Australian, State and Local Politics

Death at Wellington Point Hotel prompts no response!

This is a very sad story on the news wire from Brisbane this morning.
Have a close look at the very last sentence.

..........................................................................................................................

Dim sim causes Xmas party death

November 13, 2007 - 7:38AM

A 25-year-old woman died last night after apparently suffering a violent reaction to eating a dim sim.

The woman collapsed outside the Wellington Point Hotel in Brisbane's bayside about 9.30pm while attending a work Christmas function.

She had a known allergy to seafood and is believed to have suffered a severe anaphylactic reaction.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said she had just consumed a dim sim.

People on the scene immediately began performing CPR, the spokesman said.

Ambulance officers from Capalaba responded to an emergency call at 9.54pm.

They arrived at 10.03pm and transferred the woman to Redlands Hospital but she died a short time later.

A police spokesperson today said a report was being prepared for the coroner.

Wellington Point Hotel declined to comment on the incident.
..........................................................................................................................

What!

Not even a statement of regret, concern or sympathy to the family of the deceased?

Not even a few comments of empathy regarding this tragic event?

Not even a few words that the Hotel is - or will be - working with the authorities over this matter?

Is that too much to ask of the Wellington Point Hotel, given this tragic and unusual loss of life overnight?

Woolworths - Australia's worst employer

Spare a thought today for Tony Selak who was sacked by Woolworths after 18 years as a loyal Safeway Supermarket manager at Southland in Melbourne's southeast.

His crime? - Having 2 beers at lunchtime, contrary to company policy.

Two beers! I bet there will be plenty of Woolies bosses getting into the festive cheer in the coming weeks with their obligatory rounds of Christmas drinks and boozy luncheons.

And you can bet your last dollar that none of them will be sacked for contravening company policy.

Despite losing his case at the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, Tony Selak can hold his head up high as a decent worker and a loyal employee of an organisation which has acted in a totally unfair and un-Australian manner to a man whose punishment clearly doesn't fit the crime.

Howard's belated pitch for family vote

John Howard is like a husband who has treated his wife like a dog for years - when she finally decides to leaves him, he wonders why she won't respond to his pleadings and promises to reform.

John Howard has had 11 years to create a better society for us all but on the eve of his fifth Prime Ministerial election, he belatedly offers a grab-bag of $8.5 billion worth of goodies to the people of Australia.

Far too little, far too late - will be the considered view of many thinking voters on November 24.

Pizza Hut Ripoff - Day 4

Day 4 of this saga and Pizza Hut Australia has still not responded to my complaint of 10 November 2007.

You can bet your stuffed crust that the American-based Pizza Hut chain is making lotsa mozza in Australia, yet cannot offer a humble apology or any form of redress when caught out ripping off customers.

Pizza Hut opened its first store in Australia in Sydney in April 1970 but after 37 years, their corporate approach to handling customers' complaints needs to be seriously beefed up, as it leaves a lot to be desired.

It's not as if this corporate giant is not protective of its name and corporate image. On 13 June 2001, Pizza Hut rushed off to the Federal Court of Australia to stop the genuine Aussie brand of Eagle Boys Pizza from highlighting Pizza Hut's foreign ownership in Eagle Boys' television advertising.

The case was quickly thrown out by the Court in a decision which upheld the right of free speech in Australia and sent Pizza Hut packing back to their corporate headquarters in downtown Dallas, Texas.

When a complaint is received about service or a ripoff - accidental or otherwise - you would think that a company like Pizza Hut would do something quickly to rectify a customer's complaint.

My complaint - for which I am still awaiting a promised callback - is over a $38.40 telephone order picked up from Pizza Hut's Goodna store who gave me $9.10 change from a 50 dollar bill. In other words, I was charged $40.90 for a family meal with various add-ons.

When I queried the price and asked for the receipt, I was told that it was in the box which I was already holding and piled up with drinks and chicken wings and garlic bread, so I decided to check it when I got home.

And how much was the receipt for? - $38.40! So, I had been charged an extra $2.50 which I suspect was for a second bottle of soft drink, which was already included in the $38.40 bill.

