Australian Federal Election - 2019

[wayneL]

Go and talk to workers in traditionally strong Labor blue collar areas and I think you'll get pretty close to the crux of the problem.

They're still waiting for the "transition" and other things that successive governments of both persuasions have been promising for the last 30 or so years. It ain't happening and they and many others have given up. Given up not on Labor or Liberal but given up on the entire concept that any government is going to do something to help the mainstream. The idea of adding coal miners, retirees and others to the list sends shudders down their spine really.

Listen to Shorten's concession speech and it's more of the same. Lots of stuff about minorities, the odd good idea here and there, but a failure to focus on the mainstream and to fix what needs to be fixed.

There are still children growing up in poverty. There's 20%+ unemployment in some regions. There are still a lot of "real" issues affecting Aboriginal communities. There are people who won't be considered for work simply because they live near the farm or mine. Essential living costs are going up but ordinary workers' wages aren't. And so on. Focus on that sort of stuff, deliver on past promises, and stop worrying about things which appeal to wealthy inner city types.

That's not to say the others have ideas which are actually good but there's no point adding more to the list when there's already a huge backlog of things to be fixed. Last thing anyone needs is more promises. Instead just go back over the old ones and get them done, only once they're all delivered is it time for any "big agenda" type thinking.

The Liberals didn't really have any good ideas but that's precisely the point. There's enough outstanding promises as it is without adding more to the list. Promising nothing whilst doing at least something is thus more credible than adding to the list of things not done.

Its what so many have noted in recent years, and both major parties are guilty of it, that is, forsaking their base, trying to appeal to inner city yuppies.

I do feel that it is Labor however that has diverged most strongly. The Alphabet soup/ globalist agenda is most opposed to the interests of the average working schmuck.

Vis a vis, the saltiest of salty sour grapes, comes from the postmodernists such as bas, a fraternity far removed from your average tradie for whom the Labor party was formed.

 

[wayneL]

This how the Liberals promoted the fake death tax story.

Liberal headquarters insists it played no role in the proliferating social sharing, and senior figures downplay the contribution of fake news to the election result, but the Morrison campaign was clearly happy to amplify the contentions. The Liberals paid for a series of ads running from multiple Facebook accounts from 13 May, all mirroring the death tax messaging.

A Facebook post outlining the supposed detail of Labor’s death tax. Photograph: Facebook
The ads featured a video titled “Why is Bill Shorten so defensive about an inheritance tax?”, which spliced together vision of multiple Labor candidates repeating the words “death tax” and “secret plan for a death tax”. This was the embodiment of Labor’s feared Catch 22: that they would stoke their own fake news problem.

Those ads, which Liberal insiders insist were a minuscule proportion of a campaign advertising buy doubtless running into millions of dollars, ran from the central Facebook accounts of the Liberal party and LNP, as well as from the pages of MPs Peter Dutton, Ross Vasta, Ken O’Dowd and Warren Entsch, among others.

To put the death tax intervention in context, in total the Liberal party posted about 200 videos from mid-April to campaign day on its Facebook page, and made more than 600 posts.

State-based MPs also began paying for Facebook ads to amplify the message. Colin Boyce, a Queensland state MP, used money from his own budget to boost an ad stating: “A Death Tax is a real possibility under a union controlled Labor Government. A families [sic] house in the city or a family’s rural property may have to be sold to pay a Labor Government 40% Death Tax.”

https://www.theguardian.com/austral...tax-lie-infected-australias-election-campaign

 

[SirRumpole]

but a failure to focus on the mainstream and to fix what needs to be fixed.

That's the most salient point you mentioned, the mainstream.

Mums and Dads and their kids, jobs, opportunities and education.

Very little in Labor's spiel about that only uncertainty.

I still reckon the negative gearing reforms were a good idea, as were the franking credits except that they failed to take into account "collateral damage".

But after all that, the Libs had a one seat majority before the election and they still have the same after it, so it's hardly a resounding confirmation or rejection of either side.

Maybe most people just don't care.

Unfortunately I think the politician most likely to succeed in the near future will be a populist Trump clone, higher tariffs , Australians first, stuff everyone else, except we just don't have the economic clout to pull that off , but it will sound good to the electorate.

 

[PZ99]

But after all that, the Libs had a one seat majority before the election and they still have the same after it, so it's hardly a resounding confirmation or rejection of either side.

Maybe most people just don't care.

There's more to it than that. 12 seats changed hands so there was a shift in the electorate.

There was a redistribution of seats which notionally put Labor at 72 before the election so they really lost a net of 4 seats. Even more tellingly, they've lost some of their senate reps as well.
Their primary vote is now the same as it was in 2013. Everything they've gained they've now lost.

Whichever way you look at it, the ALP copped a hammering. It was a repeat of 2004.

If you want to win an election on a platform of tax increases, you really gotta get your gear together. Bill Shorten was in reverse right from the start of the campaign.

 

[IFocus]

There's more to it than that. 12 seats changed hands so there was a shift in the electorate.

There was a redistribution of seats which notionally put Labor at 72 before the election so they really lost a net of 4 seats. Even more tellingly, they've lost some of their senate reps as well.
Their primary vote is now the same as it was in 2013. Everything they've gained they've now lost.

Whichever way you look at it, the ALP copped a hammering. It was a repeat of 2004.

