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THE CANBERRA TIMES Wednesday, July 10, 2013 canberratimes.com.au

Flat strap schedule suggests poll day on track for November 16

By Daniel Flitton

INDEX
Times2 ......................................Liftout Food and Wine .....................Liftout World ....................................................7 Business, Money .... Times2, 7-15 Editorial .............................Times2, 2 Opinion ...........................Times2, 1-5 Gang-gang .........................................8 Weather ..............................................8 Classifieds ...............Times2, 19-24 Sport...........................Times2, 25-32

ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Kevin Rudd arrives in Darwin on Tuesday.

Summits and sports will decide when the man once dubbed Kevin 747 sends Australians to the polls. The hectic schedule of global meetings Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is expected to attend leaves precious few spare Saturdays on which to hold an election. Combined with the traditional reluctance politicians fee about imposing a campaign over the football finals, a mid-November elec-

tion looks most likely. Mr Rudd has already made plain the choice of September 14 by Julia Gillard clashes with the G20 summit in St Petersburg, set for the weekend before. Australia hosts the G20 leaders including US President Barack Obama and Chinas Xi Jinping in Brisbane next year and not sending the national leader to accept the handover from Russias Vladimir Putin was considered poor form. Mr Rudd this week appointed an

international adviser, career diplomat Daniel Sloper, who has a tricky task to balance electoral demands without delivering an inadvertent snub to a host nation expecting an Australian prime minister in a group photo. Mr Rudds enthusiasm for summitry became the subject of opposition ridicule as PM first time around. Then, he made much of Australias neighbourhood ties, so must now decide whether to attend the Pacific Islands Forum, set for

September 3 to 6 in the Marshall Islands. Winning a seat on the UN Security Council last year poses another challenge, as Australia assumes the council presidency in September in a job that rotates each month among the 15 members. Traditionally, the national leader presides in the presidents chair The grand final for the AFL (September 28) and NRL (October 6) give him an excuse to delay the election as might the Bathurst V8

Supercar race (October 12). The summit calendar is crowded up to November 30, the last date he could hold a poll. Indonesia is hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting in Bali on October 7 and 8. On October 9 and 10, Brunei will hold the East Asia Summit. Then, a fiveweek gap before Sri Lanka hosts the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Avoiding the Melbourne Cup, means holding out until the 16th is a prospect.

PHONE NUMBERS
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Unions call crisis talks over Rudd reforms

Labour leaders back PM
By Heath Aston

Good riddance to faceless men of politics

Max Schroedi 23, Warramanga
Voting for: Greens What do you think of Rudds reforms: Its a good thing. I think it was unfair how they could change leader without going to the people. Do reforms make you more keen to vote Labor: Yes.

LOTTERIES
$2 Jackpot Lotto draw 9830: First, $100,000, No 183374; second, $10,000, No 17824; third, $5000, No 32190. The jackpot prize was not won. $5 Jackpot Lotto draw 900: First, $200,000, No 166128; second, $20,000, No 65251; third, $5000, No 132573. Consolation prizes of $1000 each, Nos 034215, 065124, 069449, 108031, 108922. The jackpot prize was not won. OZ Lotto draw 1012: Winning Nos 1 , 41 , 2 , 17 , 13 , 11 and 7. Supplementary Nos: 40 and 33. Division 1 Prize Pool $2,000,000 Total Prize Pool $4,977,757.52

Troy Harris-McMillan 21, Theodore Dani Butler 25, Kambah

Voting for: Not Tony Abbott. On Rudds reforms: Im not sure I can trust him. Do reforms make you more keen to vote Labor: Im just not sure. Voting for: Labor On Rudds reforms: Seems a lot better. They cant just up and change leaders any more. Do reforms make you more keen to vote Labor: Yes.

Mitch Edwards 21, Nicholls

Voting for: Labor On Rudds reforms: Somethings got to be done Do reforms make you more keen to vote Labor: Yes, but I think the Liberals will get in.

