The quickening disintegration of Tony Abbott

It shows in his face. Taut, tense, worried, he looks like a man under great pressure when he fronts for impromptu pressers. His sycophants, seldom smiling, occasionally furtively smirking, nod behind him in unspoken approval. He often has Margie at hand to prop him up. He speaks haltingly, his gravelly voice grinding out his ‘message for the day’ dutifully learned at the morning briefing from his minders.

He was not looking good when I wrote The inexorable disintegration of the Leader of the Opposition in November 2012. Nine long months later, his disintegration is noticeably worse.

Reasons abound for his decline. In the latter months of Julia Gillard’s prime ministership with poll after poll running persistently and decisively against her, his confidence of an electoral triumph on September 14 was running sky high. Then, on June 20, what he had been plumping for since 2010 occurred abruptly – the political demise of his bête noir Julia Gillard. He must have thought about this possibility, but when it arrived at the eleventh parliamentary hour, out of what he thought was a clear run to the election, he seemed surprised, looked flat-footed, and reacted lamely. It had all looked so easy, but suddenly he was facing a resurgent Kevin Rudd, who obviously had been planning his prime ministerial resurrection for many months, planning how to counter this slogan-driven man.

All Tony Abbott’s plans for countering Julia Gillard had to be discarded and new ones to counter Kevin Rudd rapidly developed. Predictably, he flicked the switch to extreme negative, talked about Rudd being a dud, brought out from storage the nasty comments Rudd’s colleagues had made about him eighteen months before, and ran some ‘lemon’ ads along these lines. But their frequency soon dropped as Rudd’s reappearance evoked an enthusiastic reaction from the electorate. Many out there felt he had been very badly treated when he was rejected and replaced in 2010, and derived satisfaction at his dramatic renaissance. For many voters ‘revenge was sweet’; they revelled in Rudd’s rebirth. Abbott was caught open-mouthed.

Clearly, Rudd had been developing his strategy for ages. He saw that neutralizing key planks in Abbott’s election platform was crucial.

His first move was to defuse the ‘carbon tax’ charade. Although Abbott and the sycophantic Greg Hunt mindlessly continued with their ‘carbon tax is ruining the economy’ mantra, all the evidence of the last twelve months made that catchphrase unsustainable. Whyalla continued to prosper, the small increases in electricity costs resulting from the tax were exactly as predicted, and the cost of lamb roasts failed to soar to $100. Well-compensated consumers ceased complaining. Talk of ‘the ever rising cost of living’ by Abbott, Joe Hockey and the Fourth Estate was soon seen by objective observers as empty hype.

A problem that never was had lost its illusory magic for the Coalition, but its minders persisted in pumping out the same tired old carbon tax rhetoric. When Rudd declared that Labor would bring forward by one year the transition from a price on carbon to an emissions trading scheme linked to the market in Europe and elsewhere, the Coalition’s carbon tax scaremongering was effectively buried. Rudd pointed out that he had thereby effectively ‘terminated’ the carbon tax, leaving Abbott’s longstanding threat to ‘axe the tax’ an empty gesture. Abbott could not terminate it any quicker.

Abbott’s reaction was to insist that an ETS was still a tax and that Rudd was using sleight of hand. He lamely told a Launceston audience that "He's changed its name, but he hasn't abolished the tax. He's not the terminator, he's the exaggerator. He’s not the terminator, he’s the fabricator”. He continued with his line that business would still be heavily burdened, although with the price of CO2 on the European market being less than the existing fixed price, the burden would actually lessen. Abbott’s carbon tax weapon buckled - a flimsy plastic sword attempting to pierce tough armour.

Although people stopped listening to his weary predictions of carbon tax doom, it took many days before his minders advised him to ease up on what was now a spent campaign of fear mongering. He still occasionally utters carbon tax hyperbole, but without conviction. His intention that the next election be a ‘referendum on the carbon tax’ quietly evaporated, leaving him dismayed, stammering and deflated. The Abbott disintegration gathered pace. He was like a boy whose most treasured marble had been smashed by his opponent’s prize tombola.

Anticipating an adverse ICAC finding about ex-Labor ministers Eddie Obeib and Ian Macdonald, Rudd announced a reorganization of the NSW Labor Party and a new mechanism for replacing a Labor PM. Knowing that he would have to wear the ignominy of that corruption inquiry, Rudd attempted to blunt it. Abbott was soon out trying to implicate Rudd and Federal Labor. ”Labor is rotten to the core” he insisted. How much that affair will be in the mind of NSW voters at election time is unknowable; Nathan Rees estimates it will reduce Labor’s primary vote there by 2 to 3%. How much can Abbott damage Labor over and above the damage already done? Rudd was proactive, leaving Abbott to react, but to what effect?

Next Rudd sought to deactivate the asylum seeker issue, one that has bedeviled Labor ever since he removed elements of Howard’s Pacific Solution in 2008. The issue was causing such angst among some voters, most noticeably in Western Sydney, that it needed to be defused. Curiously though, a recent Essential Report revealed that it was well down the list of voters’ most important issues in deciding how to vote. But as it was going to be a source of adverse publicity every time another boat arrived, it needed to be neutralized, and Abbott’s ‘turn the boats around’ strategy nullified.

Rudd met with Indonesian President Yudhoyono, who in a joint communiqué with Rudd made it clear that Indonesia did not approve of any unilateral action by Australia, which turning boats around would have been. Rudd pointedly drew that to the Coalition's attention. Abbott, Scott Morrison and Julie Bishop tried to counter by suggesting that they had some sort of understanding with Indonesia about the turn back policy, only to have that rebutted by Indonesian officials. Desultory talk of the boats being ‘Indonesian boats, Indonesian flagged, boarded in Indonesian ports, and crewed by Indonesians’, which was code for ‘these are your boats, you can have them back’, was not well received. All this exposed Coalition disrespect towards Indonesia, an aggressive, hairy-chested, Howardesque ‘we will decide who comes here’ approach, and a neo-colonial attitude. It reflected Abbott’s lack of diplomatic skills, his aggression, and the disarray of his plans to counter boat arrivals.

Next, after a meeting in Brisbane with the PM of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill, Kevin Rudd announced jointly with him an arrangement for PNG to permanently resettle those arriving by boat without a visa. The message to asylum seekers and people traffickers was strident: "Any asylum seeker who arrives in Australia by boat will have no chance of being settled in Australia as a refugee".

At first Abbott seemed impressed enough to not instantly oppose the PNG plan, no doubt thinking it could serve him well. Predictably though, he could not resist the temptation to knock the idea, and Rudd, the originator. Soon he was telling anyone who would listen that Rudd was all talk and no action, that while he was great at making announcements he was hopeless at implementation, that the PNG plan would likely fail, and that the boats would continue. Abbott and Bishop unwisely said that Rudd was handing O’Neill a blank aid cheque, (which of course the Coalition would never do), and that O’Neill had boasted to them that he now had full control of Australia’s aid budget to PNG. A stern rebuttal by O’Neill left Abbott and Bishop floundering and wary of exacerbating their diplomatic blunder. Losing his nerve in an aspect of national leadership in which he has had no experience, Abbott looked flummoxed; Bishop bravely tried to parry it away.

So far two planeloads of single men are already on Manus Island, and the boat arrivals have slowed. If the boat arrivals are halted, if the people smugglers accept that their ‘product’ – residence in Australia – is no longer saleable, Rudd will be able to say: ‘Labor’s PNG plan has stopped the boats’, which would leave Admiral Abbott slopping about in his own boat, well and truly up the creek without a paddle. Time will tell how well Rudd’s PNG plan neutralizes Abbott’s ‘We’ll stop the boats’ mantra. If it does, that would leave another Abbott weapon blunted and crumpled, and Abbott’s disintegration gathering speed.

The Coalition’s next reaction was to boost the Nauru facility with a big increase in capacity with lots more tents. Abbott extolled Nauru as a pleasant island, implying that refugees ought to be satisfied being housed and even settled there. Scott Morrison travelled there on a private jet at the invitation of Toll Holdings, major suppliers of tents, along with a News Limited reporter and photographer to give publicity to the Coalition announcement that it would put up more tents to accommodate another 2000 asylum seekers. Immigration Minister Tony Burke quickly pointed out that putting a public figure on total capacity was a mistake, “as it gave people smugglers intelligence about how to ‘game’ and ‘overwhelm’ the policy”.

