The Abbott Government

[overhang]

Agree, it usually doesn't cost much more for family to accompany especially if Swan himself was running that expense up anyway on the VIP jet.

But why should he fleece $12,000 of taxpayers funds to go to a grand final? That was ONE trip. And what about all the other things I mentioned where Gillard and Rudd have used taxpayer funds seemingly on their whims?

I agree that the system needs to be tightened up and the rules made much clearer. But what gets up my nose is the self righteous carry-on of Fairfax, ABC and labor in trying to make Abbott look like the bad boy. They should check out the rubbish in labor's back yard first, imo.

Do you have no problem with Swan running up $12K to go to a football match?

Not sure if you read further down down on your link but you would have seen that the VIP jet was a requirement because of security which is obviously where the large sum of money went to. As to if tax payers should be charged for trips to grand finals I'm not sure, PM's have attended grand finals for years that its almost become customary. How ever as this seems to be more of an advertisement for the AFL then perhaps the AFL should foot the bill if they want the PM there.

I'm unsure of the best process to fix this problem. Is it the case of creating a bureaucracy to monitor entitlements or would the cost of the bureaucracy exceed the money saved? Or should tougher penalties be imposed on those that rort the system? This is essentially tax fraud.

 

[sails]

Not sure if you read further down down on your link but you would have seen that the VIP jet was a requirement because of security which is obviously where the large sum of money went to. As to if tax payers should be charged for trips to grand finals I'm not sure, PM's have attended grand finals for years that its almost become customary. How ever as this seems to be more of an advertisement for the AFL then perhaps the AFL should foot the bill if they want the PM there.

I'm unsure of the best process to fix this problem. Is it the case of creating a bureaucracy to monitor entitlements or would the cost of the bureaucracy exceed the money saved? Or should tougher penalties be imposed on those that rort the system? This is essentially tax fraud.

They almost need to have their expense claims checked by people who are specifically trained in what is allowable and what is not. As all pollies attend many functions in the course of being out there with the people, I guess there are many grey areas. Social functions where networking happens I can see would be one such grey area.

 

[sydboy007]

http://www.smh.com.au/business/joe-hockeys-lplates-are-there-for-all-to-see-20131009-2v752.html

Poor poor Joe. Complaining about the IMF predicting a better unemployment rate than Treasury

Maybe we'll hear more about the budget CRISIS and other sundry CRISES that seemed to have magically disappeared from the LNP vernacular.

 

[McLovin]

w.t.f.

ALL Australian victims of terrorism overseas since the September 11 attacks will be able to make claims for compensation within a fortnight.

Tony Abbott today wrapped up his trip to Indonesia for the APEC summit by visiting the site of the Bali bombings in Kuta, where he announced the compensation offer. It makes good his pre-election pledge that he would address the issue within 100 days of taking office.

The Prime Minister laid a wreath at the memorial which marks the spot where 202 people - including 88 Australians - were killed in twin bomb attacks in the popular nightclub district.

Standing alongside Peter Hughes, who was injured in the Bali blast, Mr Abbott said from October 21 all Australian victims of terrorism could make claims for up to $75,000 compensation.

- See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...y-fn59niix-1226735436111#sthash.1GB9i6mN.dpuf

Why is the taxpayer compensating someone who was the victim of a crime outside Australia?

Or put another way, if you're in a country that DFAT says "Do not travel to"/"Avoid travel to" and you are caught up in a terrorist act why should you be compensated?

This entitlement mentality seemingly knows no bounds.

 

[dutchie]

All parties do it and all parties want to continue to do it.
The public should bring them to account to stop the rorting and waste of our tax money.
Politicians are just doing a job. If they feel that they are not paid enough and need to swindle extra money, then get out and find another job!


from Zanetti:

 

[noco]

Fair enough but don't expect it to hold any credibility, Bolt lost that a long time ago. I guess some people like being fed propaganda...

I will trust Andrew Bolt over the biased ABC any day sport.

If any orgasiation has lost credibility it is the ABC. But I guess they are one of your trusted source of information.

I trust the Abbott Government weeds out this nest of socialist left wing personnel that has been planted by Labor.

 

[Julia]

w.t.f.

- See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...y-fn59niix-1226735436111#sthash.1GB9i6mN.dpuf

Why is the taxpayer compensating someone who was the victim of a crime outside Australia?

Or put another way, if you're in a country that DFAT says "Do not travel to"/"Avoid travel to" and you are caught up in a terrorist act why should you be compensated?

This entitlement mentality seemingly knows no bounds.

This was mooted during the election campaign and my reaction at the time contained even more implied expletives than you've indicated above. I hoped it was just some stupid thought bubble which would disappear, but no, Mr Abbott has made clear it's actually going to happen.

