The Abbott Government

[sptrawler]

I hope you are on statins otherwise I can see you keeling over after reading yet another story that doesn't shower glory on the dear leader.

I don't care that the SMH doesn't shower glory or even praise on Abbott.

What I do care about, is the SMH using the oppostion leaders opinion, as a judgement of Abbotts performance.

Then using it as a headline,it is just ridiculous.

 

[Julia]

Would have thought Hillary was better than that: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-po...d-faced-outrageous-sexism-20140610-zs2uf.html

Or at least better researched. Or less gender bigoted.

I might have thought about being supportive of her tilt, but ho hum, too predictable.

I guess there are a few ways at looking at this.

They are on the 'same side' politically, for a start.

Given Hillary's experiences with her husband's, er, peccadilloes she is probably an arch feminist. The feminazis seem to lack objectivity in their determination to stick up for their own gender.

No doubt such a stance will have been exacerbated by sexism she has experienced herself, particularly from the Republicans.

I agree with you, Logique, but - depending on who the Republican candidate is - I still think she'd be a pretty good President, at least compared with some in the past. Rumour has Jed Bush as being the Republican nominee. Pretty funny if there's another Bush/Clinton contest.

 

[IFocus]

I agree with you, Logique, but - depending on who the Republican candidate is - I still think she'd be a pretty good President, at least compared with some in the past. Rumour has Jed Bush as being the Republican nominee. Pretty funny if there's another Bush/Clinton contest.

A number of prize Republican candidates stayed out last election due to Obama seen as a shoe in.

I think the next US election will see a better field for the Republicans but Hilary could make a good president I think she would be further to the right than Bill.

 

[sydboy007]

''The government is open to criticism and debate about our budget. However, we owe it to the community to set the facts straight and articulate the reasoning behind our decisions,'' the Treasurer said.

''Criticism of our strategy has been political in nature and has drifted to 1970s class warfare lines, claiming the budget is 'unfair' or that the 'rich don't contribute enough'.

''I would argue that the comments about inequality in Australia are largely misguided, both from an historical perspective, and from the perspective of the budget.''

''But a just and fair society must not seek to penalise those who aspire to be better. We must reward the lifters and discourage the leaners,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/call...-joe-hockey-20140611-39xsd.html#ixzz34MHDK8hg

If the Abbott Government is truly thinking like this then they've certainly lost the centre. In a slowing economy with rising unemployment I'd like Hocket and Abbott to explain how removing support for those under 30 is in any way going to increase youth and the under 30s employment levels.

 

[Logique]

''.....''Criticism of our strategy has been political in nature and has drifted to 1970s class warfare lines, claiming the budget is 'unfair' or that the 'rich don't contribute enough'.
''I would argue that the comments about inequality in Australia are largely misguided, both from an historical perspective, and from the perspective of the budget.''...
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/call...-joe-hockey-20140611-39xsd.html#ixzz34MHDK8hg

If the Abbott Government is truly thinking like this then they've certainly lost the centre. In a slowing economy with rising unemployment I'd like Hocket and Abbott to explain how removing support for those under 30 is in any way going to increase youth and the under 30s employment levels.

Where there's smoke there's fire. Clive Palmer..like a fox. Malcolm knows.

We wanted change, but we didn't want scarey north shore cossetted (a Sydney reference), elitist 'blame the victim' dogmatism.

Lives in too comfortable a world does PM Abbott, and we see who advises him.

Of course, Malcolm lives in a comfortable world as well, but at least he has an eastern suburbs (another Sydney reference) constituency, who keep him honest.

One term, it is increasingly apparent.

 

[IFocus]

Seems everyone is lining up to put the boots in



John Hewson criticises 'obvious inequity' of budget measures

Former Liberal party leader scathing of Coalition's approach as new report points to rising income inequality

The Abbott government has burned much of its political capital for little gain with budget measures characterised by “obvious inequity”, the former Liberal leader John Hewson has argued.

Hewson made the forthright comments about the disproportionate impact of the budget on the poor while launching a new report that points to rising income inequality in Australia.

“Even though the Abbott government were at pains prior to the budget to argue that ‘fixing the budget’, one of those dot points that they took to the election, would be done by sharing the burden of adjustment, the electoral backlash was driven by the obvious inequity of many of the budget measures that were proposed,” Hewson said during an event at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday.

“The budget proposed in simple terms a cut of some 12% to 15% in the disposable income of the lower-income groups, single-income families, families with children, but only less than 1% cut in disposable incomes for those on higher incomes.

