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Tuesday May 21, 2013

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Slush Fund Scandal: 'This week it will come to a head'

Posted by: Neil Mitchell | 26 November, 2012 - 8:37 AM
<b>NEIL MITCHELL:</b> 'It will be a bruising week in federal parliament'.

NEIL MITCHELL: Julia Gillard and the slush fund scandal....Do you care?

Is this a media obsession or something that really goes to the heart of the integrity of the Prime Minister and the government?

Does it matter? Your views are crucial here. You can leave your comments below.

Now regardless of that it is coming to a head. It will be a bruising week in federal parliament.

Now there are problems here.

One: it is complex.

Two: it is a long time ago 19 years

Three: There are crooks everywhere all giving different versions of events.

And Four: it is so muddied by politics.

Who knows what is happening?

It is important to say at once the Prime Minister insists there has been no wrong doing on her part and there is no proof that there has been.

There are however many questions she has not answered and will not answer.

The opposition is hinting it has something fresh to chase in the parliament this week.

And the government is claiming it is all over...Case closed.

Well... I don’t know what, if anything, the opposition has.

But I do know the case is not closed and it is absurd to say so.

There are two dodgy characters in the middle of this, both former union officials.

One is Bruce Wilson - Julia Gillard’s boyfriend of four years and a man who ripped thousands out of union funds.

The other is his former mate and bagman Ralph Blewitt.

At the weekend Blewitt said the PM had questions to answer.

Wayne Swan said he was a crook and shouldn’t be taken seriously.

Then Wilson publicly said the PM knew nothing of what went on and the Minister lined up to say he was right.

Now hang on... How does that work?

How can Blewitt’s evidence be unreliable because he was a crook then reliable when he was an even bigger crook?

That is political spin and nonsense and when you have ministers saying it is all over, finished, done when it clearly isn’t, it makes everybody edgy. Everybody suspicious.

Look it was a long time ago.

The PM was a solicitor, she helped set up what turned out to be a dodgy slush fund and there are real reasons to ask why she didn’t inform the authorities more quickly when she found out it was dodgy.

She left her legal firm after this, perhaps under a cloud.

She has also not answered to the $5000 cash Wilson put in her personal account.

And there are many other questions about what she knew and whether she has been entirely frank in her answers since. That is what matters.

The final point to this as a modern and current political issue: She is handling it badly.

She has been heaving media behind the scenes while saying nothing publicly.

It has all damaged the government and there is no question there are several ministers who say she must put an end to it. And she must.

She tried before and but more information has come up since then.

Now Blewitt has spoken to Victoria Police and I think it is inevitable they will reopen the case.

West Australian police are also interested.

This will drag on into the New Year, an election year, and the sooner the pm answers the questions the sooner she ends this defence of silence.

It will better for everybody because we can get on with what really matters.

Things like living costs, jobs, power prices and our kids.

3AW Mornings with Neil Mitchell

Neil Mitchell Neil is one of Australia’s most experienced journalists with success in newspapers, radio and television. He was one of the youngest editors of a daily metropolitan newspaper, The Herald.

 

AWU: Bishop demands answers

Julie Bishop SLUSH FUND: Julia Gillard has expressed her frustration at constant questioning about her time as a lawyer 20-years ago. Derryn Hinch spoke with Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop about the allegations.

Shorten vs Hockey over Gillard

Tensions flare between Bill Shorten and Joe Hockey over the AWU scandal. TENSIONS FLARE: A discussion on the Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s involvement in the AWU scandal between Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey and Workplace Relations and Employment Minister Bill Shorten has evoked ire on the Neil Mitchell program.

 

Blog comments Your Say

  • Yes it is very important. My vote has changed away from the ALP because of all the rotting. Australians deserve better, and we must not be lied to.

    Swinging voter Thursday 14 March, 2013 - 11:42 AM

  • Why doesn't she answer Julie Bishop's questions with a YES or NO?
    It looks more and more like she is probably hiding something.
    This is important and there needs to be a statement made by the PM to Parliament.
    Anything less either is or at the very least looks to be dodgy and incriminating.

    Bill Wall Tuesday 27 November, 2012 - 12:53 PM

  • There should be a Royal Commission into this Slush Fund. I do not believe Julis Gillard at all, you don't forget someone gave you $5000? Also Julia Gillard would have lefted Slater & Gordon so they wouldn't sack her. Finish with her ex boyfriend Bruce Wilson, because Gillard wanted to go into Politics & being caught up in a scandal or sacked would not help her get into Politics. Gillard wants this to go away, that is for sure.

    Elisa Tuesday 27 November, 2012 - 7:38 AM

  • She (Gillard) can't remember if somebody deposited $5000 into her account? Ahh the spoils of the rich. It must be so hard. As for the Coalition, well they are out to smear and damage because they have nothing else that is working for them. The ceiling didn't cave in with the carbon tax, and all the other scares have failed. But really between Labor and the Coalition it's a race to the bottom. Both are as bad as each other, with only varying degrees. The losers, are the people of Australia.

    Greg Tuesday 27 November, 2012 - 2:10 AM

  • Well Julia, if you lie down with dogs dear, you get fleas. A 4 year relationship is a lot of fleas! And 'birds of a feather do flock together'! Hard to believe that the little Ms Gillard we have all become to know was ever naive and so very gullible - 'INN-O-CENT, I am INN-O-CENT' the woman now wails. Mmmm -'where there's smoke there's fire'! 'Bring on the elections' - I'm begging you!

    Cathy Monday 26 November, 2012 - 9:33 PM

  • Hmmm. The proofs are clearly there that this obstinate, fool of a woman is an inveterate liar and a cheat. The evidence is there with th carbon dioxide taxation rort and the pretend so called defacto joker she has living in the so called Lodge - nomenclature which will be changed to the Black House. I am utterly disgusted with this liar of a woman. I look forward to her being booted with a vengeance, if not by the defunct labor party then by us disgusted voters. F OFF gillard you liar and cheat.

    Justin J James Monday 26 November, 2012 - 8:37 PM

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