Yesterday, in a move that emulates Abbott’s Nauru Plan, Kevin Rudd and Nauru's President Baron Waqa signed an agreement similar to the PNG one. Asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat can now be processed in Nauru and, if found to be genuine refugees, can be resettled there. Once more, the Government is calling the shots on refugees; when the Coalition makes a move, Rudd matches it. Abbott and Morrison play their top card; Rudd trumps it. They can't take a trick!

The level of disarray in Coalition circles was then exposed even more starkly, this time over education funding and the Gonski recommendations. Initially, Abbott and his verbose education spokesman Christopher Pyne ridiculed Gonski, with a ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach. Pyne could see nothing wrong with the current system of funding despite the report of the Gonski committee after many months of exhaustive work that demonstrated conclusively that the system was unfair, inequitable to the disadvantaged and the public sector, and indeed ‘broken’.

The Abbott/Pyne reaction was first to say that Gonski was a ‘con’, a ‘Conski’, and that since this National Plan for School Improvement was indeed a national one, unless all States collaborated the Coalition would not proceed with it in government. Then it insisted that the ‘vast majority’ of States should be ‘on board’. Then it stepped back a little and said it would honour any deals done with the States for its first year in Government. Last week Abbott wrote to all school principals indicating that the Coalition had ‘deep reservations’ about the Gonski arrangements. Yet the next day he announced it would match all the Gonski funding arrangements that Labor has made with the States, boasting that ‘Kevin Rudd and I are on a unity ticket’. Obviously, he needed to neutralize this issue. Did State premiers put a flea in his ear, or did private Liberal polling tell him that opposition to Gonski was a big negative among voters?

In a blustering interview, Pyne confirmed that the Coalition would honour the Gonski ‘funding envelope’, but would dismantle what he termed ‘Labor’s central command and control features’. He insisted the Coalition would give more control to schools and principals. Abbott, Pyne, and the Coalition, have collectively turned turtle on virtually every aspect of Gonski, except on the issue of ‘school autonomy’, which incidentally runs counter to the concept of a national curriculum and consequent Gillard reforms. After all the huff and puff on Gonski, what we have now is an almost total Coalition retreat, or to use journalistic parlance, ‘a massive back flip’. Some commentators though are labeling the back flip a ‘con’. Time will tell.

In the lead up to the Government’s Economic Statement, Joe Hockey was out there preempting its content by insisting that the Government’s estimates were always wrong, never right, never to be trusted, that the Government had lost control of its budget, and in fact it was hopeless! He went close to demeaning Treasury. No doubt this outburst was also to preempt the inevitable criticism that will be heaped upon his head when the Gonski funding of $5 billion a year is added to the $70 billion Hockey has already conceded he has to find in expenditure cuts, and he struggles to do so. He seems unwilling to accept Treasury figures, is not committed to the Charter of Budget Honesty that Peter Costello established, and is talking about using State government resources and private accounting firms to verify Coalition costings – shades of the ‘audit’ of its costings that Perth accountants HK Howarth carried out last time, for which it copped a professional reprimand and a fine for its shonky work.

Have you noticed how testy, angry, and belligerent Hockey has become of late? His bellowing has become more strident; his mouth opens even wider, his assertions are more raucous, his fists clenched tighter. It is a sign of tension, anxiety and anger that the election that was to be a shoo-in is now a tight race to an uncertain finishing line.

Last Friday came the Government’s Economic Statement where Treasurer Chris Bowen and Finance Minister Penny Wong detailed the Government’s revised projections for revenue and expenditure, rather unsettling reading, the result of a volatile global economy that has resulted in large write-downs in revenue, and consequent severe cuts to expenditure. Among them was the already-announced modification to the Fringe Benefits Tax arrangements for motor vehicle use, which is designed to eliminate the rorting that results from the flat 20% salary package allowance for travel, one that is applicable no matter whether the vehicle is or is not used for business. The move has angered many businesses and charities, and the salary-packaging industry, and the Coalition has vowed to reverse it.

Then there was the increase in tobacco excise, clearly to boost its revenue, but importantly a health measure that in the past has always resulted in fewer smokers. Reflexly, Abbott was out commiserating with poor old pensioners used to enjoying their smokes and booze now having to pay more, but failing to acknowledge that many young people might now never start smoking. Implicitly, he was offering support for important Liberal Party donors – the tobacco industry.

Next was the establishment of a Financial Stability Fund to help in the case of future bank bailouts, to be funded by a 0.05% levy on deposits of up to $250,000. The banks and tax associations screamed blue murder. They soon had a sympathetic Abbott and Hockey smoothing their ruffled feathers, presumably thereby willing to forego that boost to their budget bottom line.

There were other measures to reduce spending, and funding was announced for some new items such as the PNG plan.

Within hours, Joe Hockey was on the airwaves literally spitting out his ‘crisis’ message: “The Budget is in freefall, the Government has lost control of the Budget, and it is losing control of the economy”. He stopped short of saying that the Government had bullied Treasury in making its estimates, but barely. Shadow Finance Minister Robb was soon insisting the Government did not know which levers to pull, and Mathias Cormann was on the TV berating the Government from every quarter. But none of them suggested what they would do differently. It was all destructive criticism; with not a skerrick of constructive advice.

Yet, it is the Coalition that is losing control. Losing control of its election agenda, losing control of its most telling strategies, losing control of its key points of difference from Labor. With its ‘carbon tax’ mantra deactivated, its asylum seeker policy neutralized, and its Gonski funding backflips now aligning it with Labor’s policy, what has it left? Abbott is a worried man. Some of his supporters too are worried.

Niki Savva, one of Abbott’s most sycophantic supporters, is clearly panicky. She writes: “Ultimately not all the credit for Rudd Reflux belongs to the media or to his selfie. The opposition deserves some for fluffing its initial responses to the PNG Solution and meandering hopelessly on Gonski. If it mucks up its handling of Bowen's statement and its own economic policy, it's pretty much over. Three strikes will count the opposition out and Kevin in.” When the likes of Savva write like this, the panic will soon permeate Coalition ranks and corrode the Abbott mind. His disintegration will move apace.

What do other Coalition backers say? Writing in The Australian this weekend, Peter van Onselen says: “In the ordinary course of events the Coalition would not be returned to power…because it hasn't developed an alternative vision for the nation. Even if Abbott found a sudden interest in, and stomach for, these policy scripts, his frontbench would struggle to implement the changes." Chris Kenny says: “Abbott's greatest weakness could well be that he is too timid.” There’s not much enthusiasm for Abbott there!

Abbott has already chickened out of a debate on the economy, leaving Rudd to make a comprehensive statement on the state of the economy at the Canberra Press Club alone. He has also backed away from a debate about asylum seekers. The man is scared and it shows. The best he can do is to habitually clutch to his chest his favourite Noddy book: "Our Plan – Real Solutions for all Australians" that he hopes will convince voters that he actually has a plan!

Abbott has an established reputation as a vicious attack-dog, a vacuous bully-boy, and a bad-tempered head kicker who hates losing. His arms outstretched, he sees the keys to The Lodge receding. He sees a dead cert turning into a tight contest. He sees his tactical weapons deactivated one after the other. He sees his options diminishing. He sees the popularity of his new adversary rising, the polls reversing, his chances evaporating.

He is angry, dismayed, uncertain, unable to struggle out of the slogan-driven rut that has been his home for three years, unable to reinvent himself. He looks tense and desperate. Rudd is playing with his mind, until today leaving him uncertain about the election date, uncertain about what Rudd will do next, uncertain about what he should do next. Uncertainty breeds anxiety and self-doubt. Both corrode. Disintegration follows: steady, then quickening, finally inexorable. It is now clear for all to see.


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Ad astra

4/08/2013Folks Now that the election date has been set for September 7, the race for credibility begins. This piece questions the credibility of the alternative PM and senior members of his team. Now Tony Abbott, and the alternative Treasurer, must stump up with their assessment of Australia’s position in the global economy, their predictions about how the global economy will evolve in the years ahead, how this nation ought to adapt to the changing global economy, their vision for our country, the policies that will enable that vision, and the cost of the policies. There must be no delay, no obfuscation, and no shonky costings as happened last time. Voters need the full truth, the complete picture of what the Coalition proposes, and who pays and how much. Abbott and Hockey now have nowhere to hide.

Gravel

4/08/2013Ad Astra I agree with everything you have said. Although many of can see his faults, if you watch and listen and read MSM people are getting a whole different impression. It will be a relief when the election is over, I'm going to avoid as much MSM as I possibly can. I'm over it already.

