The Abbott Government

[Junior]

I agree that it's a disgrace but some of the numbers getting thrown around in the media are I would suggest nonsense. There's no way the government is going to slug someone who earns $80k an additional $800 tax (1%) at the point of reaching that income.

If they do introduce it, I would suggest it will be progressive. For example, an additional 1% on that part of income above $80k, rising to 2% on that part above $180k. Someone therefore on $80k wouldn't pay any extra, someone on $100k would pay $200 extra and so on.

The government has not only put a politically bad idea in the public domain but its marketing to the public by the same government has been even worse by not providing some firm numbers and thus allowing a level of media speculation that really scares the horses. The latest I see in the Fairfax press is this,



That could mean a range of things.

This so-called deficit tax idea has become a political disaster for this government, both in terms of policy principal and its marketing and for Tony Abbott in particular. Even if they ultimately back away from it, the stench of deceit will remain and that at a time when Tony Abbott as PM needs to build his credibility, not destroy it.

The Medicare levy is already going to increase by 0.5% in July so even the timing is terrible.

My local Liberal member is about to get an email.

Idiots.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...rs-hardest-hit-in-new-tax-20140429-zr1el.html

If that's the case it's not such a big hit....I read several articles about this tax and it's been described as 'cutting in' at $80,000, but also being described as an extra $800 for someone earning $80,000. As you said....very very poorly marketed. If it was marketed as a tax on the 'top 1%', or only high income earners it would be far easier for most to swallow.

In any case, dumb policy, terrible timing and completely unnecessary!

 

[Calliope]

Still leaves him with an open wound till the next election for another broken promise. Abbott ranted about Gillards' integrity. It was all black and white, so he'll most likely be judged in a similar vein.

I think Abbott is having a very difficult time adjusting to being in Government and responsible for policy, than being in opposition and able to just whinge about things without offering much constructive policy.

I agree. His problem is that he made stupid promises when there was no need to make them, and which he now is regretting and running ****-scared of breaking. The Royal Commission into union corruption was one of his more sound promises. It virtually guarantees him the next election without trying to buy votes by making silly promises.

He might then start acting like a prime minister instead of a rabbit in the headlights.

 

[SirRumpole]

The Royal Commission into union corruption was one of his more sound promises. It virtually guarantees him the next election without trying to buy votes by making silly promises.

Who are you kidding ? The taint of Liberal Party fundraising shenanigans is starting to spread and potentially affects all candidates because of the centralised funding model.

Abbott may well have made a noose for his own party's neck.

 

[trainspotter]

Governments of the day should realise that they are not voted in on their policies or how well they have the trust of the voting public. The reason they are voted in is because we get SICK of the EEEJITS running the country at the time. :aus:

 

[Calliope]

Who are you kidding ? The taint of Liberal Party fundraising shenanigans is starting to spread and potentially affects all candidates because of the centralised funding model.

Abbott may well have made a noose for his own party's neck.

You hope.

Abbott's inguiry into Union corruption and the cancer it has spread amongst Labor Federal politicians will completely over- shadow Rumpole's ineffectual little inquiry into Liberal Party corruption. Forget NSW, Labor leads on the corruption meter there by a large margin.

I kid you not.

 

[drsmith]

Some numbers on the deficit tax that make more sense even if the levy itself still doesn't.

As revealed in yesterday’s Herald Sun, the new levy will see a 1 per cent increase to people’s income tax — from 37c to 38c in the dollar — for earnings of $80,000 to $180,000.

But the tax will not be as extreme as we reported, with the first $80,000 that people earn not subject to it.

A person on $80,000 would therefore not pay any extra, while a person on $100,000 would pay an additional $200 income tax, and someone earning $150,000 would pay $700 more.

The income tax rate would rise by 2 per cent (45c to 47c) for all earnings above $180,000, meaning a person earning $200,000 would pay $1400 more.

These rates do not include the Medicare levy or the disability care levy, which when included would see the top earners taxed at 49c in the dollar.