“Moreover the government has burnt much of its political capital for little gain, in my view, in terms of ‘fixing the budget’, especially when the unfunded challenges of meeting some of those very large expenditure commitments in the out years still persist.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/20...riticises-obvious-inequity-of-budget-measures

 

[orr]

If you luv football, you've just gotta luv goal posts. My favourite, are 'shifting ones'. Like Joseph Hellers 'Colonel Cathcart' in Catch22, ar$e licking HQ and his ever increasing number of missions for the bomber crews under his command, to finish their tour of duty, so do we see now Abbotts toadying to the fossil fool industry; Once it was no use Australia going out to lead the world on climate action if there was no movement in that direction from the worlds bigggg emitters of CO2. But now as they have announced their intention to move, the US China South Korea the UK, it's no longer a prerequisite. Our PM StumbleBum, either blissfully ignorant, or a complete muppet, or both, fails to grasp what is ahead tomorrow let alone whats in store for his grand children.

And no dropping in to Baghdad on the trip this time? to observe the flowering democracy so evident in every oil weeping pour of that nation. And to be showered by its rapturous populace in praise that his political mentor,John Howard, who saw fit to help 'rein' down such luck upon them.

so much better that they're blow-up on the streets there, than cause disquiet by drowning on their way here or worst still cost us money by filling our gulags

 

[Julia]

One term, it is increasingly apparent.

Don't you think it's a little premature to make such a prediction, Logique? They have more than two years to go.
Do you disagree that measures need to be taken to counteract the projected increases in spending, apparently the highest in the world going forward?

How would you like to see this dealt with? Someone is going to lose out, obviously. If you're unhappy with what the government is proposing, presumably you have something better in mind which will ameliorate increasing debt.

Seems everyone is lining up to put the boots in
John Hewson criticises 'obvious inequity' of budget measures

There are two notable features about John Hewson:
1. He was a failed candidate for PM, being completely unconvincing re the introduction of the GST
2. He has been one of the most vocal critics of all current politicians, despite his own exceptional failure.

I'd rather take notice of someone who was successful like Paul Keating or John Howard.

Perhaps, along with Malcolm Fraser, Dr Hewson should consider quietly retreating into anonymity instead of insisting he has wisdom to impart to present governments and oppositions.

 

[Smurf1976]

I'd rather take notice of someone who was successful like Paul Keating or John Howard.

Agreed with your logic although in this case Hewson's actual comments are pretty much spot on in my view.

Abbott has alienated a disproportionate number of people relative to the budget gains achieved. Whether or not it's good economics (and I doubt it), it's not smart politics in the long run.

As for alternative options, first thing I'd be looking at is closing the loopholes. If the tax rates are intended to be x then that's what they should be. No loopholes available only to those for whom finding them saves a fortune. If it's x% tax then it's x% tax, end of story. How much it would actually save I don't know, but it would look a lot better politically to be targeting tax avoidance prior to cutting in other areas etc.

 

[sydboy007]

Agreed with your logic although in this case Hewson's actual comments are pretty much spot on in my view.

Abbott has alienated a disproportionate number of people relative to the budget gains achieved. Whether or not it's good economics (and I doubt it), it's not smart politics in the long run.

As for alternative options, first thing I'd be looking at is closing the loopholes. If the tax rates are intended to be x then that's what they should be. No loopholes available only to those for whom finding them saves a fortune. If it's x% tax then it's x% tax, end of story. How much it would actually save I don't know, but it would look a lot better politically to be targeting tax avoidance prior to cutting in other areas etc.

+100

tax expenditures generally benefit he already well off, while the focus appears to be on actual revenue spending, yet a $ the Govt chooses not to tax is equivalent to a $ of spending, just one is easier to see since it appears as a $ figure in the budget papers.

Considering tax expenditures are equivalent to roughly 8% of GDP, there's plenty of scope to target that area to increase revenue without actually increasing tax rates.

We HAVE to move away from taxing profits and income and hard work and more to taxing land / resources / consumption. If the budget did this I'd expect to be a similar level of grumbling, but an acceptance that it is sharing the burden equitably and in a manner that enhances the long term stability of the budget. The Abbot Govt budget definitely does not do this.

 

[IFocus]

I'd rather take notice of someone who was successful like Paul Keating or John Howard.

Perhaps, along with Malcolm Fraser, Dr Hewson should consider quietly retreating into anonymity instead of insisting he has wisdom to impart to present governments and oppositions.

If you read through the article I thought Hewson had some very good points.

Hewson was the perfect example of some rising too quickly (3 years then gaining the Liberal party leadership)before gaining enough political experience, Turnbull is another.
Hewson was also up against Paul Keating at his best, I don't believe any modern day politician would survive long and before the Liberal supporters turn up saying Howard defeated Keating, Keating had been in government as treasurer (8 years) and PM (5 years ) for 13 years total.

To some extent I would argue the other side as saying Hewson isn't tainted by the need of giving the usual tribal response also he is some one who has had a very successful career outside of politics in banking and economics unlike Keating, Howard, Abbott and Hockey all of who are career politicians.

