Not sure about Nowra but I see Whyalla is still on the map. Bad luck, Tones.
I find that hard to believe, Cuppa. Do you mean to say it’s still there?
Why haven’t the media reported that? 😯
Migs, when Abbott finally does tell the truth – THAT will make headlines!
Cuppa, if Abbott and the media ever start telling the truth then we bloggers will go out of business. We can’t have that. 😉
I would love to know which nasty QT it was that Julie Bishop was so upset, she sits on the opposition benches for goodness sakes
1. Was it the day Tony was thrown out and Julie got to sit in the big chair, knowing it will never be hers?.
2. was it the day Tony stuffed up about the electricity bill from the pensioner in WA?
3. Was it any day she did the “death stare”?
On Wednesday, Ms Bishop said “he understands the way I work”.
She recalled how, after a particularly nasty question time that left her feeling as if she hadn’t done her job properly, Mr Abbott put his arm around her and offered words of support.
“He knew in an instant how I was feeling,” she said.
“A guy who’s got three feisty sisters and three stunning daughters knows how women feel. He’s certainly demonstrated that to me.”
Sue I reckon it was (4) the time she cocked up the accusation that the PM had been rolled over Carr as the new Foreign Minister and the PM said:
“It does not matter who I appoint, they will wipe the floor with you (Bishop)”
Spin spin spin… “A guy who’s got three feisty sisters and three stunning daughters knows how women feel. He’s certainly demonstrated that to me.”
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott appears to have made a number of mistakes or factual inaccuracies in a wide-ranging speech criticising Labor’s National Broadband Network project, alleging, for example, that the project’s funding was based on “cooked books” and that retail prices would be three times higher than on current broadband networks.
[…]
opinion/analysis
Many of the misleading statements which Abbott made this week are similar to statements he has consistently been making about the NBN over the past year. I am surprised, in many cases, that he continues to make them.
Cuppa, in fill flight, once again making the same lies. At what was described as a Leadership Forum in the west.
That was the NPC that Burke was at.
PC with Greens shortly. Also someone from the Liberals was not listening.
ABC24.
And some excellent news…
The Federal Government will get the power to force petrol stations to sell non-sniffable Opal fuel after Labor announced it would support a Greens bill aimed at tackling the scourge of petrol sniffing.
With the oppositions response being do-nothing and don’t even bother even trying..typical…
But coalition indigenous affairs spokesman Nigel Scullion accused the Greens of striking a ‘‘grubby deal’’ to win Labor’s support. He said the coalition would not support the bill because it would not work. The coalition favours state and territory legislation
Attended Gina’s book launch today. We sat at the member table and it was good to catch up with the WA people. Due to Gina’s schedule she could take just three questions.
My question was in the vein of…is there a reference related to inclusiveness and vision to aleviate indigenous poverty in her book…if not then how does she see how this perpetual problem can be solved??
Her reply was passionate and definitive but won’t bother going into it…got to maintain the ‘ogre’ image. Met Ginia for the first time, a true Hancock. Lady Flo was the guest of honour and Barnaby was the MC. We had a good chat about water afterwoods.
Campbell Newman’s PA sat next to me…apparently he was to attend but sent his number two instead. A chance for the wife to raise some state issues that reverted to general chit chat.
Sarina Russo ended up on our table and the conversation reverted into a three way chit chat. Jumped ship and settled at the next table. Had a good chat with Ian Plimer.
Got two books signed by Gina…one for me and the other for my cousin who lives near Nowra. Had a quiet word with her.
Black cat
Gee scaper you are a legend. All these connections. All that power and influence. “Ginia”, “Sarina” and “Ian”. And all prepared to talk to and reveal confidences to an unemployed landscaper. Could only take three questions. I note that Gillard provided an unlimited time frame. But then she is only the PM. Nowhere nearly as important as Ginia.
I note that Newman sent his ‘number two’. I can believe that.
Just shakes head … A ‘political lobbyist’ LOL
HAHAHAHAH!
“HAHAHAHAH!”
One of your more intelligent responses! No, perhaps the best ever.
Wow to have ‘chit chat’. What a teaser. C’mon spill the beans.
In serious need of professional help. No wonder the wife is on the piss. (Your claim. Not mine.)
Can think of a better way to spend my afternoon. Did you ask how her kids are going, and is she spending Xmas with them.
No ABBA, Nature5 and a host of sock puppet names over the years. You are the one that needs the professional help!
I reckon it was the cleaning products you used in your past career…school janitor.
Just been going over the embargoed media release I received yesterday morning. Oh shock! A photo of Gina with Martin Ferguson.
Now, using the logic of CU that a photo of Gina with Abbott representing that he is “owned” then Mar’n must also be owned.
By the way…the NT Chief Minister (Terry Mills) joined ANDEV last week. Using CU logic would indicate that we own the Northern Territory government.
Gee scaper you are a legend. All these connections. All that power and influence. “Ginia”, “Sarina” and “Ian”. And all prepared to talk to and reveal confidences to an unemployed landscaper.
He said to me the other day (words to the effect), You can’t have been on the blogs very long if you don’t know my opinions on such-and-such.
As though everyone who’s ever been online should know what bottom-of-the-barrel scraper, the Liberal apologist and non-entity, feels about every last thing.
Self opinion in inverse proportion to value of presence.
Unemployed landscaper??? I must of sacked myself!
No one cares scraper… It’s just like no one (except Liberal apologists) cares for SerfChoices.
Well you brain has obviously been sacked by someone.
Maybe cooked by global warming?
“Spin spin spin… “A guy who’s got three feisty sisters and three stunning daughters knows how women feel. He’s certainly demonstrated that to me.”
Liberals: All Spin, No Substance!
You can talk…as if there was any substance to the ghastly misogyny rant…or the Greatest moral challenge of our time rant…or any of Penny Wongs rants.
Treetroll
He’s been known for years to be a high turn-off factor to women. He was so desperate a couple of years ago that he took acting lessons, the phoney, so as to pretend to be less ape-like. It didn’t help. He’s still perceived as a shaved chimp. Lately he’s taken to dragging the female members of his family along with him in public, in another cynical attempt to deceive the public. (Right wingers can only ever prosper by deception).
That he has to be so insincere to try to deceive voters is the very sign of someone with no substance. All spin and no substance.
I just love it when the abuse starts…shows you are losing it.
………believe that there is now a real chance that Julia Gillard will win the 2013 election. I base my view not so much on policies or opinion polls, but on an idea Gillard picked up from Paul Keating last year.
Keating told a gathering of major business people that Julia Gillard “had not enough stagecraft skill to get herself out of this hole”. I relayed the Keating remark at the time that Kevin Rudd was preparing a challenge to Gillard’s leadership (No curtain call for Rudd’s stage triumph, February 24).
Keating was right, but Julia Gillard listened to the message, and listened carefully. She went out of her way to learn the art of political stagecraft with the help of the amazing global political advisor John McTernan.
By contrast Tony Abbott did not learn stagecraft. While his criticism of the carbon tax was winning applause he looked good, but Tony was ‘a one trick pony’. The crazy misogyny affair illustrated the newly acquired stagecraft skills of Julia Gillard and Abbott’s ignorance of the trap. …
Gillard will be lucky to survive by the end of next week. Shorten???
Gillard will be lucky to survive by the end of next week.
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
When will she answer the big question
“Why have you done nothing wrong?”
“I just love it when the abuse starts…shows you are losing it.”
You should know scaper, you’ve done it often enough, and some real ravers as well.
I’ll have to remember it’s for me to love next time you do it.
You would’ve heard Gina say this Scaper…
“We don’t want to see Australia continue on a course with too many heads buried in the sand, critical investors discouraged by bad policies, even hated, too few understanding the problems while Australia moves towards being another Greece, Spain or Portugal,” she said.
I didn’t realise Gina was so thick. That’s an incredibly stupid thing for anybody to say, let alone from one of our captains of industry.
The threat she imagines is actually, in terms of national accounting, an impossibility.
The instant that anybody raises the PIIGS bogeyman and makes comparisons with monetarily sovereign states, you can stop listening.
And I heard Abbott reported as saying (yet again) this morning that “Australia should live within its means” once again confusing household budgets with the government’s. Sadly, the other side’s no smarter.
….The Coalition can claim the mother of all “I told you so”s. But how much use is that? They want more.
Some of them complain about the abuse heaped on John Howard and demand apologies. But the issue was an unalloyed winner for him. He played the politics for all it was worth, and when he uttered phrases like “I don’t want people like that coming into this country” he was choosing his words very carefully.
It is currently in the Coalition’s political interests for the boats to keep arriving. It is not in their interests to allow the government to find a solution. How they reconcile these political realities with their inclinations as human beings is a matter for them. ………
Chris Schacht, on ABC 24 this morning summed up the PM saga well. We had in fighting within a union about twenty years ago. We also have infighting within a solicitors office, about much wider than what the PM did at the same time.
We have a solicitor who is now saying, twenty years down the track, he believes that something illegal occurred.
We had extensive investigations at that time, where I believe no one was charged.
Chris, asked, if this solicitor was so concerned, why did he not go to the police then. I will add to that, why not at any time, during the last seventeen years.
Will put up the interview if it becomes available.
The answer to the question above why no one went to the police in the past, is simple. Ms. Gillard was not PM then.
Yes, I do indeed protest strongly. Will do so, until they put up or shut up.
Guilt by association, is not on in my opinion. That is all we are talking about.
Doug Anthony, was also in the interview. He agreed with much of what Chris had to say. He went on to say there are many more important events occurring, union infighting from the past.
The interview of the two men, was introduced by the announcer saying, in spite of the alleged scandal, there was much other political news to talk about. Yes, indeed there is.
More interested today, in how Abbott digs himself out of the boat trade hole, he is finding himself in. Once again, would have been better to keep the trap shut.
How they reconcile these political realities with their inclinations as human beings is a matter for them
Malcolm Fraser, in an article headlined Abbott’s evil policy work, said of the Noalition’s ‘policy’:
This policy lacks substance and needs to be seen for what it is – opportunistic and based on misinformation.
Of all the ridiculous statements I have read here, this one takes the prize thus far.
Sliming by association is the the modus operandi of this site and especially YOU!
See my comment at 7:45.
Bernard Keane, in an unnecessarily wordy description of the Noalition ‘policy’ as evil. (Emphasis mine):
But, having paid close or not-so-close attention to federal politics since the early 1980s, I can’t do anything but conclude that the Coalition’s current stance on asylum seekers is the clearest example of outright evil that I’ve ever seen from a political party at the federal level.
Yes, scaper, you could be correct. Time will tell. All I know is that all the smear campaigns by this Opposition have come to naught.
We have the airways screaming the end of this PM. The result is that the PM is still standing. Do not you wonder why. Could be that all is just that, smear campaigns built on little reality or facts.
While this occurs, the government goes on governing, with new successes every day. How many this week alone scaper, have you noticed. One sees little when they keep their eyes focus in the mire.
That goes for other trolls as well.
If I bore you, you can always go to other sites that you have4 more in common with. It is not compulsory to come here.
Also had a chat with Rod McGarvie, the candidate for Lilley which is Swan’s electorate. Enquired as to how much he requires to campaign at the next election.
Half a million should do it…I pledged a percentage and will pass the hat around to raise more. Swan is toast!
” I must of sacked myself!”
Maybe your clients did.
Catching Up knows “that all the smear campaigns by this Opposition have come to naught.”
What about the smear campaigns orchestrated by McTernan and so gleefully promoted here as having revived the flagging fortunes of Gillard and her AWU mates?
Know it now CU, they’re starting to bite but more on the ample rump of Labor than anywhere of design.
“If I bore you, you can always go to other sites that you have4 more in common with. It is not compulsory to come here.”
Not sure about Scapes but I’m having a whale of time watching the sinking feeling permeate this blog!
Chris Bowen calling media conference. ABC 24//
Abbott has upset many in hos own party this morning, by cutting intake by 6000.
Yeah, I’m having a whale of a time too, Treeman.
They have nailed their colours to Gillard’s kankles so they are locked in.
The PM said she only came aware of the details. Does that mean, she knew nothing about it. I suggest not. Obviously, she has said she was aware of the mortgage, not the details. Nothing has come into view, that deputes this.
One could assume that the PM at that time had no reason she expect her boyfriend was up to no good. I say this, as the lady is far from stupid, and had already decided that politics was the life for her. There are no other incidents in her life, that suggests that money is her goal.
Blewitt just entered the police station. Wonder if we will see him emerge. After all he is a major party in the allege crimes.
The man on whom The Australian relied for a front-page attack on the Prime Minister implying she was an embezzler is a low-life sex-predator who trawls Asia for vulnerable, suspiciously young women. We look at the life and slimes of self-admitted crook and former AWU militant leftist Ralph Blewitt and realise he has plenty of reason to seek immunity from prosecution that doesn’t have anything at all to do with Australian politics…………..
Yes but she made a point of mentioning the date and she’s been found wanting.
Abbott has a choice. Denigrate the Houston plan or get on board. It appears he is taking the first. Option.
Maybe he can explain, how cutting the numbers we take off that alleged waiting list, will stop people from coming.
I suspect , taking all hope away will only make people more desperate.
“The man on whom The Australian relied for a front-page attack on the Prime Minister implying she was an embezzler is a low-life sex-predator who trawls Asia for vulnerable, suspiciously young women. ”
Did you post that over at VEX CU?
Defence announcement, re deaths of Australian soldiers, last year. ABC 24
“Abbott has a choice. Denigrate the Houston plan or get on board”
I suggest to you it’s not that simple. Besides the choices you believe Abbott has have little to do with reality. Aren’t you from the Left?
After the last election Abbott “promised” {cough} to DOUBLE the intake…
Tony Abbott offered to double Australia’s humanitarian refugee intake if Andrew Wilkie would help him form government following this year’s federal election, the independent MP has revealed.
Why are conservatives so intent on paring back education?
12 September 2012: A funding cut of $1.7 billion for NSW public and private schools has angered parents, teachers, Catholic bishops and government MPs who have been bombarded with complaints.
23 November 2012: Premier Barry O’Farrell has refused to restore $1.7 billion over four years to the education budget, provoking a likely voter backlash – a coalition of public, independent and Catholic schools has warned.
scaper was indeed among the chosen few.maybe he can let us in on the pearls of wisdom that the lady is espousing.
GINA Rinehart is the Frank Sinatra of Australian book launchers – she does it her way.
Yesterday, through the miracle of modern technology and jet aircraft, she managed to launch her book Northern Australia and Then Some in eight different locations around the country.
A book launch is generally designed to get some publicity, but curiously the media was barred from all the launches, except for the one in Brisbane, where Network Ten – of which Mrs Rinehart owns 10 per cent – was allowed entry. But reporters from the Fairfax papers, of which Mrs Rinehart owns 18 per cent, were barred from the Brisbane event.
Consequently, the launch was one for the true believers, and while The Australian was not allowed entry, a tape recording of the Brisbane launch shows Mrs Rinehart acted as though she was among friends. The biggest friends of all were the same family who were her father’s biggest friends in Queensland – the Bjelke-Petersens……….
Sarah Hanson-Young. Asked why she believed Tony changed his mind. Because he is a flip-flopper
Abbott and Morrison due shortly ABC24.
Bowen, said that it is Abbott that is having trouble finding the money. We seemed to be able to manage.
Those who cheer5 before the fat lady sings, often end up with mud on their faces. That has been so for the last two years. Yes, two years of mud slinging, and the lady is still standing. Not only standing but dishing it back.
Trolls listen to the news. It is Abbott and asylum seekers. Not history from the past.
Blast from the past. Mutual obligation. There are to be no more permanent visas given. What about the estimated hundred thousand of illegal over stayers that are in our workforce now. These are indeed illegal
ABC 24 Abbott and Morrison.
Her her her she she she
Just returned to Sydney after a very fruitful trip to Canberra. Was picked up by MT and CA only to be joined by S at a local chinese restaurant. I was amazed as we discussed the things that were the purpose of my visit, that S and I had a lot in common. But with important issues to discuss MT, CA and I moved on to formal discussions elsewhere.
This morning I picked up a swag of stuff to bring back with me, including, I believe, some very ‘sensitive’ videos.
All in all, a very successful mission, little lone the benefits that this nation will feel in the future.
Sounds fascinating handyrab 🙂
Must of done something right, Bacchus. 😀
So what are they scraper?
Can’t say I’ve detected a sinking feeling permeate on this blog, Treeman. I’m sure it’s just something in your imagination.
It has been known to run out of kilter with reality at times. Your imagination, that is.
Roswell,. I have no sinking feeling. Feel quite confident. More so than I have been for ages.
Suggest that Mr Abbott’s divide and rule, using the refugees and talking down the economy, saying we are broke, is NOT an recipe for success.
New slogan “We can;t afford it, it is as simple as that.”
Wonder what next’s week will be.
If we are not broke why did the government borrow $3B last week? Do you borrow money just to pay for the groceries if you are not broke?
Rabbit, and nothing could have been better than your very excellent company.
Companies and business borrow all the time. It does not mean they are broke. They borrow to expand and grow the cake.
Nor if we were borrow more that we had in reserves etc, that might be different.
What percentage is that figure on out yearly budget. Be surprise if it even come anywhere near one percent.
scaper, you do say stupid things sometimes.
scaper, also, as you say you are business man, receipts do not come in regularly each week. You know that borrowing amount to nearly nothing. If not, yuou are not the business man you claim to be.
Business people do not borrow to pay for the groceries. And how is borrowing and pissing it against the wall grow the pie?
You continually expose your non understanding of basic economics. Thus far this income year the government has borrowed near $30B which is approaching 10% of projected revenue…which they won’t realise.
The only so called pie would be the NBN, take off the top crust and it is a big black hole. Didn’t even bother to do a CBA. If I went to the bank to really grow the pie without a CBA the manager would laugh at me!
Boy, you WRITE stupid things.
Here’s a link so you can have some inkling of understanding.
The second last column is an indication of the true state of our finances.
I’ve never known a company yet, or one of any substantial size which didn’t operate on an overdraft. One of the strangest ideas to have come from the Howard years is that government is in the business of making a profit. Governments are service providers and if they ain’t spending the money then they ain’t providing the service.
“If we are not broke why did the government borrow $3B last week? Do you borrow money just to pay for the groceries if you are not broke?”
Scaper, you don’t seem to understand why the government issues bonds. It’s to lower the commercial banks’ reserves and allow the RBA to keep the cash rate at the policy level in a situation where the banks have excess reserves.
I think you are making the same fallacy of composition as Tony Abbott.
When I was in the finance industry I quickly discovered that successful businesses never use their own money when there was access to someone else’s.
True, but one that borrows then borrows again to repay the borrowings, one eventually ends up going broke!
You can see why right wingers are hostile to education. The more knowledge people have, and the better they are trained to question and think for themselves, the less vulnerable they are to right wing manipulation.
Premier Barry O’Farrell has refused to restore $1.7 billion over four years to the education budget, provoking a likely voter backlash – a coalition of public, independent and Catholic schools has warned.
Karl Rove:
As people do better, they start voting like Republicans – unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be too much of a good thing
“True, but one that borrows then borrows again to repay the borrowings, one eventually ends up going broke!”
Scaper, it seems what I just wrote went in one ear and out the other and you seem determined to display your lack of understanding of these matters.
A state that is sovereign in its own currency cannot go broke. To put it crudely, it can always print the money to either redeem the bonds or service interest costs.
This may seem somewhat counter-intuitive, and goes against “common belief”, but if you want to accuse others of not understanding economics then I’d suggest you do a bit of homework yourself.
scaper, we are not idiots
You know that there is money put aside, or borrow to balance out receipts and outgoings during the year. Over the whole year, there is very little borrowed.
It has nothing to do with being broke.
scaper what is the size of the budget each year? Game to tell us.
Scaper, here’s a really interesting interview with a Professor of Economics that you might find illuminating:
You say you’re not an idiot then ask me the size of the budget? How do you want to quantify the “size”, a pile of $100 notes or $1 coins?
I don’t need to tell you anything, it is in the link at 5:46. Read it yourself!
Scaper, it seems what I just wrote went in one ear and out the other and you seem determined to display your lack of understanding of these matters.
Imagine if everyone in Australia was taught Economics at school.
The number of people falling for conservative economic spin would fall drastically.
The cons would become a minor fringe party overnight.
“Stop the Education!”
MJ, definitely will not take any notice of that one. The writer is a woman, cannot be trusted.
It is my understanding the debt he is talking about is a book keeping mechanism to balance receipts and outgoings over the year.. Sorry do not know the technical definition.
Nothing to do with country going broke.
As for business, could be wrong, as I have not any experience for decades, but I believe it would be still true, that the cost of borrowing money is a taxation deduction. Something that many believe should be extended to a home mortgages.
As for Mr. Abbott, it has nothing to do with not being able to afford. It has to do with your priorities and what is seen as essential. It is all about ideology.
As Mr Bowen said today, we have manage to balance the budget and look after the refugees. We find we can do both.
When it comes to the national budget, money is not finite.
“Imagine if everyone in Australia was taught Economics at school.”
Cuppa, that could be an absolute disaster !
It depends on what “economics”.
At the moment the only economics that is taught is neo-liberal economics that leads to the kind of misunderstanding that is so manifestly on display here tonight. It has both sides of politics in thrall. It is profoundly disappointing.
Bill Mitchell however will be teaching Modern Monetary Theory at Charles Darwin next year I believe, having quit Newcastle Uni.
I’ve said this a few times on Cafe Whispers…if folk would just make the effort to try to understand this stuff they wouldn’t be so easily hoodwinked by pollies, orthodox economists and the usual spinmeisters.
“When it comes to the national budget, money is not finite.”
That would horrify our “fiscally righteous” CU but it is an accurate statement.
The trick is to create just enough to keep the pot simmering.
A the moment the economic soup is barely warm.
In Europe where neo-liberal economics is driving a scorched earth policy for purely ideological reasons the soup is cold (20 million unemployed and getting worse by the day)
MJ, I did learn a little economics at school over fifty years ago.
Two things I remember. Money was made to go around, Every time it goes around, it creates more money, or something along that line.
My farther born 1900, no education drilled into us, one cannot waste money. The problem is when the merry go round stops. He did predict another depression after the big one until the day he dies at 97.
The other is that a country cannot let unemployment go into double figures. If it does, it takes on a life of its own. This was
1958. Not long before we had the years of inflation and high unemployment at once. Stagflation, I believe it was called. All occurring in the Menzies years and soon after.
No debt does not worry me, as it is a part of the capitalist system.
Did more economics and law at Western Sydney Uni, where I am glad to report, the left ruled the day. Late 1980’S.
No scaper, I just want you to compare that borrowing sum, with the size of the budget each year.
It the country id going broke, it would have to equal the receipts received at least.
I will forget about GNP, GDP and other numbers one could compare with.
One could ask what the national debt is, either public or private.
The sum you are concerned about would hardly show up in any of these numbers.
MJ, it appears my old dad had it right over fifty years ago, with no education, living alone after the depression.
That was the lesson he learnt. I believed he left school at twelve, share farming before his fourteenth birthday. His own property in 1926. Did not marry to 1939. A true loner. Have know idea where he picked up his knowledge.
Understood debt, was never out of it. One could not survive and hope to get ahead, without that overdraft. Not saying he liked it. In fact he hated it.
Money is created to go around, creating more wealth on the way.
CU,
“Two things I remember. Money was made to go around, Every time it goes around, it creates more money, or something along that line.”
The IMF used to believe that the spending “multiplier” was less than unity and therefore stimulus spending was a waste of time.
Recently (in the face of the awful evidence coming out of Europe and the UK) the IMF changed its mind and came up with a multiplier of 1.7 (that is, for every $1 of spending by the government, $1.70 of further spending results…something “we” have always known).
