Beoz

They feed the Greens and the ALP vasts amounts of money.

cresta57

You wanna buy some concrete shoes?

Amazulu

I think Shorten is a waste of space but if he and the ALP cut all ties with CFMEU and MUA I would really respect that, as would a lot of other Australian's and he might even have a chance of being a challenge to Turnbull

Swerv-o

I think you're right - Union stoogery has stalked the ALP since the toppling of KRudd, who I believe was actually popular because he wasn't seen as a union hack, unlike Gillard and Shorten.


S

Amazulu

Rudd was a disaster for Australia but at least he didn't like the CFMEU. He kicked Joe McDonald out of the ALP for being corrupt but when Gillard took over she let him back in

GarryP

Question : Which is a bigger problem for Australia; the ALP getting funded by the unions, or the LNP getting funded by the miners & big business (and getting their chain yanked by Murdoch)?

Getting money out of the game entirely, so politicians actually work for and report to their constituents, has to be the big picture aim. Which is where we come back to campaign funding and ICAC.

Beoz

The ALP gets funded by big business too, it might be worth noting.

Big business is important because it provides the government with the tax dollars it needs to provide you and me with the services .... directly and indirectly.

To answer your question the ALP being funded by unions is a bigger problem. We can live without unions - we have the workplace rules in place - we cannot live without big business. Perhaps there was a time when there was a need for unions. That no longer exists.

BadgeIsBack

Go Turbull : would love to see the Unions brought to account and cause Shorten to have to adopt his serious but dismayed look on the box. Still think he's unelectable. Sure Turnbull is keeping his cards to his chest but the budget is not due yet.

Of course there is a degree of politicking here but it was a good strike.

Amazulu

Answer: the unions

Easy Peasy Japanesy

GarryP

So you happily point out that both the LNP AND the ALP are perverted by big business money - but you'd rather see union money taken out of politics?



You do realise that doesn't make sense, don't you?

The warping that big business can do it much worse, not only do they buy policies that are against the interests of Australia by direct slushfunds, they also buy influence and knowledge by giving ministers high paid jobs afterwards.

Just look at how Norway benefits from a sovereign wealth fund off of North Sea oil, but the resources companies made off with most of the goodies from the mining boom. That dwarfs anything a union could do.

Beoz

Do you feel a little more comfortable that the route of travel through people smuggling has been blocked for those trying to return from ISIS Syria. Not a sure fire way of prevention but that certainly allowed those responsible for the Europe bombings easy travel.

Swerv-o

Two sides of the same coin in my opinion. I see no difference. Between Murdoch buying off the support of the current government than I do the CFMEU doing it.

We operate a system of patronage for political favours and advancement. In the LNP its business and media, in the ALP its the unions. Both are lobbying to improve positions for members/shareholders.

There's no real difference between either approach.


S

Beoz

I can't see any evidence of Murdoch donating to political parties. It might be there, or in another name but I couldn't see it.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/may/28/australia-political-donations-parties

Interesting to note Woodside (mining) is a big donator to the ALP. There's a few other mining companies in the too.

Over to you Garry.

GarryP

Strange to say when you just quoted Swervo, but what the hey.

Murdoch doesn't donate money! Murdoch controls the news, you do what he wants, or he runs hit pieces and other lies in his rags. He doesn't need to buy, he dictates.

Yep, as I say, the money of mining and big business is a bigger threat to the will of the people than the unions could ever be.

knockoff nige

Please see post 42