Rex Patrick
@mrrexpatrick.bsky.social
Transparency Warrior, small business owner, former Independent Senator for SA and former submariner.
The new Trump Class battleship (Priority 1) places #AUKUS at priority 4 behind Columbia class nuclear missile subs & Ford class aircraft carriers. The battleship will further tie up a workforce already not making enough Virginia subs. @albomp.bsky.social will ignore this new risk. 🤦♂️ #auspol
For those Victorians who support a Royal Commission into the CFMEU, it would not have been necessary if One Nation hadn’t backflipped on the Ensuring Integrity Bill in 2019. #insiders #auspol
The 'Ensuring Integrity Bill' that Pauline Hanson defeated kept the CMFEU rorts rolling - Michael West
The CFMEU’s conduct has been known for a long time, and could have been stopped in 2019, but wasn’t. Politics and Pauline Hanson stopped it.
michaelwest.com.au
Apart from the fact the topic is so serious, this podcast is entertaining and full of humour … and informing. Well worth a listen. #AUKUS #auspol
AUKUS subs' temporary base is permanent again: Mr Conroy loses his trousers in Washington, startling Elbridge Colby
strategicanalysis.org
We mustn’t gift public money to a new refinery. If it needs a ‘resilience’ leg-up, it should be done by equity stake - with a senior official on the board to guard against price gouging, tax evasion and to ensure national interest is ever present. #auspol
Australia's oil refinery plan presents perils to public purse - Michael West
Government explores feasibility of new Australian fuel refinery in league with Indian oil company Perdman. What is the risk to taxpayers?
michaelwest.com.au
Whilst @albomp.bsky.social found time for a private ‘donor’s dinner’ in Point Piper last week, this week he couldn’t find time to front up to the Garma Festival, despite swearing last year he’d attend every year for as long as he was PM. #OneNationSensitive #auspol
Albanese's absence looms large over Garma
The theme of this year's Garma Festival is "bukmak", a Yolŋu word meaning "everyone", but the prime minister's decision not to attend may indicate how high on the government's priority list Indigenous...
abc.net.au
Why are details of a star ranked Navy officer under prosecution being suppressed? The ADF’s Chief Judge Advocate, Maj-Gen. Michael Cowen KC, needs to be alert to the risk the public may apprehend him to be another Maj-Gen. Paul Brereton SC. #auspol
Global fears over ‘secret’ Australian military trial
The unnamed former Navy officer is facing a court martial over lucrative Defence contracts.
thenightly.com.au
The prosecution of Richard Boyle for blowing the whistle on appauling Tax Office debt recovery practices was a great public service which saved lives but caused him “complete and utter psychological destruction”. We need a Whistleblower Protection Authority! #auspol
‘Complete and utter psychological destruction’: Richard Boyle speaks on toll of blowing the whistle on ATO debt collection practices
Speaking at the fourth National Whistleblowing Symposium, Mr Boyle reflected on facing jail after exposing what he described as “absolutely appalling” debt collection practices at the ATO in 2017.
thepoint.com.au
When @albomp.bsky.social goes to a ‘doner dinner’ he thinks he’s going along as the ‘Leader of the Labor Party’. When donors go to the same dinner they think they’re going along to eat and talk with the ‘Prime Minister of Australia’. #PaidAccess #auspol 👉 www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/alb...
Scott Morrison was referred to the NACC over Robodebt and the Govt paid his $461K legal fees. I won an #AUKUS nuclear waste #FOI challenge and the Govt is threatening I’ll have to pay their $150K legal fees. @albomp.bsky.social thinks that’s fair play! #auspol
Anger at Labor as Rex Patrick faces potential six-figure legal fee if he loses Aukus documents battle
Australian government insists legal costs should be paid by former senator as FoI fight escalates
theguardian.com
Politicians using public money to post ‘entertainment pieces’ is not reasonable. If a government department used taxpayers’ money to post silly little videos, MPs and senators would rightly seek an explanation as to why. #auspol
If the IAEA doesn’t agree changes to Australia’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement to allow us to receive submarine nuclear reactors, #AUKUS is dead. So far @albomp.bsky.social’s Govt has totally underestimated the task. #NuclearNonProliferation #auspol
AUKUS Inquiry exposes nuclear weapon-sized crater - Michael West
The AUKUS Public Inquiry reminds Australians of a nuclear weapon proliferation problem which could stop the program. Rex Patrick reports
michaelwest.com.au
Defence has a propensity for picking risky projects and then not being able to deliver on them. #AUKUS #auspol
Rex Patrick warns AUKUS is too costly, too risky and too secretive
Former South Australian senator Rex Patrick has labelled the $368 billion AUKUS submarine program too expensive, too risky and too secretive about where it plans to dispose of its nuclear waste.
thepoint.com.au
$379.90 for A-Reserve tickets to see Taylor Swift at a stadium or $1,000 to see Home Affairs Minster Burke play guitar at a secret pub. $500 for dinner with friends at an expensive restaurant or $12,000 for dinner with @albomp.bsky.social’s Cabinet. #smelly #auspol
Labor is charging $1000 for ministers’ secret pub gig
Hosting a major three-day conference is an expensive affair, but the Labor Party has found plenty of ways to bring in revenue and lower its costs.
afr.com
Why is a regular citizen's first hearing held in open court, but a senior official/politician accused of serious wrongdoing-in-public-office so often protected by 'privacy'. Two-tiered justice, it seems. Why not one standard for all accused? #auspol
Senior ADF officer charged over lucrative WA naval contracts
A retired senior naval figure is facing a secret military disciplinary process over unspecified allegations involving lucrative defence contracts in Western Australia.
thewest.com.au
#WorkFromRoam doesn’t just mean having an office in a different country location each week. I’m in Sydney for Transparency International’s 5th National Whistleblowing Symposium. Cities have some special places to work from. Circular Quay, Sydney, NSW.
