Does Gillard inspire confidence?

[sails]

Someome has to ballance the absolute right wing bias around here. ...

If right means looking after our country's finances and
left means rapidly increasing national debt ultimately leading to increased future taxes that will hurt "working families",
why would anyone want left?

 

[bellenuit]

True

I couldn't believe how the ABC kept saying there is massive opposition to the idea in East Timor because there is already high unemployment.
Of course East Timor would love us to set it up there.

Cooks, clerks, guards etc. would be required; helping the unemployment situation; all paid for by us Aussies.

Also lots of public servants visiting and critics of the govenrment visiting to find fault. They would all be contributing money to the economy.

One of the issues I heard raised is that because East Timor has no social services of any kind, there is huge potential for resentment by the local population if they see the refugees being taken care of but not there own.

 

[Wysiwyg]

Michael Smith's interview with Gillard on Brisbane Radio 4BC yesterday.

Big tough ex-cop being big and tough on the ladies hey. Interviewer is an arrogant and typical holier-than-thou jerk.

 

[nunthewiser]

Interviewer is an arrogant and typical holier-than-thou jerk.

Tony Abbott?

 

[Julia]

One of the issues I heard raised is that because East Timor has no social services of any kind, there is huge potential for resentment by the local population if they see the refugees being taken care of but not there own.

Yes, even if they see the asylum seekers being housed in new modern buildings that will exacerbate the local people's unhappiness with their own poor housing.

I heard on Radio National today that she says she is also considering using Papua New Guinea.

Maybe the government can build smart new detention centres in every country in the vicinity. Or maybe buy a cruise ship from P & O. Some of these supaliners will accommodate many thousands of people.

 

[Wysiwyg]

Tony Abbott?

Never heard of him/her.

 

[trainspotter]

Or maybe buy a cruise ship from P & O. Some of these supaliners will accommodate many thousands of people.

Not actually a bad idea? A floating processing/detention centre outisde of the International Waters of Australia. Slightly off track here but how is it that they can sneak passed our Intel so easily? Coastwatch, Customs, Navy are all represented in the vicinity but the "irregular people movements" can drive up onto our beaches or simply use a mobile phone to call 000 to come and get them?

On this basis alone I would be concerned for our security. How come no Royal Investigation as to how easy it is to breach our fair country?

 

[Calliope]

Not actually a bad idea? A floating processing/detention centre outisde of the International Waters of Australia. Slightly off track here but how is it that they can sneak passed our Intel so easily? Coastwatch, Customs, Navy are all represented in the vicinity but the "irregular people movements" can drive up onto our beaches or simply use a mobile phone to call 000 to come and get them?

On this basis alone I would be concerned for our security. How come no Royal Investigation as to how easy it is to breach our fair country?

I thought you knew. Our Border Protection Service is not there to protect borders. They are there to provide an escort and protection service for the boat people. Occasionally some are missed. They get demerits for poor hospitality when this happens.

 

[sinner]

I am uninspired by the Labor ideal of borrowing money and placing the Nation in debt to it's eyeballs whoever the leader is. Maybe that is just me being a business man and looking at it from a very simplistic point of view.

Government debt is certainly on an uptick, but under 20% of GDP I feel is manageable/healthy level of debt - especially as Government income from tax decreases at a faster and faster rate. At 10% of GDP it works out to roughly 1% of GDP in yearly repayments (I think) and goes up geometrically from there.

The government is certainly not in "eyeball" territory, not even close. Australian citizens have done a much better job of getting into eyeball debt than the Government they accuse of such:

 

[trainspotter]

Government debt is certainly on an uptick, but under 20% of GDP I feel is manageable/healthy level of debt - especially as Government income from tax decreases at a faster and faster rate. At 10% of GDP it works out to roughly 1% of GDP in yearly repayments (I think) and goes up geometrically from there.

The government is certainly not in "eyeball" territory, not even close. Australian citizens have done a much better job of getting into eyeball debt than the Government they accuse of such:

Yes sinner it certanly is on an uptick alright ! I am not sure if I can agree with a "healthy level of debt" statement looking back as to where we have come from. YES the economic stimulus was necessary to assist somewhat in the GFC but not to the point of saddling us to the point where the pit pony cannot work anymore.

The problem with this kind of debt as you so rightly point out is not at "eyeball levels" just yet but it will not be long at this rate. The power of compound interest should not be underestimated.

 

[sinner]

Yes sinner it certanly is on an uptick alright ! I am not sure if I can agree with a "healthy level of debt" statement looking back as to where we have come from. YES the economic stimulus was necessary to assist somewhat in the GFC but not to the point of saddling us to the point where the pit pony cannot work anymore.

The problem with this kind of debt as you so rightly point out is not at "eyeball levels" just yet but it will not be long at this rate. The power of compound interest should not be underestimated.

