Sir Bob Jones: Lucky Golriz

When Golriz Ghahraman pleaded guilty, her lawyer argued strenuously against a conviction as this might deny her the ability to practise as a lawyer. However, she copped a female judge who was unmoved and convicted her anyway. Gloriz doesn’t know how lucky she was.

Here’s why.

Frank Newman: The State of the Universe Address

For politicians there is never a bad time to make promises about the future, after all making promises about the future is much more palatable than defending past and present failings. Labour and National have given their state of the nation addresses, and the Greens have delivered a state of the planet eulogy. Not to be outdone, I thought I would go one better and present an inaugural State of the Universe address. The speech notes go something like this:

Taxation
1. Tax people more and they will work less.
2. Like unwelcome relatives, once you allow politicians into your life they don’t leave until the fridge is bare.

Frank Newman: Shane Jones should go

The actions of Shane Jones are worse than reckless. The man is not fit to hold public office and the public know that. I have no doubt voters would toss him out of office if they were given the opportunity to do so. Unfortunately they won’t have that opportunity. As a list MP Jones was not elected to Parliament, he was appointed by the Labour Party and it is they and they alone who will determine whether Jones has a future as an MP. No doubt they will decide that issue not on a matter of principle but on what is in their own best interests.

Frank Newman: MPs a sorry bunch

Our elected representatives really are a sorry lot of individuals. The Prime Minister of Australia was very sorry for removal of aboriginal children from their families decades ago. Likewise Prime Minister Gordon Brown was this week truly sorry for the lost generation of children extracted from their parents and sent to distant colonies like New Zealand. And locally this year Rodney has been sorry, Hone has too (but not truly and sincerely so) and last week former Minister Phil Heatley was tearfully sorry for shouting the party faithful a couple of bottles of wine at a National Party do.