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Durkim on New Zealand Gangs Mm, yeah... Real funny, Randhil... more
Kayli on The Boats God help me, I put aside a whole afteroonn to figure this out. more
Raynes on Tax and Pollution Until I found this I thoguht I'd have to spend the day inside. more
James Brown on Mark Latham Mark, you must fell as if you are pushing it uphill, but you are the hope of the side. Keep it up! more
Michael on Halal certification The Halal Choices website is http://www.halalchoices.com.au/product_lists.htmlIt lists all the products that have been ... more
a barker on A few facts on illegal boat people We are the Lucky Country, or are we?.15 years ago maybe.How many Indonesian Officials are taking a a bribe from the people ... more
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Keshawn on CMC Complaint into Queensland Health That's rlelay shrewd! Good to see the logic set out so well. more
howard on Learning from one another? We are such a politically correct and multiculturally sensitive country Islamists are flourishing here. Just as they ... more
PP on Halal certification Thank you for the Halal Choices and the info about Coles - I will not be purchasing meat from Coles henceforth. In the UK it ... more
PP on Halal certification Thank you for the Halal Choices and the info about Coles - I will not be purchasing meat from Coles henceforth. In the UK it ... more
anne white on Halal certification A website that lists all Australian food products that are halal is, HALAL CHOICES.Also I phoned COLES (1800 061 562) and ... more
john on The Taxi Industry No one have the right to do anything they dont want.. you want to drive cabs do it you are not force to do something you do ... more
Diana on Halal certification I just found out about this today! Does anyone know how to get a list of products bearing this logo so we can boycott them? more
lol on New Zealand Gangs lol... this isnt good at all more
Ann on Support our Diggers Is it possible to buy this sticker? I'm sure any number of people would be proud to support our diggers by displaying the ... more
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figsen/hypolgirl on Anna Bligh as President Hope you're checking this out Wobblyone. Your comment is one of the cleverist/funniest I have read. Couldn't stop laughing. ... more

Mates

Posted by: Michael Smith | 31 July, 2009 - 1:31 PM

Andrew Fraser has done an outstanding job on setting out the network of mates in Queensland.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25860124-601,00.html

Terry Mackenroth was paid by the public – you and me – to run the state’s finances.

In 2001 he appointed Trevor Rowe as head of the Queensland Investment Corporation.

Trevor Rowe chairs a number of companies. He heads up the company that won the tender to build the Brisbane Airport Link tunnel road.

So he’s head of that company, BrisConnections. And he’s the head of the Queensland Investment Corporation, responsible for the state’s superannuation investments. It has around $65 billion under its control.

And QIC is the biggest investor in BrisConnections.

Terry Mackenroth appointed Trevor Rowe. Terry’s left politics and he continues to receive a substantial pension from the government.

After Terry left politics, Trevor appointed him as a consultant to the BrisConnections business. When the government awarded BrisConnections the tender to build and operate the toll road and tunnel to the airport, Terry shared a $500,000 success fee with Con Sciacca.

And QIC as the biggest investor in BrisConnections. Both of them chaired by Trevor Rowe.

But Trevor is also a Chairman of the Enhance lobbying company. That company lobbies government.

And Trevor’s also Chairman of Rothschild Australia, which has been appointed to advise the Queensland Government on asset sales.

Doesn’t anyone wonder about this?

Former Labor staffer turned lobbyist Ross Daley worked for the Enhance lobbying company – chaired by Trevor. We learn today that Ross pocketed a success fee reported to be $1 million that he will get to keep, even though he’s been sacked by the Enhance lobbying company. Why did he get the money? For shifting $100M from Queensland’s Sunsuper group to a company chaired by former Labor Treasurer Keith de Lacy called Trinity.

Is it just me? Or is Tony Fitzgerald right? Is there something smelly in the sunshine state?

Blog comments

Anna Bligh stood in Parliament mid week gleefully mocking JP Langbroeke about The Borg publicly giving JP his "full support" and Anna thought that was Prima Facie The Borg was planning a takeover. Have a read of the Sunday Mail Premier. Your collegues and friends are plotting YOUR demise. Ahh the irony of it all!!

Crowls Sunday 9 August, 2009 - 8:07 AM
Michael, Queenslanders are blessed, so many Chiefs, theres the C.S.M. - Chief Stipendary Magistrate; the C.J.S.C. - Chief Justice of the Supreme Court; there is the Police Chief, Prisons Chief, Fire Brigade Chief, the list seems is never ending. So many. But we forget about the one who is more important that all of the other Chiefs put together, and thats our C.L. and P.Q.
I listened in awe today as the primary candidate for this position was interviewed by one of the finest men to grace our radio, Mr. Greg Carey. I was inspired by Greg as he remained cool, calm and collected interviewing M/s Anna Bligh as she was caught in a bit of a "spin" and with every spin - there was a turn, turn, turn. The "mining uranium spin", the reason for our states economic downturn caused by the "Global Financial Crisis" spin; and caught up in this was "the Sell Off of our States Assets (Crown Jewels) spin" and the reason for it and other matters not being mentioned in the lead up to the last election - there was some "spin" there too.

I was, like so many other listeners to the interview, feeling pretty giddy and poor Greg must have been silkwormified - "all spun out".

The crowning jewel came though later in the day, you see M/s Bligh, still in her own "world of Spin" pleaded with the Queensland Police Union to co-operate with Mr. "Bob" Needham if/when he investigates Police Disciplinary Procedures - WHEN FUNDS BECOME AVAILABLE. My thoughts immeditely turned to the hypocritic oath.

Thats the one you take when you become C.L. and P.Q - Chief Liar and Premier of Queensland and have a degree in the art of "Spin Doctoring".

Phil - Springwood Saturday 8 August, 2009 - 5:42 AM
I guess we are just beginning to see where all the money of the boom times has gone. Very smelly indeed.

tony Friday 7 August, 2009 - 5:07 PM
Smithy, I think a $million should be a Bligh.

Mal. Thursday 6 August, 2009 - 4:48 PM
I don't know whether the quote below is correct or not. It was sent to me by a nephew after I sent him a copy of the "Mates" aticle
"Thanks for this (Uncle) Ken,
Another interesting story is that of Margaret Rippol, wife of Bernie Rippol my local Labor federal member for Oxley. Apparently sheÃ¢Â€Â™s recently had Ã¢Â€Âœgood fortuneÃ¢Â€Â in buying up rural land in Bowen just before it was rezoned for intensive residential development. Maybe she has a crystal ball! Bernie is an old Union hack and probably has plenty of Ã¢Â€ÂœMatesÃ¢Â€Â around the place. Sounds like the old Russ Hinze white shoe brigade days are back with us, (or perhaps they never left).
Bastards!"

Ken Dunne

Ken Dunne Saturday 1 August, 2009 - 9:47 AM
Yes Michael, i think Fitzgerald was right on the ball with his claims.To hear Beattie come out and defend himself by attacking Fitzgerald only made himself appear desperate.This government and the Beattie one before it are rotten to the core.but thats not new-we heard all the scandals and still they were returned to government.

Sean Friday 31 July, 2009 - 6:07 PM