It is a nice chart but without context there are issues with interpretation. A much better annotation would have been "mining boom begins" and "GFC sets in". The increase in debt is not a political issue, the Liberals quoted a very similar number for their own stimulus package. Please see the charts titled "GDP growth rates" and "Contributions to GDP growth":
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/5206.0

You will see Government debt increase as shown in your chart has successfully contributed to GDP growth as an offset to the private sector productivity and import profits (which constitute the national income) that were taken down quite hard in 2008.

It is interesting that you frame it as saddling the pit pony, but from my understanding of the 2010-2011 budget there are some tax breaks coming:
* Increase in tax free threshhold by $5000 (to $16000) next FY
* Lower tax on savings (up to $1000/PFY interest)
* Rolling company tax cuts from 2012-2015 for both large (2% over 2 years) and small business (1% over 1 year)

 

[trainspotter]

Perhaps we should have this conversation in another thread sinner. This one is about Julia Gillard and our confidence or lack thereof.

Do you want to start a new topic titled "Economic Political Solutions" or "Who is better at handling the econmomy" ? What about "GDP % of household debt"

I will gladly tete a tete in the appropriate format. We can discuss the "macro economics" (Those naughty words again) of the nation there.

 

[condog]

Its still the same monkeys pulling the economic puppet strings behind gillard then K rudd.

Doesnt really inspire any confidence, even though K rudd fell on his RSPT sword, Gillard only manipulated a bad policy enough to get it through.

Her and her monkeys have shown all week, another policy rushed through another blunder.

That graph by trainspotting says it all.


No one denies the GFC needed an unprecedented and unusual response, but a shool halls we dont need at four times normal price, doesnt really sit well with me and the electorate. Labour cannot be trusted with our golden years of economic propspity, they have done more damge in one term then can be undone in 5-6 terms of sacrifcie.

Tony is not my first choice of leader, but his hair chest is better then the other monkeys on offer.

 

[Calliope]

Those of us who fear a double dip recession should think twice before re-electing a Labor government. As economic managers they are complete amateurs. Their biggest boast is the they got us through the GFC. But that was by indulging in huge wasteful spending programs with Howard's legacy.

If people are struggling now, they should be very afraid for the future;

Strapped Families Feeling Financial Pain

Most voters believe economy still volatile
Half think Howard is better than Gillard
Steep decline in spending in marginals
FAMILIES are hurting more now than at the height of the global financial crisis, revealing they are drastically cutting back on spending because of fears about debt, savings and the Gillard Government's economic management.
In more than 630 interviews conducted in marginal electorates around Australia, the majority of voters said they felt the economy was volatile.
Most also said they had changed their spending habits as a result of the tightened economy.
Spending is shrinking on clothing, holidays, restaurant and takeaway food, newspapers and magazines, as consumers struggle to cope with interest rates, increased cigarette taxes, petrol prices and tight rental and housing markets.
There is bad news for Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan: 53 per cent of consumers believe they are less competent at economic management than John Howard and Peter Costello.
Nationally, 48 per cent said they were worse off now than at the 2007 election, and 44 per cent said they were worse off than this time last year.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/money-...in/story-e6frfmd9-1225890276039#ixzz0tLiCj03k

 

[trainspotter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qub4lWT6GNk --- You HAVE to watch this ! Very clever.

Without a doubt some of the best "why we vote" propoganda I have seen.

 

[SusanW]

Which bits wasn't Gillard involved with?
And add to the list below, that she was supposed to clean up foreign student education.....but it has been killed on her watch.