 

[IFocus]

I am just wondering why the change (sucking up to the Jewish lobby after burning it with the senseless "Bolt law" change perhaps) given that no one else has appeared to do the same. The "Bush Socialists" are going to get really angry if it translates into trade losses at the farm gate.

PM rejects Arab risk to farm trade

Tony Abbott has escalated a diplomatic brawl with Arab countries that threatens billions of dollars worth of farm exports, standing by a "provocative" adoption of more pro-Israel language.

Speaking to The Weekend West in Washington yesterday, the Prime Minister rejected as "far-fetched" threats by Arab League nations to stop taking Australian exports over what he described as a "slight change in terminology".

Slight change to terminology..........really, seems the Arabs understand English better than Abbott.


https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/24236151/pm-rejects-arab-risk-to-farm-trade/

 

[IFocus]

Interesting from the Australian so it must be true calls Hockey an absolute liar




Benefits of boom shared, says HILDA report

The trend towards greater self-reliance ”” driven by the productivity gains of the 1990s and the resources boom ”” cuts across Joe Hockey’s argument that tough budget measures are necessary to tackle a culture of “entitlement” that has developed in Australia, with people more dependent on welfare than in other countries.

Survey director asso*ciate professor Roger Wilkins said it highlighted the effect of welfare reforms aimed at increasing participation in the paid workforce.

“The clear overall trend over the last 20 years has been one of declining welfare reliance among both working-age people and retired people,” he said. “Even the recent economic slowdown does not appear to have arrested this trend. It’s therefore hard to argue that excessive welfare dependence is the burning issue of the day.”

The Treasurer argued last week that Australia had more *people in the poorest fifth of the population entirely dependent on welfare than any other country and that the welfare system needed to be reined in.

“Our welfare system is unsustainable in its current form and it is not well targeted to those who really need our assistance ... payments are too broadly available to too many people,” he said.

One result has been a dramatic fall in the numbers living in poverty. The survey shows the share of the population unable to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter for themselves has dropped from 12.8 per cent to 5.7 per cent.

Fewer people are claiming unemployment and parenting benefits, the Age Pension or most other forms of welfare support. The big exception is the disability pension, where repeated rounds of reforms since 2006 designed to make it more difficult to obtain appear to have had no sustained effect.

 

[noco]

The ABC, Fairfax and the Labor Party, in particular the shadow Foreign Minister, should now hang their heads in shame after portraying Abbott's overseas trip a failure which we all know is far from the truth.

The Shadow Foreign Minister mad a stupid statement to the press that Abbott had no friends overseas....now it has come back to bite her on the *um.......She is as big a liar as is her boss.


http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opi...crediting-abbott/story-fn558imw-1226955140286

Critics obsessed with discrediting Abbott

TALKING POINT
The Australian
June 16, 2014 12:00AM



TONY Abbott returns from a very successful overseas tour during which he held court with numerous overseas heads of state, most notably the President of Indonesia, the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the US. I have no doubt that Abbott would win the approval of those with whom he met, just as he did on his recent trip to Japan and China.

Abbott may not be the world’s greatest showman, but what you see is what you get: sincerity with a straight forward presentation.

What is concerning, however, is that his Labor and Greens opponents, along with the ABC and Fairfax media, seem obsessed with discrediting Abbott domestically. These people want Abbott, the individual, to fail simply because he is Abbott, not because of what he stands for.

 

[sptrawler]

''The government is open to criticism and debate about our budget. However, we owe it to the community to set the facts straight and articulate the reasoning behind our decisions,'' the Treasurer said.

''Criticism of our strategy has been political in nature and has drifted to 1970s class warfare lines, claiming the budget is 'unfair' or that the 'rich don't contribute enough'.

''I would argue that the comments about inequality in Australia are largely misguided, both from an historical perspective, and from the perspective of the budget.''

''But a just and fair society must not seek to penalise those who aspire to be better. We must reward the lifters and discourage the leaners,'' he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/call...-joe-hockey-20140611-39xsd.html#ixzz34MHDK8hg

If the Abbott Government is truly thinking like this then they've certainly lost the centre. In a slowing economy with rising unemployment I'd like Hocket and Abbott to explain how removing support for those under 30 is in any way going to increase youth and the under 30s employment levels.

As the baby boomers retire from the workforce, it may not demographally fit with the youth unemployment areas.
So I would think it is a bit of carrot and cane going on.

Didn't the government say they would give relocation allowances to unemployed youth, relocating for employment.

We could go happily along, with huge centres of unemployed young people and keep bringing in 457's to take up jobs in areas they don't want to live in.

Just up the taxes, then the unemployed can stay in the areas they want to live.