Frank

4/08/2013Take note of Paul Sheehan's article today. Murdoch, he says, hates the NBN because he sees it as a threat to the Foxtel cable TV monopoly. He is therefore sending his big guns out to Australia to destroy the Labor party. Abbott has never fought his battle alone. Sheehan writes: "The message is simple and brutal: you have been going hard on Labor but now, with Rudd's revival in the polls, you have to go harder. So the fifth estate will have to continue its good work amidst the often misleading journalism of the MSM.

Austin 3:16

4/08/2013Hey Frank, Yeah I read that article too - seriously though what does Murdoch think will happen the Libs will be elected and then the internet will just go away?

Michael

4/08/2013Abbott looked fair dinkum out of his depth responding to the election being called.

Ad astra

4/08/2013Gravel All we will get from the MSM is an expurgated version of the truth. Murdoch will pervert the ‘news’ to his own ends, even more than usual. The Fifth Estate will be a better source. Frank It is Murdoch’s determination to protect his Foxtel that will motivate him to attack Labor’s NBN, which will compete with Foxtel, whereas the Coalition’s NBN-Lite will likely not. When it is possible to download movies in a few minutes, or view them online in real time, why would anyone bother with Foxtel for movies? Austin 3:16 I imagine Murdoch would feel less threatened by NBN-Lite’s FTTN because so many users would have copper wire for the final few hundred metres, which would be incapable of handling online movies. Michael I agree. Slogan-Abbott looked tense, gaunt, worried and out of his depth on ABC TV tonight, even with Mark Simkin prompting him with Dorothy Dixers. His favourite Howardesque line: ‘Who can you trust…’, having been commandeered by Kevin Rudd when he announced the beginning of the election campaign, left Abbott stammering out his ‘Fair Dinkum’ jingle, which frankly sounded unprofessional and feeble.

Fiona

4/08/2013Ad Astra. Excellent piece! Now, please forgive me for cross-posting the following. Something worth remembering about Mr Abbott: [quote]Boxing is called the ultimate sport and no wonder. It is two men pitted against each other, with no protection other than their gloves and sometimes a helmet. It is a profound act of bravery to face an opponent who is out to hurt you and could possibly kill you. There is nowhere to hide, and any momentary act of perceived cowardice is magnified. Boxing is, however, more than just punching: one has to duck, weave, guard, counterattack, parry blows and, of course, conquer fear. Whenever Abbott entered the ring he was, as he once said, “terrified. It’s one of those things you make yourself do.” In his first bout – against Cambridge in March 1982 – he knocked out his opponent within the opening minute, and his three other fights were equally successful. He had little technique but a brutal sense of attack, which he called “the whirling dervisher”. [/quote] (from Louis Nowra's article in [i]The Monthly[/i]: http://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2010/january/1347590202/louis-nowra/whirling-dervish Having observed Mr Abbott closely for the past decade (since he became Minister for Health), it seems to me that he has two modes of operation: the cockiness born of his entitlement (aka his destiny – Pope or PM), and the fear born of his total absence of technique (aka knowledge, understanding, insight (including self-awareness) …).

Ad astra

4/08/2013Fiona Thank you for your kind comment and your cross posting. How right you are about Slogan-Abbott: “[i]… he has two modes of operation: the cockiness born of his entitlement (aka his destiny – Pope or PM), and the fear born of his total absence of technique (aka knowledge, understanding, insight (including self-awareness)."[/i]

denese

4/08/2013http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/murdochs-vicious-attacks-on-rudd-its-business-20130803-2r65x.html this is what is worrying me above. thank you ad astra for that leadup you put is so well, feeling very apprehensive now,, but had been full of confidence, on twitter they are out in fully nasty mode, what else do they have, I try to tweet with knowledge and links, take for example the alp announcement of nearly 2000 donations just this evening, on their site, nasty ridiculous comments, so decided to be just be positive and ignore them, liberals like their leader never want to know about policy. I don't remember an opp leader that did not debate a sitting pm what a coward he is, for this and thousands of other reasons abbott should never be pm please keep us informed and our spirits high, have not posted here for a while, thought I would let the JG time slip by let all get behind kevin rudd and be happy for JG policies to be safe she would be voting for the party she loves the alp. we must win this election for our selves our chidren and grandchildren, and also to defeat evil,

TalkTurkey

5/08/2013Ad astra What a lucid mirror you hold to That Man. Your style of writing is a lesson to us all. Nothing cutesy or twee, nothing turgid or involved: you remind me always of a spring of clear water, quietly and continuously flowing the very essence of issue is current. I always feel so lame trying to express my admiration for your work: I just wish that your influence could be widespread to young people, for the clarity of thought and the jurisprudential nous in your every utterance. I couldn't say this at all if I wasn't certain that all Swordsfolks feel just the same way, but someone has to actually tell you, however clumsily, so I do. As for Abborrrtt, what do I think, well you know what I think. His rotting carcase is long overdue for total breakdown, he has been on life support almost ever since the last election and I must say I'm astounded he hasn't gone down before now. It is only with the aid of all Murdoch's minions and all Gina's money that he is still with us at all. They, and he, are worse than I ever imagined possible in a relatively educated society, but their time is nearly up, things will be different wrt shock jocks and ABC bias and Murdoch hate media after we win. One thing you gotta say on behalf of Abborrtt, it is going to be the sweetest victory of all to see him done for. [i]Bitter[/i]-sweetest I am sad to say: he should have been *J*U*L*I*A*s victim, but the thought of him being brought down fills me anticipation as delicious as the thought of him getting up is frightful. And though we've taken some tragic hits, *J*U*L*I*A*s NDIS and Gonski reforms continue to expand ... And true Comrades will keep the Labor flame alight through the election and into the Future. [b]Tony Abborrrtt Will Never Be Prime Minister,[/b] and as the song goes on [u]Soundtrack for a Revolution[/u] on ABC1 right now, [i]We Will Not Be Moved![/i] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYtytxc-m-4 Worth waiting for the singing part .. .Oh that lovely Judith Durham! or as the brave Sandinista revolutionaries yelled [i][b]VENCEREMOS![/b][/i]

TalkTurkey

5/08/2013denese Love the passion and pathos in your post: Be of good cheer Comrade, we WILL defeat Abborrrtt and his whole filthy approach. And then Australians must never again let such a monster get close to power. Chin up Girl. Sheila B Wright! We'll be dancing for joy on September 8th!

