is Gillard having another go at the MRRT?

here's part of a comment on this ref page...
"steelerudd of coolie Posted at 12:47 PM Today
Angela Evans of Brisbane Posted at 11:59 AM Today Couple of points. The GST arrangements are a Commonwealth tax and a simple agreement to distribute the proceeds to the states according to the HFE relativities. The states have no right to the revenue - it is a gift from the Commonwealth which the Commonwealth can alter by simply changing the intergovernmental agreement and the GST tax legislation. No ifs, buts or maybes - Barnett is completely wrong and will lose his 30% once the legislation is passed and Gillard tires of his grandstanding. Wrong on so many points that I can,t even be bothered to point out your non factual parts , as for Joolya / Swan getting any thing past their master (B.Brown ) I,d Like To See That. MS So that's how they will get around the constitutional challenge? its a gift not a right?


here's the article
A NEW battle over the mineral resources rent tax is looming as Western Australia and Queensland push for the regional infrastructure fund promised as a sweetener to be excluded from the system for carving up more than $50 billion in GST receipts.
West Australian bureaucrats fear the state will be short-changed and have insisted the fund be quarantined from the Commonwealth Grants Commission process that siphons GST and other revenue from the rich states to the poorer ones.
The Queensland Labor government also insists that its share of the new fund must not be reduced because of the GST formula.
When Wayne Swan announced the Regional Infrastructure Fund -- to be funded with the proceeds of the then resource super-profits tax -- he said the "lion's share" should go to the mining states of WA and Queensland to fund rail, roads, ports and other crucial infrastructure.
But putting the cash -- an initial $700 million and up to $6bn over the next decade -- into the grants commission process for allocating the GST pool could reduce the amount received by WA and Queensland in favour of poorer states such as South Australia and Tasmania.
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The push threatens to add to the row between the Gillard government and the states over the MRRT, which replaced the RSPT in July. Canberra is already threatening to penalise states that increase their mining royalties in the future after a damaging stoush over whether miners would get a credit against federal taxes for hikes in state royalties.
West Australian Premier Colin Barnett said he remained vehemently opposed to the MRRT and the Regional Infrastructure Fund "doesn't win over our support for it at all".
"Julia Gillard keeps on talking about $2bn for Western Australia. I think it's over 10 years. It's not a large amount of money. You're talking about $200m a year. That won't build much."
While the Premier is focused on scuttling the MRRT, the WA Department of Treasury and Finance has pushed for the money to be quarantined from the grants commission process. It has outlined its position in a paper handed to a Senate committee inquiring into the mining tax.
Because the grants commission's formula for distributing the GST works by redistributing revenue windfalls -- including some federal payments -- between the states, the mining states stand to be punished if the infrastructure fund is not excluded from that process.
Queensland's Treasurer, Andrew Fraser, said it was crucial to ensure that his state was "not short-changed" because of "any unintended consequence" of the grants commission formula.
"We believe the federal government will honour its commitment to ensure the states that contribute to the mining boom get the lion's share of the infrastructure funds," Mr Fraser said. "This fund has been dedicated to meeting the infrastructure task in mining states and we won't accept moves by other states to claw back the funds."
WA is already refusing to hand over a third of the state's GST as part of the federal health takeover and new Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu, has also threatened to resist the deal. Mr Barnett said the commonwealth could not "unilaterally, or even with majority state support, change the GST formulas".
As well as inflaming federal-state tensions, the stance being taken by the resource-rich states over the treatment of the infrastructure fund is reviving bickering between the states over the GST carve-up.
NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal hit back at WA and Queensland, accusing them of acting like the "Bonnie and Clyde of the Australian federation". "Enough is enough. It is time that the developing economies of Western Australia and Queensland were held to account for squandering the resources boom," he said.
While there was a strong case to help small states like the Northern Territory that needed to provide services to isolated Aboriginal communities, NSW had cross-subsidised WA and Queensland to the tune of $1bn over the past 10 years, he said.
But Mr Fraser said the non-mining states already reaped a "huge benefit" from royalties redistributed by the grants commission. While Canberra and the states agreed to the process for distributing GST in an inter-governmental agreement, the commonwealth has the scope to decide matters like quarantining of payments.
The government has not yet provided the terms of reference to the grants commission for its 2011 review of the distribution of GST money. Mr Swan's office said the government would work with the states and territories on the arrangements for the distribution of the Regional Infrastructure Fund. If federal payments are not specifically quarantined from the GST carve-up by the commonwealth, the grants commission typically decides whether they should be included. For example, if the money is paid to a third party and it has no impact on a state's budgetary capacity, it could decide to exclude it.



ref http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/states-flag-new-mining-tax-row/story-fn59niix-1225980692715?referrer=email&source=Punch_nl&emcmp=Punch&emchn=Newsletter&emlist=Member



















ref article http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/states-flag-new-mining-tax-row/story-fn59niix-1225980692715?referrer=email&source=Punch_nl&emcmp=Punch&emchn=Newsletter&emlist=Member

labor in with 76. (2 independents and 1 greens)

Now we know the result.
Labor is in with Oakshot and Windsor's support.
Julia is about to see the Govenor General now.

