and confirms that the Regulator is out of touch, is completely out of control, is arrogance personified and has killed all and any respect in the individuals at the helm and the organization in its totality."

Spoken by an industry new comer? Why the outrage? You think you've discovered something new? The old days of DCA weren't too flash but at least a little sanity prevailed.

From 1988 to the early 1990's, CAA under Leroy Keith was approachable but since Leroy's "departure" all rational sanity has departed. Like a sewage pond, the crap has floated to the top.

What is the problem with CASA dipping into the tax payer's bucket so it's boys (and girls?) can have an undeserved jolly to an air show?

What about the $600 million plus spend on "Regulatory Reform" to produce the worst, most incompetent, atrocious Civil Aviation Regulations in the developed World? And the task is far from finished - as one CASA legend told me "There is many more careers to retirement in that task!!!"

I'm told the Regulatory Review is now "organic", meaning that it is a continual re-write in the name of meeting new technology and requirements, in perpetuity.

Don't forget to celebrate next month - September 2017 marks the 29th Birthday of Regulatory Reform.

Tail Wheel

MTF...P2

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 09-06-2017

UTOPIA is a documentary - Big Grin

In a follow up to this post of mine off the Alphabets thread...

Quote:Who's the King of the castle?

Intercepted the following tweet from M&M's dept yesterday (PS. Note who is at the head of the table - ):

Quote: Wrote:@infra_regional attend the Aviation Strategic Leaders Forum together with leading industry bodies to discuss future of the aviation industry

Probably more notable is who is not at that table? For example I note (just nod now - ) 6D Noddy Chester is there but where is Big Ears...

H'mm I wonder if they're discussing how best to gloss over the soon to be released GA BITRE stats...

Finally why does that scene look so familiar??

Quote from Lead Balloon off the UP:

Quote: Wrote:Next thing you'll be telling us that public infrastructure should be returned to public ownership!

Back when airports and ground transport infrastructure were owned and run by public institutions, how many millionaires were making their millions out of that infrastructure? None! See how inefficient that is?

Now there are plenty of millionaires making their millions milking these assets. That's efficient!

Utopia is a documentary.

...Stan VW forwarded this to me today... Rolleyes

Via the other Aunty... Wink

Quote:'A whole Utopia episode could be made of this': Dept. Infrastructure emails reveal ABC TV not far from reality

By political reporter Ashlynne McGhee

Updated earlier today at 5:58am Wed 6 Sep 2017, 5:58am
Photo: The cast of ABC TV's satire program Utopia. (ABC)

A social media strategy, debate over the word "program," and the opening of a new highway extension have all been compared to the TV program Utopia by senior staff inside the Department of Infrastructure.

The ABC TV satire depicts the fictional Nation Building Authority and the dysfunctional relationship the staff has with the Federal Government.

In bureaucratic circles, the word utopia is synonymous with dysfunction, bungling bureaucracy and ministerial interference.

A swathe of emails released under the Freedom of Information Act shows it is also used regularly by senior staff inside the Department of Infrastructure.

One long email tries to clear up the "many questions, confusion and a lot of head scratching" over whether to use programme or program.

The email ponders that it may be because of the apparent spelling preferences of the Government or individual ministers that staff are so confused.

Photo: A swathe of emails released under Freedom of Information shows the term "Utopia" is used regularly by senior staff inside the Department of Infrastructure. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)

It goes on to quote guidance from the Government's Digital Transformation Agency to conclude they should be using the spelling "program".

But, it continues, there are exceptions for proper nouns — particularly in old legislation.

"A whole Utopia episode could be made of this, I'm sure…" replied a senior manager.

'Too much work' for Infrastructure Australia

A similar request to Infrastructure Australia has been deemed "too much work" to process.

The ABC had asked for a small number of senior staff to search their email for the term "Utopia", but the agency said it was "unrealistic" to expect them to do so.

It said it had a "heavy workload" of Freedom of Information requests, but the official disclosure log showed the agency had only processed one this year.

Infrastructure Australia has supplied an official statement saying it "takes its FOI responsibilities seriously and is currently processing the ABC's request".

Request 'nicely timed with season three of Utopia'

Another email released by the Department of Infrastructure requested a new social media strategy to "raise awareness of the Government's record $75 billion infrastructure package".

It said the campaign should spruik projects like inland rail and the Badgerys Creek airport, and interview locals to show how it can improve people's lives.

Photo: The highly criticised Building Our Future campaign saw $18 million spent just before the last election to "raise awareness" of the Government's infrastructure spending. (Supplied)

"Sounds like another form of Building Australia's Future campaign — to be timed nicely with season three of Utopia," came a reply.

The highly criticised Building Our Future campaign saw $18 million spent just before the last election to "raise awareness" of the Government's infrastructure spending.

The money included researching, concept testing and focus grouping the advertising campaign.

Federally funded projects had to have roadside signage in place, spruiking the support for a full year.