Where on earth is his sense of reality and judgement? The budget was supposed to be in a state of emergency!

If we're talking about rorting in this thread, the political nonsense will appear insignificant, once a few people get the idea that if they swan about in eg Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan et al, develop PTSD as a result of the horrors they have witnessed, or better still, cop a bit of shrapnel somewhere, the Australian taxpayer will happily fork out $75,000.
Utter ****ing madness.

 

[13ugs13unny]

All parties do it and all parties want to continue to do it.
The public should bring them to account to stop the rorting and waste of our tax money.
Politicians are just doing a job. If they feel that they are not paid enough and need to swindle extra money, then get out and find another job!


from Zanetti:

View attachment 54718

My question & complaint is why isn't there any names on the pigs? Don't they deserve it?

 

[overhang]

I will trust Andrew Bolt over the biased ABC any day sport.

If any orgasiation has lost credibility it is the ABC. But I guess they are one of your trusted source of information.

I trust the Abbott Government weeds out this nest of socialist left wing personnel that has been planted by Labor.

The day a Bolt fanatic is satisfied with the balance of ABC reporting is the day the ABC will lose all credibility and any chance of remaining impartial. The fact you use it as some sort of insult speaks volumes about your inability to see things rationally.

 

[drsmith]

On questionable entitlement claims, the following article offers a historical perspective.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...d-behaviour-much-the-same-20131008-2v6eg.html

For those with long memories, it includes references to the Paddington Bear Affair and a colour television before that.

Standards have certainly slipped since then.

 

[sydboy007]

This was mooted during the election campaign and my reaction at the time contained even more implied expletives than you've indicated above. I hoped it was just some stupid thought bubble which would disappear, but no, Mr Abbott has made clear it's actually going to happen.

Where on earth is his sense of reality and judgement? The budget was supposed to be in a state of emergency!

Seems the CRISES pre election magically disappeared once they were the responsibility of the L+N parties.

Just wait for the good debt bad debt argument to be rolled out next budget

 

[drsmith]

Seems the CRISES pre election magically disappeared once they were the responsibility of the L+N parties.

The boat arrival crisis that Labor created and then nurtured seems to be on the way to disappearing.

It's not magic though Syd.

 

[wayneL]

Seems the CRISES pre election magically disappeared once they were the responsibility of the L+N parties.

What would you have them do Syd? Declare martial law?

The crises under Labour magnified insidiously, therefore the right course of action is likewise, process, rather than a calamitous knee jerk reaction.

In addition, the media, particularly the ABC is focusing on the minutia of paltry expense claims.

Let the gu'mint get this show on the road, there will be plenty of time for pathetic carping about insignificancies once Australia is repaired from the socialist misadventure we have endured for six years.

 

[bellenuit]

Seems the CRISES pre election magically disappeared once they were the responsibility of the L+N parties......

If a reckless immature teenager picks up a loaded gun in a gun store, you have a crisis. If that gun is passed to a responsible adult, the crisis disappears. There is nothing to be confused about.

 

[sydboy007]

What would you have them do Syd? Declare martial law?

The crises under Labour magnified insidiously, therefore the right course of action is likewise, process, rather than a calamitous knee jerk reaction.

In addition, the media, particularly the ABC is focusing on the minutia of paltry expense claims.

Let the gu'mint get this show on the road, there will be plenty of time for pathetic carping about insignificancies once Australia is repaired from the socialist misadventure we have endured for six years.

Seriously.

What has changed in the last 3 months in terms of the budget emergency or fiscal crisis?

The ALP had a tax take in the last FY of just 21.6% of GDP, 2.6% less than the "low" taxing Howard Govt of of the 04-06 period.

Can you name 1 country in the world that didn't have a deterioration in the Govt balance sheet since the GFC? Federal Govt debt of 10.% of GDP. How many countries do you think would love to have our budget CRISIS? Aggregate debt level change since 2007 of just 14%. Once again, how many countries would love to have that CRISIS. Do you honestly believe Pyne when he says the L+NP would have run budget surpluses since 2007?

Hockey said the 2013-2014 budget is Labors legacy. There's 8 months left of the FY year. Surely if there's a budget CRISIS 8 months is plenty of time to react. Surely Hockey can react now to the CRISIS?? there's precedence for doing a mini budget. Surely by years end we could have the spending cuts Hockey and Abbott have been calling for?

The 2012-13 Labor budget had record spending cuts. Govt spending fell 1.1% in nominal terms so more like 3.5% in real terms. NO LIBERAL Government has ever had the cajones to achieved that. So lets see what Treasurer Hockey comes up with. He'll grandstand and blame Labor next year, yet most people would say if you have the decision making power for over 2/3 of the time shouldn't you have done something if you believed there was a CRISIS?

ps What CRISES under Labor are you referring to?