That’s something your father seems to have worked out using “common sense”, but the mighty IMF, with its battallions of Econ PhDs got wrong by a factor of nearly 4 times.
At what point do we tell “them” to shove it ?
Looks like Scaper went out to dinner…(so did I)
I’m really, really, hoping he might’ve listened to the Stephanie Kelton interview;
Scaper, if you’ve got a brain for business, listening to this will not hurt you. One of Prof Kelton’s associates (Warren Mosler) once made sqillions betting on Italian Govt bonds armed with the sure knowledge that the Lira, being a sovereign currency at the time, could not default.
MJ, I also believe but have never seen anyone say it, there is a slice of that money come immediately back to the government in taxes. Income tax, GST etc,
Also every person that is kept in work, pays tax. If allowed to become unemployed, they are paid benefits.
MJ, I believe that some think they know the price of everything. They definitely do not know the value of anything.
If the money was spent during the depression, they might not have need wartime spending to bring the economy back to normal. Maybe the Nazis would not have got a foothold. It is sad to see Germany leads the charge again. Yes, the economies I believe was different. A think it was inflation that time. Not good at history.
Trade barriers against Japan, if not enforce may have made a difference. These are only impressions I have . Probably no basis in fact.
Austerity is not working, which I believe is a fact. What do we have Abbott talking about. You guessed, austerity..
Cu, the proof of the pudding is the Aus economy, if Abbotts plan to combat the GFC were implemented, we would have gone into recession like the bulk of Europe and the USA.
You are right austerity measures are not working, as at times like this to stimulate the economy creates jobs which creates spending and tax receipts which creates confidence which creates further spending etc etc.
Austerity creates unemployment which creates uncertainty which reduces spending and confidence, which reduces tax receipts, which creates higher unemployment which further erodes confidence and so the downward spiral continues.
Newman, O’Farrell and Baillieu are working towards becoming self fulfilling prophesies, and it will be interesting to see what Palmer says over the next few days, as he has indicated that he is going to expose the lies told by Newman about the state of the QLD economy.
Meanwhile the MSM are proving themselves more irrelevant by the minute.
The UK economy is bouncing along the bottom and will almost certainly go into a third recession since the GFC began, under the steady, stupid, hand of David Cameron.
Every lesson of the 1930’s Great Depression has been forgotten.
When FDR pumped stimulus money into the economy, it recovered.
Then the “fiscally righteous” got into his ear in 1937, and the economy slumped again.
We all know that when war broke out and there were huge profits to be made by the military-industrial complex, there was no limit placed on the deficits; money was created as needed, creating a never to be seen since again period of prosperity.
Mangrove Jack,
What do you think of this hypothesis.
Conservatives are ill-equipped to manage the economy. Economies are dynamic; conservatives are not.
Cuppa, Nice sumation.
Cheers 😀
Cuppa,
On any objective reading of economic history you are quite right.
But the myth that conservatives are best at handling the economy is a persistent one.
So long as ordinary folk swallow the “debt/deficit = badness” bullshit they will continue to get screwed. By that I mean, tolerate unacceptable levels of unemployment and other austerities.
That myth is a cornerstone of neo-liberal economics. The tragedy is that it can be so easily demonstrated to be bullshit, but only to an open mind.
Mangrove Jack, I did listen to at least half the link you provided, too many distractions here. Some interesting stuff in it but I note no reference to the role of the Federal Reserve…maybe in the part I have yet to listen to.
I don’t suscribe to the debt/GDP rationale, I’m in the debt/revenue club as the true comparison of fiscal position. Have raised it before in conferences relating to policy but won’t go into it here at the present.
In a sense, we can never truly go broke as such. We can just print more money. Sounds like something Pauline might say but I’ve been hearing that term around the traps lately…especially relating to the Northern Australia thing.
I believe that the last time that the strategy was used was during the building of the Snowy Mountains Scheme and over the course of the project this money was slowly taken back out of circulation. I’m not at ease with that prospect. Infrastructure Bonds dedicated to real nation building initiatives would be more prudent. We now have no choice but to grow the pie.
Not up to any further discussion today, a very big night was had.
I believe that the use of private firms to provide road and other infrastructure is being questioned. I have even seen many, even Liberals, say we should go back to the days of building, using bonds.
The last few efforts in NSW were not that successful. Private enterprise will only provide what they can make huge profits on. Not interested in providing the essentials. A wonderful example of this, is the lack of affordable, low income housing. No where in the world, that I have heard of, is it provided by the private sector. No big profits available.
Giving out government rebates for low income rental and buying houses, had only led to higher prices and rents. Little of no new stock being provided.
This, I believe is one problem, all governments will have to address.
scaper, the concept is hard to take on at first. That does not make it wrong. Harping on debt, means little and gets one nowhere.
National budgets do not work like personal budgets. Neither do business budgets for that matter.
All are different. All work in different ways.
Individual countries in the European alliance, they work different again.
Maybe MJ could explain, why the likes of Spain and Greece are in trouble.
scaper, though you were leaving this country. I must have read that wrong. Something about joining something in WA.
Do we need to do this to balance our budget. Do people no longer account under Mr. Abbott.
………..”It got the desired Daily Telegraph screamer ”Abbott Shuts Door on Human Tide” but it didn’t survive even a moment’s sensible contemplation. Surely reducing the chance of coming through normal channels could only make people more desperate and more likely to get on a people smugglers’ boat? A Coalition spokesman responded that it was ”predominantly a savings measure”………..
I suspect it is more about divide and rule on Abbott’s part. It is still about stunts.
……..And both parties realise they are somewhat cornered by economic pledges already made. Labor is trying to keep its promise to return the budget to surplus but is indicating another global economic deterioration may make it impossible. The Coalition has promised to deliver bigger surpluses than Labor while abolishing the carbon tax, delivering its own tax cuts and its Rolls-Royce version of paid parental leave. Even senior Liberals aren’t sure how that can add up and Abbott is now warning he may not be able to deliver everything he has promised ”straight away”. Cutting the asylum intake is apparently the first in a series of announcements about budgetary savings…..
He has even managed to divide his own party. Feel that it will also apply to many of his supporters as well. Big, tough, come out fighting Abbott.
….Liberal backbencher Judi Moylan has urged the public to “stand up” to the “rubbish rhetoric” of her own leader over asylum seekers as well as to the ”maladministration” of the Labor Party.
Announcing a policy to save $1.3 billion over four years by reducing Australia’s annual 20,000 place humanitarian intake by more than 6000, Mr Abbott insisted it was ”perfectly legitimate” to use the term ”illegals” in reference to asylum seekers arriving by boat.
”I make no apologies for calling them what they are…they are arriving illegally,” he said…….
Yes, the lady is also scathing of Labor’s action. As the present policy was forced on Labor, I expect the PM will not mind this criticism. Allows her to move onto a more efficient and humane policy.
Abbott and Morrison now on ABC 24. Yes, Mr. Abbott five years and Labor is still in government. Back to carbon tax. Oh, and pink bats and school halls. Losing control of budget. Where did he get that one from.
We are getting Mr. Abbott’s black armband view of history. Pity he is still back in th Stuttering a little. Wonder why.
……But Ms Moylan was also scathing about the government’s policy changes this week, when it was forced to admit its new Pacific Solution was collapsing under the increasing numbers of boat arrivals and said it would release refugees into the community on bridging visas of up to 5 years, but would not let them work – in order to mirror the ”no advantage” test applied to those still in offshore detention…..
Morrison is now blaming Carr for the events before IAAC.
I don’t know where you got me leaving the country from.
Mr. Abbott is now lying. Mr. Shorten did not say what the PM did was wrong. What he said, that what the instrument was used for was wrong. Mr. Shorten said that it could not happen today. What the PM helped set up in itself was legal at the time. Siphoning money off was illegal. Anger once again in Abbott’s voice, or is it desperation.
Abbott claims the carbon tax has led to a 89% rise in the price of cars. Wonder where that one came from.
More of the same. A policy that has not worked up to now, I suspect if one waits long enough, economies will bring itself back to balance. That is the nature of the beast.
.
…Talks on the European Union’s trillion-euro budget have ended in deadlock after leaders of the 27-nation bloc failed to overcome seemingly irreconcilable differences on spending.
EU president Herman Van Rompuy insisted however that progress had been made in the two days of bitter bargaining. He forecast a deal would be made when leaders meet again next year.
Tensions between rich and poor states over funding for economic development and Britain’s strident demands for cuts in the mammoth budget – covering seven years from 2014 to 2020 – had set the summit on a rocky course from the start.
Britain was cast as the chief spoiler, with prime minister David Cameron arriving with a threat to wield his veto unless spending was frozen in real terms. He argued that in times of economic crisis, the EU too must make deep cuts.
But Mr Cameron said as leaders went home without a deal his country was not alone in seeking to reduce EU spending……….
Mr. Abbott said today, that 90 or more percent of government business goes through parliament with little input from the Opposition.
Is he alleging that the government has no say in the legislation, and it Appears in the notice paper by accident. That labour has nothing to do with the legalisation.
Interesting!!! Why not. It is after all important policy.
………..Ms Moylan and fellow moderate Russell Broadbent will vote against legislation to excise the whole of Australia from its migration zone next week, but it will pass with the support of both Labor and the rest of the Coalition.
Mr Abbott consulted with his leadership group, but has not taken his policy announcements to his party room. He said they were similar to the Coalition’s 2010 policy and he was confident they would get his party’s backing………….
“So long as ordinary folk swallow the “debt/deficit = badness” bullshit they will continue to get screwed. By that I mean, tolerate unacceptable levels of unemployment and other austerities.”
Well the Coalition was in power from 1996-2007 and unemployment went from 8% to 4%.
Labor was in power from 1983-1996 and were handed unemployment at 8% and finished with unemployment at 8% with 28 months of double digit unemployment during Keatings recession in between.
To bad the facts do not agree with your beliefs.
Neil, it was what Mr. Keating and Labor did at that time, that allowed the prosperity we have now. Even Mr. Howard acknowledged that now.
Yes, reform is often hard, but worth the discomfort in the long run.
You conveniently forget the massive deficit that Mr. Howard left behind for Mr. Keating. That one was not the result of reform or GFC. It was just inefficient and in-confident governing.
The Lieberal government under treasurer John ‘rodent’ Howard “handed over” to Hawke Keating:
Double-digit unemployment
Double-digit interest rates
and Double-digit inflation
.. The Trifecta of Misery, thanks to the Miserable Liberals.
Is the younger Ms. Bishop really up to the task?
It is more likely the PM will continue to wipe the floor with her, as she has up to now, along with her boss.
There is no evidence that the PM is adverse to a good tiff. Not one to take a backward step.
I know which one i would rather have in court with me.
…And anything stated in Parliament cannot be subject of defamation proceedings because of parliamentary privilege.
The Deputy Opposition Leader, Julie Bishop, is set to lead the inquisition. This will pit Australia’s two most senior female politicians against each other, both trained lawyers, both hardened political infighters, in a contest that will play to the gallery of public opinion but, ultimately, to an audience of just two or three people – the independents who keep Labor in power.
“Neil, it was what Mr. Keating and Labor did at that time, that allowed the prosperity we have now”
How patronising. Try telling that to folks who lost everything during the recession we had to have.
“I know which one i would rather have in court with me.”
And I know which one I’d rather have on board and it has everything to do with honesty and integrity and my distaste for playing the sexist or victim card.
CU,
Don’t talk to Lieberals about reform. The rodent government only had two significant “reforms” – a consumption tax and SerfChoices.
Twelve long years of laying back in a hammock squandering the opportunities of the greatest burst of global prosperity seen in a generation.
“Neil, it was what Mr. Keating and Labor did at that time, that allowed the prosperity we have now”
Really. It is amazing what people believe. If Labor reforms were so great how come they got no good economic results from them. If Labors reforms were so good how come this happened. Look at unemployment when Labor was in power.
Twenty eight months of double digit unemployment during a very mild world wide recession. Lots of budget deficits, selling Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank and using the money for recurrent spending. Lots of debt but no good economic results.
No good results until Howard/Costello came along.
Tree troll, what an absolute crock of horse shit.
If honesty and integrity meant anything to you at all you would never vote for the Abbott, as he is the biggest lying piece of scum sucking bottom feeder that this country has ever seen, even taking into account little Johnny who lied his way to EVERY electoral win.
The only person you are fooling is you.
“Don’t talk to Lieberals about reform. The rodent government only had two significant “reforms” – a consumption tax and SerfChoices.
Twelve long years of laying back in a hammock squandering the opportunities of the greatest burst of global prosperity seen in a generation”
What rubbish!
What about Electoral Reforms, Gun Control, Ministerial Code of Conduct, same sex superannuation, numerous free Trade Agreements just to name a few.
“as he is the biggest lying piece of scum sucking bottom feeder that this country has ever seen”
Surely you mean Gillard?
Truth Seeker,
The Lieberal spammers know the Lies Not Polices LNP Party would hit their neighbours and loved ones with a savage dose of SerfChoices. That’s why they spin so diligently for the cause.
“The Lieberal spammers know the Lies Not Polices LNP Party would hit their neighbours and loved ones with a savage dose of SerfChoices. That’s why they spin so diligently for the cause.”
What a truly perverse and convoluted argument, hardly worth dignifying with a response!
You know they will SerfChoice your neighbours and loved ones. It’s their only real ‘policy’. Support the Lieberals and that’s what you put your efforts into bringing about.
Talk about one trick phony!
“You know they will SerfChoice your neighbours and loved ones. It’s their only real ‘policy’. Support the Lieberals and that’s what you put your efforts into bringing about.”
What a complete crock. perhaps you’ve got McTernan staying and some of his excrement has rubbed off?
“Talk about one trick phony!”
A phony phart?
Never heard of a spitoon being called a cup before.
Treetroll.
Save your BS for your neighbours and loved ones who the Lieberals have lined up for SerfChoicing.
:What about Electoral Reforms, Gun Control, Ministerial Code of Conduct, same sex superannuation, numerous free Trade Agreements just to name a few.”
Gun control, sick of hearing about that one. The public outcry was so strong at the time, any other action was impossible. Did not stop Howard hamming it up, going around the country in armour.
Have no idea what the election reform was. Do know that there are fewer on the rolls now, than ever before. Oh, yes, and closing rolls as soon as elections are called, so they cannot be updated. Yes, a wonderful reform.
Same sex superannuation. Not up on that one, but assume that Labor and unions played a big part. Bet they did not oppose.
The wonderful code of conduct. Yes that was beautiful. Problem for Mr. Howard, it worked too well, taking out numerous number of ministers in a few months, forcing Mr. Howard to put is aside.
As for those trade agreements. Not too sure how the one with the USA benefits us, or them. I feel it may be a shoddy agreement as far as we are concerned. Seemed to recall much criticism at the time.
I believe this government has also been successful in trade agreements, with our near neighbours. Have not heard much criticism of them.
Gee, there is a lot of rewriting of history at this time. Mr. Abbott did not do too bad with his PC today.
It’s just spin and BS that they fly, Catching Up. The “free trade” agreement with the US (to take just one example) saw Australia as the significant loser of the arrangement.
Cuppa , exactly, and it would be easy to say that whatever credibility the trolls had left was gone after the plethora of brain farts that they have exhibited today, but sadly that ship sailed and sank a long time ago.
All that they do now is display the depth of their delusion.
Sad… really sad, 😦 😦 😦 but there are none so blind as those that WILL NOT see.
Cheers 😀
Yes, there was another reform. The pulling back of the land rights for our indigenous people. Remember, they were going to take over our backyards.
Yes, there was much transferring of entitlements from the government to user pay, which of course effected the low income earners.
There was the continual cutting of taxes that benefited the highest paid.
Of course there were the reforms, that ensured that government benefits were no longer means tested. That one was a beauty.
How Australia’s trade deficit with the US blew out under the Lieberals…
Since it came into effect on January 1, 2005, Australia’s trade deficit with the US has blown out from $11.8 billion to $15 billion. Since 2001-02 it has increased by 50 per cent. The Americans are sending more stuff to us but we are sending less to them.
As far as I know there is only one lie, connected the PM. Problem is that is not even a lie.
The PM has kept her word in everything since becoming PM. She has delivered on most.
The outstanding one, is dealing with t6he boat trade. That is not is spite of trying.
The PM is now moving onto the next raft of policies, she wishes to see in place.
Neil, like all worthwhile reforms, they came down the line.
It was a fact that the economy was on the way to improving when Mr. Keating was voted out.
Just in passing, one of the first things the Coalition have done, at the first opportunity, is roll back those gun laws. It is happening quickly in NSW.
It was a fact that the economy was on the way to improving when Mr. Keating was voted out.
_____________________
1983 Coalition (treasurer Howard) hands over:
Rising inflation,
Rising interest rates,
A dysfunctional industrial relations system, despite having control of the Senate.
2007 Coalition (Prime Minister Howard) hands over:
Rising inflation,
Rising interest rates,
A dysfunctional industrial relations system and once again he’s had control of the Senate.
“RESPECTED Aboriginal leader and former Labor candidate Tauto Sansbury has resigned from the ALP because he has lost faith in the party, which he says is dismissive of indigenous affairs and has in it “a big element of racism”.”
Which party introduced the white Australia policy?
Who said, “two Wongs don’t make a white”.
Yep, the Racist Party of Australia. You all must be so proud.
That’s one avenue of debate it would be foolish for you as a Liberal to open up, scraper…
“That’s one avenue of debate it would be foolish for you as a Liberal to open up, scraper…”
Why would that be? Labor supported one of the Federations first pieces of legislation, the Immigration Restriction Act 1901.
A liberal? First I’ve heard.
“A liberal? First I’ve heard.”
Second guessing…the hallmark of the whispering class!
It’s alright, scraper, I’d be ashamed to admit it, too.
Scaper @ 10.55am
” Some interesting stuff in it but I note no reference to the role of the Federal Reserve…maybe in the part I have yet to listen to.”
I hope you find the time to listen to the rest of it, S. It gets better. I liked Ry Cooder’s finishing touch !
I don’t think there’s a reference to any specific role of the Fed, but the whole story of debt issuance of necessity involves the Fed at all stages.
“Maybe MJ could explain, why the likes of Spain and Greece are in trouble.”
CU, the reason those PIIGS countries are in trouble is because they surrendered sovereignty over their currency to the EU.
That means that their debts are effectively in a foreign currency, which they have to earn by running a trade surplus or selling stuff and having massive internal devaluations.
Professor Kelton discusses this issue about 8 minutes into that interview I linked to above.
IMO, there can be only two reasons the Trolls come to CW… they are either:-
RW nutter conspiracy loonies or
:- they are paid for RW misinformation peddlers….. and then theres El Gordo who just defies….., umm, what is you defy again El G….. oh, thats right Everything 😀 😆
I feel Iain, Tree, tweed etc fall firmly in the first category…
….sad really that coming here with their ‘puny’ put-downs is all they’ve got 😦
… guys heres a phone number for you if you feel you need to talk 13 11 14, have a nice day….. oh, and would you like fries with that 😆
Neil @ 12.44pm
All’s fair in love and war, they say, but your comments conveniently gloss over the business cycle.
All market economies swing between booms and busts. Howard was very lucky in his term of office, and Labour had the misfortune to walk into the mother-of-all recessions very soon after taking office. It is somewhat disingenuous to seek to make comparisons between different administrations when they were operating under differing international economic conditions. Good fun at a dinner party amongst like-minded guests, but not particularly enlightening.
My comments about ordinary folk getting screwed by neo-liberal economics apply equally to both all parties, and I’ve been consistent on that. Even the Greens have signed up to the nonsense. It’s depressing.
Jewish girl tries to criticise Dr. Norman Finkelstein
What Tony cannot be bothered in. Suspect they same goes for the media.
……Leader-level summits with Indonesia now take place annually, and talks are under way on a economic partnership.
When federal parliament sits next week for the last time this year, Gillard will be talking up Australia’s engagement with Asia, and the prospects of two new free trade pacts – the Trans Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
She will need to be ready for questions from the opposition and Greens on the specific benefits of such deals, what the government is doing to position and reskill Australian workers and businesses to benefit, and what compromises Australia will make in order to secure them.
But, going on past form – the opposition is unlikely to spend much time on trade matters.
As Trade minister, Craig Emerson has never received a question time inquiry in parliament on his portfolio. It’s almost 790 days since his first question time as Trade Minister.
As the 2012 year draws to a close, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s political mantra remains little changed – he maintains the government is doing nothing to address living costs, its strategy to stop the asylum seeker boats is failing and the budget is being mismanaged.
With the coalition and Labor virtually running neck and neck in the opinion polls – albeit with the opposition in the lead in some surveys – its strategy remains deliberately targeted to the handful of marginal seats its needs to win governmen…
The site keeps crashing on me. Is anybody else having this problem? This is the first comment I’ve been able to post since this morning.
Migs, no problems today. Have been having big problems on other site such SMH.
Migs, I’ve been in and out of CW and TPS all day no problems with crashing although I have noticed a bit if flickering as I scroll down occasionally.
Migs, I as also as well …as 🙂 have been in and out all day.. no prob’s here…. you may be suffering from a Menzies House ‘projection’ ritual… after all it’s only a few days before HoR resumes, …. and your in the ACT….. QED really 😆
….. them poor goats……… 😀
The Opposition intends to continue with stunts and smear campaign. One based on no evidence.
This is what the government intends to do.
This week the government will bring into Parliament legislation on the Gonski education reforms and the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Its message will be: we are talking about positives and the future, and we’ll be doing that next year too.
The disability bill establishes the scheme’s framework. The education legislation contains the goal of Australia being among the top five international performers by 2025 in reading, maths and science, as well as the bones of the Gonski model, which will provide a benchmark amount for each schoolchild with loadings for need.
Hey CU, was scrolling up and found a comment that I missed.
Catching up
November 23, 2012 @ 11:25 am
Thank you for for confirming my earlier post. My beautiful wife also attended…think Uma Thurman. But I would not know a lady if I fell over her that was propsed by someone here. Well, over the last twenty six years I have fell over on her but the reality is she has fell over me.
Most of you think I’m full of shit. I never reveal anything contraversial without evidence. That goes from the days of Matty Price until now.
One experience I would like to relate…it was over at the what I refer to as the ‘Daily Tumbleweed’. I related something that was fact. I copped a savaging by the weeds. I sent the confirmation that was undoubtable to the host and he not only ignored it but further inflamed the attack. How fucked is that as the person who was once a Crosser???
I put myself out there six years ago, stated my vision and have gone for it. Tried to take people along with me on the hard progress and have been branded as a Walter Mitty.
Well, Migsy…do you believe my account that I am indeed not only a player but a driver and a scaper of the future?
I’ve sent you evidence of my attendance. You know my stance…getting sick of been branded here. No wonder people of vision withdraw…not me because I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose.
ADVANCE!
Gina wrote a book ????? 😕 yeah, right 😀 …… and you actually went along…. ???? …. and you don’t want to be ‘branded’…… and fish ride bikes….. vision ????? WTF you on aboot, ladie…. umm, keep up the good work :smileyface:
For those who are new to the blogosphere, history is important. LOL Let’s start.
My beautiful wife also attended…think Uma Thurman
Fantastic! But wait, the ‘beautiful wife’ has also been descibed as having breast augmentation that put her in the porn star class. Nice!
Then there was her ‘alcholic tendencies’. The claim was that she lost an ‘expensive’ pair of earings while under the influence of alcholol on a Friday night. But surprise, surprise, scaper recovered them the next morning before the cleaners moved in.
Very resourceful is our scaper.
As for:
Most of you think I’m full of shit
The evidence abounds. And it’s ongoing! In fact it overflows.
