579,

If any political commentators or knuckles men (and knuckles women!) of political parties are encouraging people to doubt the independence and earnestness of Royal Commissions they are shameless.

Of course the feckless media will always sensationalise for headlines to entertain the easily led. Especially where Parliament is not in session for media hacks to make trashy stories to fill ten second grabs and the endless opinion (read as speculative gossip) columns that the media serves up instead of informed news and articles.

In truth, RCs are arduous, combing through detail to separate the wheat from the chaff. It would be good if the findings could bring closure to grieving relatives and give some hope to insurance and other claimants who are out of pocket. By way of example, many Queensland flood victims are still struggling to resolve their claims, and against government as well.

Government is never keen these days to play it straight down the line. Perhaps government never was. Which I guess brings us back in a full circle to the need for Royal Commissions.

Dear 579,

The facts have been found and sieved through
Data has been assessed and published. More
than eight times including the 2012 Coronial
Inquest. Still the current government needs the
diversion and hang the expense. They can always
continue to increase the debt ceiling.

Foxy,

That is not correct. You need to read the terms of reference. See my link and post, eg
onthebeach, Saturday, 28 December 2013 11:36:42 AM

As well, you deny the grieving families closure, which is heartless.

Definitely has got Abbott's slant all over it Question 1,2,3, are all related.
It is a witch hunt, as expected.

RObert I like your frank and honest style, indeed even today supporters of the once government of Queensland tell us the Fitzgerald inquiry was fixed.
Standing on a ant hill claiming it is a mountain is folly.
Lets look, deeper and at least give my views about Tony Abbott and just a few in his right of right faction of the Liberal party.
No benefit in lies, Labors internal selfy from that day in 2010 made us unelectable.
Folk in truth wanted any one but Labor.
Murdock rounded up the sheep but the result was never in doubt.
Now others think we under estimated Abbott, I think he played only a minor roll, yes he had the smile the white shirt but electorate over looked its well know feelings about the man.
Now? well why is he acting as opposition leader still, why fish in this dry dam?
Surely common sense shouts the only clear out come is damning a past PM.
As is the case for Labor the real task for Abbott is to keep those who usually do not vote for him.
And win over the ones who never have.
His task while trying to use our taxes to rake up mud is impossible to deliver.
LOOK at and read this days story in that Liberal Comic book/paper the Australian.
Then know the puppet Master Murdock himself may call for his team to unseat Tony ah gee ah next year.

Dear Belly,

I again give you the link that sums it up so well:

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/we-really-must-talk-about-the-pink-batts,5622

The mendacious Murdoch media and the Coalition are using
their same tried and tested tactics - to depict whatever
Labor did as disasters, rorts, and catastrophes and as
we've learned this tactic worked in the past and will
probably work again for the simple-minded. It's successful
as it is malicious. As Alan Austin tells us,

"This is again the subject of extreme headlines condemning
the Rudd Government and reprising the old labels of -
bungle, debacle, and disaster."

Contrary to the false assertions in the Mainstream Media
the Queensland Coroner did not blame the Federal Government.
Culpability, according to the Coroner was shared three ways:

1) The State Authorities -
"Under our Constitutional arrangements, workplace, health,
and safety is primarily within the domain of State Governments."

2) The Companies -
"That the employees of the three people whose deaths were
investigated by this inquest failed to adequately discharge
their rewsponsibilities is evidenced by their conviction of
offences under electrical and work-place safety legislation."

3) And in one case, the victim -
"Despite being directed not to use metal staples Mitchell
chose to do so and died as a direct result."
(He also did not turn off the power to the house as he'd
been instructed to do).

Of course these deaths were tragedies - however,
what is shameless is for a political party to cynically
exploit the deaths of four young men. This political party
deserves total repudiation at the ballot box. What is
currently happening is purely to benefit the Coalition.
And that is shameless!