Centrelink customers who suffered #RoboDebt had to go to court in a class action to get their justice. A RoboDebt whistleblower is now in court to get her justice. But none of the perpetrators has been anywhere near a court to get their justice. #auspol
Robodebt whistleblower was told her royal commission evidence ‘could cost you your job’, court hears
Exclusive: Jeannie-Marie Blake is suing the Australian government over alleged threats, which her department denies making
theguardian.com
Last month I had a significant transparency win in the SA Court of Appeal (relating to Murray Darling Basin water). This month Premier Malinauskas is trying to restore Govt secrecy by appealing my win to the High Court. #FOI #MaliVsRex #saparli #auspol
Everything the Govt does, it does on our coin. Everything the Govt does, it should do for public purpose. So we have a right to know. When it comes to transparency @albomp.bsky.social has proven to be a disappointment and a shameless hypocrite. #auspol
Christopher Pyne’s evidence to the #AUKUS Public Inquiry was different to mine. * He was a politician; I was a submariner. * He ran the House of Reps; I ran submarine industry projects. * He’s profiting from AUKUS; I’m paying for AUKUS. #auspol
‘Extreme risk’: AUKUS warnings as Garrett’s inquiry docks in Adelaide - News | InDaily, Inside South Australia
An outspoken former senator and submariner has warned of “extreme” economic risk associated with the $368 billion AUKUS nuclear submarine project at an independent inquiry in Adelaide today.
indailysa.com.au
Today I return briefly to Adelaide having been invited appear before the #AUKUS Public Inquiry. Australians deserve the truth about AUKUS! #auspol 👉 aukuspublicinquiry.com
Federal Court Justice O’Sullivan agrees info on selecting a site for #AUKUS nuclear waste is “a matter of significant public interest”. The PM can release this info. @albomp.bsky.social, why not do so instead of fighting for secrecy in Court? #FOI #auspol 👉 www.news.com.au/technology/i...
Defence has bungled its disastrous $1.9B munitions contract with Thales. If it struggles to effectively execute a program to build bullets, what hope does it have executing a program to build bespoke nuclear powered submarines? #AUKUS #HardTruths #auspol
Defence has bungled its disastrous $1.9bn munitions contract with Thales. What hope does AUKUS have?
A billion-dollar munitions contract was awarded to a French state-owned company after a calamitous, one-horse tender process. The second instalment of an audit report reveals a litany of concerns.
crikey.com.au
Every SA voter should read this exposé of Premier Malinauskas and Newscorp in bed together, with taxpayers paying for the silk sheets and pillow cases. Oh, and some other very big corps are paying for the mattress and quilt. #SleezyAffair #saparli #auspol
Back-Scratching. Premier Malinauskus’ love-in with Newscorp exposed - Michael West
Rex Patrick FOIs expose the cosy relationship between SA Premier Peter Malinauskas and Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, and its large advertisers
michaelwest.com.au
Today I’ve been engaging in a bit of creekside journalism. Bigriggen Camp Ground, Scenic Rim Region, QLD. #WorkFromRoam
Gambling is a trade in misery. The fact @albomp.bsky.social supports that trade shows who he works for … it’s not the vulnerable, nor their children, brothers, sisters, or parents. #auspol
‘Follow the money’: Next step in Albanese’s gambling reforms
As NSW Labor votes for far-reaching changes to poker machines, a $5.3 billion NRL licensing deal shows how Albanese’s gambling reforms allow companies to shift to profits from streaming.
thesaturdaypaper.com.au
Parents relaxing, kids playing, uni students chilling and couples romancing. Together with the chatting, laughing and (birds) singing it makes a great backdrop as I work on some complicated #FOI legal submissions. Bigriggen Camp Ground, Scenic Rim Region, QLD. #WorkFromRoam
#SaveTheDate: It’s only ASIS, DFAT and the delusioned who believe the immoral 2004 spying by the Howard Govt on #Timor-Leste’s maritime boundary negotiating team isn’t confirmed. Let’s see if the Tribunal will force them to come to terms with the truth. 1/2 #auspol
Twelve modern, stealthy, air independent propulsion subs for Canada for a reported cost of AUD$33B. And there’s a good chance Germany will delivery them. #AUKUS #auspol
Canada awards Germany major submarine contract
Canadian PM Carney said the deal of up to 12 German-built submarines will be the "largest in Canadian history." Germany had pushed hard for the order, which comes as Canada seeks stronger ties with E...
dw.com