I put myself out there six years ago, stated my vision and have gone for it
Actually no. The original ‘vision’ was for a settlement somewhere between Alice Springs and Katherine, connected by very fast trains and very fast broadband which people would flock too. Talk about delusional. BTW it’s a ‘vision’ that’s now been put on hold. Even the website is dormant.
One could go on and talk about his claimed ability to the punch the light out of those who disagree with his views. His hatred for unions – not allowed on his sites – and the like.
But his claim that:
“not only a player but a driver and a scaper of the future?”
Just about sums it up.
Yet let Him have the last word:
“I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose”.
Yep!
Violent and delusional. A very dangerous person. TB will agree with that.
ADVANCE…. says it all really …. guffaw…. thank f* you’ve got a handle on it, you ‘driver’ you …… what an odd little fellow… :smileybum:
Given that Gillard is supposedly under the ‘legal pump’, is it legitimate to ask whether her detractors on this site are also willing to come clean?
Or those without sin … ?
I once hitch-hiked from Alice to Katherine…( went sky diving at Manbulloo)….. why anyone would want to ‘create’ a city there is a bit, well shall we say, nuts….. keep taking thems pills Scapes… keep taking thems pills, …. and swollow …2…3, …. and credibility…. 2…3 , and lost it 6…7…8. 😆
.. why anyone would want to ‘create’ a city there is a bit, well shall we say, nuts
Yes! All the towns you mention are either in decline o rat best stagnant – re population, The notion that one could create a ‘boom town’ is an absolute nonsense.
But then again I hope I’m not delusional,
BTW, I didn’t mention scaper’s plan to run water from the Ord to Perth because it’s downhill and therefore ‘easy’. LOL. And when questioned, he claimed that it was feasible because he would do it ‘underwater.
Col, anything is feasible. Does not mean it is the prudent thing to do.
People seemed to forget, it is a wide, flat land out there, with a hot sun, that dries out everything in its path. It is a long long way.
Even if piped, the source would quickly dry up, when the rains stop.
There are cheaper and more efficient ways to provide water.
If we had a permanent snow line, that might be different.
Boom towns aplenty in Queensland. Take Gracemere for example. Ten years ago it was little more than the station settled by the pioneering Archer family. It’s now a thriving township on the outskirts of Rockhampton and others like it are popping up in response to new industries. These projects were feasible and prudent, as evidenced by the population growth.
Twenty five years ago an old friend, a bank manager warned me against investing in NSW because that state was virtually bankrupt. He’s been here in Queensland ever since and in his own small way has contributed to long term development here that has left NSW for dead.
I’m in favour of building a large refugee concentration camp at Ord River, where the inmates work for the dole as agricultural workers until they learn to speak English, pick up a useful skill and discover the joy of playing Aussie Rules.
Within a very short time it will become a guvmint funded boom town connected to Perth by a very fast train.
No razor wire, top class facilities. The heat, flies and isolated desert environment act as a deterrent for economic refugees and those genuine refugees fleeing oppression. Imagine being stuck in that god forsaken place for years.
Imagine being stuck in that god forsaken place for years.
Why go to that extreme, just allow them internet access where all that gets through is grodo comments on obscure blog sites.
Enough to drive anyone mad.
Politics has come to a sorry state when we have Mr, Combet sitting in Parliament when he should be attending the Doha meetings, in relation to the next round of action on climate change.
Sitting there for one reason only, because Abbott wants to continue with his stunts, and cannot be relied on the honour the pairing convention, that has been in place since time memorial. .
Mr, Combet did not say this. He only said that the minister did not have to be present, Does anyone believe that.
Mr. Hunt then portrayed Mr. Combet’s action of not attending, as showing he was backing off any further action. Does one believe that.
Mr. Abbott’s continual stunts are beginning to effect the efficient running of parliament, and should be seen as such.
‘Enough to drive anyone mad.’
Indeed….give them access to the interwebys and they can tell their mates back home ‘don’t come here’.
On the brighter side, a Sri Lankan Tamil might catch the eye of a sweet girl in the Ord, marry, have children and stay put.
El gordo, I do hope you are not suggesting an Indigenous girl. This is an old hobby horse of yours, which as usual been done to death.
Sri Lankans are not having much luck getting in. The naught Mr. Bowen is sending them home.
God, listening to Abbott talking about domestic violence. So concerned is he, that he is nearly in tears. Somehow, does not ring true. Sorry.
Opposition accused the member for Dennison for worrying about the gamblers not the industry.
Opposition, not the addict. worrying about industry.
From the speech, the Opposition will fight it all the way. Yes, the gambling industry is indeed powerful.
‘I do hope you are not suggesting an Indigenous girl.’
Never crossed my mind, I was speaking generally.
‘Sri Lankans are not having much luck getting in.’
The Sinhalese are going back because they are mostly economic refugees, the Tamils are another matter.
el gordo I see that not only did you hitch your horse to the wrong cart re the Gillard smear but you got the wrong horse as well.
Oh well it would have been too much to expect you to be right just once.
Did I smear Gillard? I honestly don’t remember.
The PM admitted she was young and naive sleeping with a crook who said she knew nothing about his crookedness.
It happens.
Did she attend the auction on the house? I know her boyfriend was there.
el gordo, any crime there.
I also notice that once she found out he could be a crook, she immediately left.
We do not all have crystal balls, as you appear to have.
Would love to know who is winning the next race at Randwick. Will make it worth you while.
Turnbull, still defending Abbott. Still ranting on about the use of the word mendacious. It is OK for the Abbott to call the PM a liar, but not the other way about.
You quickly and eagerly hooked (wrong horse and cart) yourself to the right wingers here el gordo, and they had Gillard guilty of the worse crime ever committed by a leader listening to them sprout on here.
By association, just as they accused Gillard by association, you smeared “joolya”, and also do so every time you use that derogatory term for her name.
I read that no member of the oppositions front bench were present for the apology today. Does anybody know if that is true or not?
Oh the delicious irony of this:
The much-maligned carbon tax has staged a solid rehabilitation in Essential Research polling. In fact, it’s now more popular than Tony Abbott.
All I could see was the one who made the reply, Mr Abbott and two behind him, came in late. . It was confusing, as a shot I see on the TV seemed to have Abbott at the table. Before that speech there definitely no Opposition the house, even at the table. Maybe they were all at the White Ribbon celebration.
Could have been busy counting numbers.
Maybe they cleared out as soon as Smith finished speaking,]
Fierce defence says it all
‘Those results don’t indicate people were delighted with the impact of the carbon tax. But nor did most people receive a rude shock when the tax kicked in — for most, the tax had about the impact they were expecting, or less.’
Too bad about very small business, who weren’t feather bedded and cannot pass it on.
Good strategy by joolya.
Watching Dutton, talking about health. Trouble is he is talking about the wonderful job Abbott did as Health Minister.
Talking about how he increased spending. Forgot to say, when the Lib first came in they gutted every department.
Then later on, gave a little back, Therefore saying they increased spending.. Yes, increased it from the level they cut it back to. Most departments were still behind the eight ball when they went out of power.
Not listening enough, to know it it is a new policy or not.
Liberals : All Spin No Substance!
Talking about how he increased spending. Forgot to say, when the Lib first came in they gutted every department.
Then later on, gave a little back, Therefore saying they increased spending.. Yes, increased it from the level they cut it back to.
el gordo, you might need a new crystal ball. The PM did not fall on that sword today. I believe she might have plunge it into the heart of the Opposition.
Abbott ducked in late for the apology to defense victims of abuse, he arrived late and only when his shadow minister was speaking.
If the news is showing otherwise they have doctored the images so as not to show him in a bad light, their usual.
QandA is just finishing. The last 15 minutes were about “boat people,” but not one question about Abbott’s brain fart to oppose increasing refugee intake by plane.
Sue thanks for that. I was beginning to think I was losing it. Q and A could have been good, if it has a different moderator. The show is losing any value it had. Needs to die over Xmas, and begin again.
The next polls will be interesting I believe. Sue, did you notice the body language of Abbott when he went behind the chair, after the apology. Why did he not sit at the table.
I counted four at the most, including Abbott. Three of them came in late,
One thing for sure, Labor has full control of the parliament agenda today.
The PM is sure being aggressive. Her attack on Mr. Blewitt isn’t letting off steam. It was a calculated attack. What I find amazing is Blewitt’s calm reaction.
One needs to listen carefully to what Blewitt says in that 7.30 interview. It was bizarre,
I thought there was suppose to be an article with Mr. Wilson today.
Will be out tomorrow. If anything happens, I believe it will be as soon as the house sits. If not, the matter has fizz out. I do not believe they can have another QT as today. The other thing, is I do not believe, at this stage they will get any support from the cross benches.
It is hard to predict what will occur next. Notice none of the journalist are attempting to.
It feels like the lull before the storm.
The coalition was caught unawares with the defense apology and investigation. (too busy looking in their smut and smear files). So they quickly had to agree. Where they were caught is with defense finally having to deal with all the previous investigations, that is face ip and report to the public. and what makes it worse defense has to pay for it out of their own budget, no new money.
So after the govt being abused for cutting the budget, the defense boys will be facing real accountability.
And the Coalition cannot use the press or the usual spokepersons because what is happening is justified and they have already agreed.
I say a right result after the muck defense threw back at Smith over the Skype case. I even remember the Coalition calling on Smith to apologise to a certain commandant.
How many days will it take for the Coalition to realise they have been out manouvered.
“What this means is that a woman’s fertility can be preserved indefinitely,” he said.
“It feels like the lull before the storm… a woman’s fertility can be preserved indefinitely”
Perhaps the scientists can help to preserve Gillard’s leadership indefinitely!
A good read this opinion piece today, not on politics, well partly because Costello listened and was anxious to help authorities the police and the ATO
“While not exactly the Teflon Don, Mick Gatto has managed to escape most law enforcement investigations with no more than superficial wounds
Over several years police strategy in investigating organised crime has subtly shifted. It became about dismantling syndicates rather than chucking a couple of hoods in the clink.
Career crooks saw jail as an occupational hazard but the loss of their empire as catastrophic.
Chase the money and you destroy the power was the message. But how?
The model was obvious. US officials failed to get mobster Al Capone for murder, bribery and his obvious organised crime connections but nailed him on tax evasion.
The Tax Office had long been seen as a way of harpooning crime whales but somehow in the 1980s and 1990 the ATO became exclusively interested in raising revenue.
ME. the problem is that the work that the PM did was not of great significant, not enough to go the the trouble of making a file.
It was not ongoing. It was filed in the PM miscellaneous file, which I suspect, is where such matters go,
Not having created a file, in a way backs up the PM story.
Gillard’s legal practices ‘less than kosher’ but not unusual: lawyers
December 1, 2012
By Crikey
KATE GIBBS Freelance reporter specialising in legal affairs
It’s been labelled a “smear campaign”, a “squalid affair”, a “witch hunt” and the most drawn-out act of politics this year. But the Coalition’s interrogation of the Prime Minister about her time spent as a lawyer 17 years ago has achieved something: it’s confused everyone about the ethics, best practice and legalities of the practice of law.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott yesterday called for a judicial inquiry into “the whole squalid affair” of Gillard’s work as a lawyer and her “unbecoming” conduct. Crikey asked the legal profession exactly how unbecoming the behaviour was.
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop claims Gillard didn’t open a file on the union slush fund at Slater & Gordon because she “wanted to hide from the AWU the fact that an unauthorised entity was being set up”. But Michael Bradley, managing partner at law firm Marque Lawyers, reckons not opening a file is “not unusual or out of the ordinary. That’s pretty common place for lawyers.”
Acknowledging it’s not ideal, he said: “There is a difference between best practice and normal practice, in reality.”
A Sydney-based private practice lawyer, who spoke anonymously, agrees it does happen, even among the top ranks. She argues lawyers deal with a lot of paperwork, they have people working for them who will open files on their behalf, and “it wouldn’t be surprising to the entire legal profession that some lawyer doesn’t recall the finer details of a case she worked on 20 years ago”.
Then there’s the issue of whether Gillard should have known something was wrong with the fund. “It’s not a lawyer’s role to second-guess the instructions that are given,” Bradley said. “A principal allegation against Ms Gillard is that she set up this association which didn’t comply with the rules of the union at the time. They are suggesting she should have made herself aware of this and refused to participate. In terms of a lawyer’s obligation, that allegation is just wrong.”
Bradley says when lawyers are instructed by a chief executive or similar, they take instructions from that person and so “it wouldn’t have been in her brief to go behind those instructions and second-guess what he was doing. You can’t facilitate an illegal act, but this just breached the rules of the union.”
In terms of a lawyer’s duty, while “there is a trail being laid to suggest Ms Gillard engaged in illegal and unethical acts, the reality is there is no evidence of that”, Bradley says. Lawyers will often do work for a client that later turns out to be “less than kosher — well yes, that happens a lot”.
“Often solicitors are asked to do something with incomplete or sometimes misleading instructions,” he said. “I am sure any lawyer who has been around for a long time will have found themselves in a situation where they assisted a client, and then found out facts later that changed the complexion of what happened. You should never facilitate an illegal act or knowingly assist a client to do so. But we’re not always armed with complete facts and we’re never armed with hindsight.”
The private practice lawyer who spoke anonymously to Crikey says the criticism of Gillard in acting for Wilson is “ridiculous”. Pointing to the New South Wales Law Society guide of legal professional ethics, she says there are no current rules prohibiting this.
Bradley says while it’s common for lawyers to have personal relationships with clients, in the case of Gillard “it sounds like she was a bit naive”.
“She was probably in a situation where it would have been better for her not to be acting given her personal relationship, just to protect her own interests … She was a relatively junior lawyer but she wouldn’t have been the first or the last person to do that,” he said.
The Coalition’s accusations about Gillard’s “conduct unbecoming” in reality don’t touch on legal ethics. “We’ll be left with this blurred smudge on her reputation and I think that’s the intention,” Bradley said.
CU
the bit about Bishop representing her partner, the mayor, . so more bollocks from Bishop, especially as she represented her boyfriend when interviewed by police. and how she could keep a steely stare at gillard for not remembering conversations from 20 years ago, when her boyfriends defense was he shouldn’t be expected to remember things 6 months previously.
By the end of her article Grattan makes excuses for Abbott ( how Grattan can excuse pursuing someone to gaol is beyond me) and she doesn’t cover the part of Kingston’s account of Abbott breaking AEC laws.
CU
Margo has been answering comments at IA, they are worth reading . the article in IA was submitted to the Drum but they rejected it, her article at IA has been retweeted 1000 times
sue, is not the fifth estate wonderful it is holding the fourth to account. Wonder when the penny will drop with them
Interesting article by Gratton
“It’s worth a read, as the debate drags on about Julia Gillard’s role in helping set up the AWU Workplace Reform Association, which two corrupt union officials, one of them her then boyfriend, used to steal large amounts of money.”
Shows you how good Gillards judgement is.
I wonder when Gillard realised her boyfriend was corrupt???
That one is easy Neil. When it became public knowledge.
Neil also remember, it is still alleged, NO one has ever been charged or convicted. No one is sure who the victim was. No one seems to have benefited, except for Blewitt who admitted to taking money and burying it.
Mr. Wilson had departed before the house was sold. I thought the PM said that it was Blewitt that signed the association document. I could be wrong on that one.
It is said that the money was returned to the donors.
The Crows got off too lightly. I would have kicked them out of the competition. 🙂
Yeah well, at least we haven’t got Amanda Van Driver on our Board…
You got me there. 😦
😆
Well then Neil if Gillard judgement is to be questioned on her past boyfriends then Ms Bishop should not be allowed anywhere near parliament for the blokes she went out with in the past, one who was so bad he was disowned by the Liberal Party and Ms. Bishop still went out with him.
But I know your just being a hypocrite again as you always have been.
Pip
Now all we need is statements about Styant-Browne leaving. Any rooms named after him?
And then there is Nowicki, the guy who paid the incidentals for Blewitt.
News ltd have 2 polls today.
Poll:PM fightback stalls, up to 20 seats lost, including Wayne Swan
Poll:Newman on nose, 54% unhappy with LNP
Ummmmmmm
Nowicki who called Blewitt his mate by the way,
Don’t forget, Bishop used belwitts word over the word of the PM, after she had been advised by blewitt’s sister that he was a crook who lies repeatedly. She had prior knowledge about blewitts past, and still went ahead.
They are dumber in this than turnbull was. turnbull at least fell victim to an elaborate forgery, which took the AFP to uncover., blewitts past is a record in itself. And, when tabot accused the PM of criminality, he was relying on one report from a ‘journalist’ with a stake in the game, and a paper with a history of making shit up. He laso could have read the actual document himself in order to verify the paper. That he accused the PM of such a deed without such a simple check shows extreme laziness and, well, stupidity.
Sue, from Grattan’s article
She remembered what many of us, in the heat of this slush fund battle, had forgotten.
Forgotten, maybe, but not unaware of. I read many twitter people spamming journo’s with this for weeks. All quiet until now. Forgotten is bad enough, particularly for a senior political journo. Deliberately ignored is another thing entirely.
Tom,
I get the impression they believe they’re untouchable. That they can say and do nearly anything and not be called on it. You can see why they might feel that way. Behind them is among the most one-sided partisan media of any democracy on earth.
A one-party media and a far right party. Scary.
Forced to compete on their own ‘merits’ on a level media field, the “Liberal” party would either have to lose its extremism in a hurry, or be wiped out at the first election.
I get the impression they believe they’re untouchable.
Yes Cuppa, and their belief in this regard is grounded much in fact. As you note, if there was a level playing field, their extremism could not survive.
Luckily, I think the populace in large is waking up to this. Thanks in large to social media
Laurie Oakes touches on this in his recent speech, however, he excuses the media, and blames the pollies. Projection again. A ‘true’ journalist would also examine the ‘why’ in the reason that social media has come to replace, rather than enhance, media reporting.
The ABC were on the right track in enabling Latika Bourke to become a paid tweeter. That was forward thinking. She has blown that opportunity by becoming a partisan hack. She should stick to simply tweeting news. When she posits her little snipes at pollies and commentators, she loses her objectivity, and starts her cheering. Her obvious infatuation with tabot, and dislike of Gillard, comes across in all of these little swipes, no matter how much she wants to deny it.
That said, her straight up replaying of news is a handy source, and should be embraced, not ridiculed, by the old school.
As for being untouchable, the media seems to believe so as well.
‘Latika Bourke to become a paid tweeter. That was forward thinking. She has blown that opportunity by becoming a partisan hack.’
That’s totally unwarranted, Latika is a good journalist and just because she has a partisan view doesn’t mean she’s a hack.
just because she has a partisan view doesn’t mean she’s a hack.
Not by itself, no, but when it comes out in her little narks and derogatory asides at everything Labor, and straight bat or complete avoidance with all the opposition stumbles, it certainly does. As I noted in the same post you cherry picked from.
Seriously this could only be said on the Blot’s program, I think on any other someone would have to snigger
“”As far as I am concerned, what last week was all about was the coalition’s positive plans for the future,” he said.
Mr Abbott pointed to the launch last week of his new book, A Strong Australia, which features nine of his “headland” speeches given over the past year.
“As well as holding the government to account increasingly as this year has gone on, we have been about developing our positive plans and that’s what this book is all about, our positive plans for the future,” he said.
a book of his speeches, positive? i must have missed the reporting on those speeches.
And if last week was an example of Abbott being positive, i think it would be a great ad campaign for Labor
“RESIDENTS in Gungahlin will have to wait until next year for the first homes to be hooked up to national broadband network fibres.
the six-month delay to getting an agreement with Telstra to decommission the copper network and provide access to its underground pits and ducts.
NBN Co regional community manager Darren Rudd said Telstra had to upgrade more pits in Ngunnawal and Amaroo because they were the wrong size.
”Telstra have to give up the infrastructure to a certain set of standards – that period of time is usually four months and sometimes it’s longer, depending on the number of pits they’ve got to upgrade,” he said
‘Some of these pits are 15 years old and they are a smaller size pit than we need … in that remediation phase, in places like Ngunnawal and Amaroo, we’ve had to replace three times the average of the pits because they are just the wrong size.”
But the problem is also prevalent in the newer suburbs of Franklin and Harrison. ”Some of them we are replacing because they aren’t the right size,” he said.
A spokesman from Telstra said the company agreed to make infrastructure such as pits and pipes fit for purpose.
”Sometimes this involves remediation work such as enlarging pits,” he said
I’m impressed. According to Alexis world rankings the Café Whispers blog site is the 442,049th most visited internet site in the world and the 6,356th in Australia. A year ago we were number 5 million and something.
Thanks to you all.
The only way is up in popularity Migs. Considering there are NO, that is ZERO progressive media outlets in the so-called mainstream, places like the Cafe are as water to thirsty lefties everywhere. Thanks for being here.
Thanks Cuppa. It’s almost worth a post. 🙂
a case to watch, but it isn’t headlining on ABC news
” defamation case taken by the woman who accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of punching a wall will be heard in the NSW Supreme Court later this week.
Barbara Ramjan is suing Liberal powerbroker, Michael Kroger, and The Australian newspaper over claims she is a “serial manufacturer of false complaints”.
The matter was mentioned briefly in the Supreme Court in Sydney on Monday and adjourned for a hearing on Wednesday.
The defamation action relates to comments made by Mr Kroger on the Bolt Report on Network Ten on September 23 and an article in The Australian the following day.
Today the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and the Business Council of Australia (BCA) released a joint statement outlining how the three organisations will cooperate to tackle entrenched disadvantage through collaborative action.
The statement is the first of its kind in Australia and outlines a shared commitment by the three peak bodies to work collaboratively towards:
providing employment opportunities for Australians who are disadvantaged in the labour market; and
giving employers access to workers who meet their skills needs.
And the biggest concern for older people is that they will have to continue to support the younger generation who for the first time in modern history are staying at home quite often until they are in their early 30s. This takes a toll on the older generation’s ability to save for their retirement.
“The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a great Labor initiative – it’s up there with Medicare. It was also encouraging to see it being supported by the Opposition. That was until last night when Joe Hockey admitted in an interview on Sky that a Coalition Government would only implement the NDIS if it came with a “strong surplus”.
Hockey said tha same at his response to RBA interest cut at 3.00pm
Self funded retirees are in strife and its going to get progressively worse for them as the world slips into a deep recession.
Unfortunately for them, most of them are in strife because they believed howard when he said ‘this can go on forever’ (the housing boom)
It didn’t, and they were left holding the bill.
Perhaps if the media had been more honest back then, like they are overcompensating for now, some of those might have had a double take on their options.
Sua, it looks like the oo is going in to bat for the opposition on this, again
Labor’s approach to this scheme is driven by the quest for short-term political advantage.
Tom R
At least he electorate will have a choice. Either for an NDIS with Labor or only with strong surpluses with Coalition. And what is a strong surplus, you only have to look at their History, no room for NDIS under Howard/Costello
“Asked if an NDIS was hostage to a potential coalition government having strong budget surpluses, Mr Hockey said: “We’re not going to make commitments we can’t afford to pay for.”
LABOR LIBERAL
NBN NO
NDIS NO
Carbon Price NO
Employed NO
🙂
What’s in a name?
“short term political advantage”
just how many long years did the Coalition have to consider a scheme for the disabled?
the Coalition as spent the majority of the last 40 years trying to dismantle Medicare, why would they want another such scheme.
Stephen Koukoulas and Possum Comitatus have a different take on the SFR whinge:
3 & 6 month terms deposits still around 4.3 or 4.4%; Inflation 2.0%. Whingenomics coming thru from savers.
Will someone tell Mr. Hockey that the government has cut back on spending, relying on rate cuts to alleviate any damage.