With Medicare (2%) included, the effective income tax rates from $80k to $180k are 40% and 49% above $180k.

The combined effects of the 0.5% Medicare levy increase and deficit tax would from the above be as follows,

Income Extra tax (0.5% Medicare levy increase + deficit tax)
$50,000 $250
$80,000 $400
$100,000 $700 ($500 + $200)
$150,000 $1450 ($750 + $700)
$180,000 $1900 ($900 + $1000)
$200,000 $2400 ($1000 + $1400)

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...ver-new-debt-tax/story-fni0fit3-1226900288574

 

[Julia]

Still leaves him with an open wound till the next election for another broken promise. Abbott ranted about Gillards' integrity. It was all black and white, so he'll most likely be judged in a similar vein.

I think Abbott is having a very difficult time adjusting to being in Government and responsible for policy, than being in opposition and able to just whinge about things without offering much constructive policy.

I agree. His problem is that he made stupid promises when there was no need to make them, and which he now is regretting and running ****-scared of breaking.

+1 to both above. I'd hoped that Mr Abbott would somehow be able to remake himself when in government, but it just hasn't happened. He's a very poor communicator and has demonstrated woeful judgement in several instances.
He has only made the concession on the PPL because it was obvious the policy would be rolled in the Senate, even if it got through the lower house with several of his own people threatening to cross the floor on it.

If we must have a PPL at all, it would be better to leave the more modest Labor one in place imo.

His stupid obfuscating about a deficit levy not being a tax because 'it's only temporary' makes him look far more foolish than if he were just to be upfront about it.

Governments of the day should realise that they are not voted in on their policies or how well they have the trust of the voting public. The reason they are voted in is because we get SICK of the EEEJITS running the country at the time. :aus:

Yes, exactly. The desire to get Labor out was overwhelming but I doubt many people who voted for the Coalition did so because of any belief that Mr Abbott would be an ideal Prime Minister. I hoped he would grow into the role but would now prefer to see Joe Hockey running things. Mr Abbott seems to have so many peculiar blind spots. Even silly, unimportant stuff like the Knights and Dames nonsense damages his credibility.

 

[dutchie]

Yes, exactly. The desire to get Labor out was overwhelming but I doubt many people who voted for the Coalition did so because of any belief that Mr Abbott would be an ideal Prime Minister. I hoped he would grow into the role but would now prefer to see Joe Hockey running things. Mr Abbott seems to have so many peculiar blind spots. Even silly, unimportant stuff like the Knights and Dames nonsense damages his credibility.

+1

Politicians just don't seem to have any common sense.

 

[banco]

I agree. His problem is that he made stupid promises when there was no need to make them, and which he now is regretting and running ****-scared of breaking. The Royal Commission into union corruption was one of his more sound promises. It virtually guarantees him the next election without trying to buy votes by making silly promises.

He might then start acting like a prime minister instead of a rabbit in the headlights.

You've got to be kidding. Unless Shorten himself is direcly implicated it will make little difference. Your average punter doesn't pay attention to findings of Royal Commissions (particuarly on complicated matters).

 

[noco]

Governments of the day should realise that they are not voted in on their policies or how well they have the trust of the voting public. The reason they are voted in is because we get SICK of the EEEJITS running the country at the time. :aus:

I guess, at the end of the day, it is a matter choosing the lesser of two evils.

 

[drsmith]

I guess, at the end of the day, it is a matter choosing the lesser of two evils.

A political strategy yes, but in terms of future governments, that may not be how it ultimately works out.

While the two major parties continue to defecate in their own aeries, the loss of public faith will shift voter support to minor and single interest parties, none of whom are disposed to ever form government in their own right and thus can promise whatever they please or, more appropriately, whatever they think will please voters.

The ultimate consequences remain some way off but we are heading inexorably towards them; where minority governments, coalitions of political convenience, celebrity candidates pursuing self-interest, tormented administration and public policy distorted by miserable compromise – in short democracy Italian style – become the order of the day.

