The totally off-topic thread

[erkpod]

I have no sympathy. Who would have thought that a bottle of wine would have such an awesome effect on moral at my Place of Employment?

What else has he been on the shonk about?

 

[anat0l]

I have no sympathy. Who would have thought that a bottle of wine would have such an awesome effect on moral at my Place of Employment?

What else has he been on the shonk about?

What do you mean such an awesome effect on morale at your place of employment? Just because you work for the government (if that) doesn't mean you should be adversely affected. This ICAC isn't going to cast a shadow over your integrity.

Unless you meant to imply that the morale actually went up instead of down.


Maybe the only thing to give credit for is that he fell on his sword. The standard modus operandi would be to deny, deny, deny... or admit... but never resign until / unless forcibly removed. Which is standard certainly in this country and all over the world, except maybe Japan.

 

[QF WP]

Well, after the handwritten note surfaced and was tended as ICAC evidence, he had no choice. What a fool - he had no memory because he was completely plastered after drinking said bottle sometime over Easter. Hope he decanted it first. Bet he has the empty bottle somewhere - one doesn't throw those year bottles away - they are still very collectable

 

[Pushka]

Totally disagree that you should deny deny deny. If you acted honestly in the first place and according to the written political code of ethics then there'd be nothing to deny.

Maybe one day a politician will just say, upfront "I did the wrong thing" although I'd prefer there was no need for that anyway. This "I don't recall" nonsense is just rubbish. He only quit because of the note. How could he not remember that! Doesn't work for Joe Average so why do politicians think it's ok.

 

[anat0l]

Totally disagree that you should deny deny deny. If you acted honestly in the first place and according to the written political code of ethics then there'd be nothing to deny.

Maybe one day a politician will just say, upfront "I did the wrong thing" although I'd prefer there was no need for that anyway. This "I don't recall" nonsense is just rubbish. He only quit because of the note. How could he not remember that! Doesn't work for Joe Average so why do politicians think it's ok.

That is the million dollar question, really.

In any case, it's not a case of they should deny, deny, deny... but we've seen it too many times in this country, that is what happens to our politicians. If it happened to any other person, unless they have money or hold a fairly impregnable position of power - and even then, they'd be easily dragged over the coals, facing fines and imprisonment.

Whether it be corruption or a speeding ticket, many* politicians seem to have their own standards. And we the people supposedly install our faith in them to run our country.

* not all... there has to be at least one "good" one out there being tarnished by the reputation of the majority

 

[Hvr]

Most politicians are lowlifes. Their intentions are possibly noble when they start but they are easily corrupted.

Just because everyone else does it doesn't make it acceptable.

And I don't understand how we have got back to the times where criminals rule. Legalied lawlessness.

We never left that time.

It's just now that law enforcement is catching up with them. No wonder the Victorian premier is resisting moves to set up a truly independent anti-corruption commission. So far he's wasted >$100 million on highly dysfunctional commissions which aren't allowed to investigate much if anything.

For all its faults at least NSW has set up ICAC which seems to be working.

 

[Bundy Bear]

NSW premier caught lying to Corruption enquiry.

Just once, I'd appreciate a Politician who has a better memory than me, and better than I am expected to have as a small business owner when dealing with institutions. Just once. Don't they understand that "I don't recall" (in this case, a $3,000 bottle of wine) just doesn't cut it anymore? They are all as bad as each other. We deserve ethical politicians don't we?

There is an old saying, if you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything.

How can you forget about a $3,000 bottle of wine.

 

[QF WP]

Great article in The Guardian on the saga

BTW Barry, here's the tasting notes for the 1959

Remember it now

 

[drron]

Back to flying and a heads up.you will have to read my TRs now so that you can recognise if I am in a security line in front of you.If so pick any other line.
monday was my first occasion through airline security since my knee replacement.I advised the person at the unit but just waved through and the alarm goes off.had to take watch glases and shoes off and sent back to go through again.Naturally the alarm goes off as I go back then when i go through again.the line is closed down until someone who is authorised to use the wand makes his way to me.This is not quick.
I doubt he had listened very well to his training as he had the wand so sensitive it was beeping before he got it anywhere near me.Finally gets it right and even though it now only goes off over my right knee and he sees the obviously not so old scar I have then got to have a pat down.meanwhile every one else waits.