They had given me a wrong receipt and double-billed me for a second bottle of soft drink as well! This was the third time that I had been asked to pay more at the Goodna store than the price I was quoted over the phone. In the past, I had not bothered to query this, as I figured that I may have misheard the figure given to me by the telephone operator or there had been a miscalculation of the price by the operator which was rectified - upwards - at the point of sale.

Not so on this occasion. I knew that I had been ripped off and by exactly how much! I rang back Pizza Hut central call centre an hour later and suggested that they credit my "account" $2.50 because the Goodna store was closing for a week for renovations and it was too much of a hassle to go an collect the missing $2.50.

Although the operator was pleasant, she offered no apology and told me that they could not credit me the $2.50 as it was the "store's mistake"!

Don't they all work for the same company?

She offered to take down the details and forward them electronically to the Goodna store for them to call me back immediately to sort it out.

Pizza Hut can promise pizzas within 15 minutes of a telephone call but a day later, I am still sitting by my phone for a call back from the Goodna store.

Pizza Hut should not think that I will give up over this issue. I fought a case in 1990 against an Ipswich Night Club ripping off customers for $2 a head - and won! It was a case against the Jungle Attic Night Club and is reported in the law reports as Tully v Ceridale P.L. [1990] HREOCA 6.

Even with inflation, a $2.50 court case against Pizza Hut would be well worth it.

Have you been ripped off by Pizza Hut? Email me with your story.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 35 of the Search

URGENT MESSAGE FOR DR BRUCE FLEGG

Calling Bruce Flegg. Calling Bruce Flegg.

Has anyone seen Bruce Flegg?

John Howard wants your help in the Federal Liberal campaign in Queensland.

After all, you are the Queensland Leader of the Liberal Party, aren't you?

Bruce, where are you?

Who are you?

Pizza Hut Ripoff - Day 3

Day 3 of this saga and Pizza Hut Australia has still not responded to my complaint of 10 November 2007.

You can bet your stuffed crust that the American-based Pizza Hut chain is making lotsa mozza in Australia, yet cannot offer a humble apology or any form of redress when caught out ripping off customers.

Pizza Hut opened its first store in Australia in Sydney in April 1970 but after 37 years, their corporate approach to handling customers' complaints needs to be seriously beefed up, as it leaves a lot to be desired.

It's not as if this corporate giant is not protective of its name and corporate image. On 13 June 2001, Pizza Hut rushed off to the Federal Court of Australia to stop the genuine Aussie brand of Eagle Boys Pizza from highlighting Pizza Hut's foreign ownership in Eagle Boys' television advertising.

The case was quickly thrown out by the Court in a decision which upheld the right of free speech in Australia and sent Pizza Hut packing back to their corporate headquarters in downtown Dallas, Texas.

When a complaint is received about service or a ripoff - accidental or otherwise - you would think that a company like Pizza Hut would do something quickly to rectify a customer's complaint.

My complaint - for which I am still awaiting a promised callback - is over a $38.40 telephone order picked up from Pizza Hut's Goodna store who gave me $9.10 change from a 50 dollar bill. In other words, I was charged $40.90 for a family meal with various add-ons.

When I queried the price and asked for the receipt, I was told that it was in the box which I was already holding and piled up with drinks and chicken wings and garlic bread, so I decided to check it when I got home.

And how much was the receipt for? - $38.40!

So, I had been charged an extra $2.50 which I suspect was for a second bottle of soft drink, which was already included in the $38.40 bill. They had given me a wrong receipt and double-billed me for a second bottle of soft drink as well!

This was the third time that I had been asked to pay more at the Goodna store than the price I was quoted over the phone. In the past, I had not bothered to query this, as I figured that I may have misheard the figure given to me by the telephone operator or there had been a miscalculation of the price by the operator which was rectified - upwards - at the point of sale.

Not so on this occasion. I knew that I had been ripped off and by exactly how much! I rang back Pizza Hut central call centre an hour later and suggested that they credit my "account" $2.50 because the Goodna store was closing for a week for renovations and it was too much of a hassle to go an collect the missing $2.50. Although the operator was pleasant, she offered no apology and told me that they could not credit me the $2.50 as it was the "store's mistake"!

Don't they all work for the same company?