Mr. Hockey is bullshit, as some experts are saying he is just plain dumb.
.
Though l the figures still show the economy is travelling well.
Complaining about the government not pulling back enough of spending, which would lead to more interest rates cuts.
tephen KoukoulasVerified
@TheKouk
The dopey people complaining about low interest rates must love getting 8% returns when inflation is 10%.
Reply Retweet Favorite
Stephen KoukoulasVerified
@TheKouk
3 & 6 month terms deposits still around 4.3 or 4.4%; Inflation 2.0%. Whingenomics coming thru from savers.
Reply Retweet Favorite
Forget about reading Abbott’s book just listen to him praise Newman. A great grab as a campaign launch for 2013 election.
“Mr Abbott said it was unfortunate that some of the Newman government’s decisions were unpopular, even within its own ranks.
But he said those decisions were necessary and Mr Newman was doing a great job given the “economic basket case” he inherited from Labor.
“Sometimes they cause stresses and strains even within the ranks of the coalition here in Queensland,” he said.
“But you’ve got to do what is necessary to bring this country and this state back to health.”
Sorry, I have repeated some in my rush.. Does not matter, as one cannot repeat the facts to often. Takes a while for it to sink into some.
The interest rate cuts bear no resemblance to 2009. The economy is at a different place. The economy is affected and controlled by two bodies. The government and the Reserve Bamk. One should balance the other.
All the figures are still positive. Not as well as some would like,
Mr, Hockey’s economic plan scares the lights out of me, and should scare everyone in this country.
Yes, we have to be careful as the world economy is fragile. That means this is not the time to talk the economy down. The opposite is true. Wonder what business telling Mr.Abbott behind the scenes,Suspect, he is being advised to put a sock in it. That is, shut up, you are making things worse.
How freaking scary. Tony Abbott driving a truck on the Pacific Highway.
The reporters ask,” when did you get your license?”
Reply “about a year ago, for my bushfire work”
and that’s freaking it!!!
Better questions \:
how often do you drive a car?
How often have you driven a truck since getting your license?
Sue, where does one drive these types of trucks during bush fires.
Yes, how often do you drive. Maybe some bush fireman out there can enlighten us.
CU
how often would he even drive a car?
But the fact that he thinks that driving a truck on a highway is something for a part-time driver is gob smacking stooooopid.
Says a lot about the company that would allow its vehicle to be used in this way. What standard do they have for their regular interstate drivers?
Sue, maybe we are being unfair. Maybe he has been moonlighting on the side, to pay that huge mortgage off. The one that was nearly a million dollars, so he could live the life, he had become a accustom too. Maybe he is an experience driver.
Why finish at Erina Fair, that is not on the highway.
Not even in Thomson’s electorate.
I hope he is considerate of the charity bike riders who like to use the Pacific Highway.
A tad ironic….
‘The potential for rising sea levels and more cyclones due to climate change was a factor in BHP Billiton’s decision to replace a jetty at its Hay Point coal export terminal.’
AFR
Scott Morrison having a press stunt, sounds like trying to justify Nauru, you know the place that was supposed to stop those queue jumpers
Tweet by stephen Koukoulas
Since introduction of Carbon tax
49500 new jobs
unemployment down from 5.3% to 5.2%
With stats like that Joe hockey and Tony Abbott will be in shock , they will have to go even harder to talk economy down
midday ABC news
” despite job losses being in the news everyday, surprisingly the unemployment rate dropped”
go to story about people who are struggling trying to get work. story from the Cross in sydney.
Talk about trying to push a “negative” about the government
Sue, true enough..according to the opposition Nauru was supposed to “stop the boats”. It was their idea and along with their other brain farts ideas will/has been shown to be ineffectual.
Sue, to tell you the truth I have not noticed that job losses having been in the news every day apart from the decimation carried out by especially the Qld government, but including the Vic and NSW governments. But of course, these will all be Julia’s fault…
Min et al
Interesting, the media’s attitude to the whole AS/Houston report.
Initial triumphalism (“Labor forced to adopt long standing coalition policy” sort of stuff) evaporated on the discovery that the coalition policies didn’t actually….work.
Now it’s back to Labor failures.
I’ve put this up before, can’t do a link but prior to the Houston report’s release A Current Affair did what’d have to be one of the most blatant politically biased stories I’ve seen. An intro about how Labor’d stuffed things up on the AS issue was followed by a revelation that there was this place in the Pacific, Nauru it’s called, & that nice Howard government had cured everything by sending people there. And along comes Scott Morrison on cue to explain why, yes indeedy, this place was ready to go again at the drop of a hat, thereby solving everyone’s problems. “Just pick up the phone…”
I bet that one’s locked away.
This one Bob?
PM press conference with Barry on the NDIS funding for NSW, not the launch funding BUT the funding for the permanent NDIS starting in 2018.
I hope Abbott wasn’t driving that hope(less) truck ’cause he may have just run off the road. Dr Yes has been locked in by his NSW mate, what was he thinking! He cannot have thought to take Abbott at his word, joe had given plenty of hints that NDIS is on the future wish list.
‘Political promise’ to return budget to surplus ‘very dangerous’
Date
December 6, 2012
THE government’s pledge to return the budget to surplus this financial year has come under fresh attack, with former Reserve Bank board member Warwick McKibbin slamming the move as ”very dangerous” to the economy.
As new figures show spending cuts are already dragging significantly on growth, Professor McKibbin, of Australian National University, said the planned budget tightening threatened to unleash serious damage. ”There is no need to cut spending and raise taxes to get a particular surplus in a particular year. There is just no need for that, it is a political promise,” he told the Australian Business Economists annual conference on Wednesday.
”That is OK when you can afford to make it, but when you can’t afford to make it – and I think we’re in that point right now – it’s very dangerous for the economy.”
Warwick McKibbin, Professor of Economics at the Australian National University. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen
Instead of spending cuts, Professor McKibbin called for the expansion of investment, especially in infrastructure, funded by long-term government bonds.
Has anyone seen the YouTube sKit, with the PM declares the end of the world is nigh. At least the PM has a healthy SENSE OF HUMOUR.
Has Abbott posted an itinerary for his travels. Would not mind going up to the highway, to show him how I feel.
You silly people, don’t you know it will not work without turning back the
boats and Temporary visas. How stupid can you all be.
Mr Morrison has made sure he has let the boat trade know this. It appears it can only work under Mr. Abbott. Mr Bowen and the PM are not tough enough.
No matter that the idea was not to let them in at all. Making any visa unneccesary. The second is, that the Sri Lankans are being sent back in big numbers by plane.
The truth is, this is not a decade or more ago. It is a new ball game.
It is time for the political games to stop.
Time for bipartisanship. Time to put the whole Houston Scheme into operation. It was said at the time, there could be no cherry picking. It had to be all or nothing. It appears they were correct.
There is no guarantee it will work, but would be more humane that what is occurring now.
Mr, Abbott should be held to account by the media and the public.
“Twenty-five union officials had access to the credit card electronic signature of Craig Thomson during the period he is alleged to have misused union funds to pay for escort services, according to a source.
The embattled independent MP and former union official is expected to defend the raft of claims against him brought by Fair Work Australia on the basis that it was one of these union officials who instead signed off on the charges for prostitutes.
Now, I’ve got in front of me a book called A Strong Australia – the values, directions and policy priorities of the next Coalition Government. It’s comprehensive and it goes to about 145-146 pages. Would this be the platform for you to be elected as Prime Minister next year because we keep hearing you’ve got no policies?
Well that appears to be an emphatic YES to NO POLICIES!
2GB = Liberal Circle Jerk. :thumbsdown:
…………..The Reserve Bank’s Phillip Lowe gave a perceptive speech to the Australian Business Economists Annual Dinner last night in which he addressed these concerns. It’s worth reading in full, for those interested, but the take-home message is that the Reserve Bank is cutting interest rates… because it can.
Lowe presented the chart below at his dinner speech. As you can see, prices are remarkably stable, and have been for some time. The mandate of the Reserve Bank is to keep employment as high as possible, while still keeping inflation under control. And inflation is under control……..
and
…But there’s another reason the Reserve Bank can cut interest rates: austerity. Few have been prepared to say it, but Australia has already jumped over our own smaller version of the dreaded American “fiscal cliff”.
The United States cliff is of course steeper and scarier than Australia’s, but the analogy is not invalid, because Australia’s fiscal priorities are also being warped by political expediency rather than economic common sense. The difference is that US lawmakers have not yet hurled themselves off the precipice, while in Australia the base jump has already begun.
Of course, the two nations’ economic circumstances are vastly different. While the US is clawing its way out of the deepest recession in seventy years, Australia enjoys astonishingly benign economic fortunes. As a result the contractionary force of the government cutbacks here is not as severe; with the economy still growing, there are still some industries expanding rapidly and there are still jobs for retrenched public servants to go to……………….
Bacchus @ 1.20
Yes, that’s it! I’d forgotten the dramatic tone of it all, & Morrison’s early lie about the government welshing on opening the place. This is the sort of stuff they’re good at, just keep up the stream & you’ll get away with it.
It’d have to be reworked for current consumption though, too many of Morrison’s demands having been met.
and we should not forget, the reality of this governments cuts.
……………Australian governments have been cutting back hard on public spending. The Commonwealth, for instance, is midway through the largest fiscal consolidation in modern history, with tens of billions of spending subtracted, and thousands of jobs cut. The states have been at it as well: most notably Queensland, where Campbell Newman’s Liberal-National government recently brought down a horror budget that will see perhaps 14,000 public servants lose their jobs. Such a desperate drive to surplus is largely motivated by political point-scoring — a slower consolidation at both ……….
C.U. @ 1.52
Walk into any major news media organisation, & you’ll see two straining, bulging reinforced steel doors. The one on the left contains “this stupid government doesn’t realise a surplus isn’t necessary” stories, the one on the right contains “wasteful Labor spending keeping us in perpetual debt” ones. The same bylines can be found in both sections. This one’s obviously been taken from the left.
Sue, during my working life, I managed Disability Houses.. As a part of doing this, there were cards issued in my name. Yes, my name was on them, but they were to be used by whatever staff was on for the running of the house.
My responsibility was to ensure they are being used only for what they were nominated for. This was not an easy task. There were many arguments between me and staff. Also between me and the auditors.
Yes, those suspect bills seem to occur when they were away. Would be interesting who used to travel with him.
And threats by Bolano, Kathy’s mate. And one of the places the haunt of Kathy’s ex
This is a little strange. McDonald must have been really bad for Labor to officially apologise.
“NSW Labor’s Left faction has formally apologised for supporting Ian Macdonald into State Parliament as the Independent Commission Against Corruption continues to hear allegations of corrupt activity by the former minister.
The faction resolved on Tuesday night to issue an apology for supporting Mr Macdonald’s preselection, the same night the leading Left figure, Senator John Faulkner, gave a speech calling for reform within the NSW branch of the party.
“We believe in order for NSW Labor to change its culture, it has to acknowledge its mistakes,” the faction said in a statement“
Sue, who was into using prostitutes. Was made to pay money back. It is that fact that makes me lean towards believing Thomson.
Thomson demanded money back for his use of prostitutes, which I believed was paid.
Mr. Thomson then turns around and does the same thing. That is a little hard to believe.
I also recall that there were charges against Ms. Jackson, that clothes was either bought on her behalf, or she bought herself.
Once again, similar charges against Mr. Thomson.
Yes,I do believe they are capable of what Mr. Thomson is accusing them of.
I believe there is a case before the court, accusing them of changing the records of another member, making her illegible for election.
kathy had so many freebies, will reread the list when the vic police charge her
that case was settled. the judge gave a bollocking to bolano and said asmar could stand for election. but because of the court case the election has been delayed.
Sue, that is all that Mr. Thomson is accusing them of. They have much form, outside this case. One needs to go back to the previous suspension of the union. Same actions on behalf of them.
Neil, why would it be strange for Labor to apologize. Please explain, as the red headed lady used to say.
The relationship between the federal government and state governments needs to be a part of the national debate.
Drum. ABC 24
Truer word never said. We have moved too far from what the Founding Fathers created by stealth. Whitlam made a big thing of it, with Constitutional Review, but seemed to have petered out.
The Constitution should be under continue revision.
“‘Political promise’ to return budget to surplus ‘very dangerous’””
Re CU’s clip from the SMH at 1.52pm…
I actually have to agree entirely with McKibbin. The pursuit of a surplus is not only stupid, it is meaningless. It’s not the first time McKibbin’s said this. The irony is that he was very quick out of the blocks saying the opposite when the government was “wasting” all that money trying (successfully) to keep unemployment at bay at the height of the GFC.
Swan’s claim that government policies have created the “fiscal space” that allows the RBA to cut rates is true in the sense that waterboarding the economy would give the RBA to practise its skills in CPR. It is utter bullshit, and quite worrying.
The only thing more worrying is that if Swan really screws the economy, it’ll be be Hockey who gets to pull the levers.
McKibbin’s coalition thru & thru.His policy is whatever Labor’s isn’t.
Yes, Bob, wonder if we will be credited in criticizing Labor.
One can only hope that Labor is using, what is politically loaded, not to really be believing the surplus is the end all, but using the climate to draw back on the upper income welfare and rebates.
In other words, rearranging the spending and one’s options. Opening up the budget to allow for such things as Gonski and NDIS.
In other words, allowing Labor to control the agenda for the future.
One can hope.
Austerity budgets are the last thing we need.
It is not that we cannot afford to do what is right. It is that we cannot afford not to do what is right.
It is about priories.
Running around the country saying we cannot do this or that is pure stupidity.
The money is there. It is about what we are willing to pay for,.
“The money is there. It is about what we are willing to pay for,.”
The money is always there CU. It falls from the sky like rain.
And the government should spend into the economy whilst ever we have unemployment, for unemployment is the very measure of the degree of under-utilisation of the state’s resources. The “economy” is ours, the peoples’, not some plaything of market and bank economists obsessed with irrelevant ratios of debt/GDP.
The only constraints on govt spending are Real not Financial.
I heard on ABC24 this morning that the AFR has an article saying the govt is now looking at abandoning its surplus fixation. It looks like Swan is listening. The politics will be hilarious. Hockey will go ape-shit with confected scorn. But Swan will be able to recruit the endorsement of the likes of McKibbin and a number of other market economists who have been saying the same thing for about a year now.
Speaking of Swan…internal polling indicates he is gone next election. Rudd is not travelling too well either.
Internal polling must be giving Labor indigestion…Gillard’s already gone!
Western Sydney is looking very bad. Emerson should also be worried.
But she, she’s already gone
She’s feelin’ strong
Singin a vict’ry song
But she’s already gone
Yes, she’s already gone
Already gone
All right, nighty-night
Scaper, that is a political comment, quite unrelated to the actual monetary basics.
Public debt represents private sector savings. I hope my superfund got some of it.
There is no functional reason why the govt has to borrow to cover its spending because it is the monopoly issuer of the currency.
It issues debt because of institutional arrangements that go back to the gold standard. The retention of those arrangements advantages certain agents and interests within the financial economy, as well as being monetary operations to ensure stability of the cash rate.
You criticise the govt for issuing debt but remember that the big end of town went pale with fear when the Howard govt “paid off Labor’s debt” in 2002 and bond issues stopped. At the pleading of those special interests, issuance of CGS resumed even though there was no debt. Go figure, as they say.
Your comments suggest to me that you must’ve given up on the Stephanie Kelton interview. That’s a pity as I was hoping you might, given your political connections, carry a better understanding of monetary operations back to those who are clearly in need of enlightenment. I say that about both sides of politics.
These issues are far too important to be belted back and forth in the crude ping-pong of political point scoring. There are plenty of other areas of policy difference better suited for political entertainment and point scoring.
The current “debt/deficit boogey man” game is just making any progress in the direction of better economic policy impossible, with all of us the eventual losers.
If the records have survived over such a long period, can also clear Mr. Thomson.
Brothels served with subpoenas in Thomson case
Date
December 7, 2012 – 3:07PM
“I will be vindicated”… Craig Thomson outside his home today. Photo: Nick Moir
FAIR Work Australia has served subpoenas on nine companies, including brothels and escort agencies, Qantas Holidays and Sensis, as part of its claim against federal independent MP Craig Thomson.
The industrial agency has accused Mr Thomson of using credit cards paid for by the Health Services Union while he was its national secretary to pay for brothels, travel for him and his partner and hotels.
Of the nine subpoenas, all but two are to brothels or escort agencies.
Mr Thomson has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and this week filed a defence in Melbourne’s Federal Court either denying the claims made against him or saying they were being made too long after the incidents were alleged to have occurred..
Funny way to rum a case. Lay the charges, then collect the evidence. I was under the mistaken belief that it worked the other way around.
…………Of the nine subpoenas, all but two are to brothels or escort agencies.
Mr Thomson has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, and this week filed a defence in Melbourne’s Federal Court either denying the claims made against him or saying they were being made too long after the incidents were alleged to have occurred.
Advertisement
On Friday afternoon, Mr Thomson’s solicitor Chris McArdle said it was highly unusual for Fair Work Australia to be gathering proof so long after filing its statement of claim against his client.
Fair Work filed its claims against Mr Thomson in October.
”They are now trying to obtain information that they claimed they already had, and that underlines our assertion that he [Mr Thomson] did nothing wrong,” Mr McArdle said.
He said that the subpoenas had only been issued to these agencies this week indicated how weak Fair Work’s case against his client was.
The subpoenas request any ”goods or services provided by or on behalf” of the brothels and escort agencies named in them. One is The Boardroom of Melbourne, where the subpoena seeks any payments made by Mr Thomson between 12 and 13 April 2006.
In August KPMG conducted an evaluation of how Fair………….
Will Graham Richardson apologise. Graham Richardson who usually loves publicity
” We shall see if the Right does the same for having sponsored Eddie Obeid’s rise to greatness, although I won’t hang by the thumbs waiting. The guiding genius behind that exercise was none other than Graham Richardson.
When a Labor seat became available in the Legislative Council in 1991, many in the party wanted it to go to Graham Freudenberg, the much-loved Labor historian and speechwriter to Gough Whitlam and Neville Wran. To his lasting shame, Richardson, then a senator but still the kingmaker of the NSW Right, kiboshed Freudy on the grounds that he was ”erratic”. He shoved the oily and ingratiating Obeid into the slot instead, ostensibly to bring business acumen to the party and caucus. And business acumen they most certainly got, though perhaps not the sort that even Good Ol’ Richo might have envisaged.
Forget the bottom line: the bigger picture shows things aren’t so bad after all
This is such a terrible government isn’t it? NOT.
What will be a terrible government is an Abbott one as he has promised to undo and demolish everything that currently has our economy ticking along and is keeping us out of recession.
I didn’t know about Labor membership increasing but read a couple of weeks ago about Liberal membership plummeting.
Would be interesting to find out what’s happening to the Liberal memberships at the State level, Baillieu, O’Farrell but most of all Newman would have them jumping overboard like rats from a sinking ship.
Another prediction, and promise the PM made. To increase membership. Yes, the lady does keep her word.
Also manages to achieve many things at the same time. Multi dexterous, the
PM is.
Not like one task Tony. What happened to the truck trip.
Heard a comment on ABC radio, pointing out it Tony care about the Pacific Highway road toll, he would have come down by rail.
This person pointed out, it is a disgrace that only 10% of freight north are carried by rail.
It appears one train takes 120 of those big trucks off the road. How much safer, would that make the Highway.
Now, I live south of Newcastle, very closed to that Highway. I do a lot of walking, and have noticed within one hundred yards, there are crosses for five people. As they are still maintained, I assume they are all recent.
Now may trucks do not come this way, the road does not look dangerous.
Even higher speeds do not seem a problem.
The road is divided.
I guess that over tiredness is to blame.. Most are reaching the end of journeys.
I suspect, that most are in the early hours of the morning, as the most recent occurred..
The car ended up wrapped around a pole. No other car involved.
How does more spending stop these deaths.
I forgot to say, as one heads towards Lake Haven, there are more of those crosses.
I have never heard this stretch called a black spot. Wonder why?
CU
I also heard the Coalition had 11 years to fix it. I forget how many times Howard re-promised the same amount of money to fix the Pacific Hwy. It took Labor to increase funding on the Howard commitment to a 50:50 share, so that it could be completed by 2016.
Mangrove Jack, I have followed the AOFM ever since the debt was $103B. The borrowings were around $1.2B a week last income year, this year thus far indicates borrowings of over double.
For a government that claims there will be a surplus, why are they borrowing so much? Because they are borrowing to cover maturing Bonds and Notes. The interest component of the budget has gone into general spending which is somewhere around $9B by memory.
My gig is nation building and it disgusts me that they are borrowing to pay for the groceries, so to speak. The only upshot of this is if the Libs get in they have no other choice but to grow the pie as selling off the ABC, Medibank Private and Australia Post will not reduce the debt load.
There is policy talk of National Infrastructure Bonds to support the development of projects that have been cut and diced to ensure a commercial rate of return, just talk which is not convincing.
ANDEV is now working to finance the northern projects from international investment. ANDEV has very good connections to Indian, Chinese, South Korean, Japanese and American investment houses that are showing interest.
Some of my pet projects are water from the north and a rail link from the east coast to Tennant Creek to support the proposed Free Port of Darwin.
Hancock Coal is presently doing the finals and CBA for the water transfer with the view of receiving significant project status. This is Terry Bowring’s baby, my part was the lobbying of certain people to get the ball rolling. Terry sent me some information the other day concerning an aquifer that has a capacity to store 20,000GL. Can’t say where but puts the cherry on top of the water transfer project.
Been working on the rail link and mentioned to the co-chair that the Alpha Rail be extended to Tennant Creek. Genesee and Wyoming have now become involved. Then there is the Iron Boomerang Project which is to connect Abbott Point to Port Hedland via Newman. This is serious, a $30M FS will be conducted and land is being purchased.
Now, ANDEV will be getting involved and this will require no federal monies, just the approvals.
Got some news about a new university that will be built in Port Hedland. It will be called “The Port Hedland International University of Innovation and Inspiration”. The ANU are keen to put their campus on the private university.
There will be scholarships offered to the northern indigenous peoples in line with ANDEV’s policy on Aboriginal self determination.
No cigars for guessing who will be contributing to the construction and scholarships in a major way. Also, the WA government is fast tracking land releases around Port Hedland to encourage more growth.
Hasn’t been a good week…has been a GREAT week!
Can anyone recall the numbers of times that Mr. Howard released his promises for this road among other things. Can anyone recall how many of those promises never seen the light of day,
Promised much, delivered little.
“Hasn’t been a good week…has been a GREAT week!”
Hear Hear! Even greater as Labor and a certain cafe seem to be treading water while sinking slowly!
“Promised much, delivered little.”
That sounds just like Gillard to me!
“For a government that claims there will be a surplus, why are they borrowing so much?”
The same reason that business does, To fill in the holes when outgoings exceed receipts during the year It. I believe balances itself out over the year.. A book keeping exercise.
Treeman, sadly for you wrong again..for both the government and this blog…
“The same reason that business does, To fill in the holes when outgoings exceed receipts during the year It. I believe balances itself out over the year.. A book keeping exercise.”
You clearly have had little to do with running a business!
The US sees a drop in unemployment from 7.9% to 7.7% as signs to a recovery.
In Aus according to Hockey a drop from 5.4% to 5,2% is the economy going the wrong way. As for Abbott’s opinion who knows, he is apparently on work experience journey.
“Treeman, sadly for you wrong again..for both the government and this blog…”
How can you be so sure? Time will tell and on the face of it time is not on your side…to coin a phrase!
Cu @9.54am..agreed, the term non-core promise didn’t become part of the vernacular due to Howard keeping his promises. Of course we now have Tony going one or two better saying that he cannot be believed unless it’s in written..in blood presumably.