lyn

5/08/2013Today’s Links Did You Vote For This Man? by @MrDenmore What does this mean in the coming election? It means that Rudd's ALP, the Greens and the cause of progressive politics in this country are up against two foes - Abbott's populist, hidden agenda conservatism on one hand and, on the other, a Murdoch press willing to lie, misinform, twist and smear to get its way.If Abbott wins, the Murdochracy will be complete. http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/did-you-vote-for-this-man.html Election 2013: Day Zero: (or “Ze plane! Ze plane!) by @GrogsGamut This time round though the big difference was that he was all about being “fair dinkum”. After some mention (of course) of the faceless men, he said that the choice was clear – “A choice between the positive plan of the coalition and more of the same under he Australian Labor Party and Mr Rudd [no way is he going to call him Prime Minister from now on]”. http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/election-2013-day-zero-or-ze-plane-ze.html Antony Green explains how to use policy application Vote Compass by ABC ABC election analyst Antony Green provides a walkthrough guide to Vote Compass, an interactive tool that allows Australian voters to compare their views to the parties' policies http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-04/antony-green-vote-compass-explained/4840776 Kevin Rudd calls election for 7 September: politics live blog by Katharine Murphy On the matter of election debates, and Loughnane, (the subject of my previous post) - the Liberal Party's federal director has written to the federal secretary of the Labor Party, George Wright. Essentially, the Liberals want one next Sunday at the Press Club, one at the Rooty Hill RSL, and another in Brisbane The letter for the record http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/04/kevin-rudd-election?CMP=twt_gu#start-of-comments It’s on: September 7 poll about trust, says Rudd by Bernard Keane Rudd has dramatically transformed Labor’s chances since returning to the prime ministership on June 25, adding several points to Labor’s primary vote and forcing Abbott to shore up his position with new announcements on asylum seekers and the education funding backflip. http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/04/rudd-visits-government-house-election-likely-on-sep-7/ News Corp to decide 2013 election winner Editorial August 3 2013 is the day. The day the Murdoch-controlled newspapers kicked off their campaign to boot Rudd out of the lodge.On Saturday August 3 almost half the front page of The Daily Telegraph is taken up with three words "Price of Labor." In large text underneath in red are the words "Another huge budget shambles, now we're $30b in the red." http://www.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php/sid/216210672/scat/b8de8e630faf36 Game On: Rudd calls election on September 7 by @Ausaffairs Rudd has said he wants to go to the G20 meeting in Russia in early September – which would be just days before a September 7 election. But he has also said this would have to be balanced by other matters facing the government. http://australianaffairs.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/game-on-rudd-calls-election-on-september-7/ NBN: Time for Turnbull to put his party's actions on record by @SteveJ_CBR For Turnbull to now argue that "Labor has got it wrong" would be side-splittingly hilarious, if not so expensive and serious for our National economic viability over the next 50 years. The real achievement of Turnbull is not allowing this facet of the National Broadband story to be debated http://stevej-on-nbn.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/nbn-time-for-turnbull-to-put-his-partys.html Murdoch and the NBN - a reality check by Malcolm Turnbull http://www.malcolmturnbull.com.au/media/murdoch-and-the-nbn-a-reality-check#.Uf29wkpArX7 A reality check on the Murdoch NBN conspiracy by @AusVotes2013 the Murdoch Hates the NBN Because Foxtel meme is strong, courtesy of this piece from Paul Sheehan, and I find Twitter too short for the nuance, so here goes. http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/08/04/a-reality-check-on-the-murdoch-nbn-conspiracy/ Why Murdoch’s media is gunning for your NBN, February 27, 2013 @NoFibs by @sortius It seems a day doesn’t go by where articles are being posted to News Limited (Murdoch) websites with nothing but negative spin for the NBN. Most, if not all, are founded on poorly constructed arguments http://nofibs.com.au/2013/02/27/why-are-pay-tv-providers-and-news-limited-so-afraid-of-the-nbn-final-words-for-a-dying-beast/ Destroy Rudd, destroy the NBN by @MigloMT Someone in the mainstream media has finally caught on that Rupert Murdoch wants Labor to lose the election because the NBN effects his Australian business interests: http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/destroy-rudd-destroy-the-nbn/ Murdoch hates Rudd: a reminder by @minkelCA Murdoch wants to wipe away Kevin Rudd’s chance of electoral success in favour of Abbott; a win to Abbott would be a win for Murdoch. Financially. The barrage of frenzied attacks on Rudd from Murdoch’s News Limited media over the last few days give this rumour some strength http://theaimn.com/2013/08/04/murdoch-hates-rudd-a-reminder/ The beam in your own eye by @awelder Abbott has never been able to create an impression of stability and competence in any area other than media strategy. Getting a gullible herd of journalists to swoon over you ("best Opposition Leader ever"!) isn't much of an achievement, and it won't keep you warm on election night http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/the-beam-in-your-own-eye.html?spref=tw Election 2013: it's time for a debate, the leaders agree. But what time? by Lenore Taylor A Labor campaign spokesperson then released a further response to Loughnane’s letter, asking: “Does Mr Abbott really need another week to prepare his notes? If Mr Abbott isn’t ready to debate the prime minister then he isn’t ready to be prime minister.” http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/04/election-2013-debate-leaders-time Labor and Coalition: Parties in reverse by @independentaus Abbott mocked Labor’s “C team”. There are only a few members of the new Rudd ministry that don’t deserve their place. On the other hand, the shadow ministerial ranks include Kevin Andrews, Bronwyn Bishop, Brett Mason, Bob Baldwin and Bruce Bilson. There are a few people I’ve barely heard of as well. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/labor-and-coalition-parties-in-reverse/ Confused by Coalition on Gonski? Let Tony and Chris explain … by @crikey_news Confused about the Coalition’s position on education funding and the implementation of the outcomes of the Gonski panel review of funding? Were we too — so we got Tony Abbott and education spokesman Christopher Pyne into a room to thrash things out on just where they stand … http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/03/confused-by-coalition-on-gonski-let-tony-and-chris-explain/ Poll of polls by @AndrewCatsaras So in total, that means that the ALP will pick up a net of two seats, placing them on 74 seats; the Coalition on 73, two independents - Bob Katter and Andrew Wilkie - and either a Green or another ALP member in the seat of Melbourne, depending on Liberal Party preferences.So yes, my fellow citizens, once again I can report that that would be another hung parliament. http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/content/2012/s3817687.htm Ready to go on @NoFibs Election13 citizen journo seat reports - by @margokingston1 we will cover about 15 percent of seats in the election, with at least one seat in each State. That’s more than my co-publisher Tony Yegles and I can manage, and luckily former AAP chief-sub editor Julie Lambert has very kindly volunteered to edit and publish our citizen journalists reports during the election campaign. http://nofibs.com.au/2013/08/04/ready-to-go-on-nofibs-election13-citizen-journo-seats-reports/ It’s about balance, fairness and our future! by Truth Seeker as a political realist, my main aim is to do all that I can to make sure that Abbott does not win this upcoming election, as I love this country and refuse to capitulate to the rabid right, and hand our futures over to them without a fight. http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/08/04/its-about-balance-fairness-and-our-future/ Election on 7 September by @JohnQuiggin2 My views on the election are simple. Whatever the weaknesses of the Rudd government, it’s far preferable to the disaster that Abbott would give us. So, I’ll certainly be putting Labor ahead of the Coalition in the House of Representatives http://johnquiggin.com/2013/08/04/election-on-7-september/ Today’s Front Pages Australian Newspaper Front Pages for 5 August 2013 http://www.thepaperboy.com/australia/front-pages.cfm News headlines http://www.hotheadlines.com.au/search.php?q=rudd

Ad astra

5/08/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

direct current

5/08/2013sure hope this has 'learned' Mr Abbort to be very careful of what he wishes for as he just might get it!

Ad astra

5/08/2013Talk Turkey Thank you for the moving tribute you pay me. What I write initially reaches a limited but growing audience, but via tweets and retweets it spreads much further. With the Murdoch press now vehemently attacking Rudd and Labor, there needs to be a strong response from the Fifth Estate. The time of reckoning has come for Slogan-Abbott and his sidekicks. They can no longer hide behind: ‘We’ll tell you later’; they can no longer refuse to debate the issues that this nation faces. From now on the superficiality and hollowness of the Coalition’s ‘Real Solutions’ will emerge, and the absence of realistic costings will begin to bite them. The current lead in the polls will likely evaporate as the campaign proceeds and voters realize how empty are the Coalition’s offerings and its leader’s words. Your [b]VENCEREMOS![/b] today is particularly apt. denese As TT advises, be of good heart. Murdoch’s extreme vitriol was not enough to get his man, Mitt Romney, across the line in the US Presidential election. Why should his pernicious influence be any more potent here? The people know what he’s up to, and that it is his commercial interests that are behind his attack on Labor. direct current How right you are.

jaycee

5/08/2013The choice is quite simple really...With Rudd you get labor policies PLUS a sickly smile..With Abbott you get LNP. policies PLUS a bullet...while I can tolerate (barely!) Rudd's mou...I will be happy to miss the Abbott bullet!

janice

5/08/2013Excellent piece, Ad astra. Any whichway you look at him, the abbott has absolutely nothing that spells anything but utter disaster for this country should he win this election. I was listening to Hewson recently who said he didn't think it was essential for a PM to have all the necessary knowledge and skills because he could surround himself with people with the appropriate skills. I thought at the time that even Hewson couldn't find any magic polish that would make the abbott into a worthwhile PM for Australia. Let us all hope that there are enough voters out there who will see and acknowledge the looming disaster for our nation if this man and his motley crew get to "govern" this country into oblivion.