She offered to take down the details and forward them electronically to the Goodna store for them to call me back immediately to sort it out. Pizza Hut can promise pizzas within 15 minutes of a telephone call but a day later, I am still sitting by my phone for a call back from the Goodna store.

Pizza Hut should not think that I will give up over this issue. I fought a case in 1990 against an Ipswich Night Club ripping off customers for $2 a head - and won! It was a case against the Jungle Attic Night Club and is reported in the law reports as Tully v Ceridale P.L. [1990] HREOCA 6.

Even with inflation, a $2.50 court case against Pizza Hut would be well worth it.

Have you been ripped off by Pizza Hut? Email me with your story.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 34 of the Search

Muffin Break is stuffin around with politics

Muffin Break has come up with a novel way of cashing in on the upcoming Federal election.

Every time you make a purchase at any of their stores, they give you a coffee bean which you can put in the political bean counter and cast your vote for your favoured political party.

The poll at the Muffin Break store on the ground floor of Australia Fair on the Gold Coast is, unsurprisingly, showing a trend towards the Liberals.

But I can't help but think that Muffin Break has deliberately misspelt the Australian Labor Party as "Labour" and not "Labor" in order to try to link the ALP with the anti-union and anti-labour advertisements being run by the Liberal Party.

It's been officially spelt "Labor" since 1912, so Muffin Break doesn't have much of an argument for stuffin this up.

Pizza Hut ripoff with no apology or callback

You can bet your stuffed crust that the American-based Pizza Hut chain is making lotsa mozza in Australia, yet cannot offer a humble apology or any form of redress when caught out ripping off customers.

Pizza Hut opened its first store in Australia in Sydney in April 1970 but after 37 years, their corporate approach to handling customers' complaints needs to be seriously beefed up, as it leaves a lot to be desired.

It's not as if this corporate giant is not protective of its name and corporate image. On 13 June 2001, Pizza Hut rushed off to the Federal Court of Australia to stop the genuine Aussie brand of Eagle Boys Pizza from highlighting Pizza Hut's foreign ownership in Eagle Boys' television advertising.

The case was quickly thrown out by the Court in a decision which upheld the right of free speech in Australia and sent Pizza Hut packing back to their corporate headquarters in downtown Dallas, Texas.

When a complaint is received about service or a ripoff - accidental or otherwise - you would think that a company like Pizza Hut would do something quickly to rectify a customer's complaint.

My complaint - for which I am still awaiting a promised callback - is over a $38.40 telephone order picked up from Pizza Hut's Goodna store who gave me $9.10 change from a 50 dollar bill. In other words, I was charged $40.90 for a family meal with various add-ons.

When I queried the price and asked for the receipt, I was told that it was in the box which I was already holding and piled up with drinks and chicken wings and garlic bread, so I decided to check it when I got home.

And how much was the receipt for? - $38.40!

So, I had been charged an extra $2.50 which I suspect was for a second bottle of soft drink, which was already included in the $38.40 bill. They had given me a wrong receipt and double-billed me for a second bottle of soft drink as well!

This was the third time that I had been asked to pay more at the Goodna store than the price I was quoted over the phone. In the past, I had not bothered to query this, as I figured that I may have misheard the figure given to me by the telephone operator or there had been a miscalculation of the price by the operator which was rectified - upwards - at the point of sale.

Not so on this occasion. I knew that I had been ripped off and by exactly how much!

I rang back Pizza Hut central call centre an hour later and suggested that they credit my "account" $2.50 because the Goodna store was closing for a week for renovations and it was too much of a hassle to go an collect the missing $2.50.

Although the operator was pleasant, she offered no apology and told me that they could not credit me the $2.50 as it was the "store's mistake"!

Don't they all work for the same company?

She offered to take down the details and forward them electronically to the Goodna store for them to call me back immediately to sort it out.

Pizza Hut can promise pizzas within 15 minutes of a telephone call but a day later, I am still sitting by my phone for a call back from the Goodna store.

Pizza Hut should not think that I will give up over this issue. I fought a case in 1990 against an Ipswich Night Club ripping off customers for $2 a head - and won! It was a case against the Jungle Attic Night Club and is reported in the law reports as Tully v Ceridale P.L. [1990] HREOCA 6.