You know the Libs are panicking when Mitch Fifield (Mitch who?) gets to speak twice in a week. Well really twice since 2010, it just happens to be the same week, as all other shadow front benchers are mia.
Treeman, this blog has been up and running for exactly 2 and a half years..today actually. Happy 2 and a Half birthday to us. 🙂 The stats speak for themselves..as per Migs’ topic The Message is Simple:
The best news was learning we are now the 442,049th most visited web site in the world and 6,356th in Australia. A year ago we were something above number 5 million in the world rankings.
I think we’re being told something and the message is simple: keep attacking Abbott.
Yes, we’ve been told! Expect nothing less.
Sue, I’m shocked that any of the Libs are being allowed to speak at all as every single time one of them opens their mouths they either contradict one of their fellows or stuff it up completely (see Cory or J. Bishop or Hockey or……).
But wasn’t Abbott warned about taking a lower profile as, and in spite of the HUGE Liberal PR machine and media mates Abbott continued to be no more popular, no more trustworthy than when he began. The current PR appears to be LOTS of pics of Action Man Tony and to let others do the talking.
“You clearly have had little to do with running a business!”
Tree. I must thank you for putting another, what must be an urban myth to bed, That is, even the most successful business can have cask flow problems, and needs
That is indeed good to know.
The other question I need to ask, and maybe you can put ne right, what has the PM not delivered?
Where is the truck driver today. Did not see much of him yesterday. In fact did not see him at all.
Mitch Fifield was very moderate in what he had to say. Love when he was told by the interviewer, that he consulted with Mr. Hockey before coming on.
Now yesterday, it appears that Mr. Hockey was in Toowoon Bay, but Mr. Abbott was heading to Erina Fair. The opposite ends of the coast. Did one get lost.
Anyone see the arrival, or was it a stunt that flopped.
Maybe the PM took up to much attention, in that long PC she had with the Preniers, who were all subdued. Once again the PM showed who was in control. Who has her hands on the agenda. .
Min, they no longer have written in blood. No longer need core and none core promises.
They all carry the rider, will only apply if we have the money.
Will be deferred otherwise.
Even Mr Fifefild repeated that this morning.
For a media that has gone on about productivity in the past, or the lack of it, there have been two occasions on which they have been mute on the subject.
Recent: Productivity highest it has been in 10 years.
Past: Productivity falls under WorkChoices and Howard government.
Police investigate Liberals’ Shaw
Clay Lucas, The Age, 08 December 2012
Bailleau government MP Geoff Shaw is under police investigation over allegations of misconduct in public office.
The Victoria Police investigation follows an opposition complaint made about Mr Shaw. The complaint came in the wake of a damning Ombudsman’s report in October into the Frankston MP’s conduct.
Victorian Ombudsman George Brouwer found Mr Shaw had used his taxpayer-funded Ford Territory and fuel card to run his hardware business, and had provided misleading information about it under oath.
Past: Productivity falls under WorkChoices and Howard government.
Mo, but I’m sure profits rose under WorkChoices. 😉
I’m not sure Migs. Profits for big business and wages for their senior management obscenely rose as they do now, but from memory, and I may be wrong here, I think SME’s failed at an increased rate or around the same rate as pre-WorkChoices and SME profits didn’t improve as productivity didn’t improve to boost their profits.
WorkChoices was sold as a boon to SMEs not big business, it failed.
Mo, I was being sarcastic.
Scaper (at 9.51 am), you leave me to conclude that you didn’t find anything of interest in the Kelton interview on monetary operations.
I find that quite disappointing.
If you have a head for business I’m sure you wouldn’t have had any trouble understanding it.
If nation building is your gig, then having an understanding of monetary operations would give you valuable insights into how this can be achieved.
Ideas like “they are borrowing to pay for the groceries” are a mental blindfold. They are political statements. The reality is that the interest on bonds is corporate welfare. The very best one could say is that the interest is at least stimulatory.
Anyway, good luck with your projects.
Gather that Migs, so I stacked sarcasm on sarcasm. :mrgreen::mrgreen:
Café Whispers 
Not sure about Nowra but I see Whyalla is still on the map. Bad luck, Tones.
I find that hard to believe, Cuppa. Do you mean to say it’s still there?
Why haven’t the media reported that? 😯
Migs, when Abbott finally does tell the truth – THAT will make headlines!
Cuppa, if Abbott and the media ever start telling the truth then we bloggers will go out of business. We can’t have that. 😉
I would love to know which nasty QT it was that Julie Bishop was so upset, she sits on the opposition benches for goodness sakes
1. Was it the day Tony was thrown out and Julie got to sit in the big chair, knowing it will never be hers?.
2. was it the day Tony stuffed up about the electricity bill from the pensioner in WA?
3. Was it any day she did the “death stare”?
On Wednesday, Ms Bishop said “he understands the way I work”.
She recalled how, after a particularly nasty question time that left her feeling as if she hadn’t done her job properly, Mr Abbott put his arm around her and offered words of support.
“He knew in an instant how I was feeling,” she said.
“A guy who’s got three feisty sisters and three stunning daughters knows how women feel. He’s certainly demonstrated that to me.”
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/abbott-a-hit-with-the-coiffured-wa-ladies/story-e6frfku9-1226521399387#ixzz2Ctct7IA4
Sue I reckon it was (4) the time she cocked up the accusation that the PM had been rolled over Carr as the new Foreign Minister and the PM said:
“It does not matter who I appoint, they will wipe the floor with you (Bishop)”
Spin spin spin… “A guy who’s got three feisty sisters and three stunning daughters knows how women feel. He’s certainly demonstrated that to me.”
Liberals: All Spin, No Substance!
WorkChoices on steroids…
Young Libs push even younger child labour laws
More abusive conduct by the conservatives and their media mouthpieces:
[Link]
When will Abbott stop lying??
Delimiter.com.au 03 May 2012:
http://delimiter.com.au/2012/05/03/cooked-books-abbott-misleads-on-nbn/
LNP: Lies Not Policies
Cuppa, in fill flight, once again making the same lies. At what was described as a Leadership Forum in the west.
That was the NPC that Burke was at.
PC with Greens shortly. Also someone from the Liberals was not listening.
ABC24.
And some excellent news…
With the oppositions response being do-nothing and don’t even bother even trying..typical…
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/government-backs-greens-to-tackle-petrol-sniffing-20121122-29sgt.html#ixzz2CvfjdYaI
If this is true, why is it not working. What else can Abbott do to stop the boats. Very little as far as I can see.
Attended Gina’s book launch today. We sat at the member table and it was good to catch up with the WA people. Due to Gina’s schedule she could take just three questions.
My question was in the vein of…is there a reference related to inclusiveness and vision to aleviate indigenous poverty in her book…if not then how does she see how this perpetual problem can be solved??
Her reply was passionate and definitive but won’t bother going into it…got to maintain the ‘ogre’ image. Met Ginia for the first time, a true Hancock. Lady Flo was the guest of honour and Barnaby was the MC. We had a good chat about water afterwoods.
Campbell Newman’s PA sat next to me…apparently he was to attend but sent his number two instead. A chance for the wife to raise some state issues that reverted to general chit chat.
Sarina Russo ended up on our table and the conversation reverted into a three way chit chat. Jumped ship and settled at the next table. Had a good chat with Ian Plimer.
Got two books signed by Gina…one for me and the other for my cousin who lives near Nowra. Had a quiet word with her.
Black cat
Gee scaper you are a legend. All these connections. All that power and influence. “Ginia”, “Sarina” and “Ian”. And all prepared to talk to and reveal confidences to an unemployed landscaper. Could only take three questions. I note that Gillard provided an unlimited time frame. But then she is only the PM. Nowhere nearly as important as Ginia.
I note that Newman sent his ‘number two’. I can believe that.
Just shakes head … A ‘political lobbyist’ LOL
HAHAHAHAH!
“HAHAHAHAH!”
One of your more intelligent responses! No, perhaps the best ever.
Wow to have ‘chit chat’. What a teaser. C’mon spill the beans.
In serious need of professional help. No wonder the wife is on the piss. (Your claim. Not mine.)
Can think of a better way to spend my afternoon. Did you ask how her kids are going, and is she spending Xmas with them.
No ABBA, Nature5 and a host of sock puppet names over the years. You are the one that needs the professional help!
I reckon it was the cleaning products you used in your past career…school janitor.
Just been going over the embargoed media release I received yesterday morning. Oh shock! A photo of Gina with Martin Ferguson.
Now, using the logic of CU that a photo of Gina with Abbott representing that he is “owned” then Mar’n must also be owned.
By the way…the NT Chief Minister (Terry Mills) joined ANDEV last week. Using CU logic would indicate that we own the Northern Territory government.
A report on the launch.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/gina-launches-book-her-way-by-banning-media/story-e6frg6nf-1226522319321
Col,
Gee scaper you are a legend. All these connections. All that power and influence. “Ginia”, “Sarina” and “Ian”. And all prepared to talk to and reveal confidences to an unemployed landscaper.
He said to me the other day (words to the effect), You can’t have been on the blogs very long if you don’t know my opinions on such-and-such.
As though everyone who’s ever been online should know what bottom-of-the-barrel scraper, the Liberal apologist and non-entity, feels about every last thing.
Self opinion in inverse proportion to value of presence.
Unemployed landscaper??? I must of sacked myself!
No one cares scraper… It’s just like no one (except Liberal apologists) cares for SerfChoices.
Well you brain has obviously been sacked by someone.
Maybe cooked by global warming?
“Spin spin spin… “A guy who’s got three feisty sisters and three stunning daughters knows how women feel. He’s certainly demonstrated that to me.”
Liberals: All Spin, No Substance!
You can talk…as if there was any substance to the ghastly misogyny rant…or the Greatest moral challenge of our time rant…or any of Penny Wongs rants.
Treetroll
He’s been known for years to be a high turn-off factor to women. He was so desperate a couple of years ago that he took acting lessons, the phoney, so as to pretend to be less ape-like. It didn’t help. He’s still perceived as a shaved chimp. Lately he’s taken to dragging the female members of his family along with him in public, in another cynical attempt to deceive the public. (Right wingers can only ever prosper by deception).
That he has to be so insincere to try to deceive voters is the very sign of someone with no substance. All spin and no substance.
I just love it when the abuse starts…shows you are losing it.
Gillard will be lucky to survive by the end of next week. Shorten???
Gillard will be lucky to survive by the end of next week.
😆 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
When will she answer the big question
“Why have you done nothing wrong?”
“I just love it when the abuse starts…shows you are losing it.”
You should know scaper, you’ve done it often enough, and some real ravers as well.
I’ll have to remember it’s for me to love next time you do it.
You would’ve heard Gina say this Scaper…
“We don’t want to see Australia continue on a course with too many heads buried in the sand, critical investors discouraged by bad policies, even hated, too few understanding the problems while Australia moves towards being another Greece, Spain or Portugal,” she said.
I didn’t realise Gina was so thick. That’s an incredibly stupid thing for anybody to say, let alone from one of our captains of industry.
The threat she imagines is actually, in terms of national accounting, an impossibility.
The instant that anybody raises the PIIGS bogeyman and makes comparisons with monetarily sovereign states, you can stop listening.
And I heard Abbott reported as saying (yet again) this morning that “Australia should live within its means” once again confusing household budgets with the government’s. Sadly, the other side’s no smarter.
Chris Schacht, on ABC 24 this morning summed up the PM saga well. We had in fighting within a union about twenty years ago. We also have infighting within a solicitors office, about much wider than what the PM did at the same time.
We have a solicitor who is now saying, twenty years down the track, he believes that something illegal occurred.
We had extensive investigations at that time, where I believe no one was charged.
Chris, asked, if this solicitor was so concerned, why did he not go to the police then. I will add to that, why not at any time, during the last seventeen years.
Will put up the interview if it becomes available.
The answer to the question above why no one went to the police in the past, is simple. Ms. Gillard was not PM then.
Yes, I do indeed protest strongly. Will do so, until they put up or shut up.
Guilt by association, is not on in my opinion. That is all we are talking about.
Doug Anthony, was also in the interview. He agreed with much of what Chris had to say. He went on to say there are many more important events occurring, union infighting from the past.
The interview of the two men, was introduced by the announcer saying, in spite of the alleged scandal, there was much other political news to talk about. Yes, indeed there is.
More interested today, in how Abbott digs himself out of the boat trade hole, he is finding himself in. Once again, would have been better to keep the trap shut.
Malcolm Fraser, in an article headlined Abbott’s evil policy work, said of the Noalition’s ‘policy’:
This policy lacks substance and needs to be seen for what it is – opportunistic and based on misinformation.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/abbotts-evil-policy-work-20120617-20hzs.html
All Spin, No Substance!
“Guilt by association, is not on in my opinion.”
Of all the ridiculous statements I have read here, this one takes the prize thus far.
Sliming by association is the the modus operandi of this site and especially YOU!
See my comment at 7:45.
Bernard Keane, in an unnecessarily wordy description of the Noalition ‘policy’ as evil. (Emphasis mine):
http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/06/26/time-to-call-the-asylum-seeker-impasse-what-it-really-is/
Yes, scaper, you could be correct. Time will tell. All I know is that all the smear campaigns by this Opposition have come to naught.
We have the airways screaming the end of this PM. The result is that the PM is still standing. Do not you wonder why. Could be that all is just that, smear campaigns built on little reality or facts.
While this occurs, the government goes on governing, with new successes every day. How many this week alone scaper, have you noticed. One sees little when they keep their eyes focus in the mire.
That goes for other trolls as well.
If I bore you, you can always go to other sites that you have4 more in common with. It is not compulsory to come here.
Also had a chat with Rod McGarvie, the candidate for Lilley which is Swan’s electorate. Enquired as to how much he requires to campaign at the next election.
Half a million should do it…I pledged a percentage and will pass the hat around to raise more. Swan is toast!
” I must of sacked myself!”
Maybe your clients did.
Catching Up knows “that all the smear campaigns by this Opposition have come to naught.”
What about the smear campaigns orchestrated by McTernan and so gleefully promoted here as having revived the flagging fortunes of Gillard and her AWU mates?
Know it now CU, they’re starting to bite but more on the ample rump of Labor than anywhere of design.
“If I bore you, you can always go to other sites that you have4 more in common with. It is not compulsory to come here.”
Not sure about Scapes but I’m having a whale of time watching the sinking feeling permeate this blog!
Chris Bowen calling media conference. ABC 24//
Abbott has upset many in hos own party this morning, by cutting intake by 6000.
Yeah, I’m having a whale of a time too, Treeman.
They have nailed their colours to Gillard’s kankles so they are locked in.
The PM said she only came aware of the details. Does that mean, she knew nothing about it. I suggest not. Obviously, she has said she was aware of the mortgage, not the details. Nothing has come into view, that deputes this.
One could assume that the PM at that time had no reason she expect her boyfriend was up to no good. I say this, as the lady is far from stupid, and had already decided that politics was the life for her. There are no other incidents in her life, that suggests that money is her goal.
Blewitt just entered the police station. Wonder if we will see him emerge. After all he is a major party in the allege crimes.
“The PM said she only came aware of the details.”
Yes but she made a point of mentioning the date and she’s been found wanting.
Abbott has a choice. Denigrate the Houston plan or get on board. It appears he is taking the first. Option.
Maybe he can explain, how cutting the numbers we take off that alleged waiting list, will stop people from coming.
I suspect , taking all hope away will only make people more desperate.
“The man on whom The Australian relied for a front-page attack on the Prime Minister implying she was an embezzler is a low-life sex-predator who trawls Asia for vulnerable, suspiciously young women. ”
Did you post that over at VEX CU?
Defence announcement, re deaths of Australian soldiers, last year. ABC 24
“Abbott has a choice. Denigrate the Houston plan or get on board”
I suggest to you it’s not that simple. Besides the choices you believe Abbott has have little to do with reality. Aren’t you from the Left?
After the last election Abbott “promised” {cough} to DOUBLE the intake…
The Age, 20 December 2010
http://www.theage.com.au/national/abbott-offered-to-double-refugee-intake-says-wilkie-20101219-191xe.html
Bowen now on. That wedge is being closed. ABC 24
Why are conservatives so intent on paring back education?
12 September 2012: A funding cut of $1.7 billion for NSW public and private schools has angered parents, teachers, Catholic bishops and government MPs who have been bombarded with complaints.
23 November 2012: Premier Barry O’Farrell has refused to restore $1.7 billion over four years to the education budget, provoking a likely voter backlash – a coalition of public, independent and Catholic schools has warned.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/ofarrell-takes-axe-to-education-20120911-25qof.html
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/backdown-or-backlash-premier-warned-on-school-cuts-20121123-29x5y.html#ixzz2D00yofbv
scaper was indeed among the chosen few.maybe he can let us in on the pearls of wisdom that the lady is espousing.
Sarah Hanson-Young. Asked why she believed Tony changed his mind. Because he is a flip-flopper
Abbott and Morrison due shortly ABC24.
Bowen, said that it is Abbott that is having trouble finding the money. We seemed to be able to manage.
Those who cheer5 before the fat lady sings, often end up with mud on their faces. That has been so for the last two years. Yes, two years of mud slinging, and the lady is still standing. Not only standing but dishing it back.
Trolls listen to the news. It is Abbott and asylum seekers. Not history from the past.
Blast from the past. Mutual obligation. There are to be no more permanent visas given. What about the estimated hundred thousand of illegal over stayers that are in our workforce now. These are indeed illegal
ABC 24 Abbott and Morrison.
Her her her she she she
Just returned to Sydney after a very fruitful trip to Canberra. Was picked up by MT and CA only to be joined by S at a local chinese restaurant. I was amazed as we discussed the things that were the purpose of my visit, that S and I had a lot in common. But with important issues to discuss MT, CA and I moved on to formal discussions elsewhere.
This morning I picked up a swag of stuff to bring back with me, including, I believe, some very ‘sensitive’ videos.
All in all, a very successful mission, little lone the benefits that this nation will feel in the future.
Sounds fascinating handyrab 🙂
Must of done something right, Bacchus. 😀
So what are they scraper?
Can’t say I’ve detected a sinking feeling permeate on this blog, Treeman. I’m sure it’s just something in your imagination.
It has been known to run out of kilter with reality at times. Your imagination, that is.
Roswell,. I have no sinking feeling. Feel quite confident. More so than I have been for ages.
Suggest that Mr Abbott’s divide and rule, using the refugees and talking down the economy, saying we are broke, is NOT an recipe for success.
New slogan “We can;t afford it, it is as simple as that.”
Wonder what next’s week will be.
If we are not broke why did the government borrow $3B last week? Do you borrow money just to pay for the groceries if you are not broke?
Rabbit, and nothing could have been better than your very excellent company.
Companies and business borrow all the time. It does not mean they are broke. They borrow to expand and grow the cake.
Nor if we were borrow more that we had in reserves etc, that might be different.
What percentage is that figure on out yearly budget. Be surprise if it even come anywhere near one percent.
scaper, you do say stupid things sometimes.
scaper, also, as you say you are business man, receipts do not come in regularly each week. You know that borrowing amount to nearly nothing. If not, yuou are not the business man you claim to be.
Business people do not borrow to pay for the groceries. And how is borrowing and pissing it against the wall grow the pie?
You continually expose your non understanding of basic economics. Thus far this income year the government has borrowed near $30B which is approaching 10% of projected revenue…which they won’t realise.
The only so called pie would be the NBN, take off the top crust and it is a big black hole. Didn’t even bother to do a CBA. If I went to the bank to really grow the pie without a CBA the manager would laugh at me!
Boy, you WRITE stupid things.
Here’s a link so you can have some inkling of understanding.
http://www.budget.gov.au/2012-13/content/overview/html/overview_44.htm
The second last column is an indication of the true state of our finances.
I’ve never known a company yet, or one of any substantial size which didn’t operate on an overdraft. One of the strangest ideas to have come from the Howard years is that government is in the business of making a profit. Governments are service providers and if they ain’t spending the money then they ain’t providing the service.
“If we are not broke why did the government borrow $3B last week? Do you borrow money just to pay for the groceries if you are not broke?”
Scaper, you don’t seem to understand why the government issues bonds. It’s to lower the commercial banks’ reserves and allow the RBA to keep the cash rate at the policy level in a situation where the banks have excess reserves.
I think you are making the same fallacy of composition as Tony Abbott.
When I was in the finance industry I quickly discovered that successful businesses never use their own money when there was access to someone else’s.
True, but one that borrows then borrows again to repay the borrowings, one eventually ends up going broke!
You can see why right wingers are hostile to education. The more knowledge people have, and the better they are trained to question and think for themselves, the less vulnerable they are to right wing manipulation.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/backdown-or-backlash-premier-warned-on-school-cuts-20121123-29x5y.html#ixzz2D00yofbv
Karl Rove:
As people do better, they start voting like Republicans – unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be too much of a good thing
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_bush_on_voting_republican.htm
“True, but one that borrows then borrows again to repay the borrowings, one eventually ends up going broke!”
Scaper, it seems what I just wrote went in one ear and out the other and you seem determined to display your lack of understanding of these matters.
A state that is sovereign in its own currency cannot go broke. To put it crudely, it can always print the money to either redeem the bonds or service interest costs.
This may seem somewhat counter-intuitive, and goes against “common belief”, but if you want to accuse others of not understanding economics then I’d suggest you do a bit of homework yourself.
scaper, we are not idiots
You know that there is money put aside, or borrow to balance out receipts and outgoings during the year. Over the whole year, there is very little borrowed.
It has nothing to do with being broke.
scaper what is the size of the budget each year? Game to tell us.
Scaper, here’s a really interesting interview with a Professor of Economics that you might find illuminating:
http://econintersect.com/b2evolution/blog1.php/2012/10/29/stephanie-shelton-explains-money-in-harry-shearer-interview
Cuppa, it’s good to see that the great dumbing down of the country under Bush is wearing off.
Locally, Howard’s dumbing down is still effective. 😦
And here’s another link to a particularly interesting essay by Professor Mitchell on the same subject:
http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=21734
You say you’re not an idiot then ask me the size of the budget? How do you want to quantify the “size”, a pile of $100 notes or $1 coins?
I don’t need to tell you anything, it is in the link at 5:46. Read it yourself!
Scaper, it seems what I just wrote went in one ear and out the other and you seem determined to display your lack of understanding of these matters.
Imagine if everyone in Australia was taught Economics at school.
The number of people falling for conservative economic spin would fall drastically.
The cons would become a minor fringe party overnight.
“Stop the Education!”
MJ, definitely will not take any notice of that one. The writer is a woman, cannot be trusted.
It is my understanding the debt he is talking about is a book keeping mechanism to balance receipts and outgoings over the year.. Sorry do not know the technical definition.
Nothing to do with country going broke.
As for business, could be wrong, as I have not any experience for decades, but I believe it would be still true, that the cost of borrowing money is a taxation deduction. Something that many believe should be extended to a home mortgages.
As for Mr. Abbott, it has nothing to do with not being able to afford. It has to do with your priorities and what is seen as essential. It is all about ideology.
As Mr Bowen said today, we have manage to balance the budget and look after the refugees. We find we can do both.
When it comes to the national budget, money is not finite.
PS. I believe it is about creating wealth.
Once again, Labor builds, Liberals demolish
scaper, I see your mate is not averse to a little debt..
http://www.afr.com/p/national/rinehart_roy_hill_in_bn_funding_zg0QtWiWZrwLXbhc6QqYUP
“Imagine if everyone in Australia was taught Economics at school.”
Cuppa, that could be an absolute disaster !
It depends on what “economics”.
At the moment the only economics that is taught is neo-liberal economics that leads to the kind of misunderstanding that is so manifestly on display here tonight. It has both sides of politics in thrall. It is profoundly disappointing.