Mark of F ++++++++
· Save the whales – FAIL++++++
· Fuelwatch, $21M – FAIL+++
· Kids Laptops – FAIL+++
· National Broadband Network ($4b-$7B-$43B): To cost about $20,000 a connection – FAIL+++++++
Mining Super Profit Tax – Share Market and Superannuation values crash – FAIL +++++++++++++
· Grocery Watch/Choice – dumped $13 million vow – FAIL++
· Federal takeover of hospitals by mid 2009 if no improvement. – EPIC FAIL+++
· Hospital Reform – just take the money from the States – FAIL+
· Schools Stimulus Infrastructure Program (BEBR - Builders Early Retirement Fund) – FAIL+++
· Bribe to Free To Air TV Stations – FAIL++
· Refugees: how many boats so far? – FAIL+++++++++
· Refugees suspension backflip – FAIL++++
· 2020 Summit - 1000 B&B; minds, $2+m = 9 usable ideas - EPIC FAIL+++++++
· Batts in , Batts out – SUPER DUPER 2 BILLION DOLLARS MEGA FAIL++++++
· Kill off Insulation Industry – FAIL+
· Upcoming Huge Budget Deficit – FAIL++++++
· Mining Tax – FAIL++++++++++
· Childcare Centre Building program scrapped – FAIL++
· Carbon emissions reduction - LPG conversion subsidies phased out – FAIL++
· Carbon emissions reduction (2): household solar rebate axed 9/6 – FAIL++
· ETS - Greatest Moral Challenge of our Time – FAIL+
· Return Schapelle Corby to Australia – FAIL+++
· Fight inflation genie – Oops GFC – FAIL++++
· Taxes up (gas, diesel,transport, alcopops) – inflationary – FAIL+++++
· Arresting Iranian leaders: stunt – FAIL+
· Bank guarantee - over 200,000 accounts frozen from September 2008. – FAIL+++
· Cash Splash 1 –borrowed – FAIL
· Cash Splash 2: borrowed $42B – FAIL
· Work Choices/fair work: awards backflips – tourism/food industry dispensation but farmers will be out of work. –
FAIL+++
· Defence: cut expenditure & build weaponry? – FAIL
· Homeland Security Department – “non-core promise” broken Nov 28, 2007 – FAIL
· The buck stops with me – so where are you? – FAIL+++++++++++
· Tough Decisions – Ahh never – FAIL+++++++++++++
· Securing Murray/Darling water – FAIL+++++
· IVF: cuts. – FAIL++
· Medicare/private health: rebate same/lie – FAIL+++
· Dental scheme: gone 22.Cataract surgery: costs doubled – FAIL++++++
· Superannuation: government needs it more than us. – FAIL
· Home Savers Grant: fizzer, lack of people saving – FAIL
· First Home Owners grant: lifted, inflating house prices – FAIL
· GP super clinics - $275M. – FAIL++++
· Non-compulsory university union fees: voted down – FAIL
· Worker share options – blunder – FAIL
· Ruddbank – FAIL
· Reduce consultancies by $112 million = increase to $800 million (6354 consultancies) – FAIL
· Govt will pay small business invoices on time = takes a lot longer – FAIL
· No nuclear Waste Dump NT – election promise – broken June 2008 – FAIL
· $15 million to rural research & development corporations – election promise – broken May 2008. – FAIL
· A - E reporting on childcare standards & universal pre-school for 4 year olds – election promise – broken June
2009 – FAIL
· ALP Uranium Policy/stance – in tatters. Garrett approves uranium mine. – FAIL
· Diplomacy – Japan – biggest customer – FAIL+++
India – Uranium contract – FAIL .
· USA – conversations (real/imaginary) released to media. – FAIL
· China, May 2009 – “difficult to deal with” Australia led Asia Pacific Body – thud. – FAIL
· Boost funding for aboriginal Legal Aid – lie – actuality = cuts to funding in first budget. – FAIL
· Scale back Intervention – ignored review recommendations. – FAIL
· Homes /renovations for indigenous – not one shovel lifted to date – FAIL++++
· Digital TV –Conroy, 2008, slash $22m from costs of changeover, original estimate $16m now to cost $66m –
FAIL
· Cheaper Better Childcare – Govt regulations will see Childcare costs going up by about $1500pa on July 1,
2010 – FAIL++++++++++
· Internet Filter – FAIL
· Funding Equivalent Hospital Beds – Sorry Kev, can’t sleep in those equivalent Beds – FAIL++++++
Etc
Etc

 

[Logique]

If people are struggling now, they should be very afraid for the future;Strapped Families Feeling Financial Pain
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/money-...in/story-e6frfmd9-1225890276039#ixzz0tLiCj03k

It gets worse mate:
i) spiralling electricity and gas prices pursuant to re-introduction of ETS/Carbon tax by ALP, backed by Green preferences

ii) Cancellation of private health insurance rebate by ALP with Green preferences,

- the ALP through socialist ideology, the Greens through ideology plus eco-religious fervour.

ALP party-in-a-bubble hacks think everyone has a parliamentary pension with which to pay the gas bill. The Greens as the party of the rich, can afford private health cover, solar panels and higher utilities charges. Their preaching about public health means for you and I - they'll be off to the private hospital for their gall stones thanks very much.

 

[Macquack]

Which bits wasn't Gillard involved with?
And add to the list below, that she was supposed to clean up foreign student education.....but it has been killed on her watch.


