Same sheriff, same town, same crooks

Two days ago I said:

Certainly following the AWB scandal and the now down-the-memory-hole meetings with Ron Walker to figure out who gets a nuclear power plant in their back yard. One would be very foolish to expect that this ends at Ian Campbell.

Surprise surprise:

FEDERAL police are investigating the Queensland Liberal MP Andrew Laming for allegedly fraudulently claiming $67,000 worth of taxpayer funds for printing campaign material.

The MP will be under pressure from his party to resign today following revelations that - as part of a six-month investigation into abuse of electoral allowances - police raided the Brisbane electorate offices of Mr Laming and two other Queensland federal Liberal MPs, Gary Hardgrave and Ross Vasta, on Friday.

The three MPs were among the top spenders of the $125,000 printing allowance that each federal MP was entitled to last financial year. The Prime Minister said yesterday he had no reason to doubt their denials of wrongdoing.

The allegations have turned the Government's assault on the honesty and integrity of the Labor leader, Kevin Rudd, on its head. The fact that the allegations concern key Queensland seats is particularly damaging, because the seats will be critical in the outcome of the federal election.

SMH

And:

Western Australian Liberal Senator Ross Lightfoot has been accused of abusing parliamentary privilege by attacking a company in a dispute with another in which he owns share options.
While holding share options in Precious Metals Australia (PMA) in 2004, Senator Lightfoot criticised the mining company XStrata, which was locked in a dispute with PMA.
The federal Opposition has called on the Prime Minister to explain Senator Lightfoot's share purchases.

ABC

Following the swift and very public execution of Iain Campbell, John Howard seems to have painted himself into a corner, again. Perhaps it's time to bring back the ministerial code of conduct. It'd make for a much calmer Liberal party chook yard than the current Captain Blackbeard rules.

As ever, the smart money is on more ministers being implicated. The simple reason is that Burke only wanted people with power, despite what Howard dead-enders might prefer to believe.

PS
Senator Lightfingersfoot is the same guy who got busted smuggling cash in his underpants to "Kurdistan" on behalf of a mining company and has a long history of crooked financial dealings with various mining companies. The stench of corruption, brought to you by mining. Ooooo careful there, I might get sued for free speech... What I meant to say is that it's all Brian Burke's fault and has entirely nothing to do with cashed up industries seeking to use that cash to criminally influence politicians via a loophole conveniently created by said politicians that pretty much legalises bribery lobbying.