YouTube: Utopia season 1: Logo decision

Cheers Stan - The chocky frog is in the mail... Wink

MTF...P2

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 09-07-2017

It's confirmed Murky is gone... Rolleyes

Via the Mandarin today... Wink

Quote:Reshuffle of the century shakes up the APS: new heads for 10 departments
Stephen Easton / September 7, 2017

Public servants in 10 federal departments will soon work for a different secretary than they do today, following a cascade of changes at the highest level of the Australian Public Service announced this afternoon.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also confirmed that Michael Pezzullo, secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, is in line to lead the new Department of Home Affairs as widely speculated.

Two deputy secretaries have been promoted to the top level to fill the gaps left by former Health boss Martin Bowles, who made a sudden departure recently, and Department of the Environment and Energy chief Gordon de Brouwer, whose last day is tomorrow. But they won’t be directly replacing them, due to a major shake-up the likes of which have not been seen in the Australian Public Service for a long time.

Kerri Hartland (pictured above), who leads business-enabling services at the Department of Finance, will become the secretary of the Department of Employment.
Steven Kennedy

Steven Kennedy from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet will be the new secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Both take up their roles on September 18.

Turnbull’s statement also confirms Verona Burgess was right on the money when she reported Glenys Beauchamp was expected to move from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science to lead Health.

Finn Pratt is set to move from the Department of Social Services and take over Environment and Energy from de Brouwer. “These appointments lead to other movements,” Turnbull said this afternoon:

Quote:“Dr Heather Smith PSM will move from the Department of Communications and the Arts to be the Secretary of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science.

“Ms Kathryn Campbell CSC will move from the Secretary of the Department of Human Services to the Secretary of the Department of Social Services.

“Mr Mike Mrdak AO will move from the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development to become the Secretary of the Department of Communications and the Arts.

“Ms Renée Leon PSM, will also move from the Department of Employment to become the Secretary of the Department of Human Services.

“These Secretaries have extensive careers in the Australian Public Service at senior levels, with responsibility for a number of significant government reforms and programs. I thank these Secretaries for their continued leadership in the APS.

“The movements mean there are two vacancies. I am pleased to announce two promotions to Secretary positions. Ms Kerri Hartland will be the Secretary of the Department of Employment and Dr Steven Kennedy PSM will be the Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

“Ms Hartland has extensive experience and expertise across the Commonwealth Government. She spent five years in the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and has been a Deputy Secretary in two Departments (Human Services and Finance). Notably, Ms Hartland became the first woman to serve as Deputy Director-General of ASIO and is the only ASIO officer to be publicly declared other than the Director-General.

“Dr Kennedy is currently a Deputy Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet responsible for Innovation and Transformation. He has led work on the cities agenda, regulatory reform, public data and digital innovation. Dr Kennedy was previously a Deputy Secretary in several Departments (Industry, Innovation and Science; Environment; Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education; and Climate Change and Energy Efficiency).

“These new Secretary appointments will be for five years, commencing on 18 September 2017.

“Finally, Mr Michael Pezzullo, Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, is the Secretary-designate for the Department of Home Affairs. This appointment will be finalised when the Department of Home Affairs is established. I will provide further details on this in due course.

“I thank the Secretaries for their public service and look forward to working with them in their new roles.”

MTF...P2

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Cap'n Wannabe - 09-07-2017

So......what does the appointment of Dr Kennedy mean for aviation?

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - thorn bird - 09-07-2017

Sweet F...K all!!

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Peetwo - 09-08-2017

Update: M&M leaving 10 days & counting - Wink

Via Oz Flying:

Quote:Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development Mike Mrdak. (Commonwealth of Australia)

Departmental Secretary departs Infrastructure
8 September 2017

Long-time Secretary for the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Mike Mrdak AO, is to leave the portfolio after eight years in the position.

Mrdak was appointed in 2009 and during his time oversaw many infrastructure projects such as the duplication of the Pacific and Hume Highways, the Melbourne-Brisbane Inland Rail and the initial Western Sydney Airport project.

He leaves to take up a similar position with the Department of Communication and the Arts.

"Mike Mrdak has been an outstanding Secretary for my Department for more than eight years and I wish him every success in his future role," Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester said yesterday

"Under Mike's professional leadership, the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development has helped this government deliver infrastructure projects and programs throughout Australia, which have made a difference in people's lives.

"He has a passion for regional issues and I'm confident his experience with major infrastructure projects will serve him well as the new Secretary for the Department of Communications and the Arts."

It is believed Mrdak's replacement at Infrastructure will be Dr Steven Kennedy, currently Deputy Secretary for Innovation and Transformation at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Minister Chester also announced this week that John Weber and Marlene Kanga would join the board of Airservices Australia, with Weber taking over as Deputy Chairman. Samantha Betzien was also re-appointed for a further three years.

Read more at http://www.australianflying.com.au/latest/departmental-secretary-departs-infrastructure#U7bC8TiS1bYrt74l.99

And on the heir to the Mandarin throne... Huh

Quote:
Dr Steven Kennedy

Deputy Secretary, Innovation and Transformation / Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Dr Steven Kennedy is the Deputy Secretary currently responsible for Innovation and Transformation at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. He leads work on the Cities Agenda, regulatory reform, Public Data and digital innovation.