Bill Mitchell however will be teaching Modern Monetary Theory at Charles Darwin next year I believe, having quit Newcastle Uni.
I’ve said this a few times on Cafe Whispers…if folk would just make the effort to try to understand this stuff they wouldn’t be so easily hoodwinked by pollies, orthodox economists and the usual spinmeisters.
“When it comes to the national budget, money is not finite.”
That would horrify our “fiscally righteous” CU but it is an accurate statement.
The trick is to create just enough to keep the pot simmering.
A the moment the economic soup is barely warm.
In Europe where neo-liberal economics is driving a scorched earth policy for purely ideological reasons the soup is cold (20 million unemployed and getting worse by the day)
MJ, I did learn a little economics at school over fifty years ago.
Two things I remember. Money was made to go around, Every time it goes around, it creates more money, or something along that line.
My farther born 1900, no education drilled into us, one cannot waste money. The problem is when the merry go round stops. He did predict another depression after the big one until the day he dies at 97.
The other is that a country cannot let unemployment go into double figures. If it does, it takes on a life of its own. This was
1958. Not long before we had the years of inflation and high unemployment at once. Stagflation, I believe it was called. All occurring in the Menzies years and soon after.
No debt does not worry me, as it is a part of the capitalist system.
Did more economics and law at Western Sydney Uni, where I am glad to report, the left ruled the day. Late 1980’S.
No scaper, I just want you to compare that borrowing sum, with the size of the budget each year.
It the country id going broke, it would have to equal the receipts received at least.
I will forget about GNP, GDP and other numbers one could compare with.
One could ask what the national debt is, either public or private.
The sum you are concerned about would hardly show up in any of these numbers.
MJ, it appears my old dad had it right over fifty years ago, with no education, living alone after the depression.
That was the lesson he learnt. I believed he left school at twelve, share farming before his fourteenth birthday. His own property in 1926. Did not marry to 1939. A true loner. Have know idea where he picked up his knowledge.
Understood debt, was never out of it. One could not survive and hope to get ahead, without that overdraft. Not saying he liked it. In fact he hated it.
Money is created to go around, creating more wealth on the way.
CU,
“Two things I remember. Money was made to go around, Every time it goes around, it creates more money, or something along that line.”
The IMF used to believe that the spending “multiplier” was less than unity and therefore stimulus spending was a waste of time.
Recently (in the face of the awful evidence coming out of Europe and the UK) the IMF changed its mind and came up with a multiplier of 1.7 (that is, for every $1 of spending by the government, $1.70 of further spending results…something “we” have always known).
That’s something your father seems to have worked out using “common sense”, but the mighty IMF, with its battallions of Econ PhDs got wrong by a factor of nearly 4 times.
At what point do we tell “them” to shove it ?
Looks like Scaper went out to dinner…(so did I)
I’m really, really, hoping he might’ve listened to the Stephanie Kelton interview;
http://econintersect.com/b2evolution/blog1.php/2012/10/29/stephanie-shelton-explains-money-in-harry-shearer-interview
Scaper, if you’ve got a brain for business, listening to this will not hurt you. One of Prof Kelton’s associates (Warren Mosler) once made sqillions betting on Italian Govt bonds armed with the sure knowledge that the Lira, being a sovereign currency at the time, could not default.
MJ, I also believe but have never seen anyone say it, there is a slice of that money come immediately back to the government in taxes. Income tax, GST etc,
Also every person that is kept in work, pays tax. If allowed to become unemployed, they are paid benefits.
MJ, I believe that some think they know the price of everything. They definitely do not know the value of anything.
If the money was spent during the depression, they might not have need wartime spending to bring the economy back to normal. Maybe the Nazis would not have got a foothold. It is sad to see Germany leads the charge again. Yes, the economies I believe was different. A think it was inflation that time. Not good at history.
Trade barriers against Japan, if not enforce may have made a difference. These are only impressions I have . Probably no basis in fact.
Austerity is not working, which I believe is a fact. What do we have Abbott talking about. You guessed, austerity..
Cu, the proof of the pudding is the Aus economy, if Abbotts plan to combat the GFC were implemented, we would have gone into recession like the bulk of Europe and the USA.
You are right austerity measures are not working, as at times like this to stimulate the economy creates jobs which creates spending and tax receipts which creates confidence which creates further spending etc etc.
Austerity creates unemployment which creates uncertainty which reduces spending and confidence, which reduces tax receipts, which creates higher unemployment which further erodes confidence and so the downward spiral continues.
Newman, O’Farrell and Baillieu are working towards becoming self fulfilling prophesies, and it will be interesting to see what Palmer says over the next few days, as he has indicated that he is going to expose the lies told by Newman about the state of the QLD economy.
Meanwhile the MSM are proving themselves more irrelevant by the minute.
What crazy times we live in!
Cheers
Clive wouldn’t be having a ‘go’ at the LNP….. would he???? http://blogs.abc.net.au/queensland/2012/11/will-you-visit-clive-palmers-dinosaur-park.html
It is surreal.
The UK economy is bouncing along the bottom and will almost certainly go into a third recession since the GFC began, under the steady, stupid, hand of David Cameron.
Every lesson of the 1930’s Great Depression has been forgotten.
When FDR pumped stimulus money into the economy, it recovered.
Then the “fiscally righteous” got into his ear in 1937, and the economy slumped again.
We all know that when war broke out and there were huge profits to be made by the military-industrial complex, there was no limit placed on the deficits; money was created as needed, creating a never to be seen since again period of prosperity.
Mangrove Jack,
What do you think of this hypothesis.
Conservatives are ill-equipped to manage the economy. Economies are dynamic; conservatives are not.
Cuppa, Nice sumation.
Cheers 😀
Cuppa,
On any objective reading of economic history you are quite right.
But the myth that conservatives are best at handling the economy is a persistent one.
So long as ordinary folk swallow the “debt/deficit = badness” bullshit they will continue to get screwed. By that I mean, tolerate unacceptable levels of unemployment and other austerities.
That myth is a cornerstone of neo-liberal economics. The tragedy is that it can be so easily demonstrated to be bullshit, but only to an open mind.
Mangrove Jack, I did listen to at least half the link you provided, too many distractions here. Some interesting stuff in it but I note no reference to the role of the Federal Reserve…maybe in the part I have yet to listen to.
I don’t suscribe to the debt/GDP rationale, I’m in the debt/revenue club as the true comparison of fiscal position. Have raised it before in conferences relating to policy but won’t go into it here at the present.
In a sense, we can never truly go broke as such. We can just print more money. Sounds like something Pauline might say but I’ve been hearing that term around the traps lately…especially relating to the Northern Australia thing.
I believe that the last time that the strategy was used was during the building of the Snowy Mountains Scheme and over the course of the project this money was slowly taken back out of circulation. I’m not at ease with that prospect. Infrastructure Bonds dedicated to real nation building initiatives would be more prudent. We now have no choice but to grow the pie.
Not up to any further discussion today, a very big night was had.
I believe that the use of private firms to provide road and other infrastructure is being questioned. I have even seen many, even Liberals, say we should go back to the days of building, using bonds.
The last few efforts in NSW were not that successful. Private enterprise will only provide what they can make huge profits on. Not interested in providing the essentials. A wonderful example of this, is the lack of affordable, low income housing. No where in the world, that I have heard of, is it provided by the private sector. No big profits available.
Giving out government rebates for low income rental and buying houses, had only led to higher prices and rents. Little of no new stock being provided.
This, I believe is one problem, all governments will have to address.
scaper, the concept is hard to take on at first. That does not make it wrong. Harping on debt, means little and gets one nowhere.
National budgets do not work like personal budgets. Neither do business budgets for that matter.
All are different. All work in different ways.
Individual countries in the European alliance, they work different again.
Maybe MJ could explain, why the likes of Spain and Greece are in trouble.
scaper, though you were leaving this country. I must have read that wrong. Something about joining something in WA.
Do we need to do this to balance our budget. Do people no longer account under Mr. Abbott.
I suspect it is more about divide and rule on Abbott’s part. It is still about stunts.
He has even managed to divide his own party. Feel that it will also apply to many of his supporters as well. Big, tough, come out fighting Abbott.
Yes, the lady is also scathing of Labor’s action. As the present policy was forced on Labor, I expect the PM will not mind this criticism. Allows her to move onto a more efficient and humane policy.
Abbott and Morrison now on ABC 24. Yes, Mr. Abbott five years and Labor is still in government. Back to carbon tax. Oh, and pink bats and school halls. Losing control of budget. Where did he get that one from.
We are getting Mr. Abbott’s black armband view of history. Pity he is still back in th Stuttering a little. Wonder why.
Morrison is now blaming Carr for the events before IAAC.
I don’t know where you got me leaving the country from.
Mr. Abbott is now lying. Mr. Shorten did not say what the PM did was wrong. What he said, that what the instrument was used for was wrong. Mr. Shorten said that it could not happen today. What the PM helped set up in itself was legal at the time. Siphoning money off was illegal. Anger once again in Abbott’s voice, or is it desperation.
Abbott claims the carbon tax has led to a 89% rise in the price of cars. Wonder where that one came from.
More of the same. A policy that has not worked up to now, I suspect if one waits long enough, economies will bring itself back to balance. That is the nature of the beast.
.
Mr. Abbott said today, that 90 or more percent of government business goes through parliament with little input from the Opposition.
Is he alleging that the government has no say in the legislation, and it Appears in the notice paper by accident. That labour has nothing to do with the legalisation.
Interesting!!! Why not. It is after all important policy.
“So long as ordinary folk swallow the “debt/deficit = badness” bullshit they will continue to get screwed. By that I mean, tolerate unacceptable levels of unemployment and other austerities.”
Well the Coalition was in power from 1996-2007 and unemployment went from 8% to 4%.
Labor was in power from 1983-1996 and were handed unemployment at 8% and finished with unemployment at 8% with 28 months of double digit unemployment during Keatings recession in between.
To bad the facts do not agree with your beliefs.
Neil, it was what Mr. Keating and Labor did at that time, that allowed the prosperity we have now. Even Mr. Howard acknowledged that now.
Yes, reform is often hard, but worth the discomfort in the long run.
You conveniently forget the massive deficit that Mr. Howard left behind for Mr. Keating. That one was not the result of reform or GFC. It was just inefficient and in-confident governing.
The Lieberal government under treasurer John ‘rodent’ Howard “handed over” to Hawke Keating:
Double-digit unemployment
Double-digit interest rates
and Double-digit inflation
.. The Trifecta of Misery, thanks to the Miserable Liberals.
Is the younger Ms. Bishop really up to the task?
It is more likely the PM will continue to wipe the floor with her, as she has up to now, along with her boss.
There is no evidence that the PM is adverse to a good tiff. Not one to take a backward step.
I know which one i would rather have in court with me.
…And anything stated in Parliament cannot be subject of defamation proceedings because of parliamentary privilege.
The Deputy Opposition Leader, Julie Bishop, is set to lead the inquisition. This will pit Australia’s two most senior female politicians against each other, both trained lawyers, both hardened political infighters, in a contest that will play to the gallery of public opinion but, ultimately, to an audience of just two or three people – the independents who keep Labor in power.
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/politics/knives-are-out-for-gillard-20121123-29ytv.html#ixzz2D6LLktYD
“Neil, it was what Mr. Keating and Labor did at that time, that allowed the prosperity we have now”
How patronising. Try telling that to folks who lost everything during the recession we had to have.
“I know which one i would rather have in court with me.”
And I know which one I’d rather have on board and it has everything to do with honesty and integrity and my distaste for playing the sexist or victim card.
CU,
Don’t talk to Lieberals about reform. The rodent government only had two significant “reforms” – a consumption tax and SerfChoices.
Twelve long years of laying back in a hammock squandering the opportunities of the greatest burst of global prosperity seen in a generation.
“Neil, it was what Mr. Keating and Labor did at that time, that allowed the prosperity we have now”
Really. It is amazing what people believe. If Labor reforms were so great how come they got no good economic results from them. If Labors reforms were so good how come this happened. Look at unemployment when Labor was in power.
1991 12 10.1
1992 01 10·03
1992 02 10·17
1992 03 10.16
1992 04 10·30
1992 05 10.45
1992 06 10.68
1992 07 10.78
1992 08 10.54
1992 09 10.44
1992 10 10.72
1992 11 10.69
1992 12 10·91
1993 01 10.63
1993 02 10.78
1993 03 10.62
1993 04 10.46
1993 05 10·62
1993 06 10.72
1993 07 10·53
1993 08 10·75
1993 09 10.51
1993 10 10.69
1993 11 10·58
1993 12 10.29
1994 01 10·15
1994 02 10·085
1994 03 10.054
Twenty eight months of double digit unemployment during a very mild world wide recession. Lots of budget deficits, selling Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank and using the money for recurrent spending. Lots of debt but no good economic results.
No good results until Howard/Costello came along.
Tree troll, what an absolute crock of horse shit.
If honesty and integrity meant anything to you at all you would never vote for the Abbott, as he is the biggest lying piece of scum sucking bottom feeder that this country has ever seen, even taking into account little Johnny who lied his way to EVERY electoral win.
The only person you are fooling is you.
“Don’t talk to Lieberals about reform. The rodent government only had two significant “reforms” – a consumption tax and SerfChoices.
Twelve long years of laying back in a hammock squandering the opportunities of the greatest burst of global prosperity seen in a generation”
What rubbish!
What about Electoral Reforms, Gun Control, Ministerial Code of Conduct, same sex superannuation, numerous free Trade Agreements just to name a few.
“as he is the biggest lying piece of scum sucking bottom feeder that this country has ever seen”
Surely you mean Gillard?
Truth Seeker,
The Lieberal spammers know the Lies Not Polices LNP Party would hit their neighbours and loved ones with a savage dose of SerfChoices. That’s why they spin so diligently for the cause.
“The Lieberal spammers know the Lies Not Polices LNP Party would hit their neighbours and loved ones with a savage dose of SerfChoices. That’s why they spin so diligently for the cause.”
What a truly perverse and convoluted argument, hardly worth dignifying with a response!
You know they will SerfChoice your neighbours and loved ones. It’s their only real ‘policy’. Support the Lieberals and that’s what you put your efforts into bringing about.
Talk about one trick phony!
“You know they will SerfChoice your neighbours and loved ones. It’s their only real ‘policy’. Support the Lieberals and that’s what you put your efforts into bringing about.”
What a complete crock. perhaps you’ve got McTernan staying and some of his excrement has rubbed off?
“Talk about one trick phony!”
A phony phart?
Never heard of a spitoon being called a cup before.
Treetroll.
Save your BS for your neighbours and loved ones who the Lieberals have lined up for SerfChoicing.
:What about Electoral Reforms, Gun Control, Ministerial Code of Conduct, same sex superannuation, numerous free Trade Agreements just to name a few.”
Gun control, sick of hearing about that one. The public outcry was so strong at the time, any other action was impossible. Did not stop Howard hamming it up, going around the country in armour.
Have no idea what the election reform was. Do know that there are fewer on the rolls now, than ever before. Oh, yes, and closing rolls as soon as elections are called, so they cannot be updated. Yes, a wonderful reform.
Same sex superannuation. Not up on that one, but assume that Labor and unions played a big part. Bet they did not oppose.
The wonderful code of conduct. Yes that was beautiful. Problem for Mr. Howard, it worked too well, taking out numerous number of ministers in a few months, forcing Mr. Howard to put is aside.
As for those trade agreements. Not too sure how the one with the USA benefits us, or them. I feel it may be a shoddy agreement as far as we are concerned. Seemed to recall much criticism at the time.
I believe this government has also been successful in trade agreements, with our near neighbours. Have not heard much criticism of them.
Gee, there is a lot of rewriting of history at this time. Mr. Abbott did not do too bad with his PC today.
It’s just spin and BS that they fly, Catching Up. The “free trade” agreement with the US (to take just one example) saw Australia as the significant loser of the arrangement.
Cuppa , exactly, and it would be easy to say that whatever credibility the trolls had left was gone after the plethora of brain farts that they have exhibited today, but sadly that ship sailed and sank a long time ago.
All that they do now is display the depth of their delusion.
Sad… really sad, 😦 😦 😦 but there are none so blind as those that WILL NOT see.
Cheers 😀
Yes, there was another reform. The pulling back of the land rights for our indigenous people. Remember, they were going to take over our backyards.
Yes, there was much transferring of entitlements from the government to user pay, which of course effected the low income earners.
There was the continual cutting of taxes that benefited the highest paid.
Of course there were the reforms, that ensured that government benefits were no longer means tested. That one was a beauty.
How Australia’s trade deficit with the US blew out under the Lieberals…
Since it came into effect on January 1, 2005, Australia’s trade deficit with the US has blown out from $11.8 billion to $15 billion. Since 2001-02 it has increased by 50 per cent. The Americans are sending more stuff to us but we are sending less to them.
Alan Kohler, Sydney Morning Herald, 06 June 2007
http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/trade-data-no-cause-for-congratulation/2007/06/05/1180809516516.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
As far as I know there is only one lie, connected the PM. Problem is that is not even a lie.
The PM has kept her word in everything since becoming PM. She has delivered on most.
The outstanding one, is dealing with t6he boat trade. That is not is spite of trying.
The PM is now moving onto the next raft of policies, she wishes to see in place.
Neil, like all worthwhile reforms, they came down the line.
It was a fact that the economy was on the way to improving when Mr. Keating was voted out.
Just in passing, one of the first things the Coalition have done, at the first opportunity, is roll back those gun laws. It is happening quickly in NSW.
It was a fact that the economy was on the way to improving when Mr. Keating was voted out.
_____________________
1983 Coalition (treasurer Howard) hands over:
Rising inflation,
Rising interest rates,
A dysfunctional industrial relations system, despite having control of the Senate.
1996 Labor hands over:
Falling inflation,
Falling interest rates,
A workable industrial relations system.
2007 Coalition (Prime Minister Howard) hands over:
Rising inflation,
Rising interest rates,
A dysfunctional industrial relations system and once again he’s had control of the Senate.
“RESPECTED Aboriginal leader and former Labor candidate Tauto Sansbury has resigned from the ALP because he has lost faith in the party, which he says is dismissive of indigenous affairs and has in it “a big element of racism”.”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/aboriginal-leader-quits-racist-labor-in-disgust/story-fn9hm1pm-1226523112203
First Mundine, now confirmed by Sansbury.
Labor: the Racist Party!
Which party introduced the white Australia policy?
Who said, “two Wongs don’t make a white”.
Yep, the Racist Party of Australia. You all must be so proud.
That’s one avenue of debate it would be foolish for you as a Liberal to open up, scraper…
“That’s one avenue of debate it would be foolish for you as a Liberal to open up, scraper…”
Why would that be? Labor supported one of the Federations first pieces of legislation, the Immigration Restriction Act 1901.
A liberal? First I’ve heard.
“A liberal? First I’ve heard.”
Second guessing…the hallmark of the whispering class!
It’s alright, scraper, I’d be ashamed to admit it, too.
Scaper @ 10.55am
” Some interesting stuff in it but I note no reference to the role of the Federal Reserve…maybe in the part I have yet to listen to.”
I hope you find the time to listen to the rest of it, S. It gets better. I liked Ry Cooder’s finishing touch !
I don’t think there’s a reference to any specific role of the Fed, but the whole story of debt issuance of necessity involves the Fed at all stages.
“Maybe MJ could explain, why the likes of Spain and Greece are in trouble.”
CU, the reason those PIIGS countries are in trouble is because they surrendered sovereignty over their currency to the EU.
That means that their debts are effectively in a foreign currency, which they have to earn by running a trade surplus or selling stuff and having massive internal devaluations.
Professor Kelton discusses this issue about 8 minutes into that interview I linked to above.
IMO, there can be only two reasons the Trolls come to CW… they are either:-
RW nutter conspiracy loonies or
:- they are paid for RW misinformation peddlers….. and then theres El Gordo who just defies….., umm, what is you defy again El G….. oh, thats right Everything 😀 😆
I feel Iain, Tree, tweed etc fall firmly in the first category…
….sad really that coming here with their ‘puny’ put-downs is all they’ve got 😦
… guys heres a phone number for you if you feel you need to talk 13 11 14, have a nice day….. oh, and would you like fries with that 😆
Neil @ 12.44pm
All’s fair in love and war, they say, but your comments conveniently gloss over the business cycle.
All market economies swing between booms and busts. Howard was very lucky in his term of office, and Labour had the misfortune to walk into the mother-of-all recessions very soon after taking office. It is somewhat disingenuous to seek to make comparisons between different administrations when they were operating under differing international economic conditions. Good fun at a dinner party amongst like-minded guests, but not particularly enlightening.
My comments about ordinary folk getting screwed by neo-liberal economics apply equally to both all parties, and I’ve been consistent on that. Even the Greens have signed up to the nonsense. It’s depressing.
Jewish girl tries to criticise Dr. Norman Finkelstein
What Tony cannot be bothered in. Suspect they same goes for the media.
The site keeps crashing on me. Is anybody else having this problem? This is the first comment I’ve been able to post since this morning.
Migs, no problems today. Have been having big problems on other site such SMH.
Migs, I’ve been in and out of CW and TPS all day no problems with crashing although I have noticed a bit if flickering as I scroll down occasionally.
Migs, I as also as well …as 🙂 have been in and out all day.. no prob’s here…. you may be suffering from a Menzies House ‘projection’ ritual… after all it’s only a few days before HoR resumes, …. and your in the ACT….. QED really 😆
….. them poor goats……… 😀
The Opposition intends to continue with stunts and smear campaign. One based on no evidence.
This is what the government intends to do.
Hey CU, was scrolling up and found a comment that I missed.
Catching up
November 23, 2012 @ 11:25 am
Thank you for for confirming my earlier post. My beautiful wife also attended…think Uma Thurman. But I would not know a lady if I fell over her that was propsed by someone here. Well, over the last twenty six years I have fell over on her but the reality is she has fell over me.
Most of you think I’m full of shit. I never reveal anything contraversial without evidence. That goes from the days of Matty Price until now.
One experience I would like to relate…it was over at the what I refer to as the ‘Daily Tumbleweed’. I related something that was fact. I copped a savaging by the weeds. I sent the confirmation that was undoubtable to the host and he not only ignored it but further inflamed the attack. How fucked is that as the person who was once a Crosser???
I put myself out there six years ago, stated my vision and have gone for it. Tried to take people along with me on the hard progress and have been branded as a Walter Mitty.
Well, Migsy…do you believe my account that I am indeed not only a player but a driver and a scaper of the future?
I’ve sent you evidence of my attendance. You know my stance…getting sick of been branded here. No wonder people of vision withdraw…not me because I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose.
ADVANCE!
Gina wrote a book ????? 😕 yeah, right 😀 …… and you actually went along…. ???? …. and you don’t want to be ‘branded’…… and fish ride bikes….. vision ????? WTF you on aboot, ladie…. umm, keep up the good work :smileyface:
For those who are new to the blogosphere, history is important. LOL Let’s start.
Fantastic! But wait, the ‘beautiful wife’ has also been descibed as having breast augmentation that put her in the porn star class. Nice!
Then there was her ‘alcholic tendencies’. The claim was that she lost an ‘expensive’ pair of earings while under the influence of alcholol on a Friday night. But surprise, surprise, scaper recovered them the next morning before the cleaners moved in.
Very resourceful is our scaper.
As for:
The evidence abounds. And it’s ongoing! In fact it overflows.
Actually no. The original ‘vision’ was for a settlement somewhere between Alice Springs and Katherine, connected by very fast trains and very fast broadband which people would flock too. Talk about delusional. BTW it’s a ‘vision’ that’s now been put on hold. Even the website is dormant.
