Oz Federal Election 2013 - Discussion and Comments

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I do realise Howard/Costello had a huge amount of cash they didn't do anything particularly interesting other then bribe pensioners, baby bonus parents and other middle class welfare...

I also do realise the treasury advised the Howard/Costello Government to do nothing to avoid any chance of inflationary pressure on the economy...

If Howard or his submissive Costello had any vision they would have started investing in fast rail, fast broadband and more mass public transport for the major cities.

As a result the conservatives because of their total lack of vision for Australia just complain rather then envisaging ideas that make Australia go forward.

And who exactly did Rudd bribe with all those $900 handouts ?

I know that JB Hifi & the pokies did well.

Is that the sort of visionary spending your talking about? Or are we talking about roof insulation and tin sheds for schools with $50k consultancy fees attached. Or the $700 set top boxes etc etc

Lots of spending. Visionary no.

And don't tell me it stopped Australia falling into recession because it didn't
 
I saw this reddit and just had to share.

An average Sunday Telegraph article

FAIRFIELD PUB POLL REVEALS CHANGING WESTERN SYDNEY ATTITUDES
An exclusive poll conducted specifically for us since we were the highest bidder has revealed that Western Sydney has not yet been talked about enough by the news.

  • Photo of young white family *
Dave and Jacinta, a family of battlers, are concerned about Labor's messy reforms of the superannuation taxation policy and compulsory increase, primarily because they do not understand the concept in the first place.
"I mean, I keep hearing about this money, but it's not going in me account each week," says Dave, 29, who works as an unlicensed tradesman in the Western Suburbs, and agreed to speak to us if we bought his round.
Dave is not alone in his doubts. Less than 4 in 10 of the blokes we asked around the bar said that they trusted the current government to deliver on whatever it is they were asked about.
Jacinta is more concerned about welfare for her young family.
"I'm really worried they might cut the baby bonus," she says, in between puffs on her Winfield Blues.
Jacinta is 7 months pregnant with her third child, and at home her son Warnie, 3, and her daughter Fruity-Lexia, 14 months, are placing a deal of pressure on the household budget.
Jacinta plans to invest the payment for the next child into necessary upgrades for transportation.
"Yeah, nah, the Commodore hasn't had a new stereo in yonks."
In Blacktown RSL, voters are more worried about the possibility of Labor ruining the Ashes for the upcoming series in England.
"All I know is that whenever the Coalition is in power, we tend to be better at cricket," said Stuart, 47, whose interest in politics predominantly relies around whether it might influence things he can bet on.
"We were the best in the World under Johnny, and now look what Julia's done to the team."
 
I'm not seeing a real lot of serious debate at the moment. Catchphrases, cartoons, evasions. Looking at the two broadband plans, neither party seems able to describe either in similar terms. They might as well be talking about four different things, so little common ground is being discussed.

Why can't politicians use facts and straight answers to straight questions? Instead all we get is guff.

They have quite obviously worked out in the 24 hour media cycle of door stops and sound bites that is the best strategy... But they have been doing this since the 80s as Yes Minister so aptly pointed out... Part of the way to combat it is to get pollies on and interview them seriously for 10-15 minutes and not let them dodge the questions but re-ask it if they attempt to do so or try to nail them down... Unfortunately you rarely get any current affair program with an ounce of credibility on commercial tv anymore, although i tend not to watch some of the shows on sunday am tv so not sure about Meet the Press etc... I do try to watch lateline and some of the sunday am ABC shows if i am up early enough... QANDA can also be quite good for this... Unfortunately very few of the public i imagine are similarly inclined, being more focused on various cooking program, renovation programs and The Biggest Loser etc... They could tell you all the names of all the contestants on these shows and which team are b*tches etc, etc...

So the public are as informed as they want to be, and so get the pollies they by and large deserve...
 
I do realise Howard/Costello had a huge amount of cash they didn't do anything particularly interesting other then bribe pensioners, baby bonus parents and other middle class welfare...

I also do realise the treasury advised the Howard/Costello Government to do nothing to avoid any chance of inflationary pressure on the economy...

If Howard or his submissive Costello had any vision they would have started investing in fast rail, fast broadband and more mass public transport for the major cities.

As a result the conservatives because of their total lack of vision for Australia just complain rather then envisaging ideas that make Australia go forward.

Saw Costello on Lateline the other night talking about the Future Fund and how it has gone nowhere of late... Pity he isn't still the Treasurer or even PM-to-be... He didn't get everything right obviously, no one ever does, but i think he had so much more presence and gravitas than Swanny who many people seem to view with disdain and as somewhat of a joke... I rarely ever hear any compliments about him anyway...

And in difficult times i think that level of confidence, or lack of it, can have a big influence on whether people have a positive view of the future, expect things to get better, are willing to spend... Same goes for business, are they willing to make those investments to upgrade the business, are they willing to put on those extra workers, do they see the future confidently or negatively... That then feeds into lots of everyday decisions that eventually add up to become self fulfilling prophecies... And with the current lot confidence should rightly be around rock bottom and that has repercussions...

I think the public, the banks and business took Costello a lot more seriously than they will ever take that non-entity Swan, no matter how many contrived Greatest Treasurer in the World awards he wins...
 
Re: The totally off-topic thread

i used to think the same, but the unions are now saying the coalition could be reviving key provisions of work choices. that could well swing the election.

Would you really expect them to say anything else??
 
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Re: The totally off-topic thread

Well no, not when they cough up everything they touch, but by and large, border control is a Federal Government responsibility while street crime is a State Government policing responsibility...

Many people seem to get the responsibilities of the different levels of Government confused... While people are saying that Howard should have built all this extra public transport in the cities isn't this by and large a State Government responsibility, one which the feds might partner with and kick in some of the money, but usually not all of it??
 
Re: The totally off-topic thread

Well no, not when they cough up everything they touch, but by and large, border control is a Federal Government responsibility while street crime is a State Government policing responsibility...
Yeah. So how come Gillard is announcing all this extra money for education? Isn't educatio a State Government responsibility?
 
Re: The totally off-topic thread

Private schooling seemed to use to get the majority of funding from the Feds while public schools seemed to be the domain of the States, it is one of those sort of mixed up confused areas and why lots of people don't really understand what's happening... Even i don't claim to fully understand the break ups... The Feds have also been making some power plays to take over hospitals as well and get Health all under their control...

But the Fed police are involved with patrolling streets in any State... They may have some involvement in drugs or gangs or cross State border policing issues, plus airports and other Commonwealth responsibilities...
 
Re: The totally off-topic thread

Good to see the Europeans are on board & are true believers when it comes to climate change! Plunging carbon price to hit budget - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Should do wonderful things for the upcoming Green/ALP budget......wonder if they'll reduce the wealth distribution to match the likely massive drop in revenue come 2015?

The greens have done a magnificent job on the ALP:mrgreen:
 
Re: The totally off-topic thread

Good to see the Europeans are on board & are true believers when it comes to climate change! Plunging carbon price to hit budget - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Should do wonderful things for the upcoming Green/ALP budget......wonder if they'll reduce the wealth distribution to match the likely massive drop in revenue come 2015?

The greens have done a magnificent job on the ALP:mrgreen:

Yep the Greens from here on in are nothing more than a laughing stock, even more-so than they have always been
 
So Swanny's own goals are continuing to fly thick and fast???

I'd be inclined to laugh more if they weren't totally f...ing the place up at record pace...

Did anyone see that halfwit from the Green's on QandA on Monday night???
 
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