Even with inflation, a $2.50 court case against Pizza Hut would be well worth it.

Have you been ripped off by Pizza Hut? Email me with your story.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 33 of the Search

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 32 of the Search

John Howard sorry but not apologetic

The Prime Minister John Howard told the people of Australia on Wednesday that he was sorry about the sixth interest rate increase in 3 years.

The next day, he announced that he might have been sorry but that he was not apologising.

This guy's circumlocution makes George W. Bush look like a brilliant orator.

McDonald's TV ad is disgraceful

In Australia, McDonald's has been trying to re-brand itself as an honest, caring, community-minded, multi-national corporation.

But you wouldn't believe it with their latest, disgraceful advertising drivel served up to national television audiences.

A young kid is depicted going for his driver's licence. Despite running into the kerb during a reverse park, he somehow manages to get licence and heads straight home where Mum promptly gives him his first set of car keys.

He is then seen heading for McDonald's with a carload of his mates where his lack of driving prowess is shown again when he cannot position the car close to the servery in the drive-through.

The poor staff member almost falls out of the window trying to pass the order through to the car.

Then, he and his mates are all shown guffawing and munching away on burgers and drinks - a recipe for distraction and disaster.

Then to cap it off, this clown - who has had his licence for only a couple of hours - can't even park within the boundaries of a marked parking pay. He is shown parked across two bays.

What a great advertisement McDonald's is showing to the young people of Australia.

The message they are giving is to get your licence, stuff the road rules, drive erratically and illegally with a bunch load of mates and you're on your way to becoming another driving statistic - as long as you gorge yourself on their product in the meantime.

This is the worst advertisement McDonald's Australia has ever put to air.

One would of thought that McDonald's would have shown some responsibility by reviewing this advertisement before it went live to a national audience.

But that would be too much to ask of McDonald's I suppose.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 31 of the Search

Howard still treats Aboriginal people as second class citizens

The Australian Prime Minister John Howard is prepared to make a half-baked apology to Australia's mortgage borrowers for soaring interest rates in order to prop up a few more votes in his faltering election campaign.

But when it comes to the Aboriginal people of Australia who have been treated so badly by successive governments since 1788, John Howard is still not prepared to utter one word of humility, regret or apology.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 30 of the Search

Liberals in dissaray thanks to Cameron Thompson

The Federal election campaign has been rolling along with the usual gaffes and mistakes by Liberal luminaries such as Malcolm Turnbull, Tony Abbott and Kevin Andrews.

Then along comes the goose from Blair, Cameron Thompson who claims that higher mortgage repayments for average Australians would be a good thing for the Liberal Party because it would make voters focus on which party was the better economic manager for the nation.

It seems as if a bolt of insanity has hit the Liberal Party with this former rural ABC reporter giving his official endorsement to a rise in interest rates.

No wonder the Prime Minister John Howard went into damage control when he heard these bizarre rantings from one of his most-senior backbenchers in Queensland.

Cameron Thompson is proving to be a complete political novice over his handling of various issues including the upgrading of the Ipswich Motorway.

Now, on the eve of the sixth successive official interest rate rise since 2004, Cameron Thompson is in the media extolling the virtues of such an impost.

If Mr Thompson went to Redbank Plains and tried to explain his comments to the mortgage belt of Ipswich, he would be tarred and feathered and booted out of town quicker than he could say: "Sorry John".

Cameron Thompson has become uncontrollable in recent weeks with the latest polls showing he is likely to lose his seat of Blair.

If Mr Howard doesn't put Cameron Thompson in a straight jacket and a tightly-fitting gag for the next 18 days, this political amateur will guarantee a Labor victory on November 24.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 29 of the Search

Family First puts Liberals first and families last

Family First, led by Senator Steve Fielding from Victoria, has emerged from the pack as a right-wing, ideologically-driven, conservative political party.

A vote for Family First is a vote for the Liberal Party after their grubby preference deal with the Coalition parties.

Family First has a deeply-rooted religious base despite its protestations that it is one of the mainstream parties in Australian politics.

