Abbot's man Bernardi - fucks up badly

The opposition leader Tony Abbott has gotten off to a piss poor start in this, the big election year. His efforts at reinvention haven't yet become apparent, but already his party has clobbered itself over the head. Abbott's man Bernadi (none other than the man himself who was forced to resign last year over comments that gay marriage would open the door to bestiality) has really fucked up badly this time.

He has it appears, not fully disclosed his pecuniary interests on the register, designed so the public knows WTF he has an interest in, where he gets money from, and if that is interfering in his ability to act with proper judgement in parliament. 

Senator Bernardi's apparent non-disclosure on his register of pecuniary interests comes as he has claimed his party's first pick on the South Australian Senate ticket at this year's election, virtually guaranteeing him another term.

The register aims to ensure the public understands politicians' financial interests and other benefits, including sponsored travel. Senator Bernardi is chairman of the Senate committee that polices declarations. Read more

This of course is Mr Righteous, standing up against that evil gay marriage thing. It looks like his righteousness has developed a few holes, as those outside interests not declared on the register are from the far right of US extremism. It may be run of the mill in the US for politicians to have an association with the NRA and the pro-smoking people, but not here. Here rather the NRA and all are looked on as extremist wacko's.

For more than three years Senator Bernardi has acted as an "international delegate" for ALEC and member of its International Relations Task Force.

The council lists the NRA among its corporate members. The New York Times this month published an editorial saying: ''Thanks to help from the American Legislative Exchange Council, the conservative organisation of state lawmakers to which the NRA has contributed heavily, five states now allow campus guns. Only nine states prohibit guns at sporting events, and just 26 prohibit them where alcohol is served … The NRA and the American Legislative Exchange Council were behind the 'stand your ground' laws that allow people to shoot others if they believe they are in danger, which has led to hundreds of deaths while allowing killers to walk free.''

The council was also a major financial backer of the Tea Party during last year's US elections. It has spread its conservative agenda across the globe, especially on tobacco plain packaging. The chairwoman of the task force is Philip Morris International executive Brandie Davis, who drafted two letters sent to the Gillard government in 2010 and 2011, demanding Australia abandon its successful efforts to force all tobacco products to be sold in uniform drab packaging.

British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Philip Morris, a major supporter of ALEC, last year launched an unsuccessful High Court challenge against the Australian laws. 

A sister pro-tobacco lobbying organisation and corporate member of ALEC, the Heartland Institute, paid for Senator Bernardi's accommodation and travel to the US on four separate occasions in 2010 and 2011. The institute recently ran a two-day conference in the US entitled ''Can Tobacco Make You Healthier?'' Read more

It's all looking very bad for Bernardi. It couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke...