The Budget is not the only thing in deficit, its confidence!

[weg]

Yep. Already they are paying well above their cost.

I always laugh at the whole second smoke issue because it is farcical by and large. I don't like getting a huge amount of smoke in my face on the street, but I also don't like getting a huge amount of diesel smoke in my face. But it happens.

I'm a huge fan of banning smoking indoors in publlic areas. But outside? Who gives one? Live and let live. Health issues from second hand smoke and not going to occur because you once caught of whiff of someones lit ciggie.

I don't smoke either and support things like not selling cigarettes alongside sweets and Pokomon cards (we don't) and banning smoking indoors in a public place (I thought we did).

It was banned from all public indoors and in work places here some time ago ?? Is that not the case everywhere else? Many departments and businesses here don't allow it outside the front of their premises where the public pass or enter either.

Anyway, hiking tax right up because of a few that might let smoke waft in someones direction would be like making all drivers pay more tax for those few that speed or run red lights. The normal rationale would be to target the ones who are breaking the law or creating a new one IF that was an/the issue .

 

[Ideo]

I don't smoke either and support things like not selling cigarettes alongside sweets and Pokomon cards (we don't) and banning smoking indoors in a public place (I thought we did).

It was banned from all public indoors and in work places here some time ago ?? Is that not the case everywhere else? Many departments and businesses here don't allow it outside the front of their premises where the public pass or enter either.

Anyway, hiking tax right up because of a few that might let smoke waft in someones direction would be like making all drivers pay more tax for those few that speed or run red lights. The normal rationale would be to target the ones who are breaking the law or creating a new one IF that was an/the issue .

Yep. I'm an ex-smoker. Only for a couple of years at uni but whatever.

The indoor banning I meant was only for pubs/clubs. Even when I smoked I hated going out and coming back reeking of stale smoke. When the ban was introduced I still smoked but it was great. Huge supporter of it - and the bar staff etc in pubs had genuine concerns about secondhand smoke.

The stupid thing is, obesity has a far greater negative impact on health, and because of much lower tax, does not anywhere near pay for itself in terms of cost to the health system.

I think this may be one of the few things we actually agree on

 

[weg]

I think this may be one of the few things we actually agree on

Yes noticed .

*X-Files theme tune plays in background*

 

[Tony3008]

Fair enough, but it's all wrong.

They'll come out in another 3-6 months and revise the numbers again.

What this is turning out to be is the delayed effects of the GFC.

It's finally washing through the Australian economy.

Except Labor are still trying to ease us through.

I think there needs to be a good 12 months of pain (rip he plaster off this festering sore in one go) than trying to manage it over 3 years and let it keep on festering.

Pain for some. My software micro business sells 100% back to the UK and I get a few thousand dollars a year in pension from my first UK job (paid in GBP). Over the last three months the AUD:GBP rate has gone from 1.50 to 1.72 so I'm 15% better off (though some of this will be taken by increased petrol and imported goods price rises). When anything can move by 15% in three months it is ludicrous to pretend that you can predict the future with anything more than a broad brush guess so let's not be surprised when future estimates are continually revised.

 

[Mooze]

Yep. I'm an ex-smoker. Only for a couple of years at uni but whatever.

The indoor banning I meant was only for pubs/clubs. Even when I smoked I hated going out and coming back reeking of stale smoke. When the ban was introduced I still smoked but it was great. Huge supporter of it - and the bar staff etc in pubs had genuine concerns about secondhand smoke.

The stupid thing is, obesity has a far greater negative impact on health, and because of much lower tax, does not anywhere near pay for itself in terms of cost to the health system.

I think this may be one of the few things we actually agree on

So if smoking is preventing people from exercising? I used to live in Brisbane - my preferred method of getting to work was running to and from (great exercise, cheap, and good fun). Until summer - then the crowds of smokers on the footpaths that were unavoidable meant I couldn't run any more due to possibility of an asthma attack (I know my triggers - woods smoke and cigarette smoke).

And thankfully I work for a govt department - our building is considered public and therefor smoking banned from 4 meters either side of access - we used to have the idiots from the job placement agency a couple of offices up (small building) sit right outside our doors and the smoke waft in under and through our doors straight into my office.

Also despite the legislation people still insist on smoking at bus stops and train stations - illegal in NSW since January of this year. Not places where it's easy to get away from if your'e waiting for transport.

If it was the occasional whiff it wouldn't be too bad - seems like every time I walk down the street I cop several face fulls of it. And there is no recognised healthy level of second hand smoke.

 

[Peter 14.7]

I dont think cost affects smokers. They go without food, grog, pokies to enjoy the whiff. i have had smoke all 20 something who smoke and they agree: filthy, unhealthy and expensive - but still do it.

Personally I dabbled as a teenager because it was cool but thought yuck and was too tight to waste money on that instead of girls. My brother (deceased) was smoker as is sister and the lower socio-economic neighbourhood we came from contributed. Brother was also a petty criminal so what else do you do in the pen? trade ciggis I guess.

Regards, Peter 14.7

 

[BayView]

My mother (who died of smoking related lung cancer 2 years ago aged 67) used to say; "I'll give up when a packet costs $1"

Then it was $2, then it was $5, then ten, and so on.

