Comments on: A mite of a man http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/ "The thinking Laborite would as lief be found in bed with a cobra as in a committee room armed with 'arguments' from the Tory press." --- Truth, Perth, 19 June 1915. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 10:29:18 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: liam hogan http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/comment-page-1/#comment-8958 liam hogan Sun, 20 Mar 2005 11:26:22 +0000 http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/#comment-8958 This doesn't have anything to do with Kurdistan---which I agree, should exist---but everything to do with Lightfoot using taxpayer funded trips to shuttle money for Woodside Petroleum. The guns and bravado just add humour to the whole thing. This doesn’t have anything to do with Kurdistan—which I agree, should exist—but everything to do with Lightfoot using taxpayer funded trips to shuttle money for Woodside Petroleum.
The guns and bravado just add humour to the whole thing.

]]> By: Robert http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/comment-page-1/#comment-8957 Robert Sun, 20 Mar 2005 11:24:44 +0000 http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/#comment-8957 Andrew, I agree that the Kurds have a strong case for autonomy or independence, but I don't think you have too much to worry about the "dodginess" of this rubbing off on them. They had nothing to do with how the donation was procured or whether Lightfoot owned shares in Woodside. All they did was accept a donation for a children's hospital and provide a visiting senator with a security detail --- which is nothing less than you would expect from a legitimate government. Andrew, I agree that the Kurds have a strong case for autonomy or independence, but I don’t think you have too much to worry about the “dodginess” of this rubbing off on them. They had nothing to do with how the donation was procured or whether Lightfoot owned shares in Woodside. All they did was accept a donation for a children’s hospital and provide a visiting senator with a security detail — which is nothing less than you would expect from a legitimate government.

]]> By: Andrew Bartlett http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/comment-page-1/#comment-8956 Andrew Bartlett Sun, 20 Mar 2005 11:03:07 +0000 http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/#comment-8956 You've outlined a lot of the aspects to do with this very well and there's not much more I could add - beyond saying it shows very clearly why there should be an inquiry. Even if the inquiry shows that Lightfoot was big-noting himself by exaggerating to a few journalists, there's still questions about funding, declaration of interests to the Senate, etc. However, in amongst it all, it is worth highlighting that the Kurds themselves have a good case for greater autonomy, if not independence. I support their cause, as has Lightfoot in the past. I do worry that the air of dodginess - or at the very least ridiculousness - about this saga will harm their cause, which needs more positive attention than it has been getting. You’ve outlined a lot of the aspects to do with this very well and there’s not much more I could add – beyond saying it shows very clearly why there should be an inquiry. Even if the inquiry shows that Lightfoot was big-noting himself by exaggerating to a few journalists, there’s still questions about funding, declaration of interests to the Senate, etc.

However, in amongst it all, it is worth highlighting that the Kurds themselves have a good case for greater autonomy, if not independence. I support their cause, as has Lightfoot in the past. I do worry that the air of dodginess – or at the very least ridiculousness – about this saga will harm their cause, which needs more positive attention than it has been getting.

]]> By: liam hogan http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/comment-page-1/#comment-8955 liam hogan Sun, 20 Mar 2005 07:10:54 +0000 http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/#comment-8955 Actually, I've thought of it as the anti-war person's dream---one of the politicians going off, for a change, and risking being shot, instead of just voting to send 20-year olds overseas. Keep him there, I say. Actually, I’ve thought of it as the anti-war person’s dream—one of the politicians going off, for a change, and risking being shot, instead of just voting to send 20-year olds overseas.
Keep him there, I say.

]]> By: Scott Wickstein http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/comment-page-1/#comment-8952 Scott Wickstein Sat, 19 Mar 2005 04:42:05 +0000 http://www.redrag.net/2005/03/19/lightfoot/#comment-8952 It's always the 'cover up' that causes the problems, and this is another classic case. It’s always the ‘cover up’ that causes the problems, and this is another classic case.

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