We of course had a taste of that with the previous government.

http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com...eaustralian/comments/when_is_a_tax_not_a_tax/

 

[Calliope]

You've got to be kidding. Unless Shorten himself is direcly implicated it will make little difference. Your average punter doesn't pay attention to findings of Royal Commissions (particuarly on complicated matters).

There's nothing complicated about this one mate. It will dominate the news media...especially if Gillard and Bruce Wilson have to appear. Justice will be served. It will be the final nail in Labor's coffin. You must be pretty full of yourself if you think "your average punter" is a fool.

 

[SirRumpole]

There's nothing complicated about this one mate. It will dominate the news media...especially if Gillard and Bruce Wilson have to appear. Justice will be served. It will be the final nail in Labor's coffin. You must be pretty full of yourself if you think "your average punter" is a fool.

Gillard and Wilson don't matter any more, they are old news. If Shorten was vulnerable to this enquiry, Labor would have been silly to make him leader in the first place, and he would have been silly to run.

Meanwhile Liberal pollies are going down like flies in NSW, and North Shore Sydney is Liberal party heartland and contains the two biggest figures in the Federal Liberal party , Abbott and Hockey.

Sinodinus is already tainted, Hockey and Abbott may find it hard to avoid being tainted as well.

 

[McLovin]

Mr Abbott seems to have so many peculiar blind spots. Even silly, unimportant stuff like the Knights and Dames nonsense damages his credibility.

This is what I thought he'd be like although he seems to be even more out of touch. Like you said, he just doesn't seem to understand that he's not there because of his own popularity. The Knights and Dames nonsense was a minor indulgence but not one that a new, unpopular PM six months into the job has a mandate to introduce, especially without even consulting with his ministers. Whether he likes it or not, a good percentage of Australians do not like the idea of a monarchy and all the antiquated drivel that accompanies it, heck a good portion of his front bench doesn't! So in what world does he believe he has the right to unilaterally reintroduce knights and dames?

One gets the feeling that he really doesn't read the electorate very well. The insular peninsula is a not weathervane of the Australian public, it's not even a weathervane of Sydney, Abbott needs to learn that fast.

Abbott is living up to everything I thought he would be.

 

[trainspotter]

I guess, at the end of the day, it is a matter choosing the lesser of two evils.

If I had known Tony was gonna chuck 12.4 billion on some war planes and then hit me for a debt levy after doubling the debt ceiling, I am sure as the Pope has a pointy hat that I would not have voted for them

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2014/04/23/00/04/australia-to-spend-12-4b-on-fighter-jets

In any event, successive federal governments have been squirrelling away funds for the program.
The $12.4 billion was not new money and would have no impact on the already-tight May budget, Mr Abbott said.

Not new money ?? HUH ??? If ya got that kinda money laying around - CHUCK IT AT THE MAY BUDGET !!!

Planes, Dames & rooting the Automobile industry (apologies to John Hughes)

 

[Calliope]

Gillard and Wilson don't matter any more, they are old news.

You wish.

If Shorten was vulnerable to this enquiry, Labor would have been silly to make him leader in the first place, and he would have been silly to run.

They were...and he was.

 

[SirRumpole]

If we must have a PPL at all, it would be better to leave the more modest Labor one in place imo.

And reduce the Public Services generous PPL to the level that everyone else gets

His stupid obfuscating about a deficit levy not being a tax because 'it's only temporary' makes him look far more foolish than if he were just to be upfront about it.

Do we really need a stupid and foolish person as Prime Minister ?

 

[Calliope]

Abbott's great big new tax.

 

[McLovin]

And reduce the Public Services generous PPL to the level that everyone else gets

And increase public service wages to match the private sector? Quid pro quo.

 

[wayneL]

And increase public service wages to match the private sector? ]

Perhaps..... if they increased their performance to match the private sector?