The scariest thing I have ever seen

Bob Downe Jr
Dr Raverty, if you’re looking for any more interesting behaviour then don’t forget this one: in 2004 Konsy offered to perform a stunt by drinking allegedly atrazine-tainted water in front of the media pack, then accused the Greens of setting up the stunt. The water source that he drank a glass of water from (in front of the cameras) was, I believe, later found to be contaminated: “So you’re prepared to drink the water on camera to prove the Carpenters’ water is safe?” Andrew Probyn, ABC Journalist, press conference, 28/9/04 “Yeah, I’ll drink it on camera.” Steve Kons, Former National Party member, now Tasmanian Labor Environment Minister, press conference, 28/9/04
Dr Warwick Raverty’s posting about Steve Kons, the letter, and ‘the cleansing’, has to be the funniest (not to mention the most scary) thing I have EVER seen on this site. ( HERE )

Dr Raverty, if you’re looking for any more interesting behaviour then don’t forget this one: in 2004 Konsy offered to perform a stunt by drinking allegedly atrazine-tainted water in front of the media pack, then accused the Greens of setting up the stunt. The water source that he drank a glass of water from (in front of the cameras) was, I believe, later found to be contaminated:

“So you’re prepared to drink the water on camera to prove the Carpenters’ water is safe?” Andrew Probyn, ABC Journalist, press conference, 28/9/04

“Yeah, I’ll drink it on camera.” Steve Kons, Former National Party member, now Tasmanian Labor Environment Minister, press conference, 28/9/04

“Just want to point out that Steve Kons did not offer to drink the water, he was nudged down that path by journalists.” Tim Cox, ABC Radio 7ZR, 29/9/04.

“I will preface my answer [regarding Atrazine contamination of the Carpenter’s drinking water] by saying that at least I wash, unlike [Greens Member Kim Booth].” Steve Kons, parliament, 29/9/04.

“Its a disgrace the way the Greens have set this up as a political stunt” Steve Kons, The Mercury, 30/9/04.

“I am not trivialising this matter” Steve Kons, repeatedly, 29/9 – 30/9/04
From: http://oldtt.pixelkey.biz/jurassic/lovelljoke.html
AND, don’t forget this stuff either …

Greens MP Kim Booth read lots of information about less-than-upfront behaviour into Hansard from Konsy’s advisor’s diary a couple of months ago – you’ll have to go look for yourselves (its about halfway down the page), but Booth sums it up well at one stage:

“Premier, does behaviour such as the above, where there are deliberate and orchestrated leaks to media outlets that were designed to undermine the Premier of the day, and then attempts to destroy electronic evidence, acceptable to your standards of ministerial responsibility? What is your position regarding Cabinet confidentiality, would these examples be compatible with that position, and will you now rule out any possibility of Mr Kons’ future promotion?”
From: http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/HansardHouse/isysquery/c3f3b4c9-4804-4c86-9249-630651aea07c/1/doc/

AND its probably also instructive to remember this …

Steve ‘Kons’ used to belong to a different Party, the Nationals, and he used to have a different name, longer, and more Greek.

But he turned his back on all that before entering Parliament in 1998 as ALP Member Steve Kons. (Interestingly, while researching this, I find that Steve Kons’ biography page mentions his parents “Angela and Arthur Kons” … Kons? Really? I think not.) From: http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/HA/kons/kons.htm

In his maiden speech to Parliament, Kons acknowledged that “…I believe that I can be a bridge in the new Labor order where everyone matters. This represents a quantum leap and a shift in the foundations of Steve Kons.”

And then he went on to say, “I was not born into this party, I ultimately chose it from my conservative university heyday, to my shift in support in protest of State policies of supporting big business to the detriment of small without the social obligations …” From: http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/ha/ISKonsSteven.htm

Crikey – the closer you look, the more fibs you find, eh Warwick.’

Bob Downe Jnr.

PS Spookily, in that same 1998 maiden speech, Mr Kons also said “…there is regret in the community that there is no minister based in Braddon…”