ELECTIONS - Labor or Liberal

[2020hindsight]

If your a resource bull, Rudds the best bet !

hey - now isn't that an interesting take on it lol.
you might be right cruncher.
.... in the economy of the future, no man is an island - maybe that particularly goes for Aus (whatever the geography book says) ?

 

[vvguru]

the perception is liberals are better on economy, so our johnny is share market friendly, if labor wins would be too much for market confidence, but seems our share traders paying the dearest for liberals, their bribe-to-retain-in-power tax cut 2 years in a row now seen overdone.

 

[2020hindsight]

I read recently that "Menzies was a poisonous old fart, hanging around the backside of Great Britain"
so I guess you could say that Johnny has just .. moved the concept around the world a bit

 

[Julia]

In another thread I wondered if Labor in both Federal and State governments might mean an improvement in our woeful health services. Well, perhaps not.

 

[greggy]

In another thread I wondered if Labor in both Federal and State governments might mean an improvement in our woeful health services. Well, perhaps not.

Nice cartoon there, Julia. I would like to see the Federal Government take over health services as I'm sick to death of the constant blaming games played by both state and federal governments. The current system isn't working and trying something different will not hurt in my opinion.

 

[2020hindsight]

http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2029170.htm
Media watch tonight was a classic !!
Miranda Devine shown up to be the idiot she is-
and Dennis Shanahan
(and possibly Andrew Bolt - by association?)

Attached is Shanahan's article in the Australian - god he and Devine are jokes!!

"the first casualty of war is truth"

serious desperation on Iraq publicity
cripes even out-Vietnaming Vietnam

the truth??

Baghdad Civilian deaths rose in August to their second-highest monthly level this year…That raises questions about whether U.S. strategy is working days before Congress receives landmark reports that will decide the course of the war.

— Associated Press, AP's Count: Contrary to Claims - Civilian Deaths Soaring in Iraq, 1st September, 2007

Here's one of Devine's articles:-
http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/0728_devine.pdf

Miranda Devine's own instant expert status was achieved in less than 48 hours in Iraq.

Her elevation to visiting war correspondent has been met with "scoffing" derision within Fairfax.

Still, from Brendan Nelson's perspective, the selection of friendly reporters to cover his final trip to Iraq before the election worked a treat.

That's the show for this week.

Thanks for being with us and I'll see you next week.

 

[Julia]

Nice cartoon there, Julia. I would like to see the Federal Government take over health services as I'm sick to death of the constant blaming games played by both state and federal governments. The current system isn't working and trying something different will not hurt in my opinion.

Hi Greggy,
Yes, you'd think any option would be an improvement, wouldn't you!
But the Federal Government's record on nursing homes (for which they have full responsibility) is less than reassuring.

 

[noirua]

Hi Greggy,
Yes, you'd think any option would be an improvement, wouldn't you!
But the Federal Government's record on nursing homes (for which they have full responsibility) is less than reassuring.

Here is a link to nusing homes in Australia: http://www.itsyourlife.com.au/information/nursing_homes.htm

How the UK compares on costs etc., ( excluding Scotland, where all care home costs are free): http://www.neath-porttalbot.gov.uk/olderpeople/residential.cfm

 

[Rafa]

Hi Greggy,
Yes, you'd think any option would be an improvement, wouldn't you!
But the Federal Government's record on nursing homes (for which they have full responsibility) is less than reassuring.

yeah, tho i have also heard states complaining that if there was enough nursing homes for the elderly it would free up stacks of beds in the hospitals... and hence improve hospital performance!

the buck needs to stop with one govt, only then they can look at it wholistically....

ah... one can always dream...

but i think one party at all levels is actually a good thing... at least for a few years.... the labor run in the states will end soon enough, it a natural cycle.

 

[greggy]

Hi Greggy,
Yes, you'd think any option would be an improvement, wouldn't you!
But the Federal Government's record on nursing homes (for which they have full responsibility) is less than reassuring.

Good morning Julia,

I'm just sick of the blaming games that all governments play. I rather see responsibilities given to one or the other especially when there are so many problems.
The federal government's record on nursing homes has been poor indeed. Surely some of the surplus could be used to fix the problem. I think that the quality of aged care is generally less than par and that's both private and public.

 

[robert toms]

Asian countries are a little bewildered by aged care in places like Australia....families in Australia pass responsibility for their parents and relatives to aged care facilities,and then blame governments for the standards of aged care.
Is this because people are too busy making money,and in most cases excess ,to really care about these things ?
I write with hypocrisy ,because my mother spent the last six years of her life in a high care nursing home.I had more important things to do with my life.
(My wife is a manager of an aged care facility)

 

[greggy]

Asian countries are a little bewildered by aged care in places like Australia....families in Australia pass responsibility for their parents and relatives to aged care facilities,and then blame governments for the standards of aged care.
Is this because people are too busy making money,and in most cases excess ,to really care about these things ?
I write with hypocrisy ,because my mother spent the last six years of her life in a high care nursing home.I had more important things to do with my life.
(My wife is a manager of an aged care facility)

Thought provoking comments there. I'd like to think that most people still care a lot about their parents. I care deeply for both my parents, one of whom recently had a severe stroke. Luckily my mother is still able to care for him. I've had discussions with them about the subject of aged care (down the track) and would be more than happy for them to live with me. They have told me that they would prefer to live in a retirement village or a private nursing home.
Some people dump their parents into nursing homes and forget about them which I find totally disgusting.

