New Oz PM

[oz_mark]

I'm sure that is not want you intended to write. But on face value i can only reply: I think that seeking to plug the budget hole is sound economic management

Sound economic management would not have introduced the hole to begin with.

 

[drron]

News just in. I'm going to run for PM.

And I really would like to be Minister for Foreign Affairs.Promise I wont wear fishnets(unless you really want me to).:shock:

 

[straitman]

And I really would like to be Minister for Foreign Affairs.Promise I wont wear fishnets(unless you really want me to).:shock:

No photos please.

 

[oz_mark]

No photos please.

What if such a photo is requested in the next scavenger hunt ? :mrgreen:

 

[nlagalle]

And I really would like to be Minister for Foreign Affairs.Promise I wont wear fishnets(unless you really want me to).:shock:

You know that under the new regs there are no FF points awarded for flights (not sure about SC's... but then you might get CL out of it!

 

[Flashback]

And I really would like to be Minister for Foreign Affairs.Promise I wont wear fishnets(unless you really want me to).:shock:

I would like that very much

 

[Sprucegoose]

I'm pro-Labor but mainly because of the Coalitions far right views on immigration. You see, my family are refugees and if it wasn't for the Labor party and their policies at the time, our family would not be here in Australia :!:

My parents have worked hard and managed to run a successful business, to support all of the children (5 of us) enough to study hard and all complete at least tertiary degrees.

Sadly, under the Coalition - they love to scare monger and that su*ks - and my family would have been classed 'queue jumpers, potential terrorists, who throw their kids (which would have been me and my siblings) into the high-seas because it was fun to do so'.

Anyway, if we go to a Coalition govt, I know what I need to do to not support them (even if it meant I'm only a very minute % of the entire population).

Apart from that, the economy is fantastic and going to rebound from the GFC with vibrant colours and all thanks to the stimulus and Labor's economic management - something mainstream media should have to realise objectively than use their pre-historic subjective views.

Interesting and candid perspective Alan.

I would have thought running a small business would have pushed you over to the conservative side of politics.

I speak to a lot of people and it appears to me those that are dead set against the illegal immigrants are the newly confirmed immigrants.

Your family may have had political factors in their favour and at play Alan? However it would be fair to say that these days there are many economic refugees taking a chance.

Gillard yesterday played down the notion of a 'Big Australia' - what sectional interests do you think that was aimed at?

Regards

SPRUCE

 

[drron]

You know that under the new regs there are no FF points awarded for flights (not sure about SC's... but then you might get CL out of it!

It is the CL I would do it for

 

[Fantic125]

And I really would like to be Minister for Foreign Affairs.Promise I wont wear fishnets(unless you really want me to).:shock:

I think photo's would be in order.

 

[Dee Thom]

I think photo's would be in order.

drron, you'll have to wear a AFF luggage tag around your neck (or knees) so we know it's you
And as treasurer, I hold all rights to any knives found in the kitchen cabinet.

Cheers Dee

 

[medhead]

The policy under discussion changed this week for the sitting government.

It is relevant to know if people follow a policy they believe in, or if they follow a party for some historic reason.

Actually, I saw insiders this morning and what Gillard said is not a change on policy at all. She "understands" that people are upset, she didn't back down from the compassionate policy that the ALP has more or less had for the last 40 years. Unlike the Liberals.

How soon we forget !
Whitlam
Hawk/Keating
GRudd

Cheers Dee

Yep, that's 3 governments.

I read what was written and understood what was meant :!:

Sound economic management would not have introduced the hole to begin with.

Yes, I also understood (assumed) the intent of what was written. It is just a shame the words didn't actually convey that intent. analyse the sentence. The action being taken, and the subject of the sentence, is to plug the debt. The comment can only relate to action being taken. To paraphase - Because of XYZ, they are doing ABC. Hardly sound economic management.

As for the premise that the stimulus is not sound economic management. I can only say that it has kept Australians employed and saved many (but not all) parts of the australian community from the worse conditions that have been experienced overseas. Australia has been saved a lot of pain with a modest level of debt. When you consider the alternative, I thing it is great economic management. But I do also think that the stimulus projects were in some cases poorly managed.

The only basis of claiming the stimulus is poor economic management is if you believe the rubbish put out by the Liberals that debt is bad. Such opinion ignores the facts that every business in Australia runs with some level of debt, a level of debt that is managable. Do we say that any of the top 100 companies have poor economic management because they have debt. No that only happens when the debt is excessive. The Australian government doesn't have excessive debt.

