The Abbott Government

[trainspotter]

Well yes, we are off topic.

Let's take the d1ck measuring to the relevant thread shall we?

hahahaaa ~chortle~ I almost spilled me champagne on this retort , touche'

 

[drsmith]

Btw, gg estimated Rudd would make his move in abt 18 months. I'd suggest more like 6 or 7 months.

----------------------------------------------------------

Rudd smells an opening and forces Shorten out in the name of not winning back their traditional support base.

Well, that fine political forecast barely lasted longer than the keystrokes that went into it.

The difference between yourself and GG is that I doubt he was being serious.

 

[trainspotter]

Is GG ever serious? Last time I was in Townsville they spoke in hushed tones.

 

[Whiskers]

So much for that wisdom.

Well I did get his 'move' closer than your pre-eminent Abbott supporter, Garpal Gumnut.

I said: Btw, gg estimated Rudd would make his move in abt 18 months. I'd suggest more like 6 or 7 months.​

It does also exemplify my better 'wisdom' that Rudd would not just sit idly by on the back bench for so long as gg and maybe more Libs suggested just being an irritation to Shorten supporters.

I said: Rudds strategist, Bruce Hawker is starting to cultivate the ground for Rudds (or anointment) comeback with the book in December.​

This story still has a bit to run yet... especially whether or not he has anointed anyone to take his spot and exactly what he does in the future.

You will note whereas gg specifically stated Rudd would run for leadership, I was wisely noting that "Rudd (or anointment)" might make a move on Shortens leadership.

I said: Rudd smells an opening and forces Shorten out in the name of not winning back their traditional support base.​

It's not hard to imagine after the release of Hawkers book, as a private citizen, he... well, lets just say I doubt he'll just go away into a quiet corner and read Hawkers book for the rest of his life.

Hawker has hinted that he still has an interest in public affairs.

Did I also hear that they are calling for a plebiscite for the candidate to replace him?

Certainly sounds like Rudd smelt an opening and is continuing to pull some strings in Labor, against Shorten and his disregard of the rank and file wishes.

All in all my wisdom is still more in the game than yours and like minded.

 

[Whiskers]

The difference between yourself and GG is that I doubt he was being serious.

Well isn't that an indictment to NOT believe anything you lot say! :

Is GG ever serious? Last time I was in Townsville they spoke in hushed tones.

... and further indictment of your secretive, hidden, far right agenda.

 

[drsmith]

Well isn't that an indictment to NOT believe anything you lot say! :

... and further indictment of your secretive, hidden, far right agenda.

Go to bed Whiskers. It's after midnight in Qld.

You've had a long and disappointing day finally seeing your messiah fall on his political sword.

The sun will still rise tomorrow (in your case now, today).

 

[Whiskers]

Go to bed Whiskers.

No! :

What's up doc... you want the thread all to yourselves?!

I'm having a quite fruitful day actually. Apart from a bit of economic data, the political scene is unfolding roughly as anticipated. I wisely keep all business (and political) options available until they expire.

Rather than spending my life parroting off party line or particular business propaganda, I'm busy working on the markets working through the position and range of possibilities and probabilities to be in a better position than drunken sailors looking to their captain for help when the ship hits an iceberg and goes down unexpectedly.

Also, apart from the standing orders getting modified to gag the opposition and especially the cross benches, quite a few gov officials are being gaged and or feverishly frustrating FOI attempts to clarify certain information that could be troublesome to the government.

Remember, I warned them exaggerating and telling fibs would come back to haunt them.

As if that is not enough concern, some interesting comments about the Commission of Audit have gone quietly under the radar of most because of a preoccupation with the fuss over Indonesia and opening of parliament.

The Commission of Audit is shaping up to be a report from people with connections, ideology and wish-list going back to Howards workchoices era, the Business Council and right wing Institute of Public Affairs, claiming that ordinary people don't know what's good for them.

 

[bunyip]

It was cringe-worthy listening to members of both the government and the opposition trying to think up something complimentary to say about Rudd The Dud.

Good riddance to the bastard is what I say, and I’m sure that even Rudd's own party feels the same way despite their shallow attempts to speak kindly of him.

 

[drsmith]

As Kevin Rudd now has the pleasure of eating his own heart out, Liberal candidate for Griffith Bill Glasson gets another chance.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2rTJc36mlU

 

[drsmith]

With regard the debt limit, Labor needs to recognise that it was the party responsible for the current debt situation and that it is now no longer in office.

