Further Update : Jackie Kelly may be in disgrace now, but ten years ago, she predicted HoWARd’s government would last another ten years. Does this mean Kelly was somehow responsible for the downfall of his Government, and the device of distributing a racist shit sheet — followed by a staggeringly inept interview concerning it — was her attempt at ensuring this outcome?
Yes. Yes I think it does.
Jackie Kelly, is a former RAAF squadron leader who won the Labor seat of Lindsay at the last election. She also believes the public doesn’t like politicians saying, “they think we are lower than journalists actually”.
Their observations of the week’s unprecedented events permit us a unique insight into the debate, it’s consequences and the political process. When Sunday reporter Paul Ransley gathered them together and asked them if they thought the public would ever trust them after Travelgate, they spoke frankly. Joel says “no”. Annette would like to think they will but says, “I will need to prove myself”. Jackie says, “some members of parliament will never be trusted again. But not John Howard. He’ll be here for the next ten years”.
Politically and personally, the four MP’s have much to gain or lose by the outcome of the travel rorts debate. Each claimed between $10,000 and $12,000 in travel allowance in the past 12 months. Money they are perfectly entitled to, though in the current climate, it’s a touchy subject.
Each day Jackie Kelly is in Canberra, she claims the $145 tax free allowance. “I stay with an ex friend of mine from the RAAF”. Does she pay a $145 a night rent? “I make it up for her in gifts and things around the house”. It seems she would pocket a fair proportion of the allowance but Jackie maintains that when she’s in Canberra expenses go up. “Compared to Penrith it’s an incredibly expensive city”.
~ Paul Ransley, Politicians & Travel Rorts, Sunday, October 5, 1997
Update : In another pathetic attempt to cover their tracks, the Glenmore Park Action Group (presumably either Mary Cook – Director & Web Administrator and/or Mick Carthey – Web Designer & Administrator) has REMOVED the reference to Greg Chijoff, husband to Tory Party candidate for the seat of Lindsay Karen Chijoff. Note that the President of the GPAG, Troy Craig, is one of the men apparently responsible for producing and distributing the racist shit sheet.
Tee hee. Tee hee hee.
The retiring member for Lindsay, Jackie Kelly, was cruelly deceived this morning by a Union Thug working for the Pink Mafia at the Communist-controlled ABC. Told that she was auditioning for a part on The Chaser, Kelly proceeded to do her very best impression of a politician whose nearest and dearest has been caught out engaged in a dirty tricks campaign on behalf of a fellow Tory. The results speak for themselves.
Also auditioning for parts on The Chaser, according to Kelly, are Kelly’s husband, Gary Clark, NSW Tory Party state executive member Jeff Egan and Troy Craig, president of the Glenmore Park Action Group. As noted by Weezil, Greg Chijoff — in addition to being “Assistant to the Director” of the Action Group — is also the husband of Karen Chijoff, the Tory Party candidate for the seat of Lindsay.
The pamphlet at the centre of the scandal was attributed to the fictitious “Islamic Australia Federation”, and purportedly urged a vote for Labor because of its support for Muslim causes. “We gratefully acknowledge Labor’s support to forgive our Muslim brothers who have been unjustly sentenced to death for the Bali bombings,” the pamphlet says. “Labor is the only political party to support the entry to this country of our Grand Mufti Reverend Sheik al-Hilaly and we thank Honourable Paul Keating for overturning the objections of ASIO to allow our Grand Mufti to enter this country.”
“Ala Akba!”
On the bright side, Kelly’s efforts have so impressed The Chaser, they’ve offered her a job: “The Chaser has invited outgoing Liberal MP Jackie Kelly to apply for a job with the comedy team, after she described a political scandal involving her husband and the Liberal party as just a “Chaser-style of prank” (Chaser to Kelly: Come and work for us!, Arjun Ramachandran, Sydney Morning Herald, November 22, 2007). John HoWARd, on the other hand, is unhappy that some of his minions have been caught doing a ‘dodger’: “I am very critical of what has happened, and I want to make it very clear – very, very clear indeed – that this dodger should never have been put out,” he said. Well, according to the Communist-controlled ABC anyway (Australian PM condemns fake pamphlet, Radio Australia, November 22, 2007).
It also appears possible that this is a running gag for Kelly. According to other Communist sources:
…a former campaigner for Ms Kelly says her team has used questionable tactics before – including issuing fake ‘how to vote’ cards on the 2001 polling day.
Ken Higgs says it was openly discussed at campaign meetings as a way to counter a threat from a resident action group which was campaigning on a platform to save a local defence site.
“It actually said how to save the ADI site and the number one preference was Jackie Kelly and our Liberal party booth workers were told to put on a ‘Save the ADI site’ T-shirt and hand out this bogus how to vote card,” he said.
Surely not. After all, the love and affection HoWARd has for Jackie Kelly is likely only second to that he once had for Pru Goward.
See also : Liberals expel members over ‘offensive’ flyer | Tory! Tory! Tory! | Liberal race hate scam exposed on poll eve, Katharine Murphy, The Age, November 22, 2007
@ndy, the mere fact that HoWARd didn’t sack Karen Chijoff indicates the level of racism and dirty tricks he finds acceptable in Liberal candidates. Unsurprising considering how long and loud Johnny & his mates have blown the racism dog-whistle, particularly at Muslims.