Latest news with #StevenBradbury
The Age
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Australians can't stand sore losers. How did politicians miss the memo?
Australians don't like sore losers. We are a country that celebrates near misses, unlucky defeats or even unexpected successes (see: Steven Bradbury). Generally, we recognise that if you fall short, you should accept your lot and march on. Now, it seems there's an exception to this rule: federal elections. Since the historic outcome of the May 3 election (historically good for Labor, historically bad for the Liberal Party), there has been a growing chorus of those who argue that because their team didn't win, preferential voting is to blame. A feature of Australian elections for more than a century, preferential voting was originally a promise from then Nationalist prime minister Billy Hughes, gaining support within conservative circles after the 1918 byelection for the West Australian seat of Swan. Labor's Ted Corboy, a young returned serviceman who had seen action at Gallipoli and in France, was up against the Country Party candidate Basil Murray, the Nationalists' William Hedges and an independent, William Watson. Corboy secured 34.4 per cent of the vote, enough under the then first-past-the-post electoral system to make him the new member (and, at 22, the youngest person ever elected to the House). Between them, Hedges and Murray gathered 61 per cent of the vote, but without preferential voting, they were left in Corboy's wake. Loading The Hughes government, under pressure from his party and the emerging Country Party, moved quickly to introduce preferential voting in time for a byelection less than two months later (which was won by the conservative candidate). And that's how we've run House of Representatives elections ever since. But the May 3 result has prompted an outpouring of sour grapes from those who reckon a century-old system put in place by conservative parties to maximise their electoral chances is somehow being used by Labor to keep the mob formerly known as the Coalition from power.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australians can't stand sore losers. How did politicians miss the memo?
Australians don't like sore losers. We are a country that celebrates near misses, unlucky defeats or even unexpected successes (see: Steven Bradbury). Generally, we recognise that if you fall short, you should accept your lot and march on. Now, it seems there's an exception to this rule: federal elections. Since the historic outcome of the May 3 election (historically good for Labor, historically bad for the Liberal Party), there has been a growing chorus of those who argue that because their team didn't win, preferential voting is to blame. A feature of Australian elections for more than a century, preferential voting was originally a promise from then Nationalist prime minister Billy Hughes, gaining support within conservative circles after the 1918 byelection for the West Australian seat of Swan. Labor's Ted Corboy, a young returned serviceman who had seen action at Gallipoli and in France, was up against the Country Party candidate Basil Murray, the Nationalists' William Hedges and an independent, William Watson. Corboy secured 34.4 per cent of the vote, enough under the then first-past-the-post electoral system to make him the new member (and, at 22, the youngest person ever elected to the House). Between them, Hedges and Murray gathered 61 per cent of the vote, but without preferential voting, they were left in Corboy's wake. Loading The Hughes government, under pressure from his party and the emerging Country Party, moved quickly to introduce preferential voting in time for a byelection less than two months later (which was won by the conservative candidate). And that's how we've run House of Representatives elections ever since. But the May 3 result has prompted an outpouring of sour grapes from those who reckon a century-old system put in place by conservative parties to maximise their electoral chances is somehow being used by Labor to keep the mob formerly known as the Coalition from power.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Families of Flight 3407 oppose DOT nomination
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Families of Continental Flight 3407 announced that they 'strongly oppose' the nomination of Steven Bradbury for Deputy Secretary of the Department of Transportation. Bradley was previously general counsel for the Department of Transportation in President Donald Trump's first administration. The family group said that Bradbury's 'past policy decisions demonstrate a failure to prioritize the safety of the flying public.' 'Under Bradbury's leadership at the DOT, the department failed to support a thorough and transparent investigation into the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302,' the group said in a statement. 'Bradbury was instrumental in withholding critical investigative materials from Congress, obstructing efforts to uncover the full extent of Boeing's missteps. … Furthermore, during his tenure, Bradbury supported regulatory rollbacks that would weaken pilot training requirements and safety oversight measures — policies that contradict the hard-won reforms championed by the Families of Flight 3407.' Bradbury was nominated for the position on Jan. 22. He was approved by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on a 15-13 vote on Feb. 27 and will soon face a full Senate vote. 'As the former General Counsel of DOT, Mr. Bradbury will bring a deep understanding of how the Department and our transportation systems operate,' Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said following the committee vote. 'He is intimately familiar with the Department's past attempts to address transportation challenges, such as aviation safety, and has learned from his experiences. This background will be invaluable in his new role, when he is confirmed.' *** Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Politico
24-02-2025
- Business
- Politico
Bradbury set for Senate Commerce vote