CENTENARY EVENTS
Inside Out: New Actions for Change by First Australians: National Convention Centre (until July 11). Inside Out Cabaret Dinner: National Convention Centre, 7pm. Mapping Your Place Kids Class: Canberra Glassworks, Kingston (until July 19). Yirrkala Bark Petitions Lecture Series: Parliament of Australia (until July 11). 2013 Kanga Cup: Dickson Playing Fields, Hawker Playing Fields, Mason Playing Fields, University of Canberra, Harrison Playing Fields, Kaleen Playing Fields (until July 13). City of Trees exhibition: National Library of Australia, Parkes Place (until October 7). NAIDOC Week: various locations (until July 14). Asia Pacific Week: Australian National University (until July 12). Room on the Broom: The Street Theatre, 2pm (until July 13). 2013 Australian Junior Volleyball Championships: AIS Athletics Facility, Bruce (until July 13). Canberra Gang Show 2013: Canberra Grammar School, Red Hill, (until July 14). Centenary By Sky Christmas in July: Mount Stromlo Observatory, Stromlo (until July 27). Song Line of the Wiradjuri Scar Tree: Australian National Botanic Gardens, Acton. NAIDOC Week Exhibition: Photoaccess Huw Davies Gallery, Manuka Arts Centre (until July 28). Be the Influence U18 Womens Hockey Championships: The National Hockey Centre, Lyneham (until July 13). Faces of Canberra: Tuggeranong Arts Centre, Lanyon: Tharwa Drive, Gordon (until July 28). Paul Kelly and The Portraits: National Portrait Gallery, 10am5pm (until September 1). Gathered Together: Indigenous Art from the CMAG Collection: Canberra Museum and Gallery, Civic (until September 15). Fred Ward: A Life in Design: Gallery of Australian Design, Parkes. Paris To Monaro: Pleasures from the Studio of Hilda Rix Nicholas: National Portrait Gallery, Parkes. Utopian Cinema: Arc Cinema, Acton. Musical Offering: Keibilou (instrumental trio), Music For You, Burrangiri Respite, Rivett Place, Rivett, 10.45am. Astrid Bowler, Summer in July, National Carillon, Aspen Island, 12.30pm-1.20pm.

Unions have called a crisis meeting to discuss Kevin Rudds move to strip political power from the labour movement. Six trade unions aligned with the Right scheduled a meeting in Sydney for Friday to formulate a response to the Prime Ministers proposal to give rank-and-file Labor members a vote for party leader a reform that will curb the power of caucus and all but prevent unionbacked leadership spills to remove sitting Labor prime ministers. A union leader in NSW said: We dont like being taken for granted. He hinted the century-old relationship between Labor and the unions could be recast by the new Rudd leadership amid speculation the Prime Minister was preparing to go even further in his quest to modernise the party. The Labor Party came out of the working class and the unions, and there are strong and close ties with the party, but this is a concerning development and we need to discuss our position on Friday, the union leader said. A number of national union leaders, including Australian Workers Union head Paul Howes, publicly endorsed the Rudd reforms on Tuesday. But it is understood unions had been pushing for reforms to go no further than the British model, in which unions retain a third of the votes for the leader. Mr Rudds reform proposal, to be endorsed within a fortnight, splits the vote 50:50 between caucus and the membership. There is also concern among unions that Mr Rudd is poised to wind back the long-established control by particular unions over Senate seats and upper house seats in state parliaments. For example, a replace-

ment for the Senate seat vacated by Matt Thistlethwaite in his move to contest the seat of Kingsford Smith will be chosen by the AWU. A union source said Fridays meeting would, in part, try to decide whether Mr Rudds announcement of Monday was a starting point or an end point and whether a rule that a change of prime minister would require at least 75 per cent caucus support and proof that the PM had brought the party into disrepute would place too much power in the hands of the leader. Right-aligned unions likely to attend the meeting include the United Services Union, the Transport Workers Union, the Electrical Trades Union, the AWU and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union. The TWU, led by ALP vicepresident Tony Sheldon, was due to release a statement on the reform process on Tuesday before he decided not to comment. Left-wing unions, including the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, have fallen in behind Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has been arguing hard behind the scenes in favour of the reforms. Mr Howes, who aspires to a political career, described Mr Rudds reforms as smart. Ive always supported party reform and I think electing the leader through a different mechanism is something that has to happen, he said. Another instrumental figure in the overthrow of Mr Rudd in 2010, Bill Shorten, backed the idea. The Education Minister said: It is time to modernise the way the party picks its leaders. Former caucus chairman Daryl Melham said the changes would bring stability to the party, saying backroom factional hacks should no longer be able to pick the leader or decide who gets into Parliament.