If you want to win an election on a platform of tax increases, you really gotta get your gear together. Bill Shorten was in reverse right from the start of the campaign.

Correct Labor really got a flogging after 2 terms of Coalition turmoil.

With the polls showing a Labor win Labor felt embolden to take more aggressive reforms to the election.............wrong move in hindsight polling wasn't even close.

If Labor had stayed small target and high lighted what a mess the previous Coalition term was the result would have been much closer not sure they would have got up against Morrison's "I am your best mate campaign " that most fell for.

 

[Humid]

You know your in bed with the loonies when even after an election defeat they still keep talking about you
How about focusing on your decisions

 

[moXJO]

You know your in bed with the loonies when even after an election defeat they still keep talking about you
How about focusing on your decisions

Yes we should be dealing with the victims grief after the election. Now where do I send those tissues hummer?

 

[IFocus]

Yes we should be dealing with the victims grief after the election. Now where do I send those tissues hummer?

Haha the fight continues its all gods work

As for victims unfortunately that will be the middle to lower income earners (punters) that will pay for the looming tax cut give away.

 

[sptrawler]

As for victims unfortunately that will be the middle to lower income earners (punters) that will pay for the looming tax cut give away.

Unfortunately that is always the case, whether it is tax cuts, welfare increases or cost of living increases, middle income earners are the engine room of the economy always have been always will be.
At least this time, they got together and gave the politicians the bird.

 

[SirRumpole]

Sad to see that Derryn got dumped from the Senate.

He was one of the few "genuine" independent Senators around.

 

[sptrawler]

Sad to see that Derryn got dumped from the Senate.

He was one of the few "genuine" independent Senators around.

Yes, a very polarising guy people either loved him or hated him, but he did stand firm on what he believed.

 

[wayneL]

I think Darryn tried to go too woke.

Definitely did some good things, but the virtue signalling put people off big time, IMHO

 

[sptrawler]

Well it seems like more of the same with the senate, it sounds as though the cross bench and labor are going to stop the tax cuts.

 

[drsmith]

The AFR (Fairfax) is giving Labor a lot of stick over its hesitation on the tax cuts.

Scott Morrison is I would suggest less amenable to bend than Malcolm Turnbull was as PM, especially after the Coalition's unexpected election victory. A divided Labor will buckle first.

 

[SirRumpole]

The AFR (Fairfax) is giving Labor a lot of stick over its hesitation on the tax cuts.

Scott Morrison is I would suggest less amenable to bend than Malcolm Turnbull was as PM, especially after the Coalition's unexpected election victory. A divided Labor will buckle first.

Yes, they probably will.

I don't see any point in Labor blocking the tax cuts when they could just repeal them in 5 years time if they happen to be in government.

 

[sptrawler]

The AFR (Fairfax) is giving Labor a lot of stick over its hesitation on the tax cuts.

Scott Morrison is I would suggest less amenable to bend than Malcolm Turnbull was as PM, especially after the Coalition's unexpected election victory. A divided Labor will buckle first.

If they don't they will further alienate, those that they have already lost, the only ones they are placating are the chardonnay green tea sippers in the mega mansions.
But having said that, if that is who they are trying to impress, they are doing a great job. lol
They don't pay tax anyway, so you might as well take a big stick and shake it, it looks impressive to the tribe.
The other thing that is obvious is, if Fairfax can see it is a no brainer, Labor had better take notice.
Because if there was anyway to hit the Government, over the tax cuts, Fairfax would have found it. IMO

 

[sptrawler]

Well nothing much has changed, the opposition tells the Government what to do, I wonder if it will stop the tax cuts altogether?

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...ition-s-full-tax-package-20190624-p520ox.html

Why doesn't Labor just pass them and repeal them if they win the next election?
It could be argued that the third stage cuts, give a degree of certainty and confidence in the economy, if the economy turns down the cuts become unaffordable.
Then they are canned, all this pi$$ing competition stuff needs to be put aside, let the Government Govern and be held responsible for their decisions.
Looks like another 3 years of nonsense, coming up.

 

[macca]

Right now, all the working people can hear is Labor saying "NO Tax Cuts for you"

Talk about double down on a stuff up, the longer this goes on then the more street cred for ScoMo and less for Albanese

 

[IFocus]

Well nothing much has changed, the opposition tells the Government what to do, I wonder if it will stop the tax cuts altogether?

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/fed...ition-s-full-tax-package-20190624-p520ox.html

Why doesn't Labor just pass them and repeal them if they win the next election?
It could be argued that the third stage cuts, give a degree of certainty and confidence in the economy, if the economy turns down the cuts become unaffordable.
Then they are canned, all this pi$$ing competition stuff needs to be put aside, let the Government Govern and be held responsible for their decisions.
Looks like another 3 years of nonsense, coming up.

Giving people money then taking it off them is a sort election winner?

I am not convinced Australia can effort any tax cuts at the present time unless you accept its all going on the credit card

 

[macca]

Giving people money then taking it off them is a sort election winner?

I am not convinced Australia can effort any tax cuts at the present time unless you accept its all going on the credit card

From a strictly economic big picture you are right but tax cuts were promised at the election by the Govt, they want to deliver to the masses, Labor are stopping it.

The pub test says Labor are stopping our tax cuts