Ray Hadley: Why did banks get off easier than brokers?
Judging by the stock market re-action, the big four banks and others got off lightly with the release of this week’s Royal Commission report and generally the behaviour of the banks will go unpunished, writes Ray Hadley.
1. Judging by the stock market re-action the big four banks and others got off lightly with the release of this week’s Royal Commission report. Yes, there were some observations from Commissioner Kenneth Hayne on the NAB CEO and its chairman but generally the behaviour of the banks will go unpunished. One part of the industry that got hammered were mortgage brokers. The government has indicated it won’t act on the recommendations relating to mortgage brokers, but if Labor win the election the broking industry will cop it.
2. Professor Kerryn Phelps was elected to federal parliament back in October and she might be gone by May but during that short reign she could cause plenty of damage aided and abetted by Labor. It’s now revealed her half-baked idea of bringing illegal boat people to Australia on the back of two medical opinions could bring down our entire border protection program. It’s sheer madness.
3. Labor tried to pull the wool over our eyes yesterday releasing ‘independent’ legal advice bolstering the Phelps’ bill from a Melbourne barrister named Matthew Albert. They forgot to tell anyone Mr Albert has actually been an elected Policy Committee member for the Labor Party. Hardly independent I would’ve thought.
4. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has produced a real clanger in trying to unseat Phil Donato in the seat of Orange. The seat in western NSW was taken by the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party on the back of Mike Bird’s greyhound ban. The Premier went there this week making promises about a $25 million sporting complex but told the electorate it was conditional on the Nationals winning the seat. The people of Orange are like most of the electorate in that they don’t like ultimatums.
5. In 2015 a South Australian coroner was highly critical over the response of the former SA Corrections CEO Peter Severin in the death of a prisoner in custody. Remarkably when I revealed the comments of the coroner this week Minister David Elliot was unaware of the strident criticism of his commissioner. Social reforming Severin came to NSW in 2012 after the 2011 incident resulting in the death of the prisoner.
6. Opposition leader Michael Daley held a closed shop media conference for Chinese media this week. Not all that smart. But I wonder what the reaction would be if he held a media conference for everyone except Australian media.
7. Police at Penrith were incensed when one of their colleagues gave two men who allegedly bashed the tripe out of a plain clothes detective police bail. When I interviewed Police Commissioner Mick Fuller this week he was far from impressed with the decision taken by the bail sergeant at Penrith. I don’t think that bloke will be winning a popularity competition at the station anytime soon.
8. A low grub named Allen Prasad has been jailed for at least 11 years after the violent rape of a woman with an intellectual disability. The poor lady has since passed away and when Prasad comes out of jail he’ll be deported to his native Fiji.
9. The Darren Weir saga is far from over. The four-year ban is just the start. The AFP and Victorian police investigations are almost certain to result in more drama for the former trainer. One thing I won’t cop, given the damage the bloke has done to the sport, is his no-contest. This rubbish about not wanting to cause the sport any further damage is laughable.
10. The NRL and the Cowboys have acted appropriately in relation to Ben Barba. Everyone is entitled to another chance but this bloke is a serial offender and is better off out of the game.
Maiden: Poll guru returns for yet another Voice
If you thought something sounded familiar when the ex-Labor Senator unveiled her new party, you weren’t alone, writes Samantha Maiden.
The real reason why Harry and William will reconcile
Striking similarities between Charles and his younger son at the mid-life crisis points of their lives suggest Harry will eventually mature and find happiness — and make up with William, argues Angela Mollard.