Where to for Tony ?

[Ed Barton]

A fellow passenger on a tram on Friday was sharing with me that mature age people she knows who have been unemployed for 12-14 months have been told that if they don't apply for 40 jobs a month, they will be cut off benefits.

That is what the libs wanted to introduce - it never happened. They are required to apply for 5 jobs per week, roughly half your figure.

The older someone is, generally the more assistance (help finding work, not more money) they are eligible for. eg - a business hiring an over 50 long term UE can get $10k off the govt if they keep that person employed for 12 months.

Older long term UE also have less of the 'punitive' elements of the system. So an over 50 long term UE is not required to do work for the dole. Over 55 (60?) and you're not required to look for work at all if you do 15hrs volunteering a week.

 

[see_change]

Re the Canberra mogals .

My sister worked for 30 years in the Canberra civil service and ended up an the head of a statutory authority .

For those of you who are old enough to remember it , there was one TV show which she said was in reality a documentary on how Canberra worked .

That show ... Yes Priminister .

Cliff

 

[Ed Barton]

Some political leaders get away with 'fibs' while others would be brandished 'liars' for the same indiscretions. It's due to their personalties, charisma, media bias and who their opponent is.

• Hawke had the mojo.
• Peter Beatie was known as Teflon Pete.
• Joh Bjelke-Petersen had the knack of rarely answering a question. "How come you always answer a question with question?" "What's wrong with that?"
• Howard sort of had it. He managed to pass of the core/non core issue as a fib, rather than a lie.

• Rudd didn't have it.
• Gillard didn't have it.
• Tony certainly doesn't have it.

I know how you all like Rudd. So here's his keynote speech to the UN - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wksMvWCsh4

 

[lizzie]

I've been a Liberal voter all my adult life ... but I honestly cringe as so much the current Liberals are do not seem to have any touch with reality, and every time they open their mouths they peeve off the voters.

Seriously - saying poor people don't drive cars!

And then Tony, today, declaring his main success as Minister for Women was to repeal the mining tax and therefore make it easier for women to balance the home budget .... OMG ...

However, they are not helped by a senate determined to block every reform just for the sake of it.

 

[kathryn d]

Seriously - saying poor people don't drive cars!

.

What he should say is "Poor people shouldn't drive cars"...or smoke, drink, gamble, do drugs etc

If you are truly poor, ride a bicycle, walk, or take public transport.

 

[lizzie]

If you are truly poor, ride a bicycle, walk, or take public transport.

Speaking of which ... this was a really interesting talk last night on SBS

http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/video/368800835692/Dont-Panic-The-Truth-About-Population

 

[lizzie]

What he should say is "Poor people shouldn't drive cars"...or smoke, drink, gamble, do drugs etc

p.s. if you can afford booze, fags, tatts and an iPhone ... you can afford a $5 (max $50/yr) co-payment to take your sick kid to the doctor.

 

[Television]

p.s. if you can afford booze, fags, tatts and an iPhone ... you can afford a $5 (max $50/yr) co-payment to take your sick kid to the doctor.

If you can afford a $200k luxury car, you can afford to pay higher taxes, etc. etc.

I'm not justifying the excesses indulged in by the poor, but also pointing out that it happens at either end of the scale.

"They earned it"

Ok, then let's start everyone off on level playing field so everyone can earn their winnings, meaning once you die, all your chips get cashed in, no boosting up the young'uns.

 

[Macca]

If you can afford a $200k luxury car, you can afford to pay higher taxes, etc. etc.

I'm not justifying the excesses indulged in by the poor, but also pointing out that it happens at either end of the scale.

"They earned it"

Ok, then let's start everyone off on level playing field so everyone can earn their winnings, meaning once you die, all your chips get cashed in, no boosting up the young'uns.

If you can't leave it to your kids/family then it encourages people to blow it all, no one knows when they are going to die, so you end up with everyone being on a full pension in their very old years.

Better to keep some in hand and give it to the kids when you die, that way people can fund health and housing without costing the Govt as much.

 

[Television]

If you can't leave it to your kids/family then it encourages people to blow it all, no one knows when they are going to die, so you end up with everyone being on a full pension in their very old years.

Better to keep some in hand and give it to the kids when you die, that way people can fund health and housing without costing the Govt as much.

Ok, so set a cap on a reasonable amount depending on factors like age, location, dependents, health factors etc. Cap it at $1M per child, which is just about as good a start as anyone could hope for.

You can't spoil people and provide them with benefits without working for it, it'll make them lazy.

Blowing it all is good for the economy, right? Transfer of wealth?

 

[kathryn d]

Ok, so set a cap on a reasonable amount depending on factors like age, location, dependents, health factors etc. Cap it at $1M per child, which is just about as good a start as anyone could hope for.

You can't spoil people and provide them with benefits without working for it, it'll make them lazy.

Blowing it all is good for the economy, right? Transfer of wealth?

I'd rather encourage people to save, and pass it on to further generations.

Make retirement a bit uncomfortable to the ones who spend it all now, and refuse to save for their own future.

 

[D.T.]

Ok, then let's start everyone off on level playing field so everyone can earn their winnings, meaning once you die, all your chips get cashed in, no boosting up the young'uns.

Are you some kinda communist?

 

[Jaggannath]

Do people understand the effect the GFC had worldwide 2008-2011? It made it soooo much harder for Labor to manage the economy and keep things humming along...yet Labor didn't squeal like stuck pigs like the Libs are doing now....

100% rubbish IMO.

Rudd was fairly ineffective, Gillard was fairly ineffective and Abbott seems like he will be fairly ineffective too
.

Rudd was completely ineffective, and a complete douche. Gillard could never be effective in the situation she was in. Abbott is the same to a degree, though I'm not a fan of what he's doing.

cuts to CSIRO numbers
Grow Australia's economy, nurture innovative industries..

Yup

In Norway, companies drilling for oil in the North Sea pay a 78% tax rate on income (akin to a mining tax), compared with a corporate tax rate of 28%. Shell and BP have been drilling in the North Sea since the 1960s.

Norway invests its revenue from oil into a sovereign wealth fund in preparation for when the oil runs out or when it's no longer economically viable to drill in the north sea. Their sovereign wealth fund began in 1996 with USD 250 million and 18 years later, the fund is worth USD 750 billion!

It's the world's largest sovereign wealth fund.

p.s. Norway's population is a little over 5 million people.

If Australia had adopted Norway's strategy in the mining boom years, we'd be rolling in dough.

If only, that ship has long sailed.

Most politicians don't think about making things better 10, 20 or 50 years down the track; they think about what will make things better in the short term so that they will get voted back into power.

Sometimes long-term policies are put into place, only to be abolished when the other side gets into power.

Some politicians are ideologues but realise it's about number crunching when they get to parliament.

Yup, it's sad the short-termism. Bring on the benevolent dictatorship!

It can be shared with the father.

Man I love Canada, and this just reinforces it. I wish my wife would let me live in B.C!

 

[Gendry]

Normally liberals fix up the economy so labour can come in and spend the money on their social programs .

Or you could say that Labour usually invests in long term infrastructure, which takes a few years to bring about economic benefits. Then Liberals come along and cut spending and privatise, to realise a short term improvement and thus look like kings of economic management.

It was the Rudd government that was used as an example for the rest of the world during the GFC. Never would you have known that if you went by what the papers over here say of course.

The idea that the more conservative parties are always better for the economy is one of the biggest misunderstanding in politics IMO

As for Tony himself I'll put it this way - never before have I travelled the world and been embarrassed to be an Australian due to our political leader. It used to be "Australia... you guys are becoming a superpower. You have four of the best banks in the world, we studied your system in economics" Now I hear things like "wait... aren't you guys trying to destroy the coral reefs over there? Get forests off world heritage lists? Why did you elect that guy?"

 

[perthguy]

Or you could say that Labour usually invests in long term infrastructure, which takes a few years to bring about economic benefits. Then Liberals come along and cut spending and privatise, to realise a short term improvement and thus look like kings of economic management.

I don't think you can say that anymore. Rudd and Gillard certainly invested in infrastructure but both made some very savage cuts too, of which I was a victim of in the areas of higher education, HECS repayments and superannuation co-contribution for low income earners. The Abbott government is throwing money at roads but not at rail so far. There is still some money left for investment in renewable energy. Of course all of this comes along with a lot of cuts. None of those affect me. Rudd and Gillard beat him to it!

 

[Macca]

Very easy to throw money around when you have some in the bank and use your AAA rating to borrow more, very different story when the party is over and the bills come.

Kind of like comparing an average household, right now it is party mode but come February things will be different.

For Tony Abbott it has been February all year.

 

[topcropper]

I'm looking forward to seeing what changes Scott Morrison makes to Australia's welfare system, as he is the newly appointed Social Service Minister. Seems to be the bloke they need in there after he did such a great job in stopping the illegal queue jumping boatpeople.

There needs to be some reform here. Too many people on disability pensions and other rorts. I reckon this bloke will bring in a few billion in savings? Just hope he can convince Abbott that his ridiculous paid parental leave scheme is just, um,??? ridiculous.

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-...rrison-pledges-to-get-people-off-welfare.html


See ya's.

 

[kathryn d]

I'm looking forward to seeing what changes Scott Morrison makes to Australia's welfare system, as he is the newly appointed Social Service Minister. Seems to be the bloke they need in there after he did such a great job in stopping the illegal queue jumping boatpeople.

There needs to be some reform here. Too many people on disability pensions and other rorts. I reckon this bloke will bring in a few billion in savings? Just hope he can convince Abbott that his ridiculous paid parental leave scheme is just, um,??? ridiculous.

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-...rrison-pledges-to-get-people-off-welfare.html


See ya's.

Maybe after he fixes your system, Canada can borrow him?
We have far too many lazy people on the system too.

Only good thing about our system...your can't get welfare if you own property. Must sell first. Great incentive to find a job.

 

[datto]

Maybe Scott Morrison can deport anybody who applies for a dis support pension lol

There is no way he will change it or get people off it. If he tries he will face the biggest voter backlash in history.

 

[topcropper]

Maybe Scott Morrison can deport anybody who applies for a dis support pension lol

There is no way he will change it or get people off it. If he tries he will face the biggest voter backlash in history.

What? The disability pension? What a laugh! Most people who'd be rorting it would be labor voters. Anyone not rorting it would have nothing to worry about and should keep getting it. I don't see how Morrison would be worried about losing votes for the Libs?


See ya's.