Photo: JAY CRONAN

By Dante Ceccon and Ben Westcott

Its an image and a phrase thats dogged the Labor Party for 50 years. In the autumn of 1963, Labor leader Arthur Calwell and his deputy Gough Whitlam were photographed waiting patiently outside the Kingston Hotel while indoors party powerbrokers met to decide the policy they would take to an election. Papers coined these decision makers the faceless men as a stab at the unelected representatives holding up the ALP leadership. Half a century on, lunchtime patrons at the historic Canberra pub were happy to finally see the back of them, as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd hopes his party

SENT OUTSIDE: Gough Whitlam and Arthur Calwell.

reforms to determine and protect future leaders will achieve. As well as making it much harder for caucus to oust a Labor prime minister or opposition leader, the reforms will allow party members a

50 per cent say in who is elected. Max Schroedi, a 23-year-old student, said it makes him more inclined to vote Labor. I think it was unfair how they could change leader without going to the people. Its a better way of doing it, he said. Apprentice electricians Troy HarrisMcMillan and Mitch Edwards said they think Labors heading in the right direction. Im happier with Rudd over Gillard, Mr Harris-McMillan said. The reforms sound a lot better. Theyre doing more right things, rather than stuffing up more and more. Mr Edwards said the leadership merry-go-round has damaged Australias international standing. What has happened has made

Australia look like a bit of a joke around the world, so its good hes doing something, he said. But not everyone is so quick to trust Labor again. 69-year-old retiree and former Labor voter Jennifer Fox said the party hadnt changed enough to get her vote. Ive already made up my mind, she said. Ultimately I dont see what difference the reforms make. I want something fresher and younger with more imagination. Kambah resident Dani Butler remains cautious of the reinstalled Labor leader. Hes a bit of a snake in the grass, having come back and stabbed Julia Gillard in the back, she said. Im not sure I can trust him.

Released asylum seekers may be given right to work

By Bianca Hall

The government is considering allowing impoverished asylum seekers living in the community under strict no advantage rules to work. There are about 15,000 asylum seekers on bridging visas. In May, there were 7256 without work rights, but the Department of Immigration says it is unable to say how many

there are now. Under the noadvantage policy, asylum seekers arriving by boat after August 13 last year were to be given no advantage over those who waited for a humanitarian visa in a refugee camp. People living in the community under the principle are given a stipend equivalent to 89 per cent of the dole. Charities and nongovernment agencies have consist-

ently criticised the policy, saying leaving people without work rights erodes their self-worth and places critical pressure on charities and nongovernment organisations. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd supports introducing work rights but has said any change must not create an incentive for people smugglers. On Tuesday, Immigration Minister Tony Burke admitted the no-

advantage principle had still not been fully defined almost a year after coming into effect. I think there was a bit of a view that further explanation of the noadvantage principle wasnt required, he said. I think further explanation is required. Last week, the government began processing the more than 22,000 asylum seekers who arrived after August 13.

Concern over debt collection privacy

By Ross Peake

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The Auditor-General has raised concerns about the confidentiality of details given to private debt collection agencies which chase money owed to Centrelink. A report from the Australian National Audit Office shows Centrelink is paying commissions worth $8 million a year to the agencies. The Department of Human Services, which oversees Centrelink, appears to be getting value for its money, with the agencies increasing the recovery rate. However, the audit says, the department is considering alternative future models for debt recovery. The department makes $150 billion in payments each year and recovers about $1.1 billion each year in debts due to overpayments. Private debt collection agencies brought in $114 million about 10 per cent of the overpayments clawed back in 2011-12. Debts occur through overpayment of