Dr Kennedy was previously a Deputy Secretary at the Department of Industry, Innovation & Science, Department of the Environment, the former Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education and Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, and the Head of Secretariat of the Garnaut Climate Change Review – Update 2011.

Steven has twice been seconded to the Prime Minister's Office from the Treasury Department, working as the Director of Cabinet and Government Business and a senior economic adviser. Steven held a number of positions at the Treasury Department including the General Manager of the Infrastructure, Competition and Consumer Division, and the Domestic Economy Division. Steven began his career in the public service as a cadet at the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Prior to joining the public service Steven trained and worked as a nurse.

Steven holds a PhD and a Masters in Economics from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Economics (First Class Honours) from the University of Sydney.

MTF...P2

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - Kharon - 09-09-2017

NFI is the short answer.

Many folks wondering about the departure of Mrdak; much speculation and even more guess work. One could, without too big a stretch, see it as part of the natural course of events; he has been in the position a long time – longer than the ‘average’, whatever that is. There has been nothing but praise from his peers and he has done a remarkable job – albeit not one that suited everyone outside the sheltered workshops. I for one will miss him at estimates. His ability to defer, distract, divert, delay and confound the Senators provides a master class on learning how a top class public servant operates – and he’s very good at it. He ain’t straight of course, but how many of the class are? A master craftsman in any trade is work watching. The pity of it is that he was working for the opposition; if he were working for aviation, I dare say things would be different now; alas, he played for Canberra.

But I reckon there’s a little more to it than a routine re shuffle; and, perhaps – maybe – he is a victim of the Darren 6D system of exclusion – for those who dare say the things he don’t want to hear – dissension or disagreement with Australia’s greatest aviation disaster is not tolerated. Comparing the computing power of MM to the 6D version is pointless, and I just can’t see 6D liking that or MM bothering to hide his contempt. If you back track a short time; you see that MM got his blows in early; you can read pretty much whatever you like into the MM press release:-

"The untold Federation story, Mrdak began, is not the big dollars allocated by governments, but in long-term planning and investment reform. Rather than something unique to infrastructure, Mrdak sees that long-term perspective as a core responsibility of all public servants.

“Electoral cycles are very short, the focus of government tends to be very short,” Mrdak said. “We are the continuity and the people who have to understand what the future needs are to provide that long-term advice to government … often governments don’t want to hear our view.

“A view is not an opinion. I have lots of opinions — not worth much — but my agency has a view on the right outcome for the future. It’s informed by evidence, informed by good long-term research, and it’s all about what is the right outcome for the challenges facing the country.”

:- but for my two bob, Mrdak wanted to set a sensible course (as he saw it) and 6D wanted to steer another. Mrdak has seen fools come and go, tolerated their notions and managed to keep the control within the departments he ran. For weal or for woe depending on where you sit and how you see it. The picture below, for mine, says it all. 6D looking like a just raped Nun detached and pretending it never happened and MM at the far end of the table, all attention focused on him – the ‘conversation' is definitely at the other end of that long table, separating the two.

[Image: DIR2A_2UIAAh23-.jpg]

Aye; like him or hate him, you have to admire the skill.

What shall we make of the new fellah? Time will tell I expect. But for me, the little red flags and amber warning lamps are flashing. This is a dyed in the wool public servant, bred, cossetted and reared in the sheltered workshops of the Canberra system; I doubt he’s got any notion of the real world or is practical enough to realise that outside of the rarefied, privileged, well paid atmosphere, that sometimes, for some folk, life ain’t all that rosy or easy. Time will, undoubtedly, tell the tale.

That is my two bob opinion – which is about all it’s worth. Who, in the seven hells knows what goes on or how they think in Canberra; it has so little to do with the real world.

Right then, back to my knitting. Toot - toot.

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - thorn bird - 09-09-2017

As conspiracy theories go K one has to wonder. Murky is moving to communication and Arts, hardly a promotion from the heady big ticket infrastructure and it all came about in a rather peculiar way, I know these guys can't be sacked but I guess arts for someone like Murky is about as close as it gets.
I wonder how long before he moves to a directors job in the real world, he's served the big end of town very well?
The new guy appears to be another detached from reality career bureaucrat with lots of letters after his name but bugger all practical experience, time will tell I guess.

RE: Of Mandarins & Minions. - P7_TOM - 09-09-2017

P9 – “6D looking like a just raped Nun detached and pretending it never happened” etc.

Not raped old son – graped – there was a bunch of ‘em: and, more to follow. Australia’s greatest aviation disaster ain’t remotely interested in sorting out anything, bar the next election and Barmy Baby’s job. Like “K” I’ve been sniffing the wind and I do not like what I smell, not one bit. Let’s hope there is a serious cabinet reshuffle to go with the PMC deck chair shuffle. The last thing the aviation industry needs is a professional politician, minister by default, not talent, who refuses to hear the voices raised in anguish, dissent, anger or a plain, old fashioned FFS.

This ain’t even a mushroom minister; it’s a poisonous toad stool, disguised, deceitful and lethal.

Two more here barkeep; I’ve a bad taste and offended sense of smell to deal with. Hurry man – my need is great and urgent.