8chan/8kun QResearch AUSTRALIA Posts (2)
#19199933 at 2023-07-18 12:04:11 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #31: MAGIC SWORD - IN THE FACE OF EVIL Edition
>>19199925
2/3
Premier won't reveal cost to taxpayers
Daniel Andrews won't reveal how much Victorian taxpayers could fork out to tear up the Commonwealth Games contract, as he also refused to apologise to athletes and regional Victoria for the embarrassing backflip.
The 12-day event was due to cost $2.6bn but the Andrews government on Tuesday admitted projections had blown out to more than $6bn.
Last year, Victoria agreed to host the event across five regional centres, with major cities Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Shepprton and Gippsland to be transformed into mini hubs.
But on Tuesday, Mr Andrews abruptly cancelled the event because of higher than predicted costs.
"The Games will not proceed here in Victoria in 2026," he said.
"This is not a difficult decision in many respects … I cannot stand here and say I have any confidence that even $7bn would appropriately and adequately fund these games. I think it could be more than that.
"Six to seven billion dollars is truly too much for a 12-day sporting event. I will not take money out of hospitals and schools in order to fund an event that is three times the cost as estimated and budgeted for last year."
Following a cabinet meeting on Monday evening, Mr Andrews said the government informed the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Australia of its decision to terminate the contract.
Mr Andrews said "amicable and productive" meetings occurred in London last night, and would continue later today.
He refused to say how much taxpayers could be forced to pay to break the contract.
In August 2018, former Queensland Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones said legal advice indicated the costs of breaking the contract for the 2018 Gold Coast event, would be "in excess of $1bn".
The cost of breaking the contract has not yet been determined, Mr Andrews said.
"There'll be a full accounting of the cost of the break of this contract. That's not settled. It's simply not finished yet," he said.
"It would be bad faith and frankly against the interest of taxpayers and all Victorians if I was to try and conduct that negotiation from the other side of the world at a press conference."
Mr Andrews said he didn't feel a need to apologise to athletes or Victorian communities and businesses who had been gearing up for the event.
"No. I'm not here to apologise for not spending $7bn … we are not delivering it at any cost," he said.
He added that federal funding wasn't a consideration in suspending the event completely.
The Commonwealth was informed of the decision on Tuesday morning.
Moving the event to Melbourne, which boasts existing infrastructure, or proceeding with fewer events was canvassed as a cost-cutting exercise.
But Mr Andrews said costs would still be too high, with a Melbourne event expected to cost upwards of $4bn.
Commonwealth Games Victoria chief executive Jeroen Weimar said his project team of about 100 staff would now be disbanded.
The government confirmed that job losses were inevitable.
"We are suspending operations given that the government has made this really, really difficult decision," Mr Weimar said.
"For all of us this has come as a huge shock.
"We built a world class team to do something which was incredibly difficult to deliver these games in a record time in a new decentralised model.
"The disappointment for us is that we can't go on and deliver (but) … we can't flinch away from the reality of bringing these games to life and what that's going to cost."
Mr Weimar said concerns about costs had been "emerging over the last few weeks and few months".
Both Commonwealth Games Delivery Minister Jacinta Allan, who had to end her leave period early to make the announcement, and Commonwealth Games Legacy Minister Harriet Shing will have their portfolios stripped.
The government has confirmed that every permanent new and upgraded sporting infrastructure projects planned as part of the Games will still proceed.
This includes a new aquatic centre at Armstrong Creek, a six-court indoor stadium at Waurn Ponds, an upgraded Eureka Stadium at Ballarat and BMX trails in Shepparton.
And the government will commit an additional $1bn to deliver more than 1300 new homes across regional Victoria.
The new homes will include a mix of social and affordable housing.
(continued)
#10587369 at 2020-09-10 09:15:32 (UTC+1)
Q Research AUSTRALIA #9 - Welcome to the Digital Battlefield Edition
Resignations in the news
Besieged icare chief and deputy to step down
The chairman of embattled insurance agency icare will resign from his position later this month and be replaced by former NSW Labor leader John Robertson following deepening allegations of financial mismanagement and criticisms over the organisation's workplace culture.
Michael Carapiet, chairman of the icare board since 2015, will step down from September 25 along with deputy chairman Gavin Bell, according to an email circulated to all staff at the agency on Tuesday night.
The office of NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet characterised the resignation of Mr Carapiet as a retirement that coincided with the natural end of his contract.
His replacement, Mr Robertson, is the chief operating officer of food relief organisation Foodbank, but is best known for his previous roles as NSW Labor leader between 2011 and 2014, and secretary of Unions NSW.
"John joins icare at what is a crucial time for the organisation and will be integral in ensuring we deliver the very best system we can for injured workers," said Mr Perrottet, in prepared remarks.
An independent inquiry, led by former NSW Supreme Court judge Robert McDougall QC, is reviewing the agency's operations and management. A separate audit of Mr Perrottet's staffing arrangements, which were drawn into the icare scandal, are expected to be released on Wednesday.
"It is important he (Mr Robertson) is involved in the search and appointment of a new CEO and is on the ground as Robert McDougall undertakes his review into icare," Mr Perrottet said.
The departures of Mr Carapiet and Mr Bell mark the latest in a string of top executives to leave the organisation in the wake of management malpractice allegations and concerns over the agency's financial stability.
Chief executive John Nagle resigned in August amid revelations of a conflict of interest involving a contract awarded by icare to his wife; another board member, Mark Lennon, quit in July when allegations of impropriety were raised by his colleagues in the NSW Labor opposition.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/besieged-icare-chief-and-deputy-to-step-down/news-story/b9387529aeead468a492fd03b7a209b5
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Senior Palaszczuk Government minister announces resignation
Natural Resources and Mines Minister Anthony Lynham has announced he will not be recontesting his seat at the state election in October.
The Member for Stafford, who is a senior member of the Labor cabinet, announced the shock retirement on the last day of parliamentary sittings before the October 31 election.
Dr Lynham is the third government minister to retire in less than a week, with Kate Jones also following suit and Disability Services Minister Coralee O'Rourke last weekend announcing an end to her political career.
Dr Lynham was elected as the Member for Stafford in 2014.
He is also a maxillofacial surgeon and has juggled political commitments around maintaining his active registration in the medical field.
"It has become very clear to me that I cannot maintain my medical registration as a doctor and give 100 per cent to this job," he said.
"And the people of Stafford and Queensland deserve 100 per cent."
There had been speculation Dr Lynham was being forced to retire by the right faction of his own union, the Australian Workers Union.
But one Labor source told the ABC Dr Lynham informed them of his intention to retire some weeks ago, and assured them he was under no pressure to leave.
"But someone wanted to make a hero of themselves by talking to the Courier Mail," the source said.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-10/anthony-lynham-senior-minister-palaszczuk-government-quits-staff/12648624