Newstart or other allowances when people do not notify the department about changes in their circumstances. However, debts cannot be recovered by putting people into severe financial hardship. The cost of recovering Centrelink debts in 2011-12 was estimated at almost $30 million. While the number of Centrelink payment debts raised annually has declined in recent years (from $2.2 million to $1.8 million), the value of the debts recovered annually has remained at the same level ($1.1 billion), the audit says. It found the department had not conducted formal audits of the agencies compliance with requirements to protect customer information. The single recommendation from the audit refers to confidentiality. The ANAO recommends that the Department of Human Services periodically verify compliance with the IT, physical and personnel security requirements contained in

the current contracts with external collection agencies, to gain assurance that DHS customer information is being managed securely. The department agrees with the finding and says it is committed to the introduction of security audits, consistent with the contractors responsibilities, for protection of information. The department uses two external debt collection agencies Dun and Bradstreet and Recoveries Corporation. While it is not possible to provide a final contract value, in 2012-13, DHS [Department of Human Services] raised initial purchase orders for a total of $8 million (GST-exclusive) to cover the expected ECA [external collection agencies] commissions, the audit says. While the amount recovered by DHS in the previous two years has remained the same at $1.1 billion, the ECAs contribution to the total amount has almost doubled since 2009-10, when it was $60.8 million or 5.5 per cent.

FRIDGE DOOR
TODAY Australia-China Friendship Society: Is holding a film evening. The film is Chinese Take Away, a family tragedy which moves from China in the early 1900s, through Hong Kong in the 30s, suburban Sydney in the 60s, and into the present day. The Southern Cross Club, Jamison at 7.30pm. COMING UP Gungahlin Evening View Club: Celebrating 14 years. Education of Women, Meeting and dinner on the third Wednesday of the month. $30 for a two course dinner. July 17, 6.45pm. Functions @ Federation, Nicholls. RSVP by July 10. Ph: 0407 008 996.

Tasmania up for Gonski

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England keeps calm and carries on

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Tasmania has signed up to the federal governments school funding overhaul, making it the first state or territory to do so after the Labor leadership change disrupted negotiations. Tasmania becomes the fourth jurisdiction to get on board after NSW, the ACT and South Australia signed up to the so-called Gonski reforms championed by former prime minister Julia Gillard. The deal comes before talks between Victorian Education Minister Martin Dixon and federal Education Minister Bill Shorten on Wednesday. Denis Napthine, the Victorian Premier, said the state had put an attractive deal on the table for an extra $10.5 billion in combined state and federal funding for Victorian schools over the next six Daniel Hurst, Jewel Topsfield years.

Though the family has fallen on hard times, at least it has this bundle of joy called sport with its beatific smile. Next, it will be England for next years soccer World Cup; you know the way new parents carry on about the genius they have on their hands. What hope for the poor Australian cricket team in this scenario? It is cast as something akin to polio, once deadly to the young of England, but no longer even a threat. From accounts, morale has risen since Darren Lehmann replaced Mickey Arthur as coach. The new coach syndrome the way that the mere fact of changing coaches often inspires a spike in performance by a struggling team is well recognised in sport. On the face of it, it is the best that Australia has going for it. Meantime, the English continue to behave with suspicious magnanimity. We were ready with defences Murray is a

Scot, the cricket team is largely South African, the rugby team is almost entirely Welsh but they werent called upon. England appears to want not to gloat, but to dote. Of course, that will change at Trent Bridge. Ashes series always are keenly anticipated, by the ascendant country, of course, but also by the underdog. Tyranny demands overthrow. Before Australias two decades of dominance of world cricket, the West Indies ruled. In that time, cricket grew rather than diminished in popularity in Australia; the mission to topple the Windies became a national cause. Hopefully, a similar sense of vocation now applies. As for an omen, try this: Australia, when it was on top, staked out the high moral ground so assiduously that it banned Barmy Army trumpeter Billy Cooper hardly a hooligan from playing at Australian grounds. It was haughtiness preceding a fall. As Australia declined, and suddenly needed to be loved, Cooper was allowed in. Now Cooper has been barred by Trent Bridge ...

CLARIFICATION
In Tuesdays report on physical education classes a parent commenting on playground restrictions was not referring to the YMCA holiday program at North Ainslie school.