The barest elements of the Wongster's style...
Even on basis the barest elements of style - Wong / Gillard Labor manages multiple failures of governance on same issue.
Building on inappropriate procedures in the appointment of David Gonski, adding porkies to it, then they deny the undeniable, excuse the inexcusable - all compromising the incipient chairman of the Future Fund.
What a troika: how much easier it would have been if Finance Minister Penny Wong had admitted the truth?
'Yes - we lied - but that is the way we are.
Some would call it mere spin.
But we have surpassed that long ago. We no longer even care what truth is.
There are no basic truths in our post - modern world. Furthermore we have improved on Orwell - ensuring our Ministry Of Truth -that truth never gets out in the future.'
War is peace!
Freedom is slavery!
Ignorance is strength!
GS
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Nineteen Eighty-Four
Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopian novel by the English writer George Orwell, published in 1948. The story, which focuses on the life of Winston Smith, was Orwell's vision of a totalitarian state which has absolute control over every action and thought of its people through propaganda, secrecy, constant surveillance, and harsh
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
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The Elements of Style - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elements_of_Style
The Elements of Style (1918), also known as Strunk & White, by William Strunk, Jr
''......standard
to the offbeat", is thematically integral to the subject of The
Elements of Style,
yet does stand as a discrete essay about writing lucid prose.[2] To write well, White advises writers to have
the proper mind-set, that they write to please themselves, and that they aim for
"one moment of felicity", a phrase by Robert Louis
Stevenson (1850–94); thus the professor's 1918
recommendation:
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I told Labor 'Future Fund board wants Peter Costello' but they ...
I told Labor 'Future Fund board wants Peter Costello' but they chose me: David Gonski
- The Australian
- March 15, 2012
Mr Gonski told The Australian yesterday he had advised the government that the former federal treasurer had the "strong endorsement" of the board to take the prestigious job.
His comments counter Finance Minister Penny Wong's claims yesterday that Mr Gonski "did not make any recommendations" about who to appoint.
The Australian has also learnt that Mr Gonski put Mr Costello's name forward last November, leading to months of delays as the government searched for an alternative to the former treasurer. Current Future Fund chairman David Murray has criticised the delay while outgoing board member Brian Watson has accused the government of misleading the board over the process
The government's handling of the affair was labelled a "breakdown in governance" by one source because of the way Mr Gonski was asked to offer advice on the appointment and then became the candidate himself.
The Australian asked Mr Gonski yesterday whether he had advised the government - verbally or otherwise - that Mr Costello should be appointed as chairman of the fund. "My job was to advise the government on what the board thought," he said. "The board said they wanted an insider and they designated by majority that the insider was Peter.
"My report says that they wanted an insider. In my report it says that there is one person and I indicated to the department that there was strong endorsement for that person."
Senator Wong insisted there was "no political bias" in federal cabinet's decision on Tuesday to appoint Mr Gonski rather than Mr Costello.
Asked if Mr Gonski told the government that Mr Costello was a good candidate to be chairman, Senator Wong said the majority of the board wanted an internal appointment but she said there was no recommendation.
"Mr Gonski was not asked to make any recommendations to the Department (of Finance) about potential candidates and he did not make any recommendations," said a spokesman for the minister. "Mr Costello was appointed to the board (in 2009) on the recommendation of Mr (Wayne) Swan and the former finance minister (Lindsay) Tanner, so there is clearly no political bias against Mr Costello."
Senator Wong said the search for a new chairman was "extensive and thorough" and included the use of a search firm to canvass interest in the post from inside and outside the board. But the search firm was not asked to recommend any candidates and its work was cut short,
clearing the way for Mr Gonski to offer advice instead.
Senator Wong's office repeated last night that Mr Gonski had not made any recommendations.
"Mr Gonski was not asked to make any specific recommendations and he did not make any recommendations," the minister's spokeswoman said.
"He did advise in his memo to the department that a majority of board members believed the chair should be appointed from within the board, and in subsequent conversations with the department and minister's office say that, if the appointment was to come from within the board, the majority of board members preferred one individual." The government chose to appoint an outsider to the board, despite Mr Gonski's finding that an internal appointment was preferred.
While the government has come under fire for the way it appointed Mr Gonski, the prominent company director has drawn widespread praise as a good choice for the position.
Mr Gonski said he felt "very positive" about becoming chairman of the fund.
"As a person who is looking to give back to Australia, I see it as something I can do for Australia," he said. "I can't play football and I can't act or sing, so maybe I can use the experiences I've had."
Mr Gonski declined to comment on the European debt crisis or the state of global markets.
"I don't particularly want to answer questions of that nature because they only go one way - I either get it right or I get it wrong," he said.
"All l know is that I think my position as chairman of the Future Fund is to preside over a body that has an excellent general manager and an excellent team. And my job is to ensure that the board and myself govern that appropriately."
Mr Gonski said it was too early to comment on the performance of the fund and he declined to be drawn on whether he would implement any changes in investment strategy.
He rejected suggestions he would have a conflict of interest by remaining on the board of Infrastructure NSW, which may back projects that the Future Fund considers investing in.
"It's an advisory group - there is no conflict at all," he said.
Incoming Future Fund board member Steve Harker, who, like Mr Gonski, was appointed by the government on Tuesday, said it was an honour to be named to the fund. "I think David Gonski will bring experience and depth to the board and will continue the great work done by David Murray in establishing the organisation," Mr Harker said.
Mr Harker said the management of the fund was "rigorous and substantive" and its asset allocation was well thought through.
"I don't believe we are being asked to come into something that is somehow broken or needs change," he said.
Additional reporting: Annabel Hepworth
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