How can they claim to be putting the "Family First" when they do a preference deal with a party which has presided over a series of interest rate rises in the past 3 years which has hurt ordinary Australian families?

How can they claim to be putting the "Family First" when they do a preference deal with a party whose immigration policies split and divide families across the world?

How can they claim to be putting the "Family First" when they do a preference deal with a party whose environmental record and support for nuclear reactors in cities and towns across Australia will wreck the beautiful world which God has created?

Family First is merely an appendage of John Howard and the Liberal Party and is just as much a fraud on Australian politics as the Democratic Labor Party was following the Labor split in the 1950s.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 28 of the Search

Howard is treating SEQ voters like dills

John Howard's 2020 grand road plan for a $5.2 billion upgrade of southeast Queensland roads is a last gasp effort at holding key marginal Liberal seats around Brisbane at the November 24 election.

The Premier Anna Bligh hit the nail right on the head when she declared John Howard's weekend announcement as just a re-hash of existing commitments and promises.

Howard came up with magnificent promises including a northern link tunnel, a Port of Brisbane Motorway and even more money for the Pacific Motorway.

And how much did he promise to upgrade the most-notorious stretch of the Ipswich Motorway from Goodna to Dinmore?

Nil, zilch, nought, zero!

It is the worst section of National Highway in Australia, yet John Howard cannot promise one brass razoo to eliminate the vertical and horizontal geometry which makes this 6km stretch an absolute horror for 100,000 drivers a day.

His weekend media conference had the sad and dejected faces of soon-to-be-defeated Liberals behind him, with the only smile coming from that buffoon from Blair Cameron Thompson who must be happy to know that in less than three weeks, he will be applying for the improved welfare benefits promised by Labor.

John Howard can promise what he likes at this stage of the game but voters will remember that he has been promising to improve SEQ's local roads since 1996 and - just like the promised rail link to Redcliffe - nothing has ever eventuated.

And under the Liberals, nothing apparently ever will!

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 27 of the Search

Liberals desperate road ploy for SEQ

With 20 days to the most-important Federal election in decades, John Howard is poised to announce a $5.2 billion funding package for southeast Queensland roads.

This will be the Prime Minister's last-gasp attempt to shore up marginal seats in and around Brisbane.

For the 100,000 drivers who use the Ipswich Motorway each day, John Howard will be promising diddly squat.

The Federal Government is upgrading the Ipswich Motorway from Darra to Gailes and the section from Gailes to Goodna, including the notorious "spaghetti junction" at the intersection of the Logan and Ipswich Motorways.

But not one cent of Federal Government money is being promised to upgrade the most-notorious stretch of the Ipswich Motorway from Goodna to Dinmore.

John Howard can promise all he wants today but for the average punter, it will be far too little - far too late!

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 26 of the Search

AFP claim leaves Kevin Andrews' defence in tatters

The latest revelation in the Dr Mohamed Haneef visa cancellation affair that the Australian Federal Police had formally told a senior public servant advising the Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews that Dr Haneef was not a threat to Australian security is bad news for the Government and Kevin Andrews in particular.

Despite the continuing implausible protestations by Mr Andrews, the only reasonable conclusion for the Minister's unremitting intransigence over this whole, grubby, political affair is that Kevin Andrews was hoping against hope that Dr Haneef was going to become the "Tampa" of the 2007 election.

What was to be manna from Heaven has turned into a sh*t sandwich for Mr Andrews!

He probably thought that all his political Christmases had come at once and that he alone would save the government at the November election.

Just a little too clever by half, Kevin!

With one Federal Court hearing out of the way - which Mr Andrews lost convincingly - and an appeal due to be heard in mid-November, it could well be Mr Andrews who might be taking centre stage responsibility for the Liberals' upcoming election loss, if the voters remain intent on punishing the Government for expelling an innocent man from Australia.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 25 of the Search

Australia's Chief Scientist supports nuclear power

Australia's Chief Scientist Jim Peacock must think he has keen political instincts to come out in the middle of a Federal election campaign supporting nuclear power stations around the nation.

Either he really believes what he is saying, or he is a closet Labor supporter!

Government exposed over secret Dr Haneef plan

The Federal Government should hang its collective head in shame over the latest revelations concerning the Dr Mohamed Haneef affair.