Presented by U.S. Travel Association With help from Sam Ogozalek QUICK FIX — Steven Bradbury, Trump's pick to be the number two official at DOT, is set to get voted out of committee Thursday. — The subcommittee rosters at the Senate Commerce Committee are finalized. — Senate EPW gets to work on the upcoming surface reauthorization bill. IT'S MONDAY: You're reading Morning Transportation, your Washington policy guide to everything that moves. We're glad you're here. Send tips, feedback and song lyrics to Sam at sogozalek@ Chris at cmarquette@ and Oriana at opawlyk@ and follow us at @SamOgozalek, @ChrisMarquette_ and @Oriana0214. 'Moving like a freight train getting tired of chugging along.' Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You'll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day's biggest stories. Driving the day BRADBURY NOMINATION MOVING AHEAD: The Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday will mark up the nomination of Steven Bradbury, the Trump administration's pick for deputy DOT secretary under Sean Duffy. Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has called Bradbury 'exceptionally well-qualified for this position' and some GOP members at last week's hearing were already congratulating him — all of which suggests he won't have any serious problems once he hits the Senate floor. DEMOCRATS NOT SO HAPPY: Meanwhile, Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) said she has 'concerns about your record,' referring to Bradbury's long record that includes being associated with project 2025 (which he distanced himself from), and playing a part in halting a safety management system rule after the deadly Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash in Indonesia in 2018. SENATE COMMERCE SUBCOMMITTEE LEADERS NAMED: The leaders of the six subcommittees on the Senate Commerce Committee have been finalized. They will be LET'S GET GOING ON SURFACE: The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is set to meet Wednesday to consider case studies from the 2021 infrastructure law with an eye toward what can be improved in the next surface transportation bill, which is due by the end of September 2026. It will include examining the impact of new discretionary grants and the importance of formula funding, a Republican EPW spokesperson said. Witnesses include: — Georgia DOT Secretary Russell McMurry; — Gary Johnson, the vice president of Granite Construction; — Michael Carroll, deputy managing director, for the office of transportation and infrastructure systems for the city of Philadelphia. DUFFY SO FAR: Duffy took to X to show what his agency has done since he's been confirmed. Among his list, he highlights lowered fuel economy standards for cars and trucks, known as the CAFE standards, ending congestion pricing in New York City and shuttering the FAA's DEI program. Automobiles BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE: Given the significant opposition in New Jersey to New York City's congestion pricing program, Sam checked in with Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) to get his thoughts on the Trump administration moving to revoke federal approval for the contentious initiative. (Suburban areas despise the tolls.) Kim walked a tightrope: — 'I personally don't think that the federal government needs to get engaged in how we operate between our two states,' Kim said. 'I get it, like, you know, my [governor] and [others] are not thrilled about how things have been going, but to get Trump involved, I think it's the wrong decision.' AAI ADDS: The Alliance for Automotive Innovation announced that Emergency Safety Solutions joined the group's team of auto manufacturers, suppliers, advanced battery manufacturers, autonomous vehicle producers and semiconductor makers. The company works to eliminate crashes that include vulnerable vehicles which are stopped or disabled on the road. Aviation REVIEW THE DEFINITIONS: Major airlines are challenging a Biden administration rule that aims to penalize airlines for damaged or lost mobility aids, which includes reimbursing passengers. Airlines for America, along with its members United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines, filed their petition to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier this month, specifically singling out DOT for government overreach and exceeding its statutory authority for definitions within the rule. — During the comment period, A4A previously argued the DOT overstepped in its definition of damages as acts of discrimination, even in the cases when extreme turbulence beyond the airline's control fits that definition and warrants DOT to impose 'strict liability.' Not the whole rule: In a statement, A4A told POLITICO carriers have been supportive of the wheelchair rule and have made progress over the years in curtailing damages and mishandling of this equipment, providing increased training for staff, and forming passenger accessibility advisory groups and supporting research studies. (Carriers, however, in 2023 reported in their figures to DOT that 11,527 wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled). A4A stressed its 'action does not challenge the entire rule.' The DOT rule was finalized last year and went into effect Jan. 16. MUSK WANTS JUSTIFICATIONS FOR FEDERAL JOBS: All federal employees need to explain what work they've done recently or face dismissal, Elon Musk said on Saturday. Employees got emails to 'understand what they got done last week', as Musk explained, and that not responding to the email 'will be taken as a resignation.' The beleaguered workforce of the FAA's air traffic controllers were among those who received the email. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association responded to Musk's move by underscoring the vital role they play in air safety. 'All those who rely on the NAS for travel and commerce understand the vital role our nation's aviation safety professionals and air traffic controllers play in maintaining its safety and efficiency,' a NATCA spokesperson said. 'Any unnecessary distractions compromise their ability to focus on their primary mission—safely directing aircraft carrying passengers and essential cargo throughout our airspace.' STILL WAITING: Duckworth, the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Aviation, Space, and Innovation Subcommittee, is still waiting to hear answers from the FAA on who exactly got fired from the agency as part of the Trump administration's effort to cut government waste. 'FAA didn't meet the deadline, but responded and hope to get the Senator answers by next week,' a Duckworth spokesperson told Oriana. Shifting Gears — Mike Delaney, chief aerospace safety officer of Boeing, plans to retire later this year, CEO Kelly Ortberg announced. The Autobahn — 'California watchdog says high-speed rail on track to blow more deadlines.' POLITICO — 'Moody's Cuts Nissan Motor's Rating to Junk Status.' The Wall Street Journal. — 'Stellantis, Volkswagen, Tesla, BYD Face Italian Probe into EV Performance Claims.' The Wall Street Journal. — 'China's EV Price War Leaves Behind a Trail of Zombie Cars.' Bloomberg. — ''NJ Transit Is Ruining My Life': Commuters Reach Breaking Point With Aging System.' Bloomberg. — 'Chinese Navy Drills Near Australia Draw Complaints, Cause Flight Diversions.' The Wall Street Journal. — 'In the Trump Era, Flying Green Doesn't Matter Anymore.' The Wall Street Journal.