Mark of F ++++++++
· Save the whales – FAIL++++++
· Fuelwatch, $21M – FAIL+++
· Kids Laptops – FAIL+++
· National Broadband Network ($4b-$7B-$43B): To cost about $20,000 a connection – FAIL+++++++
Mining Super Profit Tax – Share Market and Superannuation values crash – FAIL +++++++++++++
· Grocery Watch/Choice – dumped $13 million vow – FAIL++
· Federal takeover of hospitals by mid 2009 if no improvement. – EPIC FAIL+++
· Hospital Reform – just take the money from the States – FAIL+
· Schools Stimulus Infrastructure Program (BEBR - Builders Early Retirement Fund) – FAIL+++
· Bribe to Free To Air TV Stations – FAIL++
· Refugees: how many boats so far? – FAIL+++++++++
· Refugees suspension backflip – FAIL++++
· 2020 Summit - 1000 B&B; minds, $2+m = 9 usable ideas - EPIC FAIL+++++++
· Batts in , Batts out – SUPER DUPER 2 BILLION DOLLARS MEGA FAIL++++++
· Kill off Insulation Industry – FAIL+
· Upcoming Huge Budget Deficit – FAIL++++++
· Mining Tax – FAIL++++++++++
· Childcare Centre Building program scrapped – FAIL++
· Carbon emissions reduction - LPG conversion subsidies phased out – FAIL++
· Carbon emissions reduction (2): household solar rebate axed 9/6 – FAIL++
· ETS - Greatest Moral Challenge of our Time – FAIL+
· Return Schapelle Corby to Australia – FAIL+++
· Fight inflation genie – Oops GFC – FAIL++++
· Taxes up (gas, diesel,transport, alcopops) – inflationary – FAIL+++++
· Arresting Iranian leaders: stunt – FAIL+
· Bank guarantee - over 200,000 accounts frozen from September 2008. – FAIL+++
· Cash Splash 1 –borrowed – FAIL
· Cash Splash 2: borrowed $42B – FAIL
· Work Choices/fair work: awards backflips – tourism/food industry dispensation but farmers will be out of work. –
FAIL+++
· Defence: cut expenditure & build weaponry? – FAIL
· Homeland Security Department – “non-core promise” broken Nov 28, 2007 – FAIL
· The buck stops with me – so where are you? – FAIL+++++++++++
· Tough Decisions – Ahh never – FAIL+++++++++++++
· Securing Murray/Darling water – FAIL+++++
· IVF: cuts. – FAIL++
· Medicare/private health: rebate same/lie – FAIL+++
· Dental scheme: gone 22.Cataract surgery: costs doubled – FAIL++++++
· Superannuation: government needs it more than us. – FAIL
· Home Savers Grant: fizzer, lack of people saving – FAIL
· First Home Owners grant: lifted, inflating house prices – FAIL
· GP super clinics - $275M. – FAIL++++
· Non-compulsory university union fees: voted down – FAIL
· Worker share options – blunder – FAIL
· Ruddbank – FAIL
· Reduce consultancies by $112 million = increase to $800 million (6354 consultancies) – FAIL
· Govt will pay small business invoices on time = takes a lot longer – FAIL
· No nuclear Waste Dump NT – election promise – broken June 2008 – FAIL
· $15 million to rural research & development corporations – election promise – broken May 2008. – FAIL
· A - E reporting on childcare standards & universal pre-school for 4 year olds – election promise – broken June
2009 – FAIL
· ALP Uranium Policy/stance – in tatters. Garrett approves uranium mine. – FAIL
· Diplomacy – Japan – biggest customer – FAIL+++
India – Uranium contract – FAIL .
· USA – conversations (real/imaginary) released to media. – FAIL
· China, May 2009 – “difficult to deal with” Australia led Asia Pacific Body – thud. – FAIL
· Boost funding for aboriginal Legal Aid – lie – actuality = cuts to funding in first budget. – FAIL
· Scale back Intervention – ignored review recommendations. – FAIL
· Homes /renovations for indigenous – not one shovel lifted to date – FAIL++++
· Digital TV –Conroy, 2008, slash $22m from costs of changeover, original estimate $16m now to cost $66m –
FAIL
· Cheaper Better Childcare – Govt regulations will see Childcare costs going up by about $1500pa on July 1,
2010 – FAIL++++++++++
· Internet Filter – FAIL
· Funding Equivalent Hospital Beds – Sorry Kev, can’t sleep in those equivalent Beds – FAIL++++++
Etc
Etc

You are a hard task mistress, Mrs W.

Glad I was not in your class with your guaranteed 100% fail rate.

In response, I would like to give you a A+ for being a professional whinger.

 

[pilots]

Re: Does Gallard inspire confidence?

You are a hard task mistress, Mrs W.

Glad I was not in your class with your guaranteed 100% fail rate.

In response, I would like to give you a A+ for being a professional whinger.

A professional winger Mrs W may be, but she is telling the whole truth, don't for get we have to pay back what the Dudd has handed out.

 

[Julia]

Ms Gillard is looking a little foolish following the East Timor parliament unanimously rejecting Australia's request/suggestion to house would be asylum seekers there.

They join Papua New Guinea's similar decision.

Another example of the rush to make announcements before doing the background work.

Where will they try next? What other countries are possibilities for Ms Gillard to try?

Might be quite funny if all other countries reject the plan and Nauru is all that's left.