 

[sydboy007]

If a reckless immature teenager picks up a loaded gun in a gun store, you have a crisis. If that gun is passed to a responsible adult, the crisis disappears. There is nothing to be confused about.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SRIr7c35zuY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I fear this would be Hockey with a gun.

 

[sptrawler]

Seriously.

What has changed in the last 3 months in terms of the budget emergency or fiscal crisis?

The ALP had a tax take in the last FY of just 21.6% of GDP, 2.6% less than the "low" taxing Howard Govt of of the 04-06 period.

Can you name 1 country in the world that didn't have a deterioration in the Govt balance sheet since the GFC? Federal Govt debt of 10.% of GDP. How many countries do you think would love to have our budget CRISIS? Aggregate debt level change since 2007 of just 14%. Once again, how many countries would love to have that CRISIS. Do you honestly believe Pyne when he says the L+NP would have run budget surpluses since 2007?

Hockey said the 2013-2014 budget is Labors legacy. There's 8 months left of the FY year. Surely if there's a budget CRISIS 8 months is plenty of time to react. Surely Hockey can react now to the CRISIS?? there's precedence for doing a mini budget. Surely by years end we could have the spending cuts Hockey and Abbott have been calling for?

The 2012-13 Labor budget had record spending cuts. Govt spending fell 1.1% in nominal terms so more like 3.5% in real terms. NO LIBERAL Government has ever had the cajones to achieved that. So lets see what Treasurer Hockey comes up with. He'll grandstand and blame Labor next year, yet most people would say if you have the decision making power for over 2/3 of the time shouldn't you have done something if you believed there was a CRISIS?

ps What CRISES under Labor are you referring to?

Let's just take a breath and see what the score is in 6 - 12 months.
By then, some sort of reliable indicators should be in.
I'm just finding it a breath of fresh air, not to see a Labor PM on t.v, blowing their feet off or explaining another stuff up.
Maybe the coalition won't be any better, but the circus had to be ended.IMO
When 75% of the evening news is taken up with government issues, it is time for change.IMO

 

[sydboy007]

Let's just take a breath and see what the score is in 6 - 12 months.
By then, some sort of reliable indicators should be in.
I'm just finding it a breath of fresh air, not to see a Labor PM on t.v, blowing their feet off or explaining another stuff up.
Maybe the coalition won't be any better, but the circus had to be ended.IMO
When 75% of the evening news is taken up with government issues, it is time for change.IMO

Fair enough, but at least acknowledge that Labor did reasonably well in terms of the economy. Unemployment has help up reasonably well, they kep debt pretty well under control compared to most other countries, and no Government is going to willingly cut the budget so much that the economy stalls and unemployment starts to rise quickly.

I'd just like to see the same yardstick that people whacked Labor with applied to the L(n)P.

When the media was reporting about Thomson it was fine, gets the boots out and start the head kicking, but when we read about L(n)P members caught making dodgy claims, it's somehow a left wing media bias.

 

[wayneL]

Let's just take a breath and see what the score is in 6 - 12 months.
By then, some sort of reliable indicators should be in.

'Zackley

They've been in, what, a month?

I'me sure there will be real stuff for the left to whine about later, hell, I'll join in, if there IS real stuff to whine about.

Why can't the left stand aside and give the country a chance to come good. Is it the acute embarrassment of screwing up so diabolically?

 

[MrBurns]

Let's just take a breath and see what the score is in 6 - 12 months.
By then, some sort of reliable indicators should be in.
I'm just finding it a breath of fresh air, not to see a Labor PM on t.v, blowing their feet off or explaining another stuff up.
Maybe the coalition won't be any better, but the circus had to be ended.IMO
When 75% of the evening news is taken up with government issues, it is time for change.IMO

Exactly............

'Zackley

They've been in, what, a month?

I'me sure there will be real stuff for the left to whine about later, hell, I'll join in, if there IS real stuff to whine about.

Why can't the left stand aside and give the country a chance to come good. Is it the acute embarrassment of screwing up so diabolically?

+1

- - - Updated - - -

Fair enough, but at least acknowledge that Labor did reasonably well in terms of the economy. Unemployment has help up reasonably well, they kep debt pretty well under control compared to most other countries, and no Government is going to willingly cut the budget so much that the economy stalls and unemployment starts to rise quickly.

I'd just like to see the same yardstick that people whacked Labor with applied to the L(n)P.

When the media was reporting about Thomson it was fine, gets the boots out and start the head kicking, but when we read about L(n)P members caught making dodgy claims, it's somehow a left wing media bias.

I seriously believe that any improvements in anything while Labor was in had nothing to do with them, can you name anything they did that helped anyone ?

Don't give me the GFC bulldust that was overdone and wasted billions.