Ken

5/08/2013Ad I think the big difference now is that Rudd plays the media game. Julia tended to operate above it and that left Abbott (and Murdoch) free to run the airwaves with whatever messages they chose. Rudd and his advisers have carefully crafted their media response. Not only by countering, as you say, key aspects of Abbott's sloganeering, but by actually dominating the daily news with Government announcements. We will never know now what Julia and her advisers had in store for the election but I think it would have been interesting. But leaving that aside, Rudd's approach is working in the media and leaving Abbott less breathing space, despite Murdoch's support. Yes, Murdoch will come out all guns blazing to support his precious Foxtel. Western Sydney will be a key target but Rudd has already negated the refugee issue so, I think, the focus will be on what Abbott has already hinted at in his response to the calling of the election, the "bad" times under Labor of the last 6 years (even if those "bad" times exist only in his own rhetoric)being continued for another 3 years. Murdoch will push that line, which I have little doubt, is why Rudd has the ads out there already about Australia's strong economic position. Interesting days to come, especially to see what direction the LNP/Murdoch attack takes.

nasking

5/08/2013 WHY HAS ABBOTT RUN AWAY FROM TONIGHT'S DEBATE?...HE REALLY WANTS TO CONTROL EVERY ASPECT OF THE DEBATES...ABBOTT IS RUNNING SCARED. I ASKED MY WIFE YESTERDAY WHO SHE THOUGHT WOULD WIN. SHE REPLIED WITHOUT HESITATION: "LABOR...PEOPLE DON'T LIKE ABBOTT". N'

nasking

5/08/2013 PALMER WANTS TO CREATE A REVOLUTION IN AUSTRALIA...WHAT A JOKE...HE'S A BIG MINING BOSS. MR. DIG DIG DIG. HE'S NOT EVEN RELIABLE WHEN IT COMES TO PAYING TAXES AND LOOKING AFTER HIS OWN GROUPS' FINANCES. HIS TEAM ARE A RABBLE...SOME JUST PUSHED INTO RUNNING BECAUSE OF BUSINESS, JOB TIES. PATHETIC. N'

Janet (jan@j4gypsy)

5/08/2013Thank you Ad for another incisive piece. I agree with every lovely word the Talking Turkey wrote of this and all your writing. (This particular piece is being retweeted energetically at the moment, too.) Am fascinated that you began with the way Abbott actually looks - what's happening to his face. There are some hilarious bits of video about (might try and find some) that capture those moments when he looks most reptilian, sleazily running his narrowed eyes up and down whomever is speaking, particularly women. The snide grin that never seems genuine. Have been watching Rudd's face too, since he reappeared so fulsomely on our screens. It seems to show, especially did in the first couple of redux weeks, the genuine pain he went through - he has developed an odd twitch with his bottom lip: the truculent narcissistic child denied. He smiles less frequently,too, but his delight in winning, the moment, the strategy, the position, the game, shows in face and word. My point is simply that the child now rewarded shows: it seems a kind of innocence in comparison with the shifty, conniving, hidden other face of the LOTO - nothing child-like about it. Both dangerous in their own ways, I suppose ... Anyway: a quick run-around the Twitterverse from this morning elicited all kinds of Day 1 reactions: [i]GetUp! ‏@GetUp[/i] 50% of Australian 18 year olds aren't enrolled to vote. Send them this: http://aec.gov.au & http://enrolforgold.org.au #ausvotes [i]Michelle Tapper ‏@Michelle_Tapper[/i] Abbott says he can relate to Qlders because he "holidayed here as a youngster & he has the sunny outlook that Qld has". [i]Tony Abbott (parody) ‏@TAbbottMP[/i] Kev's throwing money at the car industry to win votes. Ha! Cars can't vote, you fool! Wait...can they? Peta, have cars got the vote? #auspol [i]John H ‏@knarfnamduh[/i] Bullshit Hartcher! We don't even know what the NO Coalition plans for Oz! Oh! Yes we do! Slash & burn! http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/spot-the-difference-between-a-reborn-contrite-kev-and-team-tony-20130804-2r7pd.html … via @smh [i]Sarah Joseph ‏@profsarahj[/i] This Lib ad is almost exclusively Anglo. Deliberate or clueless? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nk0E3lyx4EU&utm_source=Liberal+Party+E-news&utm_campaign=529ea7d1aa-Exclusive%3A+Our+First+TV+Ad+-+New+Hope&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_51af948dc8-529ea7d1aa-57536421 … [i]Edzones CC ‏@Edzones[/i] Absolutely disgusting front page if Daily Telecrap a very sad day for Australia to this garbage front page [i]Tracey Spicer ‏@spicertracey[/i] Gee. Wonder where the Tele got its idea from. See second last paragraph abt Col Allan's work on New York Post. http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2011/11/08/front_page_editorials_on_the_rise.html … [i]Jo ‏@jot_au[/i] If Tony hates minority govt SO much, why don't Libs go it on their own and not as a coalition? [i]chris murphy ‏@chrismurphys[/i] If you elect Abbott PM 12000ppl working in the service of the public will go home to tell their families they've lost their job #auspol [i]mishaketch ‏@mishaketch[/i] Election 2013: the campaign that never ended http://theconversation.com/election-2013-the-campaign-that-never-ended-16691 … via @ConversationEDU [i]Business Spectator ‏@BusinessSpec[/i] Rudd begins where he left off, writes @michellegrattan http://bit.ly/1c0IvrY via @ConversationEDU #auspol #ausvotes [i]Ben Pobjie ‏@benpobjie[/i] Musing on Kevin Rudd's Instagram http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/05/kevin-rudd- [i]Don Arthur ‏@donattroppo4[/i] Neoliberal think tanks purposefully set-out to spread confusion and disinformation, says Philip Mirowski http://bit.ly/13dCLBY [i]John H ‏@knarfnamduh[/i] We objected to an Australia card! This hasn't a snowball's chance in hell of going anywhere! http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/smartcard-licence-scheme-proposed-for-smokers-20130804-2r7pr.html … via @smh [i]James Raynes ‏@jimmyraynes[/i] Underachieving Greens can do without your vote: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/underachieving-greens-can-do-without-your-vote-20130804-2r7dr.html … #ausvotes #cathformelbourne [i]Sam D ‏@SamCD01[/i] Victoria signs on but deal has a cost - http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/victoria-signs-on-but-deal-has-a-cost-20130804-2r7q4.html … via @theage #ausvotes #vicpol [i]John Pratt ‏@Jackthelad1947[/i] Endless growth will not deliver a healthy economy. #auspol Rudd & Abbott both lack vision on economic future http://www.theguardian.com/environment/blog/2013/may/01/endless-growth-not-deliver-healthy-economy … [i]Jane Cattermole ‏@janecat60[/i] Can Abbott put away his wrecking ball and become a builder of fine things? Good piece by @annabelcrabb http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-04/crabb---who-do-you-trust3f/4863996 … @abcnews

nasking

5/08/2013 I HOPE THAT EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS A BALANCED MEDIA AND THINKS RUDD DESERVES A FAIR-GO STOPS BUYING AND LINKING TO MURDOCH'S NEWS LTD PAPERS AND SITES. THE BIAS DISPLAYED AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS ELECTION CAMPAIGN IS DISGUSTING BY THE LIKES OF THE COURIER MAIL, DAILY TELEGRAPH, HERALD SUN, ADELAIDE ADVERTISER AND THE AUSTRALIAN...ALL MURDOCH NEWS LTD PAPERS... DON'T LET MURDOCH USE HIS PROPAGANDA MACHINE TO UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY JUST SO HE CAN WRECK THE NBN TO BENEFIT HIS FOXTEL SHARES AND GET TAX CUTS FOR HIS COMPANY. N'

Ad astra

5/08/2013janice How nice to see you back. Thank you for your kind words, and your sound comments. I’m sure many, many will agree with you concluding paragraph: “[i]Let us all hope that there are enough voters out there who will see and acknowledge the looming disaster for our nation if this man and his motley crew get to "govern" this country into oblivion.”[/i] Ken You are right. Rudd plays the media game, and much better than Abbott, despite the gratuitous help he gets from Murdoch’s media. Murdoch will fight for his commercial interests – Foxtel – and also for his ideologically preferred party – the LNP. There seems to be just two main drivers of Murdoch – money and political influence. He sees himself as a king maker, and of course a king destroyer. nasking There are many who agree with what your wife says: ‘People don’t like Abbott’.

