topic Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation in Community Spirit

Nash accepts staffer's resignation

grandmoon — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:22:11 GMT

Abbott government minister Fiona Nash has accepted the resignation of a senior staffer embroiled in a row over the taking down of a health food ratings website.

The resignation of Alastair Furnival came just hours after the assistant health minister expressed confidence in her chief of staff.

Senator Nash had told reporters in Sydney on Friday that Mr Furnival had done a "terrific job".

Later, in a statement, the minister said she had accepted his resignation with regret and thanked him for his service.

Senator Nash has been under pressure to explain what role Mr Furnival played in the take-down of the website after just 20 hours of operation.

He retains a shareholding in the lobbying firm Australian Public Affairs, operated by his wife Tracey Cain, which represents food industry opponents of the website including Kraft and Cadbury.

Labor insists there has been a serious breach of the ministerial staff code of conduct with opposition Senate leader Penny Wong accusing Senator Nash of misleading parliament twice in three days.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

i-need-a-martini — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:26:48 GMT

So does that mean that they did the wrong thing in demanding that the website be taken down?

Will the website be re-instated now?

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

grandmoon — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:28:53 GMT

Now will she have the intestinal fortitude to reinstate the website.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

lakeland27 — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:29:05 GMT

she ought to resign her portfolio . we can't have junkfood interests guiding public health policy any more than they do already.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

i-need-a-martini — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:32:32 GMT

And I don't understand how how could have allowed him to work there in the first place given his connections.

But then this is the Abbott government who feel it is OK to choose a man to review the education curriculum whos previous role included educating children about smoking and is a firm believer that multiculturalism is wrong, sex eduaction shouldn't include discussions about homosexuals and believes our schools should introduce mandatory Bible education classes...

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

lakeland27 — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:34:04 GMT

when this government won it was like the goldrush for these lobbyists. first flight to canberra thanks.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

polksaladallie — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:42:31 GMT

I see that Munchkin's vote has paid off.

http://www.news.com.au/national/nick-minchin-gets-consulgeneral-posting-in-new-york-sparking-backlash-from-labor-mps/story-fncynjr2-1226826729080

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

lakeland27 — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 05:47:47 GMT

no surprises there polks

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

freakiness — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 08:34:39 GMT

@i-need-a-martini wrote:
So does that mean that they did the wrong thing in demanding that the website be taken down?

Will the website be re-instated now?

The person who has been in charge of working on it for 2 years has had it removed from her responsibilities, I read.

Perhaps he will go back to work int he family business and his wife will go to work for Nash. Or he might be rewarded another staffer job for being a good lad and resigning.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

pct001wine — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 22:32:36 GMT

Bumping this.

The Government thinks the matter is over, despite the obvious conflict of interest, the obvious abrogation of the PM's ministerial code of conduct (conveniently ignored by abbott, "move along folks, nothing to see here"). This case just gets murkier and murkier - there's a Cadbury connection too.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/fiona-nash-and-lobbyist-alastair-furnival-prompt-food-for-thought-20140221-337es.html

"Furnival's firms had done work in the alcohol industry, and that he played a key role in the removal of funding for Australia's peak drug and alcohol body.

And news of his involvement in lobbying for government money for Cadbury, which has been promised $16 million from the public purse by Prime Minister Tony Abbott."

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

boris1gary — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 22:58:16 GMT

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

freakiness — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 23:16:33 GMT

Abbott doesn't see the problem. He looks at it as though it's a good thing to have the lobbyists on staff. It makes it easier for him to know what they want from him.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

pct001wine — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 23:21:14 GMT

What's that hand sign she's making ? Isn't that some secret society sign ? Maybe it's a coded message to big business "Don't worry boys, nothing to worry about, this'll blow over soon"

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

freakiness — Sun, 23 Feb 2014 23:24:38 GMT

@pct001wine wrote:
What's that hand sign she's making ? Isn't that some secret society sign ? Maybe it's a coded message to big business "Don't worry boys, nothing to worry about, this'll blow over soon"

Is he still working for the LNP/parliament or has he gone from the house?

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

debra9275 — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 08:54:39 GMT

Fiona Nash is another one who's head should roll for misleading parliament & the public

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

cherry*135 — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 09:00:22 GMT

That 3 finger hand sign is from Girl Guides/Scouts I think. A promise.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

lakeland27 — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 09:02:32 GMT

well she has her hand around the other way to the australian public, one finger held up.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

debra9275 — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 09:05:30 GMT

Apologies for bumping an older thread but they just did a segment on her on the 7.30 report 🙂

How do they do it?? Turn a blatant lie into a " mistake" lol

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

lakeland27 — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 09:12:37 GMT

they can turn a reasonable question into near -treason too.

Re: Nash accepts staffer's resignation

debra9275 — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 09:14:02 GMT

True LL.

It must be a party requisite