Probably will now get TSA pre authorisation on all my LOTFAP flights next month.

 

[amaroo]

<snip>

This "I don't recall" nonsense is just rubbish.

Gotta a feeling Barry won't be the last. Arthur needs to take a good long look at himself over his repetitive use of the "don't recall" line of defence. Then there is Chris Hartcher - he looks to be well and truly in the crosshairs.

 

[erkpod]

Sorry in advance to Jessica for the Simpsons reference but under the circumstances, I had to do it...

Expensive wine & no memory makes Homer something something....

For a bit of background, a few years ago there was a massive inquiry into various people within my industry who were investigated & found guilty by ICAC for things such as setting up their own companies & giving themselves work.

Unwittingly, I was dragged into it.

Just doing my job, I had a safety incident where someone almost got themselves killed. The parties concerned denied all knowledge of the incident.

Unknown to me at the time, ICAC had one of the people involved in my incident under investigation & had his phone tapped. There are recordings of the person concerned talking to an investigator wanting to meet up over a late night kebab to work out how to cover up my incident.

I found that out via the media 6 months later after a friend emailed me the article.

I met with my management & gave them the story - they were aware of it. I was fully expecting to front ICAC to give evidence. Upstairs were aware of it.

To this day, no one has told me I was in the right or offically what happened to the people concerned. I did some research & the guy on the phone tap is doing some serious jail time due to multi million dollar fraud. My incident was the cherry on top.

Several months later, everyone had to do a day's course about corruption which considering my job role & previous events.

NSW public servants (me included) are well aware of BOF led cutbacks to services & wages. I'm in the middle of protracted EA discussions (not me personally, of course).

So I have no sympathy & morale is up. He who lives by the sword should be prepared to die on his sword & that's exactly what happened. Procedures are in place, they weren't followed & he lied to ICAC & the people of NSW.

The fact that he has been pushing so hard on alcohol laws but alcohol was part of his demise hasn't been missed.

 

[JohnK]

This "I don't recall" nonsense is just rubbish. He only quit because of the note. How could he not remember that! Doesn't work for Joe Average so why do politicians think it's ok.

Actually some of us do forget important things. Not intentional.

 

[Pushka]

Actually some of us do forget important things. Not intentional.

I agree. Sometimes it's a deadline for paying a routine bill. But a $3000 gift by the name of Penfolds is surely memorable. If he can't remember that then he's not only dishonest but incompetent for the position.

Back to flying and a heads up.

Nah. We are not done with Barry just yet. Plus flying is off topic here.

 

[anat0l]

Actually some of us do forget important things. Not intentional.

That matters extremely little when you're giving evidence under oath.

 

[medhead]

A $3000 penfolds gift from the year of your birth (which is subsequently a main discussion point in the thank you note). Hard to believe he'd forget.

But even if he did forget. The path of least resistance would have been to put his hand up, say mea culpa, I didn't think it was worth that much, forgot to declare it in my interests. A few headlines and 3 days later the whole thing is forgotten. Instead he has been caught lying to the corruption watchdog. Hopefully his chief of staff and other advisors are taken out the back and shot for their incompetent risk assessment

 

[Pushka]

Good Grief. I agree with medhead.

 

[Bundy Bear]

It's going to be a field day on Facebook

 

[JohnK]

That matters extremely little when you're giving evidence under oath.

If I have genuinely forgotten then I can't be lying or covering up? Can I?

By the way I am not justifying what Barry O'Farrell has done.

 

[medhead]

If I have genuinely forgotten then I can't be lying or covering up? Can I?

By the way I am not justifying what Barry O'Farrell has done.

He said outright they there was no bottle, he did not receive it. That is a lie if the truth is he didn't remember being given a bottle.

 

[SeatBackForward]

If I have genuinely forgotten then I can't be lying or covering up? Can I?

By the way I am not justifying what Barry O'Farrell has done.

But he didn't say "i can't remember". he said "no i didn't"