Ad astra

5/08/2013Janet Thank you for your kind words and the interesting links you added. I was taken with some of the words written by Michelle Grattan in [i]Business Spectator[/i]: “[i]In these weeks, Tony Abbott has been forced onto the defensive, scampering around. He’s produced new iterations of his asylum seeker policy to try to appear as or more hairy-chested than Rudd. On Friday he did a spectacular somersault on Gonski; even he must have felt embarrassed as he declared himself on "a unity ticket" with the prime minister over the scheme he had condemned for months. “Abbott points to Labor’s turnover of policies and personnel, and contrasts that with the stability on his side. In the days ahead he will have to show that the Coalition’s numbers add up, and fend off Rudd’s massive scare claim that he would preside over an austerity program driving the economy into the ground and many more people out of work. “Rudd will use the “debate over debates” to paint Abbott as scared but Abbott will want to limit these appearances. (Probably he is scared. Not unreasonably. He knows the risks.) “If Abbott fails to win, the Liberals will have been done in because of a leader the community couldn’t stomach. One question would haunt the party: would Malcolm Turnbull have succeeded?”[/i] Read more: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/8/5/politics/kevin-begins-where-he-left#ixzz2b3K7Ufr8

lyn

5/08/2013Good Morning Ad.. Thankyou for your fabulous article, you certainly know how to entertain us, we are very lucky to have you and TPS. “[quote]It shows in his face. Taut, tense, worried, he looks like a man under great pressure when he fronts for impromptu pressers[/quote]” There have been quite a few pressers where Abbott has not had his makeup applied and it shows. He has a natural rugged weatherbeaten thuggish face. An election on “Fair Dinkum” again his use of rugged language certainly not taught in elocution lessons, nevertheless matches the face. BTW Abbott’s election speech was no different in any way to what he has been saying for 3 years. you could not have described better “ [quote]a vacuous bully-boy, and a bad-tempered head kicker who hates losing”[/quote] [quote]Have you noticed how testy, angry, and belligerent Hockey has become of late” [/quote] YES & and the antics are that of a juvenile. Thankyou to Janie our little Gypsy, I do enjoy your work very much you own words are fabulous & you are an expert at selecting the most interesting tweets. Ad re-tweets a quick glance is 13 but there would be more : The Political Sword ‏ Posted on The Political Sword: ‘The quickening disintegration of Tony Abbott’ by Ad Astra. http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2013/08/04/The-quickening-disintegration-of-Tony-Abbott.aspx … [b]Retweeted 6 times [/b] david ewart and [b]7 others retweeted you [/b] The quickening disintegration of Tony Abbott Voters need full truth complete picture of what Coalition proposes exrpt http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2013/08/04/The-quickening-disintegration-of-Tony-Abbott.aspx …

Ad astra

5/08/2013Hi Lyn Thank you for your kind words and the information about the retweets of this piece. I’m amazed. Still, it is the retweeting that spreads the message, which we need to do to counter some of the bilious emesis of the Murdoch media. As you say, some of Slogan-Abbott’s images look awful without his makeup. The one I chose for this piece is by no means the worst around. He shows his character on his tormented face. I’m still working through this morning’s links – Mr Denmore sets out the problem well when he writes about Murdochracy threatening our democracy. I’ll be back later.

nasking

5/08/2013 GOOD POST AD, ABBOTT IS ON A HIGH TODAY BECAUSE HIS ALLIES IN THE MURDOCH EMPIRE AND ELSEWHERE HAVE ACTED LIKE A PROPAGANDA MACHINE UNITED IN DUMPING ON RUDD AND THE ALP OFF THE BACK OF ICAC ETC. THAT HIGH WON'T LAST LONG WHEN HE REALISES THAT VOTERS ACROSS THE WORLD ARE WAKING UP TO THE HYPE AND VICIOUS CHARACTER ASSASSINATION TACTICS OF MURDOCH'S PAPERS, SITES AND TV NEWS SHOWS...LIKE YOU SAID ABOVE...THEY DIDN'T GET MITT ROMNEY ACROSS THE LINE. ONCE THE VOTERS FULLY REALISE WHAT AN ABBOTT-LED GOVT WOULD BE LIKE...THE MAN WHO BOASTED THE OTHER DAY WE ARE A STRONG MILITARY POWER BEFORE MENTIONING OUR ECONOMY...THEY WILL TURN AWAY FROM HIM IN DROVES. ABBOTT IS A DELUSIONAL GRANDIOSE CRUSADER...VERY DANGEROUS IN THIS DAY AND AGE. HE PRETENDS OTHERWISE BUT YOU CAN SEE IT IN HIS EYES, HIS SMUG ATTITUDE, HIS COCKY WALK. HAVING A STRONG NATIONAL DEFENCE IS IMPORTANT...BUT TO SAY WE ARE A STRONG MILITARY POWER BEFORE YOU MENTION ANYTHING ELSE MEANS YOU ARE A LEADER WANTING TO THROW YER WEIGHT AROUND USING THE MILITARY... WE KNOW ABBOTT IS A PUGILIST AND CHRONIC BIG MOUTH...WHO GETS RANTING AND VERBALLY AGRESSIVE AND OVERLY DEFENSIVE WHEN ON THE BACK FOOT. WE NEED A CALM LEADER LOOKING TO PEACE, EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, TRAINING AND A NEW WAY FOR JOBS IN THE 21ST CENTURY AFTER BUSH AND HOWARD'S AWFUL WARS... WE DON'T NEED A DOG WHISTLING, DIVISIVE, RELIGIOUS PUGILIST WANTING TO LIVE VICARIOUSLY THRU A CRUSADING MILITARY. THE 'TURNING BACK THE BOATS' APPROACH IS AN INDICATION OF ABBOTT'S AGGRESSIVENESS WHEN IT COMES TO THE MILITARY...AND DEMONSTRATES A CASUAL, ILL-THOUGHT OUT USE OF THE NAVY...BRASH AND ALL BRAVADO. WE DON'T NEED OUR OWN VERSION OF GW BUSH. WHAT A DISASTER HE WAS FOR AMERICA...AND THE GLOBE. AND HIS USE OF MILITARY WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. AND HOW MUCH DID HOWARD COST US GOING INTO THAT WAR IN IRAQ? ABBOTT IS PUSHED A LOT BY HOWARD AND MURDOCH. BOTH WAR-MONGERS...AND DOG WHISTLERS. WE CAN'T AFFORD CRUSADER ABBOTT. N'

Catching up

5/08/2013Gee, Hockey looks miserable. Abbott is telling us the truth. First day. letter to repeal the carbon tax. Who really wants it appealed.

nasking

5/08/2013 ISN'T ABBOTT'S PARENTAL LEAVE SCHEME A TAX ON BUSINESSES? WHAT A WEIRD LOOK ABBOTT WAS GIVING THE IPSWICH FEMALE CANDIDATE...HE IS A BIZARRE GUY. I WONDER HOW WELL-OFF THAT MEAT INDUSTRY OWNER IS? THEY ALWAYS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE MINIMAL IMPACT OF THE CARBON PRICE BUT FAIL TO MENTION THE LOW INTEREST RATES...THE TAX WRITE-OFF BENEFITS THE ALP HAVE GIVEN...THE INCENTIVES THEY COULD HAVE USED TO GET SOLAR ENERGY...THE FACT THE RUDD ALP HELPED SAVE BUSINESSES THRU THE GFC BY WAY OF 900 BUCK STIMULUS ETC. THESE LIB BUSINESS SUPPORTERS ARE SELFISH. N'

Catching up

5/08/2013Has not the meat processor got a lot of money under CEF, I thought there are examples some that has more than halved their power bills, in fact one now paying nothing. I am sure in this industry technology available to cut power bills drastically. Back on Mandate. Mr, Abbott, the only mandate one has, is the votes one can muster on the floor of the houses.

Catching up

5/08/2013Once again, supporting tax rorters. By the way, I believe that most of the cars bought under this FBT would be imported. At JBS,

nasking

5/08/2013 ABBOTT LYING AGAIN...HASN'T DONE HIS HOMEWORK...AGAIN. ABBOTT USING A MISLEADING FIVE MILL FIGURE. CAUGHT OUT. N'

Catching up

5/08/2013Abbott is being challenged. Yes, they can upgrade. Suspect the figures are in Abbott's head. Interesting to see what Wong has to say. It appears they might have 4.4 million from CEF. Yes, there is a grant. Means one is supporting DA. God help us.

Catching up

5/08/2013Hope this type of questioning keeps up.

nasking

5/08/2013 THE MEAT COMPANY ALSO GOT A GRANT FROM THE GOVT...ABBOTT DESPERATELY TRYING TO SPIN IT. NO WONDER HE DOESN'T WANT TO DEBATE RUDD...OPENS HIS MOUTH AND SCREWS UP EACH TIME. ALL LIES...OR EXAGGERATION. CAN'T TRUST HIM.