If we do have another election , can I ask all of you to consider supporting others (any like minded independent senate and or marginal seat contenders.) and explore how you can claim a 3rd party support refund for any money spent. (it is refundable)

I can only say, its a bit like investing..
you can't put all your eggs in one basket.
Not when so much is at stake. You must diversify and spread the risk.

Mning Tax, here it comes. The greens in the senate, will certainly push harder then Gillard. A constitutional challenge might work, but might not.

Greens Bob Brown talk at the Press club today

Bob Brown spoke today at the national press club, and emphasised his plan to tax the miners and use that money for education and other causes.
The chances that the greens will hold the balance of power in the senate after Saturday 21.8.10 is very high, and the MRRT/Prrt will be revitalised. He gave the undertaking that he will try to take it further than Julia Gillard, and certainly seems determined.

Meg critised the greens today in saying that: the greens are not sticking to their green platform.
" they haven't even stopped the over- use of electricity in city office blocks at night. All they had to do was to stop or reduce the amounts claimable on tax by 50%. Businesses have been able to claim electricity costs on their tax returns, and
that means that the taxpayer has been funding this shocking waste".
She added,
"1. The Greens have not stopped pamphlets in letterboxes,(they are delivering their own electoral material)
2. The Greens are still going to hand out at polling booths despite knowing that the electoral office
attaches a booklet in the polling booth with all the preferences directed by all parties and groups
3. They have had 3 years to negotiate with labor for a better outcome for climate change and didn't do it.
4. The greens have accepted large donations from unions,(I thought he said 3 million?) despite Bob Brown's pontification that all donations should not be allowed. The federal election is already funded by $2.30 for every vote over the minimum 4% and the greens and the other big parties, will be given that money, as well as having been given donations.
Surely they should have to repay to the government,the donation amount. But I cant see that ever getting past the senate.. they all have their own self interest to protect, rather than the interest of the voters.
5. If the greens do win the balance of power in the senate, it is likely that there will be a double dissolution within 18 months.

Is mark Latham guilty of sedition?

see http://megansampson.blogspot.com re supporting Mark Latham and his call "not to vote"

re Sedition laws: Not old or outdated..

Australian sedition law is the area of the criminal law of Australia relating to the crime of sedition.Effectively defunct for nearly half a century, these laws returned to public notice in 2005 when changes were included in an Anti-terrorism Bill announced by Prime Minister Howard prior to a "counter-terrorism summit" of the Council of Australian Governments on September 27.
The Bill was introduced on November 3 and passed into law on December 6, 2005 after government amendments adding some protection for the reporting of news and matters of public interest were introduced in response to community pressure. The changed laws are to be reviewed in 2006.

Early prosecutions for sedition in Australia include:

the conviction of Henry Seekamp for seditious libel over the Eureka Rebellion in 1854; (how amazing that Julia Gillard is standing in the seat of Lalor Victoria- named after Peter Lalor the Eukeka Hero!)

the conviction of 13 trade union leaders of the 1891 Australian shearers' strike for sedition and conspiracy; and

the action against radical Harry Holland, jailed for two years in 1909 over his advocacy of violent revolution during the Broken Hill miners' strike.
During the First World War Sedition laws were used against those who opposed conscription and war, in particular the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in Australia [1]. In 1916 members of the IWW in Perth were charged with sedition including 83 year old Montague Miller, known as the grand old man of the labour movement. Miller was released after serving a few weeks of his sentence but was re-arrested in 1917 in Sydney at the age of 84 and sentenced to six months jail with hard labour at Long Bay Gaol on the charge of belonging to an unlawful association [2].

The Sydney Twelve were all charged and convicted with various offences including sedition.
ref wikpedia.

The "status" of the election

I hate to say it, but it's enough to make one physically ill. The constant critising by labor and the continued nastiness. Even to calling Abbott a rabbit. So petty, so unproductive.I think we have to take the view that everyone who is brave enough to stand deserves some respect. But of course, the journalists are carted along on the free gravy train, ferried about like an exclusive entourage. All at the campaigners cost.(with launches at taxpayer expense!) Annabel Crab gives a good description of what happens.

While this two party preferred system continues to be promoted, no one else can even get a press release printed. The neilesen poll came out a few days ago and you can go to Anthony greens blog or to the abc.net.au/elections page, for a clearer picture.
The mining tax has become lost. dead , buried and cremated?

It seems to have been agreed by the big miners and that's that.. until it comes before the senate.. and a greens held senate will support labor!

right now, I would have to say that labor will win with the greens preferences. Even german TV is pronouncing that..

The sad thing is this: so many voters are saying they cant be bothered voting. they will just get their name crossed off. What a waste!

Fed. Election announced 21st August 2010

So the election is announced for 21st August 2010., with the issue of writs on Monday(?)This will effectively cut off all new voters, and also the election will be fought on the old federal bondaries.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN ISSUES?

WELL JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM ILLEGAL BOAT PEOPLE (PEACEFUL INVASION?) to employment, climate change, global financial crisis, schools funding and of course 50% tax deduction for school uniforms. etc etc.

Not much about the miners tax (MRRT) to the PRRT, yet anyway.
did you know that the PRRT has secrecy provisions as does 176 pieces of legislation.
Not just fines of $10,000 and or 2 years jail if you relay information but also saying you can't show a can't any documents from the company in question.

Might be great for AWB Directors but horrifying when you think that OUR government applies a law to prevent justice.