 

[Happy]

Asian countries are a little bewildered by aged care in places like Australia....families in Australia pass responsibility for their parents and relatives to aged care facilities,and then blame governments for the standards of aged care.
Is this because people are too busy making money,and in most cases excess ,to really care about these things ?
I write with hypocrisy ,because my mother spent the last six years of her life in a high care nursing home.I had more important things to do with my life.
(My wife is a manager of an aged care facility)

Shifting responsibility doesn’t stop there.
We covered to some extent people to blame everybody and everything except themselves for being overweight.

Similar voices cry for help in raising children, education.

Even publican is responsible for drunken patron hitting the road and then hitting something else.

We had even uncovered meat comment for excuse of rape.

What next?

 

[Julia]

I think it's very easy to say we should all take our aged parents into our homes and care for them, but in reality this frequently just isn't an option because of complex physical and psychological problems which require nursing attention and security in the case of dementia.

Also, it's simply not always the case that the aged parent wants to live with the children and will prefer to be amongst their own age group.

Friends of mine cared for the mother for seven years. She had very advanced dementia - did not know them, could not talk, walk, feed herself, was incontinent etc. It took both of them to look after her with the bathing, lifting etc. So they both gave up very highly paid jobs - one a psychologist, and the other a University administrator, and lived on Carer's Pensions for the whole of this time. They felt it was what they wanted to do but it significantly disadvantaged them financially and I found it hard to see that it made much difference to the mother.

With another friend, her mother was really happy in a hostel type situation and they enjoyed a very happy relationship until the old lady died. They both agreed their relationship would not have survived the old lady living with the daughter.

But, despite individual needs and preferences, those in our community - and it might be all of us one day - should have the right to a dignified old age and not have to worry about being left in wet beds for whole days at a time.

 

[greggy]

On a different note, the press is today full of reports that a growing number of Howard's ministers want Howard to step down before the election. Labour must be really laughing in the background. So close to an election, yet there is growing disunity amongst conservative ranks. Unless Rudd completely stuffs during the election campaign I reckon he's headed for a landslide victory. If a growing number of Howard's ministers don't want him in charge then how do they expect the voters to re-elect them for another term. Maybe, just maybe, its time for Howard to step down and give his replacement a few months to settle in to the new job. The most likely replacement is Costello who will benefit (if sworn in) from a honeymoon period.
Any thoughts?

 

[Happy]

On a different note, the press is today full of reports that a growing number of Howard's ministers want Howard to step down before the election. Labour must be really laughing in the background. So close to an election, yet there is growing disunity amongst conservative ranks. Unless Rudd completely stuffs during the election campaign I reckon he's headed for a landslide victory. If a growing number of Howard's ministers don't want him in charge then how do they expect the voters to re-elect them for another term. Maybe, just maybe, its time for Howard to step down and give his replacement a few months to settle in to the new job. The most likely replacement is Costello who will benefit (if sworn in) from a honeymoon period.
Any thoughts?

I wander if Mr Downer has a chance as an alternative to Mr Costello.
Why replacement has to come from treasurer’s seat?

 

[numbercruncher]

I wander if Mr Downer has a chance as an alternative to Mr Costello.
Why replacement has to come from treasurer’s seat?

Sshhhh the stinking libs will get more votes if Downer gets the hot seat.

 

[skint]

On a different note, the press is today full of reports that a growing number of Howard's ministers want Howard to step down before the election. Labour must be really laughing in the background. So close to an election, yet there is growing disunity amongst conservative ranks. Unless Rudd completely stuffs during the election campaign I reckon he's headed for a landslide victory. If a growing number of Howard's ministers don't want him in charge then how do they expect the voters to re-elect them for another term. Maybe, just maybe, its time for Howard to step down and give his replacement a few months to settle in to the new job. The most likely replacement is Costello who will benefit (if sworn in) from a honeymoon period.
Any thoughts?

The Tories are damned whichever way they jump. Public and private polling consistently indicate that Costello is less popular than Howard. On the other hand, with Howard currently at the helm, the bookies have Labour at $1.37 (for a $1 bet) and the Liberals at $3.10. Also, I don't think that Costello would enjoy the traditional honeymoon, due to his "fart in a space suit" level of popularity. I've also read that Costello doesn't want the leadership until after the election. That is, he "doesn't want to be handed the dirty nappy". The Libs will be throwing a massive amount of resources into being re-elected but FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY, it looks hopeful that they're going to meet their Waterloo. If Maxine McKew beats Howard in Bennalong, that would just be the ultimate cream on the cake. Be good to see this divisive and regressive twit of a PM scurrying off with his tail between his legs.

 

[skint]

I wander if Mr Downer has a chance as an alternative to Mr Costello.
Why replacement has to come from treasurer’s seat?

The Libs have already tried Downer. He was an absolute disaster for them. He went from gaffe to gaffe to self implosion. What did they do with a bloke who can't open his mouth without sticking his foot in it? Made him the foreign minister! Personally, I hope they do put him in the top job. The Coalition would then have absolutely zero chance of winning. Although its not yet a certainty, if the coalition do lose the election, I wouldn't be surrised to see Turnbull chipping away at Costello from the sidelines and taking a shot leadership. He definitely wants it.

 

[greggy]

I wander if Mr Downer has a chance as an alternative to Mr Costello.
Why replacement has to come from treasurer’s seat?

Hi Happy,

It would be fair to say that at this stage Costello would be the front runner to take over from Howard. A left of field option would be Turnbull. Turnbull is a moderate who might give the coalition a boost in the polls. However, he might need to increase his profile. Downer proved to be a disaster last time he was in charge of the Liberal Party with his "things that batter" joke.
Opinion polls have consistently shown the Liberals being even furthe behind under Costello's leadership. Either way the speculation going on is damaging the Liberal Party. One other note, if Howard were to step down he would most probably retire from federal politics thus making it easier for Labor to win his seat.