One could go on and talk about his claimed ability to the punch the light out of those who disagree with his views. His hatred for unions – not allowed on his sites – and the like.
But his claim that:
“not only a player but a driver and a scaper of the future?”
Just about sums it up.
Yet let Him have the last word:
“I have nothing to gain and nothing to lose”.
Yep!
Violent and delusional. A very dangerous person. TB will agree with that.
ADVANCE…. says it all really …. guffaw…. thank f* you’ve got a handle on it, you ‘driver’ you …… what an odd little fellow… :smileybum:
Given that Gillard is supposedly under the ‘legal pump’, is it legitimate to ask whether her detractors on this site are also willing to come clean?
Or those without sin … ?
I once hitch-hiked from Alice to Katherine…( went sky diving at Manbulloo)….. why anyone would want to ‘create’ a city there is a bit, well shall we say, nuts….. keep taking thems pills Scapes… keep taking thems pills, …. and swollow …2…3, …. and credibility…. 2…3 , and lost it 6…7…8. 😆
Yes! All the towns you mention are either in decline o rat best stagnant – re population, The notion that one could create a ‘boom town’ is an absolute nonsense.
But then again I hope I’m not delusional,
BTW, I didn’t mention scaper’s plan to run water from the Ord to Perth because it’s downhill and therefore ‘easy’. LOL. And when questioned, he claimed that it was feasible because he would do it ‘underwater.
Col, anything is feasible. Does not mean it is the prudent thing to do.
People seemed to forget, it is a wide, flat land out there, with a hot sun, that dries out everything in its path. It is a long long way.
Even if piped, the source would quickly dry up, when the rains stop.
There are cheaper and more efficient ways to provide water.
If we had a permanent snow line, that might be different.
Boom towns aplenty in Queensland. Take Gracemere for example. Ten years ago it was little more than the station settled by the pioneering Archer family. It’s now a thriving township on the outskirts of Rockhampton and others like it are popping up in response to new industries. These projects were feasible and prudent, as evidenced by the population growth.
Twenty five years ago an old friend, a bank manager warned me against investing in NSW because that state was virtually bankrupt. He’s been here in Queensland ever since and in his own small way has contributed to long term development here that has left NSW for dead.
I’m in favour of building a large refugee concentration camp at Ord River, where the inmates work for the dole as agricultural workers until they learn to speak English, pick up a useful skill and discover the joy of playing Aussie Rules.
Within a very short time it will become a guvmint funded boom town connected to Perth by a very fast train.
No razor wire, top class facilities. The heat, flies and isolated desert environment act as a deterrent for economic refugees and those genuine refugees fleeing oppression. Imagine being stuck in that god forsaken place for years.
Imagine being stuck in that god forsaken place for years.
Why go to that extreme, just allow them internet access where all that gets through is grodo comments on obscure blog sites.
Enough to drive anyone mad.
Politics has come to a sorry state when we have Mr, Combet sitting in Parliament when he should be attending the Doha meetings, in relation to the next round of action on climate change.
Sitting there for one reason only, because Abbott wants to continue with his stunts, and cannot be relied on the honour the pairing convention, that has been in place since time memorial. .
Mr, Combet did not say this. He only said that the minister did not have to be present, Does anyone believe that.
Mr. Hunt then portrayed Mr. Combet’s action of not attending, as showing he was backing off any further action. Does one believe that.
Mr. Abbott’s continual stunts are beginning to effect the efficient running of parliament, and should be seen as such.
‘Enough to drive anyone mad.’
Indeed….give them access to the interwebys and they can tell their mates back home ‘don’t come here’.
On the brighter side, a Sri Lankan Tamil might catch the eye of a sweet girl in the Ord, marry, have children and stay put.
El gordo, I do hope you are not suggesting an Indigenous girl. This is an old hobby horse of yours, which as usual been done to death.
Sri Lankans are not having much luck getting in. The naught Mr. Bowen is sending them home.
God, listening to Abbott talking about domestic violence. So concerned is he, that he is nearly in tears. Somehow, does not ring true. Sorry.
Opposition accused the member for Dennison for worrying about the gamblers not the industry.
Opposition, not the addict. worrying about industry.
From the speech, the Opposition will fight it all the way. Yes, the gambling industry is indeed powerful.
‘I do hope you are not suggesting an Indigenous girl.’
Never crossed my mind, I was speaking generally.
‘Sri Lankans are not having much luck getting in.’
The Sinhalese are going back because they are mostly economic refugees, the Tamils are another matter.
el gordo I see that not only did you hitch your horse to the wrong cart re the Gillard smear but you got the wrong horse as well.
Oh well it would have been too much to expect you to be right just once.
Did I smear Gillard? I honestly don’t remember.
The PM admitted she was young and naive sleeping with a crook who said she knew nothing about his crookedness.
It happens.
Did she attend the auction on the house? I know her boyfriend was there.
el gordo, any crime there.
I also notice that once she found out he could be a crook, she immediately left.
We do not all have crystal balls, as you appear to have.
Would love to know who is winning the next race at Randwick. Will make it worth you while.
Turnbull, still defending Abbott. Still ranting on about the use of the word mendacious. It is OK for the Abbott to call the PM a liar, but not the other way about.
You quickly and eagerly hooked (wrong horse and cart) yourself to the right wingers here el gordo, and they had Gillard guilty of the worse crime ever committed by a leader listening to them sprout on here.
By association, just as they accused Gillard by association, you smeared “joolya”, and also do so every time you use that derogatory term for her name.
I read that no member of the oppositions front bench were present for the apology today. Does anybody know if that is true or not?
Oh the delicious irony of this:
All I could see was the one who made the reply, Mr Abbott and two behind him, came in late. . It was confusing, as a shot I see on the TV seemed to have Abbott at the table. Before that speech there definitely no Opposition the house, even at the table. Maybe they were all at the White Ribbon celebration.
Could have been busy counting numbers.
Maybe they cleared out as soon as Smith finished speaking,]
Fierce defence says it all
‘Those results don’t indicate people were delighted with the impact of the carbon tax. But nor did most people receive a rude shock when the tax kicked in — for most, the tax had about the impact they were expecting, or less.’
Too bad about very small business, who weren’t feather bedded and cannot pass it on.
Good strategy by joolya.
Watching Dutton, talking about health. Trouble is he is talking about the wonderful job Abbott did as Health Minister.
Talking about how he increased spending. Forgot to say, when the Lib first came in they gutted every department.
Then later on, gave a little back, Therefore saying they increased spending.. Yes, increased it from the level they cut it back to. Most departments were still behind the eight ball when they went out of power.
Not listening enough, to know it it is a new policy or not.
Liberals : All Spin No Substance!
Talking about how he increased spending. Forgot to say, when the Lib first came in they gutted every department.
Then later on, gave a little back, Therefore saying they increased spending.. Yes, increased it from the level they cut it back to.
el gordo, you might need a new crystal ball. The PM did not fall on that sword today. I believe she might have plunge it into the heart of the Opposition.
Abbott ducked in late for the apology to defense victims of abuse, he arrived late and only when his shadow minister was speaking.
If the news is showing otherwise they have doctored the images so as not to show him in a bad light, their usual.
QandA is just finishing. The last 15 minutes were about “boat people,” but not one question about Abbott’s brain fart to oppose increasing refugee intake by plane.
Sue thanks for that. I was beginning to think I was losing it. Q and A could have been good, if it has a different moderator. The show is losing any value it had. Needs to die over Xmas, and begin again.
The next polls will be interesting I believe. Sue, did you notice the body language of Abbott when he went behind the chair, after the apology. Why did he not sit at the table.
I counted four at the most, including Abbott. Three of them came in late,
One thing for sure, Labor has full control of the parliament agenda today.
The PM is sure being aggressive. Her attack on Mr. Blewitt isn’t letting off steam. It was a calculated attack. What I find amazing is Blewitt’s calm reaction.
One needs to listen carefully to what Blewitt says in that 7.30 interview. It was bizarre,
I thought there was suppose to be an article with Mr. Wilson today.
Will be out tomorrow. If anything happens, I believe it will be as soon as the house sits. If not, the matter has fizz out. I do not believe they can have another QT as today. The other thing, is I do not believe, at this stage they will get any support from the cross benches.
It is hard to predict what will occur next. Notice none of the journalist are attempting to.
It feels like the lull before the storm.
The coalition was caught unawares with the defense apology and investigation. (too busy looking in their smut and smear files). So they quickly had to agree. Where they were caught is with defense finally having to deal with all the previous investigations, that is face ip and report to the public. and what makes it worse defense has to pay for it out of their own budget, no new money.
So after the govt being abused for cutting the budget, the defense boys will be facing real accountability.
And the Coalition cannot use the press or the usual spokepersons because what is happening is justified and they have already agreed.
I say a right result after the muck defense threw back at Smith over the Skype case. I even remember the Coalition calling on Smith to apologise to a certain commandant.
How many days will it take for the Coalition to realise they have been out manouvered.
“What this means is that a woman’s fertility can be preserved indefinitely,” he said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/science-beats-fertility-clock-20121128-2aev2.html#ixzz2DYtge5QR
“It feels like the lull before the storm… a woman’s fertility can be preserved indefinitely”
Perhaps the scientists can help to preserve Gillard’s leadership indefinitely!
A good read this opinion piece today, not on politics, well partly because Costello listened and was anxious to help authorities the police and the ATO
“While not exactly the Teflon Don, Mick Gatto has managed to escape most law enforcement investigations with no more than superficial wounds
Over several years police strategy in investigating organised crime has subtly shifted. It became about dismantling syndicates rather than chucking a couple of hoods in the clink.
Career crooks saw jail as an occupational hazard but the loss of their empire as catastrophic.
Chase the money and you destroy the power was the message. But how?
The model was obvious. US officials failed to get mobster Al Capone for murder, bribery and his obvious organised crime connections but nailed him on tax evasion.
The Tax Office had long been seen as a way of harpooning crime whales but somehow in the 1980s and 1990 the ATO became exclusively interested in raising revenue.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/is-the-party-finally-over-for-mick-gatto-20121130-2akz2.html#ixzz2DfTyhWVL
Col, ABBA, Nature5 and a host of sock puppets that you have commented under over the last six years…suck it up, princess!
I know who you are, sad and lonely.
50 Most Popular Women
Check out number 7
ME, Could be gender mystery.
scaper, your comment is beyond my understanding., Your comment, saying one is sad and lonely is true, it is unnecessary and cruel.
I have wondered at times, if the same applies to you.. It would be sad it that was true.
Gillard’s legal practices ‘less than kosher’ but not unusual: lawyers
Mobius Ecko
so all the carry on by Tony Abbott’s sharpest legal minds was just bollocks
And some good news
http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/new-equal-pay-era-begins-community-sector-workers
ME. the problem is that the work that the PM did was not of great significant, not enough to go the the trouble of making a file.
It was not ongoing. It was filed in the PM miscellaneous file, which I suspect, is where such matters go,
Not having created a file, in a way backs up the PM story.
CU
the bit about Bishop representing her partner, the mayor, . so more bollocks from Bishop, especially as she represented her boyfriend when interviewed by police. and how she could keep a steely stare at gillard for not remembering conversations from 20 years ago, when her boyfriends defense was he shouldn’t be expected to remember things 6 months previously.
check this out, Grattan has either read Margo at IA or remembers and has opened the eyes of the msm
http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/politics/abbott-has-his-own-slushy-history-20121201-2anjy.html
By the end of her article Grattan makes excuses for Abbott ( how Grattan can excuse pursuing someone to gaol is beyond me) and she doesn’t cover the part of Kingston’s account of Abbott breaking AEC laws.
CU
Margo has been answering comments at IA, they are worth reading . the article in IA was submitted to the Drum but they rejected it, her article at IA has been retweeted 1000 times
sue, is not the fifth estate wonderful it is holding the fourth to account. Wonder when the penny will drop with them
Interesting article by Gratton
“It’s worth a read, as the debate drags on about Julia Gillard’s role in helping set up the AWU Workplace Reform Association, which two corrupt union officials, one of them her then boyfriend, used to steal large amounts of money.”
Shows you how good Gillards judgement is.
I wonder when Gillard realised her boyfriend was corrupt???
That one is easy Neil. When it became public knowledge.
Neil also remember, it is still alleged, NO one has ever been charged or convicted. No one is sure who the victim was. No one seems to have benefited, except for Blewitt who admitted to taking money and burying it.
Mr. Wilson had departed before the house was sold. I thought the PM said that it was Blewitt that signed the association document. I could be wrong on that one.
It is said that the money was returned to the donors.
In fact, there is much more unknown, than known.
http://www.slatergordon.com.au/media/news-media-releases/vic-act-sa-tas-nt/Statement-regarding-the-employment-of-Prime-Minister-Gillard#.ULnlkJbhat0.twitter
The Crows got off too lightly. I would have kicked them out of the competition. 🙂
Yeah well, at least we haven’t got Amanda Van Driver on our Board…
You got me there. 😦
😆
Well then Neil if Gillard judgement is to be questioned on her past boyfriends then Ms Bishop should not be allowed anywhere near parliament for the blokes she went out with in the past, one who was so bad he was disowned by the Liberal Party and Ms. Bishop still went out with him.
But I know your just being a hypocrite again as you always have been.
Pip
Now all we need is statements about Styant-Browne leaving. Any rooms named after him?
And then there is Nowicki, the guy who paid the incidentals for Blewitt.
News ltd have 2 polls today.
Poll:PM fightback stalls, up to 20 seats lost, including Wayne Swan
Poll:Newman on nose, 54% unhappy with LNP
Ummmmmmm
Nowicki who called Blewitt his mate by the way,
Don’t forget, Bishop used belwitts word over the word of the PM, after she had been advised by blewitt’s sister that he was a crook who lies repeatedly. She had prior knowledge about blewitts past, and still went ahead.
They are dumber in this than turnbull was. turnbull at least fell victim to an elaborate forgery, which took the AFP to uncover., blewitts past is a record in itself. And, when tabot accused the PM of criminality, he was relying on one report from a ‘journalist’ with a stake in the game, and a paper with a history of making shit up. He laso could have read the actual document himself in order to verify the paper. That he accused the PM of such a deed without such a simple check shows extreme laziness and, well, stupidity.
Sue, from Grattan’s article
She remembered what many of us, in the heat of this slush fund battle, had forgotten.
Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/opinion/politics/abbott-has-his-own-slushy-history-20121201-2anjy.html#ixzz2DqGv5lpH
Forgotten, maybe, but not unaware of. I read many twitter people spamming journo’s with this for weeks. All quiet until now. Forgotten is bad enough, particularly for a senior political journo. Deliberately ignored is another thing entirely.
Tom,
I get the impression they believe they’re untouchable. That they can say and do nearly anything and not be called on it. You can see why they might feel that way. Behind them is among the most one-sided partisan media of any democracy on earth.
A one-party media and a far right party. Scary.
Forced to compete on their own ‘merits’ on a level media field, the “Liberal” party would either have to lose its extremism in a hurry, or be wiped out at the first election.
I get the impression they believe they’re untouchable.
Yes Cuppa, and their belief in this regard is grounded much in fact. As you note, if there was a level playing field, their extremism could not survive.
Luckily, I think the populace in large is waking up to this. Thanks in large to social media
Laurie Oakes touches on this in his recent speech, however, he excuses the media, and blames the pollies. Projection again. A ‘true’ journalist would also examine the ‘why’ in the reason that social media has come to replace, rather than enhance, media reporting.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/polly-press-gang-spreads-the-word-20121130-2amfa.html
The ABC were on the right track in enabling Latika Bourke to become a paid tweeter. That was forward thinking. She has blown that opportunity by becoming a partisan hack. She should stick to simply tweeting news. When she posits her little snipes at pollies and commentators, she loses her objectivity, and starts her cheering. Her obvious infatuation with tabot, and dislike of Gillard, comes across in all of these little swipes, no matter how much she wants to deny it.
That said, her straight up replaying of news is a handy source, and should be embraced, not ridiculed, by the old school.
As for being untouchable, the media seems to believe so as well.
‘Latika Bourke to become a paid tweeter. That was forward thinking. She has blown that opportunity by becoming a partisan hack.’
That’s totally unwarranted, Latika is a good journalist and just because she has a partisan view doesn’t mean she’s a hack.
just because she has a partisan view doesn’t mean she’s a hack.
Not by itself, no, but when it comes out in her little narks and derogatory asides at everything Labor, and straight bat or complete avoidance with all the opposition stumbles, it certainly does. As I noted in the same post you cherry picked from.
Seriously this could only be said on the Blot’s program, I think on any other someone would have to snigger
“”As far as I am concerned, what last week was all about was the coalition’s positive plans for the future,” he said.
Mr Abbott pointed to the launch last week of his new book, A Strong Australia, which features nine of his “headland” speeches given over the past year.
“As well as holding the government to account increasingly as this year has gone on, we have been about developing our positive plans and that’s what this book is all about, our positive plans for the future,” he said.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/abbott-says-he-just-wants-to-talk-policy-20121202-2aonq.html#ixzz2DrqP9VH4
a book of his speeches, positive? i must have missed the reporting on those speeches.
And if last week was an example of Abbott being positive, i think it would be a great ad campaign for Labor
“RESIDENTS in Gungahlin will have to wait until next year for the first homes to be hooked up to national broadband network fibres.
the six-month delay to getting an agreement with Telstra to decommission the copper network and provide access to its underground pits and ducts.
NBN Co regional community manager Darren Rudd said Telstra had to upgrade more pits in Ngunnawal and Amaroo because they were the wrong size.
”Telstra have to give up the infrastructure to a certain set of standards – that period of time is usually four months and sometimes it’s longer, depending on the number of pits they’ve got to upgrade,” he said
‘Some of these pits are 15 years old and they are a smaller size pit than we need … in that remediation phase, in places like Ngunnawal and Amaroo, we’ve had to replace three times the average of the pits because they are just the wrong size.”
But the problem is also prevalent in the newer suburbs of Franklin and Harrison. ”Some of them we are replacing because they aren’t the right size,” he said.
A spokesman from Telstra said the company agreed to make infrastructure such as pits and pipes fit for purpose.
”Sometimes this involves remediation work such as enlarging pits,” he said
Read more: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/delay-means-residents-wont-get-nbn-this-year-20121201-2anth.html#ixzz2DsdUrLTs
I’m impressed. According to Alexis world rankings the Café Whispers blog site is the 442,049th most visited internet site in the world and the 6,356th in Australia. A year ago we were number 5 million and something.
Thanks to you all.
The only way is up in popularity Migs. Considering there are NO, that is ZERO progressive media outlets in the so-called mainstream, places like the Cafe are as water to thirsty lefties everywhere. Thanks for being here.
Thanks Cuppa. It’s almost worth a post. 🙂
a case to watch, but it isn’t headlining on ABC news
” defamation case taken by the woman who accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of punching a wall will be heard in the NSW Supreme Court later this week.
Barbara Ramjan is suing Liberal powerbroker, Michael Kroger, and The Australian newspaper over claims she is a “serial manufacturer of false complaints”.
The matter was mentioned briefly in the Supreme Court in Sydney on Monday and adjourned for a hearing on Wednesday.
The defamation action relates to comments made by Mr Kroger on the Bolt Report on Network Ten on September 23 and an article in The Australian the following day.
The action also relates to comments Mr Kroger made in an interview with broadcaster Alan Jones on September 25, during which Mr Kroger described Ms Ramjan as a “nutter” and a “nobody”, according to a statement of claim filed by Ms Ramjan’s lawyers
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2012/12/03/14/01/abbott-accuser-defamation-action-in-court
Today the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and the Business Council of Australia (BCA) released a joint statement outlining how the three organisations will cooperate to tackle entrenched disadvantage through collaborative action.
The statement is the first of its kind in Australia and outlines a shared commitment by the three peak bodies to work collaboratively towards:
providing employment opportunities for Australians who are disadvantaged in the labour market; and
giving employers access to workers who meet their skills needs.
http://www.actu.org.au/Media/Mediareleases/Unionsformnewpartnershiptotackledisadvantage.aspx
Does anybody recall self-funded retiries being wheeled out every time howard had an interest rate cut?
I don’t recall a more negative re-action to a rate cut ever?
More interestingly, apparently the only real problem in our economy at the moment is confidence, more specifically, the lack of.
Rate cut = bad news
Confidence = low
Hmm, coincidence, surely 😉
‘I don’t recall a more negative re-action to a rate cut ever?’
Self funded retirees are in strife and its going to get progressively worse for them as the world slips into a deep recession.
Its finally dawned on young people they may have to support them.
‘The economy has overtaken the environment as the most pressing concern for the young, according to a survey of 15,000 people aged 15 to 19.’
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/what-young-people-fear-most–and-its-not-the-environment-20121204-2atc5.html#ixzz2E7GqZuZm
And the biggest concern for older people is that they will have to continue to support the younger generation who for the first time in modern history are staying at home quite often until they are in their early 30s. This takes a toll on the older generation’s ability to save for their retirement.
“The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a great Labor initiative – it’s up there with Medicare. It was also encouraging to see it being supported by the Opposition. That was until last night when Joe Hockey admitted in an interview on Sky that a Coalition Government would only implement the NDIS if it came with a “strong surplus”.
In one sentence Hockey confirmed what I had been thinking for some time – that the Opposition was giving itself some wriggle room. With his candid admission Hockey belled the cat. So much for Tony Abbott’s description of himself this week as “Doctor Yes” when it comes to the NDIS.”
http://brucehawker.com/2012/12/05/hockey-starts-to-distance-the-opposition-from-the-national-disability-insurance-scheme/
Hockey said tha same at his response to RBA interest cut at 3.00pm
Self funded retirees are in strife and its going to get progressively worse for them as the world slips into a deep recession.
Unfortunately for them, most of them are in strife because they believed howard when he said ‘this can go on forever’ (the housing boom)
It didn’t, and they were left holding the bill.
Perhaps if the media had been more honest back then, like they are overcompensating for now, some of those might have had a double take on their options.
Sua, it looks like the oo is going in to bat for the opposition on this, again
Labor’s approach to this scheme is driven by the quest for short-term political advantage.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/painful-flaws-in-disability-plan/story-e6frg74x-1226530032300
Tom R
At least he electorate will have a choice. Either for an NDIS with Labor or only with strong surpluses with Coalition. And what is a strong surplus, you only have to look at their History, no room for NDIS under Howard/Costello
“Asked if an NDIS was hostage to a potential coalition government having strong budget surpluses, Mr Hockey said: “We’re not going to make commitments we can’t afford to pay for.”
“Under us you will get a full NDIS when we can afford it.”
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/sitecore/content/news/news/national/2012/12/04/18/01/hockey-says-ndis-when-we-can-afford-it
Sua ?
Sue 😉
Looks like a pretty interesting campaign
LABOR LIBERAL
NBN NO
NDIS NO
Carbon Price NO
Employed NO
🙂
What’s in a name?
“short term political advantage”
just how many long years did the Coalition have to consider a scheme for the disabled?
the Coalition as spent the majority of the last 40 years trying to dismantle Medicare, why would they want another such scheme.
Stephen Koukoulas and Possum Comitatus have a different take on the SFR whinge:
Will someone tell Mr. Hockey that the government has cut back on spending, relying on rate cuts to alleviate any damage.
Mr. Hockey is bullshit, as some experts are saying he is just plain dumb.
.
Though l the figures still show the economy is travelling well.
Complaining about the government not pulling back enough of spending, which would lead to more interest rates cuts.
tephen KoukoulasVerified
@TheKouk
The dopey people complaining about low interest rates must love getting 8% returns when inflation is 10%.
