TNE 135 Blowouts
In the final Tim’s News Explosion for 2023 budget blowouts continue in Victoria while in Washington DC other blowouts have been exposed.
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Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan confirmed that the cost of the North East Link Motorway which won’t be open until 2028 has blown out from $10 billion 7 years ago to $26 billion. The West Gate Tunnel Motorway cost has blown out from $5.5 billion to $10 billion and is 3 years late in opening in 2025. The only project that will be opening early is the Metro Rail Tunnel next year but its cost still blew out by $2.74 billion. Despite all these cost blowouts the Allan Labor Government still signed the first tunnel boring contract worth $3.6 billion for its Suburban Rail Loop East whose total cost is currently $35 billion and won’t be open until 2035.
Victoria’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) delivered by Treasurer Tim Pallas has net debt projections at $178 billion by 2027. There is much better news in the Federal MYEFO by Treasurer Jim Chalmers with the deficit for the 2023-24 year only projected to be $1.1 billion increasing expectations of a second surplus. Tim Pallas complained about the lack of federal infrastructure funding for Victoria IN MYEFO. The Allan Government is still involved in pay disputes with various public sector workers including the police.
The Australia Day charity gala at Australia House in London has been cancelled by High Commissioner Stephen Smith due to “sensitivities” around Australia Day. After backlash, Smith claimed it was cancelled due to high costs. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus is not opposing the release of convicted terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika.
In the first cricket test in Perth Australian Muslim Batsman Usman Khawaja was prevented by the ICC from wearing shoes with All Lives Are Equal written on them in support of the people of Gaza.
Bruce Lehrmann’s defamation trial against Network 10 continues with Project Producer Angus Llewellyn and former host Lisa Wilkinson who testified they didn’t verify all of Brittany Higgins’s rape story before they put it to air.
In a press conference outside the US Capitol Hunter Biden condemned the ‘MAGA Republicans’ impeachment proceedings against his father President Joe Biden in the House. Hunter’s stepmother Jill Biden released an unbearable Christmas Nutcracker interpretive dance video.
Democrat Senator for Maryland Ben Cardin has fired aide Aidan Maese-Czeropski after the Daily Caller published the video he filmed of himself having gay sex in the Senate Judiciary Committee room with German Government employee Georg Gauger. A gay staffer was fired in Australia’s Parliament House for masturbating on Liberal MP Nola Marino’s desk.
YouTuber Shane Dawson and his husband have had twin boys via surrogacy. This was permitted despite Dawson 10 years ago defending pedophilia. Online marketplace Etsy had photos of children eating pizza on sale for thousands of dollars. Pizza is a well-known code word used by those who engage in child trafficking. Mainstream media outlets have dismissed claims that child trafficking is occurring on online marketplaces as baseless conspiracy theories like Pizzagate.
First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has resigned after 5 years in office. He was another covid tyrant subjecting the Welsh to draconian restrictions. Drakeford’s son is a convicted child sex offender who is back behind bars for breaching his licence.
Prince Harry won £140,600 in damages against the Daily Mirror for phone hacking and invasion of privacy. Piers Morgan editor for 10 years of the Daily Mirror denied he had ever hacked a phone or had knowledge of phone hacking. Premier League match Bournemouth vs Luton Town was abandoned after Luton Captain Tom Lockyer suffered an on-field cardiac arrest.
The Israeli Defence Force killed 3 of their male hostages in Gaza despite them being shirtless, waving white flags and speaking in Hebrew. The backlash to the killing of hostages has seen protests back in Israel and the government reopening negotiations with Hamas to get the rest of their hostages back alive. Australia along with New Zealand and Canada voted for a ceasefire at the United Nations.
Argentina’s left is planning protests against President Javier Milei’s budget cuts and deregulation. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will participate in peace talks with Russia in the New Year.
NewsLinks
Union flags legal action amid claims Victorian public school cleaners missing holiday pay – Herald Sun
Victoria’s debt soars to $178bn, mid-year budget review reveals – Herald Sun
What The MYEFO? Victoria Dudded By Canberra – Again – Tim Pallas
2023-24 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook – Jim Chalmers
First major contract awarded for SRL tunnels – Victoria’s Big Build
Marles declares there will be an Australia Day event in London – SMH
Albanese government urged to explain to Australians why terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika is set to be released from prison – Sky News Australia
Ten producer defends Higgins interview as Lisa Wilkinson’s texts revealed – SMH
EXCLUSIVE: Senate Staffer Caught Filming Gay Sex Tape In Senate Hearing Room (GRAPHIC) – The Daily Caller
How Parliament’s sexual revolution lost its way – SMH
Claim tying Etsy to Wayfair, ‘pizzagate’ conspiracy theories is baseless | Fact check – USA Today
YouTuber Shane Dawson welcomes twin boys via surrogate but fans are left ‘disgusted’ as sick ‘pedophile jokes’ resurface – The US Sun
Wales’ first minister’s rapist son jailed for licence breach – BBC News
Initial IDF probe: 3 hostages were shirtless, waving white flag when troops shot them – Times of Israel