We can't have it all ways, at the moment work is an option, if you feel like it

I remember seeing an interview with a young lady in Newcastle, when the relocation allowance was announced.
She had attained a degree but couldn't find work in Newcastle, she didn't want to relocate because her family and friends were there. The journalist was sympathetic and asked why should she have to.
I wonder why she shouldn't have to? If she can't find a job in her chosen stream and decides to stay there.
She won't have any super, so she will possibly be on some form of welfare all her life and still owe hecs.lol

 

[noco]

The ABC, Fairfax and the Labor Party, in particular the shadow Foreign Minister, should now hang their heads in shame after portraying Abbott's overseas trip a failure which we all know is far from the truth.

The Shadow Foreign Minister mad a stupid statement to the press that Abbott had no friends overseas....now it has come back to bite her on the *um.......She is as big a liar as is her boss.


http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opi...crediting-abbott/story-fn558imw-1226955140286

Critics obsessed with discrediting Abbott

TALKING POINT
The Australian
June 16, 2014 12:00AM



TONY Abbott returns from a very successful overseas tour during which he held court with numerous overseas heads of state, most notably the President of Indonesia, the Prime Minister of Canada and the President of the US. I have no doubt that Abbott would win the approval of those with whom he met, just as he did on his recent trip to Japan and China.

Abbott may not be the world’s greatest showman, but what you see is what you get: sincerity with a straight forward presentation.

What is concerning, however, is that his Labor and Greens opponents, along with the ABC and Fairfax media, seem obsessed with discrediting Abbott domestically. These people want Abbott, the individual, to fail simply because he is Abbott, not because of what he stands for.

And here is more on the failure of the left media to discredit and embarrass Tony Abbott......The lies and the beat up stories are degrading their characters on every occasion to the point where surely any sane Australian can see through their objectives.....The socialist media should be the ones who are embarrassed.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/op...ards-tony-abbott/story-fni0ffxg-1226955073776

 

[sptrawler]

This is an example of sexism.IMO

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/national/a/24250149/gillard-faced-outrageous-sexism-clinton/

How Gillards mysogyny speach, wasn't ever tested by the media for validation, has left Abbott with an undeserved tag.
To me, that smacks of sexist behaviour, by the media.
Obviously sexism towards Abbott is o.k.

When Palmer made comments towards Abbotts female head of staff, that's o.k
Mysogyny is only a dirty word, if you can hang it on Abbott.lol

 

[Knobby22]

I keep being stunned by the "reforms" proposed.

The Federal Government will now not have any environmental controls and these will be undertaken by the states only. Qld and WA have already signed up. These controls were initially put in by Fraser to save Fraser island from sand mining. Howard enshrined them in law by creating the Environmental protection and Biodiversity Act. Abbott will retain one control, the ability to stop a project before the States have made a decision, but once they have there is no ability to stop any activity.

We will become the only country in the world that will not have the main government controlling the environment. The Barrier reef for instance belongs to all Australians. We deserve a say.

The other bit of information I wasn't aware of is that council grants have been frozen meaning council rates will have to rise substantially over the next 3 years. Bad luck pensioners and self funded retirees.

 

[Calliope]

We will become the only country in the world that will not have the main government controlling the environment. The Barrier reef for instance belongs to all Australians. We deserve a say.

I'm sure "your last hope" and saviour, Clive Palmer has your Barrier reef interests at heart and will give you a say I notice however, on another thread, that you still have some faith in Bill shorten

CLIVE Palmer’s Queensland nickel refinery poses a serious environmental threat, with nitrogen concentrations in its ponds more than 150 times the maximum for sewage discharge in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, according to a high-level federal government report.

The threat of another major discharge from the ponds to the ecosystem of Halifax Bay in the World Heritage Area in northern Queensland has been described in internal documents as “similar to the daily discharge of treated sewage from a city of seven million people”.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...risk-says-report/story-fnk76wj3-1226824182234

 

[Knobby22]

Oh Calliope, a bad nights sleep yet again.
No I agree. Clive will encourage this. I think I said in another thread that he would not normally get a single vote except Abbott is doing such a bad job. I have heard he is up to nearly 20% of the vote at present.
I don't see where I have said anything good about Bill Shorten, in fact I said the opposite very recently regarding his work experience. But still what has that to do with the price of fish?

Very trollish to go the man rather than the issues though. So let's start again. Are you for or against them?


I keep being stunned by the "reforms" proposed.

The Federal Government will now not have any environmental controls and these will be undertaken by the states only. Qld and WA have already signed up. These controls were initially put in by Fraser to save Fraser island from sand mining. Howard enshrined them in law by creating the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act. Abbott will retain one control, the ability to stop a project before the States have made a decision, but once they have there is no ability to stop any activity.

We will become the only country in the world that will not have the main government controlling the environment. The Barrier reef for instance belongs to all Australians. We deserve a say.

The other bit of information I wasn't aware of is that council grants have been frozen meaning council rates will have to rise substantially over the next 3 years. Bad luck pensioners and self funded retirees.