This is a woman who had 4 kids and spent much of her adult life as a single woman, and when she was married - the second time - only for 8 years.

She was basically poor, and mostly pretty broke - even when married (a single income family).

So; cost is not a hindrance to smokers, unfortunately.

 

[kathryn d]

My mother (who died of smoking related lung cancer 2 years ago aged 67) used to say; "I'll give up when a packet costs $1"

Then it was $2, then it was $5, then ten, and so on.

This is a woman who had 4 kids and spent much of her adult life as a single woman, and when she was married - the second time - only for 8 years.

She was basically poor, and mostly pretty broke - even when married (a single income family).

So; cost is not a hindrance to smokers, unfortunately.

My mother is 83, and has smoked since she was 19.
She enjoyed smoking and never wanted to give it up.
Her dementia is getting worse, and when she had a hospital stay earlier in the year,it was decided she should stop.
She returned home and she asked if she smoked. She was told she used to, long time ago. That was it.
Too bad it took dementia for her to quit.

 

[TheMarket]

Pain for some. My software micro business sells 100% back to the UK and I get a few thousand dollars a year in pension from my first UK job (paid in GBP). Over the last three months the AUD:GBP rate has gone from 1.50 to 1.72 so I'm 15% better off (though some of this will be taken by increased petrol and imported goods price rises). When anything can move by 15% in three months it is ludicrous to pretend that you can predict the future with anything more than a broad brush guess so let's not be surprised when future estimates are continually revised.

Labor doesnt know how to do things probably, they comes up with un-realistic number and sky high prediction and then spend all those money they know they cant get ...... and blame blow out and short fall in revenue ...

Do you know how Costello used to do it? before the budget, he ask his ministers to lay down the cost for him and then he takes a big discount on that number...next he go to Treasury and Treasury give him a number ...he said no I don't want this number I want a Number much lower.....so they gave him the worse case number...

he then bring back this number to his ministers and their demands for funding...he said this is what I got, you cant have it all, cut your spending please...

that why years after year he manage to deliver better budget than forecast...because the real number is way better than he budget it for....and that how you run a prosperous country...

PS: do you know the term of trade under Labor is much bigger than under the Liberal yet
Lib can run a surplus and Labor cant? it's the Costello effect....

Sound like Labor is equivalent to a high income earner who spent all his earning
and Liberal is lower income earner but manage to stack a few bucks away for rainny day

 

[Mighty Magpies]

Your precious Costello effect is aided by ave tax take to gdp of 23.4% compared to labor 20.9

 

[AlmostBob]

I apologise, I know its been done before, but liberal gov, with costello as treasurer.
cant you just see em running thru the halls of power
Hey AAbbottt
the opportunities for comedy shows to do sound-over from old movies
tony and peter,
who's on first
what's on second
I dunno\
third base

Just for the comedy... vote liberal

For tragedy, vote labor

 

[BayView]

A lot of folk don't like the Libs because they tend to do to folk what everyone hates being told to do - they hate being told;

"Sorry kids, we're a bit broke right now, so we won't be buying much for Xmas, and that holiday to The Gold Coast will have to be a camping trip for a weekend at Echuca over the summer. I'll see if I can scrounge some tractor inner tubes to use on the river...Maybe things will be better next year and we can go the The Gold Coast then."

Labor go; "Oh, look - we deserve it; let's go - just put The Gold Coast trip on the CC and we'll worry about it later."

 

[willair]

Makes you wonder when they bring the old guard back in like Peter Beattie back in the gang,the mess he left in Queensland then handed the can too Anna then they got thrown out in a Landslide..

 

[wobbycarly]

Makes you wonder when they bring the old guard back in like Peter Beattie back in the gang,the mess he left in Queensland then handed the can too Anna then they got thrown out in a Landslide..

As a Southerner who spent a bit of time in Qld when Beattie was running the place, I was always under the impression that he did a pretty good job. Obviously, as a local you'd disagree?

Nice pic by the way!

 

[willair]

As a Southerner who spent a bit of time in Qld when Beattie was running the place, I was always under the impression that he did a pretty good job. Obviously, as a local you'd disagree?

Nice pic by the way!

Just type in
'IBM QLD payroll,and work back from there ,,that mistake would be over one billion ,,throw in a few dams the list would be endless,and after watching MrBeattie work the faithfull this morning ,in private business if you went down the same road with those numbers you would never work again in Australia..

 

[Angel]

If I remember correctly Beattie would not bring in water restrictions until our Brisbane drinkable water supply was down to 17% of its capacity. By then it was too little too late. He finally told people to stop watering their gardens, washing their cars and you can now have water tanks in your yards. They were banned until then.

He then ordered the most ridiculous desalination plant in history to be built.

Then God felt sorry for us and sent a flood. Or two.

 

[TheMarket]

Your precious Costello effect is aided by ave tax take to gdp of 23.4% compared to labor 20.9

talk like one of those bad ASX companies where they use net debt to equity ratio ... we are only 40% debt to equity then went belly up because they cant afford the interest payment

which is a better number?

24% of 2 Billion or
20% of 3 Billion

Labor in absolute number term get more revenue than when the Liberal left power