Speaking of hysteria. LOL

Poirot, the whole affair about the Abbott kid getting a so called "scholarship" from the Whitehouse Institute of Design in Sydney is highly questionable. According to a former school staffer Melletios Kyriakidis, The Abbott girl was a high achiever, but there were others at the school with much greater financial need. It is also questionable as to why Abbott had not declared the $60,000 "scholarship" on his pecuniary interests register when it was awarded in 2011.
What motivated the school to give Abbott a $60,000 fee reduction, and why did Abbott fail to disclose it. I smell a RAT!

What about this grubby NSW LIBERAL GOVERNMENT. Not since 1906 has a party holding a seat failed to contest it in a by-election, until now. Why wont this bunch allow the people of the Hunter to pass judgement on their CRIMINALITY through the ballot box?. Having already cost the taxpayers of NSW millions of dollars uncovering their shonky activities, all complements of the ICAC, this mob of gangsters are now going to let the taxpayers foot the bill for two by-elections, estimated cost $500,000, while Baird and his gang will be most likely holed up in some Liberal Party Hideout.

Baird should do the people of New South Wales a favor and go to the Governor and tender his governments resignation. Let the people choose, do they want CORRUPT LABOR or LIBERAL, or do they want to vote for honesty and integrity, a real alternative, and VOTE GREEN.

Shadow Minister, unfortunately condones CORRUPTION, sad but true, proving;
1... Its LIBERAL CORRUPTION and 2... No one knows about it! Sad but true.

More to come from the ICAC this week, with a look into the North Sydney Branch of the Liberal Party and "donations" (Hockey is the Fed Member for North Sydney). Could be very I.N.T.E.R.E.S.T.I.N.G!

Poirot,

I can see that you are out of your depth with these new words. Scurrilous means maliciously fabricating and disseminating stories that are damaging to someone, such as a girl accusing someone of rape in retaliation for being dumped, or in your case fabricating a "gift" of a scholarship to FA.

Impugning means disputing the truth, validity, or honesty of a statement or motive. Which I freely admit doing, and am usually proved correct, especially when there is hard evidence in the case of Thomson and Slipper.

Paul,

Scholarships are generally not awarded based on financial need, but on academic or other qualities desired by the institution to boost its standing. As a result it is not considered a gift, and TA has no need to declare it any more than the salaries earned by his daughters. Notably the institution has now employed FA and is reaping the benefit of the reduction in fees it offered her.

As for the Hunter valley, it appears that it will be contested by the nationals, the CORRUPT GREENS and the corrupt Labor party.

SM,

You'd have more credibility if you ceased banging the Slipper drum for his $900 offence...and addressed the tens of thousands in rorting by the rest of them - mainly the LNP - that sail along under the radar due to the Minchin Protocol.

And while we're talking of things that may be legally legit - there's a whole lot of dodgy morality going on with some pollies. Like Hockey lecturing people on being "leaners" when he lifts $270 an night expenses from the tax payer for staying in his wife's house when in Canberra.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/taxpayers-footing-bill-on-treasurer-joe-hockeys-15-million-canberra-house/story-fni0cx12-1227026624945

"The Treasurer has legitimately claimed $108,000 in travel allowance for 368 nights over the past four years including many nights for parliamentary sitting weeks where he has stayed at the Canberra house."

Yes, I know Labor pollies do it too...but do you think it's right to unload a budget that cuts under thirties out of support for six months while you're lining your own pockets with tax payer's money under such circumstances?

You say:

"Scholarships are generally not awarded based on financial need, but on academic or other qualities desired by the institution to boost its standing..."

Well if Whitehouse had a had a scholarship program, you might have a point. But they don't appear to have had one prior to "the scholarship". Even the daughter of the owner's free tuition "wasn't described as a scholarship - just free tuition.

I'm not blaming Frances for this at all.

You'd think Tones might have gleaned it was perhaps questionable and might cause some future heads to turn - and opted instead to pay the fees.

So Shadow Boxer, where will Mick 'Bugsy' Baird and his North Shore Gangsters' be come October, not in The Hunter, more likely out robbing property developers!

Gee, how gutless, the conservatives are going to offer up a couple of "Cow Cockies" for slaughter by the voters in the Hunter, come October. As a leading member of the conservatives, 'Spats and Straws Hats Brigade', may I suggest Shadow you do the right thing and offer your good self as a "Candidate" to the people of Newcastle, you could run on a platform of "honesty and integrity in government". Let me caution you however, just don't mention the 'B' words Bugsy Baird or Boozy Barry. On the up side I do believe when the voters of Newcastle are finished with you, the feathers will fall off in a couple of years but the tar will take a little longer! ROFLMAO