Despite repeated denials by the Federal Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews that he had formulated a plan to revoke Dr Haneef's work visa BEFORE Dr Haneef had been granted bail in the Brisbane Magistrates' Court on 16 July 2007, secret emails have now emerged that the Australian Federal Police had been working on such a contingency two days earlier.

Kate Walshe, a spokeswoman for Kevin Andrews was "shocked and a bit concerned" at the revelations in the AFP emails.

She is quoted as saying: "That's something, to be honest, I'm a bit lost for words on because it shocks me".

The only honesty is this whole tawdry affair is the words uttered by Kate Walshe.

And let's face it, she was shocked only because the truth has finally started to emerge.

Bring on a Royal Commission.

Abbott's campaign in tatters

Today's Australian newspaper proclaims:

"Abbott's campaign in tatters".

With Tony Abbott having scored an own goal every day for the past week, many Australians will welcome today's banner headlines with great delight.

Family First candidate evasive on drugs and porno

The Family First candidate for the far North Queensland seat of Leichhardt continued his week of stupidity with both his denials and admissions regarding pornography and drug use.

University lecturer Ben Jacobsen is flying the flag for Family First and is making himself look like a prize dill in the process.

Two days ago, he questioned the sexual preferences of his Liberal Party opponent Ms Charlie McKillop.

Yesterday, when questioned by the media, he admitted that he had looked at internet pornography "but not for five years".

Wow, what a great guy.

But his best effort was of Biblical proportions when he thrice denied using illicit drugs.

He answered as follows when asked if he had ever tried illicit drugs:

"Not to my knowledge";

I do "not recall";

Then, "No".

And then, presumably, the cock crowed three times!

Family First Leader Senator Steve Fielding from Victoria has refused to disendorse this dunce from North Queensland which is why Family First will never be a force to be reckoned with north of the Murray River.

Where is Bruce Flegg? - Day 24 of the Search

Civil Liberties goes too far on Fardon

I have the highest respect for Terry O'Gorman, the Vice-President of the Queensland Council of Civil Liberties.

But now Terry has gone into bat for convicted child rapist Robert John Fardon demanding that it should become a criminal offence to publicly reveal the whereabouts of released sex predators.

Channel 7 Brisbane should be congratulated for its efforts on behalf of eight families in North Ipswich where 23 children live within a stone's throw of the house Fardon was to occupy.

By making it a criminal offence, Channel 7 would have been legally prohibited from airing the genuine concerns expressed by these worried parents.

The protection of our civil liberties will always be a very fine balancing act between the competing views of governments, courts and the people.

But when it comes to the rights and liberties of the workers and battlers of North Ipswich trying to raise their kids in a safe environment, I will always back them against the so-called noble sentiments expressed by lawyers in their ivory towers in downtown Brisbane.

Family First are right-wing zealots

Family First's candidate in the far north Queensland electorate of Leichhardt Ben Jacobsen has questioned the sexual preferences of his Liberal opponent Ms Charlie McKillop by demanding to know if she is gay.

This pompous political upstart also took the opportunity to attack single parents.

Where does the Leader of Family First Steve Fielding stand on this latest gaffe by one of his cohorts nominating for Federal Parliament?

If elected, Ben Jacobsen is obviously planning to bring a new dimension to the House of Representatives by encouraging a platform of sexual discrimination, homophobia and political zealotry.

This guy makes Pauline Hanson look like a progressive politician.

Family First is trying to claim a monopoly on family values which belies their real agenda of intolerance, discrimination and religious fanaticism.

Which is why the good people of Leichhardt will tell Ben Jacobsen to "Go forth and multiply" when they vote on November 24.

Abbott the rabbit treats us all with disdain

The Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott attacks Bernie Banton - the terminally ill, wheelchair bound asbestos campaigner - and is forced to apologise.

The next day he turns up half an hour late for a nationally-televised debate with his Opposition counterpart Nicola Roxon, apologises profusely and then proceeds to abuse Ms Roxon and swear at her.

Many voters would hope that his new title of "The Late Mr Abbott" might answer all their dreams about this political troglodyte.