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]Hope this type of questioning keeps up.[/b] CU, INDEED. WHAT A BS ARTIST ABBOTT IS REVEALED TO BE UNDER SCRUTINY. AND A LAZY BUGGER TOO. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 ABBOTT BLABBERING NOW.

nasking

5/08/2013 WHY ARE THE GREENS CONSTANTLY DUMPING ON RUDD? THEY'VE LOST MY SUPPORT.

nasking

5/08/2013 DO THE GREENS REALISE THAT ABBOTT IS THE ONE WHO MOST GREENS, GREEN LABOR AND LABOR SUPPORTERS DETEST...AND DON'T WANT IN GOVT. THEY ARE DOING THE WORK OF MURDOCH BY DUMPING ON RUDD THE WAY THEY ARE. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 I HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY WITH MILNE'S APPROACH. I TOLD MY WIFE THIS WEEKEND I AM VOTING RUDD LABOR FOR REPS...NOW THINKING OF DOING SAME IN SENATE. GREENS APPROACH VERY DISAPPOINTING.

Catching up

5/08/2013Mr Abbott jumped on the reporter that pointed out, there is money and assistance under CEF. He said that was an example of DA. Sorry, Mr. Abbott, it is not. CEF has always had many arms, beside the so called tax. Always has been. Now Mr, Abbott, I will tell you what the difference is. Under the CEF, or so called carbon tax that funds the ability for industry to change to a cleaner fuel. Mr. Abbott, how do you fund your DA. Mr Abbott, I would love to see another minority government. Whether we do or not, will be up to the will of the voter.

nasking

5/08/2013 ADAM BANDT SHOULD HAVE COME ON BY HIMSELF.

Catching up

5/08/2013 WE KNOW ABBOTT IS A PUGILIST WITH NO TECHNIQUE, THEY SAY.

Ad astra

5/08/2013Hi Lyn You have given us some great material in your links today. I’ve already mentioned Mr Denmore and the Murdochracy threat. Greg Jericho has a nice summary of the issues. The link to Anthony Green’s ‘Vote Compass’ revels a fascinating new tool. He explains what this extraordinary facility can do. It is to be hoped that lots of people fill out the Compass questionnaire, as it allow the opinions of voters to be aggregated by the ABC election analysts [b]anonymously[/b], sorted by location, electorate, gender, age and other parameters. We will await progress reports with great interest. It is somewhat like an online pole in that those who participate do so voluntarily, but the numbers are much, much larger. It has been used in Canada where millions filled in a similar form. Anthony Green’s explanation is essential reading at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-04/antony-green-vote-compass-explained/4840776 The form is at http://www.abc.net.au/votecompass/ There are some interesting articles on the NBN and Foxtel, with Malcolm Turnbull characteristically writing a convoluted article, (just as he talks), which concludes that Murdoch would be more concerned with the threat from the Coalition’s FTTN NBN-Lite to Foxtel, than from Labor’s FTTP NBN. Other writers disagree. Bernard Keane has an amusing article on the Coalition and Gonski! Andrew Elder is spot on: “[i]Abbott has never been able to create an impression of stability and competence in any area other than media strategy. Getting a gullible herd of journalists to swoon over you ("best Opposition Leader ever"!) isn't much of an achievement, and it won't keep you warm on election night.”[/i] John Quiggin says it well: “[i]Whatever the weaknesses of the Rudd government, it’s far preferable to the disaster that Abbott would give us.”[/i] Again, thank you.

Catching up

5/08/2013nasking, did you hear some of the questions asked. I would say, that business man is lying. What was the 4.4 million about.

Ad astra

5/08/2013nasking Thank you for your kind remarks and comments. I agree: “[i]We can’t afford a Crusader Abbott.”[/i] Catching up You say Abbott looks miserable and Hockey too. To what interview are you referring? jaycee You are right – let’s hope we can avoid the Abbott bullet!

nasking

5/08/2013 TONY ABBOTT FROM HIS MANIFESTO 'BATTLELINES': [b]Because successful businesses require good infrastructure, better roads and telecommunications, and more effective ways to produce them, are also part of economic reform. Source: Page 83 [/b] YET IT WAS AN ALP LED GOVT THAT HAS COME UP WITH THE NBN AND TONS OF INFRASTRUCTURE SPENDING... UNLIKE THE HOWARD YEARS. N'

Catching up

5/08/2013nasking Abbott once again called a halt when questions were still coming, but not to his liking. Whether one likes Milne or not, she is still standing, answering all. The questioning on minority government is stupid. It is the way our Constitution works. If that once again happens, it reflects the will of the electorate.

42 long

5/08/2013Labor has spent for the future. Infrastructure and education . Abbott has a personal debt of $700,000. Presumably he could justify that, which is about double his income as being of some benefit long term to himself and his family. Why can't we apply the same thought music to the nation? Would any Country normally expect to wait till they had all the cash for schools roads bridges public housing universities, defence etc before acquiring them or would they borrow? The BANKS have never acknowledged their debt to the Australian government over their backing of their assets during the GFC. How would they have withstood a run on cash accounts. What executives are the BEST remunerated by far? You guessed it The Four Banks! Why? Because they can (pay themselves obscene amounts). No one is worth 10 mill a year.

nasking

5/08/2013 WOW!: News Ltd has publicly apologised to a former student politician who was branded a serial liar by Liberal powerbroker Michael Kroger after she had accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of physically intimidating her. In a remarkable twist that could reignite debate about Mr Abbott's alleged punching of a wall after losing a student election in the late 1970s, News Ltd's barrister read an extended apology in the NSW Supreme Court on Monday on behalf of The Australian to the alleged victim of the intimidation, Barbara Ramjan, as part of a settlement of a defamation action. In an essay by former Fairfax Media journalist David Marr, released last September, Ms Ramjan said that in 1977, after she beat Mr Abbott for the presidency of the Sydney University Student Representative Council, he put his face close to hers and punched the wall either side of her head. Michael Kroger: branded Barbara Ramjan a serial liar. Photo: Justin McManus Mr Abbott denied the incident occurred and a few days later, Mr Kroger described Ms Ramjan in The Australian and on radio and television as a serial manufacturer or false complaints, "a nutter", and "a nobody". "An article published in September 24, 2012, concerned allegations by Michael Kroger about Barbara Ramjan's conduct in student politics in 1977 and 1978, and that of Opposition Leader Tony Abbott," Tom Blackburn SC said in court on Monday. "The Australian apologises to Ms Ramjan for any suggestion that she lied about those events and acknowledges that the recollection of those events was contested by all participants, who were sincere in what they recalled." The apology was part of a settlement of the defamation action which Ms Ramjan brought against News Limited and Mr Kroger over the accusations, which he repeated on Channel 10's The Bolt Report, and Allan Jones' breakfast radio show on 2GB. In the article, Mr Kroger pointed to another incident in which Ms Ramjan had made allegations against far left wing political party The Sparticists, which that group denied, as evidence that she was a "serial manufacturer of false complaints". "This was about an attack on my reputation and today I have got my reputation back," Ms Ramjan said. "Everything I said to David Marr is true, I don't step away from anything I said." The other terms of the settlement are confidential, but Fairfax Media understands Mr Kroger will not be required to apologise. It is also understood that News Limited, Mr Kroger or both have agreed to pay Ms Ramjan a sum of money as part of the settlement. http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/news-ltd-apologises-to-barbara-ramjan-over-tony-abbott-punch-story-20130805-2r8si.html CRIKEY! N'

Michael

5/08/2013Tony Abbott's cleaned up some "crap". 'Abolishing the carbon tax' actually means abolishing an ETS, too. So the "crap" that he's told us is all climate change is... just isn't any more. The climate's not changing at all, you see, as Tony waves his hand, companies become productive again, the invisible gas causing all this bogus strife amongst pantywaist lefties is waved away, and, fair dinkum, isn't this the greatest country on Earth!?

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]Abbott once again called a halt when questions were still coming, but not to his liking.[/b] CU, I'VE NOTICED ABBOTT DOES THAT A LOT. HE CAN'T STAND THE HEAT. NOT SOMEONE YOU'D WANT AS LEADER OF A COUNTRY. REMEMBER HOW HE LOST HIS TEMPER WHEN RUNNING LATE TO THAT HEALTH DEBATE WITH ROXON? WHEN CAUGHT OUT LIKE TODAY...AND ON THE EAST-WEST LINK ISSUE THE OTHER DAY...HE GOES ALL DRY MOUTHED AND GETS DEFENSIVE WITH REPORTERS...GOES ON THE ATTACK AGAINST THE RUDD GOVT TO TRY AND DISTRACT...HOCKEY OFT JUMPS IN TO TRY AND DIVERT ATTENTION FURTHER...AND THEN ABBOTT GETS ALL SMUG AND COCKY BEFORE RUSHING OFF. REMINDS ME OF A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CAUGHT OUT. N'

Michael

5/08/2013That Abbott presser this morning once again had questions virtually inaudible when they could be picked out at all. There's no point, no freaking point, in hearing Abbott spin away (even when he falls in a heap) from questions we haven't heard that may have incisively initiated the 'spin' or caused the 'fall'. Come on, TV stations, how hard can it be!!!??? You're only broadcasting half the story... less, a quarter, when the BS starts to flow in response to questions your audience will never know. Fail fail fail... failing us, failing Australian democracy, failing to do your job at the most basic level.