The most recent Treasury figures, released before the election, had forecast debt peaking at $370 billion 2015-16.

Reprising Labor's argument from its time in office, Mr Hockey says the Government also needs a buffer of between $40bn and $60bn.

But the Opposition wants the Treasurer to release his department's budget update, the Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), before it will approve any more than $400 billion.

The attached segment from a Joe Hockey interview on ABC Radio National is also interesting viewing.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-14/hockey-warns-of-us-style-shutdown/5090722

 

[trainspotter]

Well isn't that an indictment to NOT believe anything you lot say! :

... and further indictment of your secretive, hidden, far right agenda.

Methinks you need to change the water in your bowl as you are having trouble seeing through the murky waters of your own excrement.

Not sure if Hockey is walking softly enough but the stick he is carrying is MASSIVE ! To threaten a US style meltdown is farcical at best.

He said if Labor and the Greens stopped him from increasing it, he would be forced to slash spending and shut down services to stop Australia breaching the limit.

"We would need to close down immediately payments for the payment system, payments in relation to welfare. We'd need to close Medicare straight away. We'd need to start closing the government, "Mr Hockey told Parliament

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...-over-debt-limit/story-e6frea6u-1226759291243

 

[sydboy007]

With regard the debt limit, Labor needs to recognise that it was the party responsible for the current debt situation and that it is now no longer in office.



The attached segment from a Joe Hockey interview on ABC Radio National is also interesting viewing.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-14/hockey-warns-of-us-style-shutdown/5090722

Seriously, the Howard Government welfare handouts had no impact on the budget? Tax free super had no impact on the budget? The terms of trade falling with the resulting drop in GNI has no impact on the budget? Both previous Govts have plenty of responsibility for the current structural deficit of the budget.

So you're saying a 33% increase in the limit is not OK, but a 66% increase is, yet voted for the party that has surplus in it's DNA, would have run surpluses through the GFC, but has yet to announce any decent level of welfare cuts, and doesn't believe it can balance the budget within 3 years.

 

[drsmith]

Syd,

Labor had 6-years in office.

So you're saying a 33% increase in the limit is not OK, but a 66% increase is, yet voted for the party that has surplus in it's DNA, would have run surpluses through the GFC, but has yet to announce any decent level of welfare cuts, and doesn't believe it can balance the budget within 3 years.

With regard to the quantum of increase in the debt limit relative to its present level, pls read the ABC article linked above.

 

[sails]

Syd,

Labor had 6-years in office.


With regard to the quantum of increase in the debt limit relative to its present level, pls read the ABC article linked above.

Maybe if labor refuse to be realistic about the debt ceiling, Hockey should immediately start culling unnecessary public servants and significantly reduce ABC funding for starters.

 

[basilio]

Maybe if labor refuse to be realistic about the debt ceiling, Hockey should immediately start culling unnecessary public servants and significantly reduce ABC funding for starters.

Absolutely. Lets start out with 50 arbitrary sackings a week for a month until they understand whose in charge. Put everyones name in a barrel and draw out the "winners".

In the second month we can jump this to 100 PS sackings - a couple of summary executions and throw a 1000 random people off the dole. After all this is a budget emergency isn't it ?

Like to add some extra fuel to the process ?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Back in the real world I'm still totally mystified on the reasons for the huge increase in the debt ceiling. Surely that warrants an explanation of some sort beyond "we want to do it".
After all it is our money they want to borrow isn't it ?

 

[trainspotter]

Syd,

Labor had 6-years in office.


With regard to the quantum of increase in the debt limit relative to its present level, pls read the ABC article linked above.

You forgot to mention when Rudd/Labor took over our country was DEBT FREE ! Australia’s net Government debt was $96 billion in June 1996. By June 2007, Australia had net financial assets (negative debt) of $29 billion.

Oh dear

 

[trainspotter]

Absolutely. Lets start out with 50 arbitrary sackings a week for a month until they understand whose in charge. Put everyones name in a barrel and draw out the "winners".

In the second month we can jump this to 100 PS sackings - a couple of summary executions and throw a 1000 random people off the dole. After all this is a budget emergency isn't it ?

Like to add some extra fuel to the process ?

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Back in the real world I'm still totally mystified on the reasons for the huge increase in the debt ceiling. Surely that warrants an explanation of some sort beyond "we want to do it".
After all it is our money they want to borrow isn't it ?

