[Deleted for abuse.]

I have to admit FG I thought he went under his own steam.
How ever take your word he was sacked.
I however not side stepping your issues.
For me both him and SHY acted wrongly.

Belly,

You were quite right to think that the Ombudsman 'went [resigned] under his own steam', as you put it. In narrow technicality he did, but only after both the PM and SMoS had made it clear that as a consequence of his alleged subterfuge he had lost the 'confidence' of the government. Nowhere in the media, at the time you opened this topic, was there anything telling you or anyone else anything different. 'Industrial journalism' at work, as Laurie Oakes described it in the Andrew Olle Media Lecture.

That was a disgrace, because the media did not pick up on the recorded facts in Hansard that there was nothing secret whatever as to Allan Asher having had communication with SH-Y, he himself having openly admitted to many such events where he had had contact with politicians, and specifically identified SH-Y as having been one of them, in testimony before a Committee of the Senate.

Indeed, it was upon the basis of this frank and supposedly privileged testimony that the question-upon-notice that elicited the later-to-tabled emails was structured. And to compound the failure, the media, with the exception (after the event) of the Canberra Times, failed to notice or record that the content of those emails appeared to have been leaked to at least some journalists before having been received by the Committee that had asked they be provided, in a second breach of privilege that put the Ombudsman in a bad light as a consequence of the telling of only half the story.

That same leak put the PM in the embarrassing position of having gone off half cocked on the whole matter. It also provided a basis for attack-dog Eric, with memories of having been savaged over the Godwin Grech 'ute-gate' emails, to prematurely rip into SH-Y on the floor of the Senate over her 'role' in the supposed affair.

Bloggers are usurping decisions as to what becomes news because that field is being left vacant by journalists unwilling, or not free, to dig a bit for the truth.

Forrest Gumpp I was lucky enough to see the Oaks thing, very good too.
Yes your points are well put and as much concern to me as you.
As you know I am repelled by Gillard, warned even before Rudd leaked she could not be trusted.
And in truth she never must be.
Above all the impulse moves cash for clunkers, gee really?
A list exists in my head.
I how ever want explanation for the union head getting a seat.
A host of issues, but my belief the thread highlights an action outside trust still lives within me.
I am sorry, gee I truly am, that folk I truly like and respect, here and in life, from the greens, dislike me, for being honest.
It is not fear or concern for Labor, but Australia, that has driven me away from greens.
ONLINE and no other place greens hold the numbers, over represented in such as here, they forget, my views are not minority ones but majority.
You can not preach honesty but practice this type of thing.
If SHY had stood to her feet in the house raised these issues I would admire her,not this however.

Belly,

Here's something I saw on twitter that you may find interesting: http://twitter.com/#!/ForrestGumpp/status/136640435052494848

The link provided by Vexnews delivers one to an item by Bill Shorten, here: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/a-lot-to-offer-our-good-yank-mates/story-e6frezz0-1226195966178

I think I see what you mean about Bill being leadership material for the future. Some very interesting both direct and oblique statements are made, timed very well to coincide with Obama's visit, such as:

"In fact, the thing I admire most about
Barack Obama is how he always talks about
hope, not fear.

It is a lesson for us given the negative,
cynical tall-poppy-chopping we witness in
Australian politics. Learning from good
friends is part of most people's lives and
such lessons are trusted because Australian
and American soldiers have fought on the
same side in wars since World War I. ..."

The 'talk[ing] about hope' and 'learning from good friends' bits put me in mind of that part of the lyrics of 'Buttons and Bows' that goes:

"... But I'll love ya' longer, stronger where
Yer friends don't tote a gun
My bones denounce the buckboard bounce
And the cactus hurts my toes
Let's vamoose where gals keep usin'
Those silks and satins and linen that shows
And I'm all yours in buttons and bows"

And I pointedly, in the circumstances, make no reference to the name of the film from which it comes! (Nor to anything that may have gone cactus on this thread.)

It was also reassuring to see Bill say:

"Institutions such as Medicare,[PBS?]
... make Australia a great place
to live because they are pillars of
a safety net all about people.
.
.
... it is vastly more important to be
the ally the US needs than the ally
any particular American administration
might want.

... [that] honest advice on the
wisdom of a course of action is what
delivers the respect of our friends,
because mates talk straight."

`

Leadership stuff.

"The peril of hunting hornfowl is this, that one never knows if one is the hunter or the hunted, ..."

Forrest Gumpp, it reassures me to see your words.
I am subjected to the charge of BIAS, mostly by the most biased of us.
And may I say, if this was my last day on earth my proudest moments came via my union the AWU.
Knowing Bill Shorten, understanding he is, the man we thought Rudd was, the new light on the hill Latham conned us in to thinking he was.
In Lathams case it became clear after ten minutes in front of him, he was at best a fraud.
I am totally baffled, maybe it is the hung Parliament, but why Bill is not ready stuns me.
3 months in Gillards seat would see him prove my support for him is based on his massive ability and understanding.