topic Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class' in Community Spirit

Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

nero_bolt — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 05:43:34 GMT

THE Opposition is demanding Prime Minister Kevin Rudd explain why he travelled first class to Europe courtesy of a major tobacco firm.

The government has announced it will raise the tax on cigarettes by 12.5 per cent every year for the next four years, raising $5.3 billion in revenue.

Smokers' coffers- Tax to earn $5.3b

Labor has also used the opportunity to blast the Coalition for "being in the pockets of big tobacco" by accepting donations from cigarette companies.

But the Coalition is trying to shift the focus to Labor, alleging the prime minister accepted a first-class trip to Germany, funded by a tobacco company, last year.

Smoking is the shock new political battleground

Senior Liberal Greg Hunt said the Korber Foundation was responsible for manufacturing cigarettes, and questioned why Mr Rudd travelled to Berlin as a backbencher courtesy of the major firm.

"Here is Mr Rudd preening around, as usual, pretending to have some moral position," Mr Hunt told Sky News.

"He personally took two first-class flights to Berlin, stayed in a swank luxurious hotel, courtesy of belly of the beast, the heart of the tobacco industry."

He demanded the Prime Minister explain his justifications for the trip, and whether he thought it was acceptable.

Way cleared for election date call

Mr Rudd declared the trip in his register of interest, listing "flights and hospitality" to Berlin, funded by the Korber Foundation.

The trip, taken in October, included two nights accommodation and a return airfare to Australia.

Korber's founding company is Hauni, a leading supplier to the global tobacco industry that processes and manufactures cigarettes and filters.

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

donnashuggy — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 05:58:56 GMT

It's so bad that Abbott is going to stop accepting donations from tobbaco companies?

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

nero_bolt — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 06:18:50 GMT

Have cigarettes and tobacco become illegal shuggs?

Dont think so, they are still a LEGAL product allowed to be sold and purchased so the Libs are doing nothing wrong. If they are still getting donations its from companies that sell and make a LEGAL product.

So lets get rid of cigarettes and then what do they tax to fill the massive hole?

Smokers cost the health system $318 million a year, according to a Treasury analysis this year.

But with this increase they will pay in total more than $7 billion a year in excise and customs duties.

On that measure, smokers more than pay their own way.

So shuggs can you tell me if the Libs are accepting donations from companies that make ILLEGAL products

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

lakeland27 — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 06:54:37 GMT

http://www.koerber-stiftung.de/en/education/focus-inspiring-democracy.html

this foundation was founded by someone who manufactured cigarette -making machines .. who is now dead. the foundation is not a tobacco manufacturer or lobby group for big tobacco. its purpose is the pursuit of goodness, not evil

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

not_an_eloi — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 07:00:13 GMT

"Senior Liberal Greg Hunt said the Korber Foundation was responsible for manufacturing cigarettes"

yeh, that's not the truth of the matter, gregunt is embellishin' the truth of the matter.

Korber is a group of companies, tissue paper, blister packagin', machinery.

one of the korber group is hauni.

hauni is in the business of manufacturing a number of machinery,

one of which is a tobacco processing machine which it sells to other companies, they produce cigarettes.

Korber is not "responsible for manufacturing cigarettes" at all, now is it.

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

donnashuggy — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 07:21:30 GMT

Don't spoil a good story with the truth Lakeland

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

lakeland27 — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 07:25:42 GMT

did you see the part where he is said to have flown 'first class' ? fancy that, i go in steerage . i guess a PM or former PM or whatever he was at the time ought to travel fourth or fifth class at least.

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

donnashuggy — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 07:26:59 GMT

He could have hitched

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

monman12 — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 08:08:34 GMT

NW: "Smokers cost the health system $318 million a year, according to a Treasury analysis this year.

But with this increase they will pay in total more than $7 billion a year in excise and customs duties.

On that measure, smokers more than pay their own way."

Smokers have never paid their way NW, and your stand alone $318 million is out of context, thus codswallop.

I suggest you quote all the figures from the Treasury analysis rather than a very selective figure which is meaningless by itself.

Selective excerpts are generally disingenuous, and I regard them as being in the same category as definitive quotes that prove to be incorrect, codswallop.

nɥºɾ

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

nero_bolt — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 09:47:28 GMT

monman12 take this up with and tell Andrew Bolt or whoever that they have their figures wrong. I have simply quoted a story and you have in your very professional manner have other figures and facts... Thats what I like about you monman12 you are very professional in what you do and well researched

So you need to tell the author of the original story that their figures are wrong 🙂

http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/andrewbolt/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/great_finally_a_tax_i_wont_pay_but_why_not_cut_spending_instead/

@monman12 wrote:
NW: "Smokers cost the health system $318 million a year, according to a Treasury analysis this year.
But with this increase they will pay in total more than $7 billion a year in excise and customs duties.
On that measure, smokers more than pay their own way."

Smokers have never paid their way NW, and your stand alone $318 million is out of context, thus codswallop.
I suggest you quote all the figures from the Treasury analysis rather than a very selective figure which is meaningless by itself.

Selective excerpts are generally disingenuous, and I regard them as being in the same category as definitive quotes that prove to be incorrect, codswallop.

nɥºɾ

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

the_great_she_elephant — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 10:00:00 GMT

I have simply quoted a story.

Which is exactly how disinformation gets spread. What on earth made you assume that "Andrew Bolt or whoever" would be a reliable source?

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

lakeland27 — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 10:02:55 GMT

that's the whole point, the stories almost always contain factual inaccuracies . yet you parade them here as credible. larry and akerman are no different . perhaps more colourful.. but full of it just like andrew.

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

i-need-a-martini — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 12:30:04 GMT

Not quite in the same league as Morrison though is it nero?

Did Rudd declare it? Yes.

Was there any conflict of interest at the time? No.

Was Rudd stupid enough to take that trip whilst announcing policies favourable to gift giver? No.

Did Rudd try to hide that trip in any way? No.

The Liberals are getting desperate.

Re: Tobacco firm Korber 'flew Rudd first class'

12elliemellie — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 22:26:26 GMT

Thats what I like about you monman12 you are very professional in what you do and well researched

You could give that a go too nero instead of just blindly quoting Akerman, Bolt, Pickering etc.