Reply Retweet Favorite
Stephen KoukoulasVerified
@TheKouk
3 & 6 month terms deposits still around 4.3 or 4.4%; Inflation 2.0%. Whingenomics coming thru from savers.
Reply Retweet Favorite
Forget about reading Abbott’s book just listen to him praise Newman. A great grab as a campaign launch for 2013 election.
“Mr Abbott said it was unfortunate that some of the Newman government’s decisions were unpopular, even within its own ranks.
But he said those decisions were necessary and Mr Newman was doing a great job given the “economic basket case” he inherited from Labor.
“Sometimes they cause stresses and strains even within the ranks of the coalition here in Queensland,” he said.
“But you’ve got to do what is necessary to bring this country and this state back to health.”
Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/lnp-defections-regrettable-abbott-20121205-2au95.html#ixzz2E8EHQYNy
Sorry, I have repeated some in my rush.. Does not matter, as one cannot repeat the facts to often. Takes a while for it to sink into some.
The interest rate cuts bear no resemblance to 2009. The economy is at a different place. The economy is affected and controlled by two bodies. The government and the Reserve Bamk. One should balance the other.
All the figures are still positive. Not as well as some would like,
Mr, Hockey’s economic plan scares the lights out of me, and should scare everyone in this country.
Yes, we have to be careful as the world economy is fragile. That means this is not the time to talk the economy down. The opposite is true. Wonder what business telling Mr.Abbott behind the scenes,Suspect, he is being advised to put a sock in it. That is, shut up, you are making things worse.
How freaking scary. Tony Abbott driving a truck on the Pacific Highway.
The reporters ask,” when did you get your license?”
Reply “about a year ago, for my bushfire work”
and that’s freaking it!!!
Better questions \:
how often do you drive a car?
How often have you driven a truck since getting your license?
Sue, where does one drive these types of trucks during bush fires.
Yes, how often do you drive. Maybe some bush fireman out there can enlighten us.
CU
how often would he even drive a car?
But the fact that he thinks that driving a truck on a highway is something for a part-time driver is gob smacking stooooopid.
Says a lot about the company that would allow its vehicle to be used in this way. What standard do they have for their regular interstate drivers?
Sue, maybe we are being unfair. Maybe he has been moonlighting on the side, to pay that huge mortgage off. The one that was nearly a million dollars, so he could live the life, he had become a accustom too. Maybe he is an experience driver.
Why finish at Erina Fair, that is not on the highway.
Not even in Thomson’s electorate.
I hope he is considerate of the charity bike riders who like to use the Pacific Highway.
A tad ironic….
‘The potential for rising sea levels and more cyclones due to climate change was a factor in BHP Billiton’s decision to replace a jetty at its Hay Point coal export terminal.’
AFR
Scott Morrison having a press stunt, sounds like trying to justify Nauru, you know the place that was supposed to stop those queue jumpers
Tweet by stephen Koukoulas
Since introduction of Carbon tax
49500 new jobs
unemployment down from 5.3% to 5.2%
With stats like that Joe hockey and Tony Abbott will be in shock , they will have to go even harder to talk economy down
midday ABC news
” despite job losses being in the news everyday, surprisingly the unemployment rate dropped”
go to story about people who are struggling trying to get work. story from the Cross in sydney.
Talk about trying to push a “negative” about the government
Sue, true enough..according to the opposition Nauru was supposed to “stop the boats”. It was their idea and along with their other
brain fartsideas will/has been shown to be ineffectual.Sue, to tell you the truth I have not noticed that job losses having been in the news every day apart from the decimation carried out by especially the Qld government, but including the Vic and NSW governments. But of course, these will all be Julia’s fault…
Min et al
Interesting, the media’s attitude to the whole AS/Houston report.
Initial triumphalism (“Labor forced to adopt long standing coalition policy” sort of stuff) evaporated on the discovery that the coalition policies didn’t actually….work.
Now it’s back to Labor failures.
I’ve put this up before, can’t do a link but prior to the Houston report’s release A Current Affair did what’d have to be one of the most blatant politically biased stories I’ve seen. An intro about how Labor’d stuffed things up on the AS issue was followed by a revelation that there was this place in the Pacific, Nauru it’s called, & that nice Howard government had cured everything by sending people there. And along comes Scott Morrison on cue to explain why, yes indeedy, this place was ready to go again at the drop of a hat, thereby solving everyone’s problems. “Just pick up the phone…”
I bet that one’s locked away.
This one Bob?
PM press conference with Barry on the NDIS funding for NSW, not the launch funding BUT the funding for the permanent NDIS starting in 2018.
I hope Abbott wasn’t driving that hope(less) truck ’cause he may have just run off the road. Dr Yes has been locked in by his NSW mate, what was he thinking! He cannot have thought to take Abbott at his word, joe had given plenty of hints that NDIS is on the future wish list.
Has anyone seen the YouTube sKit, with the PM declares the end of the world is nigh. At least the PM has a healthy SENSE OF HUMOUR.
Has Abbott posted an itinerary for his travels. Would not mind going up to the highway, to show him how I feel.
You silly people, don’t you know it will not work without turning back the
boats and Temporary visas. How stupid can you all be.
Mr Morrison has made sure he has let the boat trade know this. It appears it can only work under Mr. Abbott. Mr Bowen and the PM are not tough enough.
No matter that the idea was not to let them in at all. Making any visa unneccesary. The second is, that the Sri Lankans are being sent back in big numbers by plane.
The truth is, this is not a decade or more ago. It is a new ball game.
It is time for the political games to stop.
Time for bipartisanship. Time to put the whole Houston Scheme into operation. It was said at the time, there could be no cherry picking. It had to be all or nothing. It appears they were correct.
There is no guarantee it will work, but would be more humane that what is occurring now.
Mr, Abbott should be held to account by the media and the public.
“Twenty-five union officials had access to the credit card electronic signature of Craig Thomson during the period he is alleged to have misused union funds to pay for escort services, according to a source.
The embattled independent MP and former union official is expected to defend the raft of claims against him brought by Fair Work Australia on the basis that it was one of these union officials who instead signed off on the charges for prostitutes.
“It did not occur,” Mr Thomson’s lawyer, Chris McArdle, said in relation to the escort allegations.
http://afr.com/p/national/craig_thomson_prepares_his_challenge_g9GINZxeFV5oFbCSB7USCN
Could explain how someone signed thomPson
“RAY HADLEY:
Now, I’ve got in front of me a book called A Strong Australia – the values, directions and policy priorities of the next Coalition Government. It’s comprehensive and it goes to about 145-146 pages. Would this be the platform for you to be elected as Prime Minister next year because we keep hearing you’ve got no policies?
TONY ABBOTT:
That’s exactly right, Ray”
http://www.facebook.com/notes/latika-m-bourke/i-thought-dixers-only-happened-in-question-time/462245330479959
Well that appears to be an emphatic YES to NO POLICIES!
2GB = Liberal Circle Jerk. :thumbsdown:
Bacchus @ 1.20
Yes, that’s it! I’d forgotten the dramatic tone of it all, & Morrison’s early lie about the government welshing on opening the place. This is the sort of stuff they’re good at, just keep up the stream & you’ll get away with it.
It’d have to be reworked for current consumption though, too many of Morrison’s demands having been met.
and we should not forget, the reality of this governments cuts.
C.U. @ 1.52
Walk into any major news media organisation, & you’ll see two straining, bulging reinforced steel doors. The one on the left contains “this stupid government doesn’t realise a surplus isn’t necessary” stories, the one on the right contains “wasteful Labor spending keeping us in perpetual debt” ones. The same bylines can be found in both sections. This one’s obviously been taken from the left.
Sue, during my working life, I managed Disability Houses.. As a part of doing this, there were cards issued in my name. Yes, my name was on them, but they were to be used by whatever staff was on for the running of the house.
My responsibility was to ensure they are being used only for what they were nominated for. This was not an easy task. There were many arguments between me and staff. Also between me and the auditors.
Yes, those suspect bills seem to occur when they were away. Would be interesting who used to travel with him.
And threats by Bolano, Kathy’s mate. And one of the places the haunt of Kathy’s ex
This is a little strange. McDonald must have been really bad for Labor to officially apologise.
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/labor-left-apologises-over-macdonald-20121205-2auzh.html
“NSW Labor’s Left faction has formally apologised for supporting Ian Macdonald into State Parliament as the Independent Commission Against Corruption continues to hear allegations of corrupt activity by the former minister.
The faction resolved on Tuesday night to issue an apology for supporting Mr Macdonald’s preselection, the same night the leading Left figure, Senator John Faulkner, gave a speech calling for reform within the NSW branch of the party.
“We believe in order for NSW Labor to change its culture, it has to acknowledge its mistakes,” the faction said in a statement“
Sue, who was into using prostitutes. Was made to pay money back. It is that fact that makes me lean towards believing Thomson.
Thomson demanded money back for his use of prostitutes, which I believed was paid.
Mr. Thomson then turns around and does the same thing. That is a little hard to believe.
I also recall that there were charges against Ms. Jackson, that clothes was either bought on her behalf, or she bought herself.
Once again, similar charges against Mr. Thomson.
Yes,I do believe they are capable of what Mr. Thomson is accusing them of.
I believe there is a case before the court, accusing them of changing the records of another member, making her illegible for election.
kathy had so many freebies, will reread the list when the vic police charge her
that case was settled. the judge gave a bollocking to bolano and said asmar could stand for election. but because of the court case the election has been delayed.
http://www.melbournetimesweekly.com.au/story/1160388/asmar-wins-bid-to-stand-for-hsu/
Sue, that is all that Mr. Thomson is accusing them of. They have much form, outside this case. One needs to go back to the previous suspension of the union. Same actions on behalf of them.
Neil, why would it be strange for Labor to apologize. Please explain, as the red headed lady used to say.
The relationship between the federal government and state governments needs to be a part of the national debate.
Drum. ABC 24
Truer word never said. We have moved too far from what the Founding Fathers created by stealth. Whitlam made a big thing of it, with Constitutional Review, but seemed to have petered out.
The Constitution should be under continue revision.
“‘Political promise’ to return budget to surplus ‘very dangerous’””
Re CU’s clip from the SMH at 1.52pm…
I actually have to agree entirely with McKibbin. The pursuit of a surplus is not only stupid, it is meaningless. It’s not the first time McKibbin’s said this. The irony is that he was very quick out of the blocks saying the opposite when the government was “wasting” all that money trying (successfully) to keep unemployment at bay at the height of the GFC.
Swan’s claim that government policies have created the “fiscal space” that allows the RBA to cut rates is true in the sense that waterboarding the economy would give the RBA to practise its skills in CPR. It is utter bullshit, and quite worrying.
The only thing more worrying is that if Swan really screws the economy, it’ll be be Hockey who gets to pull the levers.
McKibbin’s coalition thru & thru.His policy is whatever Labor’s isn’t.
Yes, Bob, wonder if we will be credited in criticizing Labor.
One can only hope that Labor is using, what is politically loaded, not to really be believing the surplus is the end all, but using the climate to draw back on the upper income welfare and rebates.
In other words, rearranging the spending and one’s options. Opening up the budget to allow for such things as Gonski and NDIS.
In other words, allowing Labor to control the agenda for the future.
One can hope.
Austerity budgets are the last thing we need.
It is not that we cannot afford to do what is right. It is that we cannot afford not to do what is right.
It is about priories.
Running around the country saying we cannot do this or that is pure stupidity.
The money is there. It is about what we are willing to pay for,.
“The money is there. It is about what we are willing to pay for,.”
The money is always there CU. It falls from the sky like rain.
And the government should spend into the economy whilst ever we have unemployment, for unemployment is the very measure of the degree of under-utilisation of the state’s resources. The “economy” is ours, the peoples’, not some plaything of market and bank economists obsessed with irrelevant ratios of debt/GDP.
The only constraints on govt spending are Real not Financial.
I heard on ABC24 this morning that the AFR has an article saying the govt is now looking at abandoning its surplus fixation. It looks like Swan is listening. The politics will be hilarious. Hockey will go ape-shit with confected scorn. But Swan will be able to recruit the endorsement of the likes of McKibbin and a number of other market economists who have been saying the same thing for about a year now.
Speaking of Swan…internal polling indicates he is gone next election. Rudd is not travelling too well either.
Internal polling must be giving Labor indigestion…Gillard’s already gone!
Western Sydney is looking very bad. Emerson should also be worried.
But she, she’s already gone
She’s feelin’ strong
Singin a vict’ry song
But she’s already gone
Yes, she’s already gone
Already gone
All right, nighty-night
Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahaha 😆 😆 😆
Another $3.2B borrowed this week.
http://www.aofm.gov.au/default.asp?NavID=22
Swan has lost control of our finances!
“Swan has lost control of our finances!”
Scaper, that is a political comment, quite unrelated to the actual monetary basics.
Public debt represents private sector savings. I hope my superfund got some of it.
There is no functional reason why the govt has to borrow to cover its spending because it is the monopoly issuer of the currency.
It issues debt because of institutional arrangements that go back to the gold standard. The retention of those arrangements advantages certain agents and interests within the financial economy, as well as being monetary operations to ensure stability of the cash rate.
You criticise the govt for issuing debt but remember that the big end of town went pale with fear when the Howard govt “paid off Labor’s debt” in 2002 and bond issues stopped. At the pleading of those special interests, issuance of CGS resumed even though there was no debt. Go figure, as they say.
Your comments suggest to me that you must’ve given up on the Stephanie Kelton interview. That’s a pity as I was hoping you might, given your political connections, carry a better understanding of monetary operations back to those who are clearly in need of enlightenment. I say that about both sides of politics.
These issues are far too important to be belted back and forth in the crude ping-pong of political point scoring. There are plenty of other areas of policy difference better suited for political entertainment and point scoring.
The current “debt/deficit boogey man” game is just making any progress in the direction of better economic policy impossible, with all of us the eventual losers.
If the records have survived over such a long period, can also clear Mr. Thomson.
Funny way to rum a case. Lay the charges, then collect the evidence. I was under the mistaken belief that it worked the other way around.
Will Graham Richardson apologise. Graham Richardson who usually loves publicity
” We shall see if the Right does the same for having sponsored Eddie Obeid’s rise to greatness, although I won’t hang by the thumbs waiting. The guiding genius behind that exercise was none other than Graham Richardson.
When a Labor seat became available in the Legislative Council in 1991, many in the party wanted it to go to Graham Freudenberg, the much-loved Labor historian and speechwriter to Gough Whitlam and Neville Wran. To his lasting shame, Richardson, then a senator but still the kingmaker of the NSW Right, kiboshed Freudy on the grounds that he was ”erratic”. He shoved the oily and ingratiating Obeid into the slot instead, ostensibly to bring business acumen to the party and caucus. And business acumen they most certainly got, though perhaps not the sort that even Good Ol’ Richo might have envisaged.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/exit-westwards-from-sorry-mess-20121207-2b0qh.html#ixzz2EOr2aYgO
Trolls beware, do not read
“Labor Party defies gloom as membership soars
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/labor-party-defies-gloom-as-membership-soars-20121207-2b10h.html
Forget the bottom line: the bigger picture shows things aren’t so bad after all
This is such a terrible government isn’t it? NOT.
What will be a terrible government is an Abbott one as he has promised to undo and demolish everything that currently has our economy ticking along and is keeping us out of recession.
I didn’t know about Labor membership increasing but read a couple of weeks ago about Liberal membership plummeting.
Would be interesting to find out what’s happening to the Liberal memberships at the State level, Baillieu, O’Farrell but most of all Newman would have them jumping overboard like rats from a sinking ship.
Mobius Ecko
have you seen this
http://www.smh.com.au/business/forget-the-bottom-line-the-bigger-picture-shows-things-arent-so-bad-after-all-20121207-2b117.html
Another prediction, and promise the PM made. To increase membership. Yes, the lady does keep her word.
Also manages to achieve many things at the same time. Multi dexterous, the
PM is.
Not like one task Tony. What happened to the truck trip.
Heard a comment on ABC radio, pointing out it Tony care about the Pacific Highway road toll, he would have come down by rail.
This person pointed out, it is a disgrace that only 10% of freight north are carried by rail.
It appears one train takes 120 of those big trucks off the road. How much safer, would that make the Highway.
Now, I live south of Newcastle, very closed to that Highway. I do a lot of walking, and have noticed within one hundred yards, there are crosses for five people. As they are still maintained, I assume they are all recent.
Now may trucks do not come this way, the road does not look dangerous.
Even higher speeds do not seem a problem.
The road is divided.
I guess that over tiredness is to blame.. Most are reaching the end of journeys.
I suspect, that most are in the early hours of the morning, as the most recent occurred..
The car ended up wrapped around a pole. No other car involved.
How does more spending stop these deaths.
I forgot to say, as one heads towards Lake Haven, there are more of those crosses.
I have never heard this stretch called a black spot. Wonder why?
CU
I also heard the Coalition had 11 years to fix it. I forget how many times Howard re-promised the same amount of money to fix the Pacific Hwy. It took Labor to increase funding on the Howard commitment to a 50:50 share, so that it could be completed by 2016.
Mangrove Jack, I have followed the AOFM ever since the debt was $103B. The borrowings were around $1.2B a week last income year, this year thus far indicates borrowings of over double.
For a government that claims there will be a surplus, why are they borrowing so much? Because they are borrowing to cover maturing Bonds and Notes. The interest component of the budget has gone into general spending which is somewhere around $9B by memory.
My gig is nation building and it disgusts me that they are borrowing to pay for the groceries, so to speak. The only upshot of this is if the Libs get in they have no other choice but to grow the pie as selling off the ABC, Medibank Private and Australia Post will not reduce the debt load.
There is policy talk of National Infrastructure Bonds to support the development of projects that have been cut and diced to ensure a commercial rate of return, just talk which is not convincing.
ANDEV is now working to finance the northern projects from international investment. ANDEV has very good connections to Indian, Chinese, South Korean, Japanese and American investment houses that are showing interest.
Some of my pet projects are water from the north and a rail link from the east coast to Tennant Creek to support the proposed Free Port of Darwin.
Hancock Coal is presently doing the finals and CBA for the water transfer with the view of receiving significant project status. This is Terry Bowring’s baby, my part was the lobbying of certain people to get the ball rolling. Terry sent me some information the other day concerning an aquifer that has a capacity to store 20,000GL. Can’t say where but puts the cherry on top of the water transfer project.
Been working on the rail link and mentioned to the co-chair that the Alpha Rail be extended to Tennant Creek. Genesee and Wyoming have now become involved. Then there is the Iron Boomerang Project which is to connect Abbott Point to Port Hedland via Newman. This is serious, a $30M FS will be conducted and land is being purchased.
Now, ANDEV will be getting involved and this will require no federal monies, just the approvals.
Got some news about a new university that will be built in Port Hedland. It will be called “The Port Hedland International University of Innovation and Inspiration”. The ANU are keen to put their campus on the private university.
There will be scholarships offered to the northern indigenous peoples in line with ANDEV’s policy on Aboriginal self determination.
No cigars for guessing who will be contributing to the construction and scholarships in a major way. Also, the WA government is fast tracking land releases around Port Hedland to encourage more growth.
Hasn’t been a good week…has been a GREAT week!
Can anyone recall the numbers of times that Mr. Howard released his promises for this road among other things. Can anyone recall how many of those promises never seen the light of day,
Promised much, delivered little.
“Hasn’t been a good week…has been a GREAT week!”
Hear Hear! Even greater as Labor and a certain cafe seem to be treading water while sinking slowly!
“Promised much, delivered little.”
That sounds just like Gillard to me!
“For a government that claims there will be a surplus, why are they borrowing so much?”
The same reason that business does, To fill in the holes when outgoings exceed receipts during the year It. I believe balances itself out over the year.. A book keeping exercise.
Treeman, sadly for you wrong again..for both the government and this blog…
“The same reason that business does, To fill in the holes when outgoings exceed receipts during the year It. I believe balances itself out over the year.. A book keeping exercise.”
You clearly have had little to do with running a business!
The US sees a drop in unemployment from 7.9% to 7.7% as signs to a recovery.
In Aus according to Hockey a drop from 5.4% to 5,2% is the economy going the wrong way. As for Abbott’s opinion who knows, he is apparently on work experience journey.
“Treeman, sadly for you wrong again..for both the government and this blog…”
How can you be so sure? Time will tell and on the face of it time is not on your side…to coin a phrase!
Cu @9.54am..agreed, the term non-core promise didn’t become part of the vernacular due to Howard keeping his promises. Of course we now have Tony going one or two better saying that he cannot be believed unless it’s in written..in blood presumably.
You know the Libs are panicking when Mitch Fifield (Mitch who?) gets to speak twice in a week. Well really twice since 2010, it just happens to be the same week, as all other shadow front benchers are mia.
Treeman, this blog has been up and running for exactly 2 and a half years..today actually. Happy 2 and a Half birthday to us. 🙂 The stats speak for themselves..as per Migs’ topic The Message is Simple:
Sue, I’m shocked that any of the Libs are being allowed to speak at all as every single time one of them opens their mouths they either contradict one of their fellows or stuff it up completely (see Cory or J. Bishop or Hockey or……).
But wasn’t Abbott warned about taking a lower profile as, and in spite of the HUGE Liberal PR machine and media mates Abbott continued to be no more popular, no more trustworthy than when he began. The current PR appears to be LOTS of pics of Action Man Tony and to let others do the talking.
“You clearly have had little to do with running a business!”
Tree. I must thank you for putting another, what must be an urban myth to bed, That is, even the most successful business can have cask flow problems, and needs
That is indeed good to know.
The other question I need to ask, and maybe you can put ne right, what has the PM not delivered?
Where is the truck driver today. Did not see much of him yesterday. In fact did not see him at all.
Mitch Fifield was very moderate in what he had to say. Love when he was told by the interviewer, that he consulted with Mr. Hockey before coming on.
Now yesterday, it appears that Mr. Hockey was in Toowoon Bay, but Mr. Abbott was heading to Erina Fair. The opposite ends of the coast. Did one get lost.
Anyone see the arrival, or was it a stunt that flopped.
Maybe the PM took up to much attention, in that long PC she had with the Preniers, who were all subdued. Once again the PM showed who was in control. Who has her hands on the agenda. .
Min, they no longer have written in blood. No longer need core and none core promises.
They all carry the rider, will only apply if we have the money.
Will be deferred otherwise.
Even Mr Fifefild repeated that this morning.
For a media that has gone on about productivity in the past, or the lack of it, there have been two occasions on which they have been mute on the subject.
Recent: Productivity highest it has been in 10 years.
Past: Productivity falls under WorkChoices and Howard government.
Story continues: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-investigate-liberals-shaw-20121207-2b0w4.html
Mo, but I’m sure profits rose under WorkChoices. 😉
I’m not sure Migs. Profits for big business and wages for their senior management obscenely rose as they do now, but from memory, and I may be wrong here, I think SME’s failed at an increased rate or around the same rate as pre-WorkChoices and SME profits didn’t improve as productivity didn’t improve to boost their profits.
WorkChoices was sold as a boon to SMEs not big business, it failed.
Mo, I was being sarcastic.
Scaper (at 9.51 am), you leave me to conclude that you didn’t find anything of interest in the Kelton interview on monetary operations.
I find that quite disappointing.
If you have a head for business I’m sure you wouldn’t have had any trouble understanding it.
If nation building is your gig, then having an understanding of monetary operations would give you valuable insights into how this can be achieved.
Ideas like “they are borrowing to pay for the groceries” are a mental blindfold. They are political statements. The reality is that the interest on bonds is corporate welfare. The very best one could say is that the interest is at least stimulatory.
Anyway, good luck with your projects.
Gather that Migs, so I stacked sarcasm on sarcasm. :mrgreen::mrgreen:
I see your
and raise you a 