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Durkim on New Zealand Gangs Mm, yeah... Real funny, Randhil... more
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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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dan on A few facts on illegal boat people From what i can see if we dont do something about this flood gate issue,we will have the same nonsense thats happening over ... more
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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
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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

We need strong, united leadership...

Posted by: Michael Smith | 17 October, 2008 - 12:21 PM

On Wednesday this week (15 October) I had a chat with the Education Minister Rod Welford. We were speaking mainly about education, but I also spoke with him as a cabinet minister about the state's finances.

Rod said that he had spoken with the Treasurer Andrew Fraser who told him that stamp duty revenues from property sales had ground to a halt. Rod said the cabinet had been told about the financial situation. Have a listen for yourself here

The next day The Premier was interviewed about Rod's comments. At a press conference with our reporter she rebuked Minister Welford's position listen here. She was keen to allay fears about the state's budget.

I believe Rod Welford was speaking the truth, without spin. It just has the ring of truth about it - common sense. In fact it was so truthful and real that there was no real fall-out on our radio station from the initial comments - our listeners pretty much said that's what they expected the situation to be.

Why would the Premier try to put a different spin on those facts? Why not face up to the reality and level with us like her Education Minister did?

Later on that second day, the media started to take up the issue of cabinet solidarity - that is the media started reporting about cabinet appearing to be divided. I've been speaking about that for some time and the issue was the topic of my blog a couple of days ago.

So the Premier's spin started to change by 8.30pm, the Premier said the Education Minister's gloomy comments about the economy are consistent with hers, have a read of the report.

We need strong, united leadership with the whole team singing from the same hymn book. We have a 31 year old treasurer - a young bloke with very limited life experience. He was 11 the last time Australia was looking at recession. He's had no experience of life under anything other than times of exceptional economic strength. That leaves the Premier and ministers like Rod Welford as the most experienced hands in the team. The Premier would do well to take Rod's lead and level with the people.

Blog comments

I will believe Penny Wong's THEORY on climate change IF/WHEN the Federal Govt. forbids the sale of coal to overseas interests---in order to put a halt to this "Time running out" for GLOBAL warming. Does Rudd think the carbons won't cross the borders of China and Pakistan. All bull Mr Rudd Act intelligently or stop acting!! Margaret

Margaret Gannon Friday 17 October, 2008 - 4:35 PM
Doesn't matter what Michael Smith says - he's been punted off air at last to do sport???

MIchael Friday 17 October, 2008 - 4:24 PM