Didn't hear anyone squawking when Labor rang up the corporate credit card? No wait ... that was me !

 

[Whiskers]

With regard the debt limit, Labor needs to recognise that it was the party responsible for the current debt situation and that it is now no longer in office.



The attached segment from a Joe Hockey interview on ABC Radio National is also interesting viewing.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-14/hockey-warns-of-us-style-shutdown/5090722

That article DOES NOT address responsibility for the underlying or structural debt situation.

Seriously, the Howard Government welfare handouts had no impact on the budget? Tax free super had no impact on the budget? The terms of trade falling with the resulting drop in GNI has no impact on the budget? Both previous Govts have plenty of responsibility for the current structural deficit of the budget.
So you're saying a 33% increase in the limit is not OK, but a 66% increase is, yet voted for the party that has surplus in it's DNA, would have run surpluses through the GFC, but has yet to announce any decent level of welfare cuts, and doesn't believe it can balance the budget within 3 years.

Sydboy, you do hit the right note, highlighted... but lets spread the word straight from the Parliamentary Budget Office.

This is part of why I'm really pissed off with these guys (the Big L Libs in control of the coalition) and as I've often mentioned, over exaggeration in opposition continuing to just plain lies and deceit in government.

As I mentioned last post gov officials are being gaged and or feverishly frustrating FOI attempts to clarify certain information that could be troublesome to the government. The information sought could be overwhelmingly disastrous for Abbott and Hockey in particular once released when seen in context with the underlying structural problem, especially income, that was caused by the Howard Costello era.

Like many I 'felt good' at the time and took little notice of the 'real state of the books'. The reason I turned against Howard was the over the top Big L Lib policy shift with workChoices.

Defining the structural budget balance
The SBB is the actual budget balance adjusted for cyclical and other temporary factors. It provides a measure of how underlying budgetary trends and discretionary changes in fiscal policy impact on the budget balance.

The economic cycle impacts on tax revenue and government expenditure through the operation of the so called automatic stabilisers, tax revenue and unemployment benefit payments. The cyclically-adjusted budget balance adjusts the actual budget balance for the impact of these factors. Other temporary factors will also influence tax revenue and government expenditure. Such factors might include changes in asset and commodity prices, changes in output composition, and large one-off revenue and expenditure impacts.
http://www.aph.gov.au/~/media/05 Ab...y Budget Office Stuctural Budget Balance.ashx​

The long and short of it is, Howard and Costello started the structural debt problems on the back of the start of the recource boom with their big tax cuts on top of handouts like the baby bonus that we all loved... that the country couldn't really afford. Labor inherited a falling structural budget balance cyclically adjusted, then we had the GFC... but Labors need to increase tax revenue was the necessary step to avoid disaster sooner and have started to turn it around.

The problem this government has with abolishing so much revenue and maintaining all the welfare handouts, even bettering them is massive.

People get your head around the REAL cause of the structural economy problems before you jump on the wrong bus... and drive us all, yes yourself included, over the 'cliff'.

 

[drsmith]

That article DOES NOT address responsibility for the underlying or structural debt situation.

Labor was happy enough to match the vast majority of Peter Costello's tax cuts announced in the 2007 election campaign to win office and that's only the start. Then in 2010, Julia Gillard crawled into bed with the Greens.

What about the $11bn as a consequence of Labor dismantling the Howard Government's border protection policies ?

I could go on, but the greatest irony is Labor reduced to pursuing the Coalition over border protection, by far Labor's greatest policy failure in office. They really have nothing to contribute to the present political debate whatsoever. Add to that the fact that your messiah has fallen on his own political sword. Was he even in the house today ?

Bugger it. I will go on.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...ry-into-pink-batts-scheme-20131027-2w9bn.html

There's just no end to the mismanagement while Labor was in office and you seek to defend their legacy.

Have an early night. It will do you good.

 

[drsmith]

Referee eh ? Perhaps Whiskers means he has clearer eyes about what the Abbott government is doing with regard to its promises and nominal policies.

I mean almost all of the remaining suspects (Noco, Dr Smith, GG etc) just can't accept any possibility that St Tony could ever possibly do anything untoward could he ?

The suspects that masquerade as an opposition in Parliament are reduced to banging on about issues that were their greatest weaknesses in office just to have something to say. The state of the budget and border protection.

That says it all.