I would ask anyone who thinks that the stimulus was poor economic management if their solution would ahve been to do nothing; to let australia suffer the full effects of the GFC? And would they then be claiming that it is poor economic management when unemployment hit 10+%

 

[11sjw]

Purely a move to win the next election by the ALP. Judging by recent polls it's working.

For those that say debt isn't a bad thing, what are we running at currently? $100-$200B? When you're paying the monthly interest on that it can be measured in large infrastructure projects that don't get the go ahead. How that can be a good thing is beyond me.

Why are they not working their backsides off to get rid of it? Doing so would free up billions that could then be spent on better health, education and infrastructure. Effectively all the ALP has done is borrow from our kids so that we didn't suffer.

Being relatively close to the mining industry in WA, it isn't fun watching projects get postponed or canned because of the threat of the RSPT. I'm certain mining companies are playing politics but the game was started by some very selective (selectively stupid perhaps) reading of the Henry Tax review. I've seen friends and colleagues lose jobs already. I'll certainly be voting to return the favour to the ALP clowns that have caused this.

To then lob the tip of the iceberg off and say "We're sweet" smacks of an insult to me.

 

[Skoogle]

Actually, I saw insiders this morning and what Gillard said is not a change on policy at all. She "understands" that people are upset, she didn't back down from the compassionate policy that the ALP has more or less had for the last 40 years. Unlike the Liberals.

I asked Alanslegal a follow-up query on a post, I am not sure if you are putting words in his mouth or mine.

 

[nlagalle]

News just in. I'm going to run for PM.

Count me in for Defence and Transport!

 

[Flashback]

Count me in for Defence and Transport!

We'll see, we'll see.

 

[Keith009]

While there is no detail about how they are going to achieve it, the new PM has signalled a reduction in immigration. Gillard rejects 'big Australia'

Reading between the lines, I think that announcement was made in the context of the recent changes to skilled migration, rather than the humanitarian program. Labor has been trying to de-link the international education industry and the skilled migration program to cope with the bottleneck in the system. Part of this involves prioritising Employment Sponsored visas over Independent skilled migration visas, after that hairdresser/cooks fiasco of 2007. I reckon the announcement foreshadows a system of preferencing visa applicants who are willing to settle in regions which are lacking in their type of skills. So the way I see it, Independent skilled visas will be all but eliminated, with high priorities given to Employment Sponsored and/or Regional Sponsored applicants.

 

[oz_mark]

I would ask anyone who thinks that the stimulus was poor economic management if their solution would ahve been to do nothing; to let australia suffer the full effects of the GFC? And would they then be claiming that it is poor economic management when unemployment hit 10+%

I guess you are saying that you believe that the stimulus was the only thing that allowed us to sidestep a recession. The stimulus was one factor, but other factors such as low interest rates, the China effect, and encouraging households to take on more debt via the (misnamed) first home owners grants.

My problems with the stimulus were its excessive size, and the poor targetting of some programs.

 

[Flashback]

I guess you are saying that you believe that the stimulus was the only thing that allowed us to sidestep a recession. The stimulus was one factor, but other factors such as low interest rates, the China effect, and encouraging households to take on more debt via the (misnamed) first home owners grants.

My problems with the stimulus were its excessive size, and the poor targetting of some programs.

Ah, you mean the gambling assistance payment?

 

[oz_mark]

Ah, you mean the gambling assistance payment?

The gambilng assistance payment, the plasma TV payment and the overseas holiday payment all contributed immensely to our economy

 

[drron]

How do we know the stimulus has saved Australia,because the government says so.Hmm sorry.Economists have mixed opinions.Of course many point to the experience of the Great depression and in the USA credit FDR with saving the economy by Government spending.However in May 1939 his Treasury secretary Henry Morgenthau said-
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work. ...We have never made good on our promises... I say after eight years of this Administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started... And an enormous debt to boot."
The problem is that government spending is rarely productive.What permanent boost to production has this Government's stimulus caused.I say very little but it has brought forward demand-meaning a decrease in demand later on.By borrowing money the Government makes it harder for productive enterprises to get access to credit-ask anyone in small business how easy it has been to borrow for their businesses in the last 12 months-certainly not as easy as borrowing for residential housing.
To me the jury is well and truly out on the stimulus program-it may be merely postponing the worst.