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]Edzones CC ‏@Edzones Absolutely disgusting front page if Daily Telecrap a very sad day for Australia to this garbage front page Tracey Spicer ‏@spicertracey Gee. Wonder where the Tele got its idea from. See second last paragraph abt Col Allan's work on New York Post. www.slate.com/.../...e_editorials_on_the_rise.html … [/b] JANET, OLD MAN MURDOCH AND HIS SLAVERING ATTACK DOGS LIKE COL ALLAN ARE SOOO OVERREACHING THESE DAYS...DAMAGING THE BRAND BIG TIME. ABBOTT BEING MURDOCH'S PUPPET WILL NOT GO DOWN WELL WITH THE PUBLIC. YOU'D THINK THAT MURDOCH'S POOR GOVERNANCE OF NEWS INTERNATIONAL IN THE UK...INCLUDING PHONE HACKING [i]NEWS OF THE WORLD [/i] WHICH HE WAS FORCED TO CLOSE...AND MYSPACE...WOULD HAVE ALERTED OTHER SHAREHOLDERS TO HIS TENDENCY FOR BAD CALLS AND GOING OVERBOARD THESE DAYS. THERE SEEMS TO BE NOTHING MODERATE ABOUT THE MAN. TELLS YA WHY HE PICKED ABBOTT. EXPECTS HIM TO DO THE EXTREMIST THINGS HE WANTS...PUPPET ON A STRING. ABBOTT WOULD RULE BY MURDOCH-LIKE FEAR-MONGERING, DOG WHISTLING AND HYPE...ANYTHING TO DISTRACT FROM BAD POLICY THAT BENEFITS MURDOCH, RINEHART AND THE FEW OVER THE MANY. N'

Bacchus

5/08/2013CU & Nas, [quote]Meat processors who to date have received funding from the Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program include: JBS Australia Dinmore - Total project cost: $8,770,452; grant offer: $4,385,226; expected benefits: [b]$790,00 reduced carbon price liability per year at Dinmore facility and will result in savings of $1.1 million in energy costs per year.[/b][/quote] http://www.theland.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/jbs-cuts-carbon/2645270.aspx

nasking

5/08/2013 BACCHUS, THAT IS ONE UNGRATEFUL COMPANY. MUST BE A GREEDY BOSS EH? THNX FOR THE INFO. N'

Catching up

5/08/2013Turn subtitle on TV on. One does not get all, but at least you hear some. Subtitles work most times ABC 24, except for a little time before Capital Hill. Noticed the questions were louder this morning. I believe some journalist, including Laura are raising their voices so Abbott cannot ignore them

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]Noticed the questions were louder this morning. I believe some journalist, including Laura are raising their voices so Abbott cannot ignore them[/b] CU, NOTICED THAT TOO. ------ THNX TO LYN FOR LINKS...PUT LINK TO [i]LYN'S DAILY LINKS[/i] SITE UP ON FACEBOOK AND SOME OF THE POSTS. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 THIS GOT ME ROARING WITH LAUGHTER...FROM FIRST DOG ON THE MOON...THE ANGRY RISSOLE STANDING IN FOR COL ALLEN IS HILARIOUS: http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/05/the-tonyfication-of-australia-is-almost-complete/#comment-254460 N'

E

5/08/2013I have to say my piece about the economy. A cupla months ago I decided to try to get an overview of our collapsing economy. According to www.budget.com the latest forecast of total commonwealth gov revenue is around 375 billion. The Australian Debt Clock puts today's Commonwealth Debt at 275 Billion. The numbers may change but the proportion is what counts. It's seems to me that if one of those battling families on $150,000 PA had a TOTAL debt of say mortgage, credit card etc less than one years income they would be sitting pretty. The other thing that annoys me is the whinging about government spending is that people think that that money is just flushed down some hole. Not that the money is being out into circulation. If aforementioned family spends some money then the shopkeepers, service providers, entertainment businesses etc provide jobs, pay taxes etc. Oh how the money goes round and round, oh and another 'round' in Tony Abbott speak. Am I missing something? I don't think so. Even if the NBN does cost 90 Billion as Tony and Joe say, this amount would be spread over several years and would benefit the economy in ways that we probably can't yet put a value on. Not too good for Foxtrl tho. Ohh and I love how the letters we type in from reCaptcha are helping to digitise books. We type in what the OCR programs can't recognise. Thucydides Daniz Hu today. Oh and I live In Tabbitts electorate so my vote goes nowhere. Tabbitt is nowhere here either. Think he takes his electorate for granted.

nasking

5/08/2013 LNP HAVE A MAN WHO GREW UP IN A JEHOVAH WITNESS FAMILY IN CHARGE OF QLD EDUCATION SO NO SURPRISE THEY DIDN'T SIGN. YET IT SEEMS [b]JOHN-PAUL LANGBROEK[/b] WENT TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL. NOW HE WANTS TO DEPRIVE THEM...AND TURN THEM INDEPENDENT... THE ROAD TO PRIVATISATION. VOTERS WILL REMEMBER: A deadline for Queensland to sign up to the Federal Government's Gonski education reforms has passed, with no sign of an agreement. The agreement needed to be finalised by midday (AEST), before the Federal Government entered caretaker mode due to the September 7 election. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-05/deadline-passes-with-no-qld-sign-up-to-gonski/4865488 GRRR... IT'S LIKE THOSE POLLIES WHO GOT FREE UNI EDUCATION BUT NOW WANT MORE AND MORE FEES. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 HERE'S THE NEW ALP AD: [b]A NEW WAY[/b] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMGCByEkWKA I LIKE THE POSITIVE APPROACH. I FIND THE ABBOTT AD TO BE A BIT CORNY, SOMEWHAT AMERICAN FEEL. REMINDS ME OF GW BUSH SITTING IN PLANE OBSERVING THE NEW ORLEANS DISASTER. NOT MUCH ORIGINAL ABOUT ABBOTT. EVEN STEALS FROM OBAMA CAMPAIGN. N'

42 long

5/08/2013The QLD LieNP has some weirdo's.(Most of them) There was a list of DENIERS available a few weeks age who are Federal Pollies. The LieBERALS had nearly ALL of them in their ranks. They profess (as a group) to have the same CO2 targets, as the Labor mob but are they LYING?? . Kroger, Costello (Not normally friends these days) Bernardi Non believers and not particularly NICE people at that. How do they preselect this mob of undesireables?. I know they used to sell knighthoods in NSW for about $15,000 amongst the Lieberals and a few "outsiders" of importance. (Reserve Bank Board member.)

Ken

5/08/2013I'm a little worried about Rudd's emphasis on the Government's economic credentials. While he has good evidence, there was research some years ago (it may even go back to the 2007 election) that showed that discussing an issue that is generally perceived as a strength of the other side actually does more to help (reinforce the view) the other side. It may work but it is a dangerous game. No doubt, he will also move onto other issues as the campaign progresses. Conversely, Abbott in his initial response referred to education and health which are generally perceived as strengths of the ALP. I did note, however, that he said he would put control back in the hands of the people to choose which schools (private!) and hospitals )private!) they use - code for privatisation and vouchers for education and bugger the public schools and hospitals. But as I said about Rudd discussing the economy, those comments could play to reinforce the electorate's view that the ALP is better on managing these issues. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but last I knew, the economy, education (schools) and health (hospitals) remained among the top issues among voters. I will admit I'm a bit worried about the election outcome. I think Labor can increase its vote overall and probably win the national 2PP, but it will be how that translates into seats State by State and that will depend on the swing in each State - and some of the swing may be absorbed in safe Labor seats with voters returning. I expect a swing in Queensland and the ALP will pick up seats but if they lose a couple in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania, which still appears possible, they could still have trouble getting over the line in the HoR. Although people don't like the idea, on current polling another hung parliament is a strong possibility. I'm glad Abbott has ruled out entering into agreements with independents to form a government. I'm loking forward to how the polls go in the coming weeks.

Ken

5/08/2013A PS on a more positive note: Someone pointed out recently (already forget who)that in terms of voting the "preferred PM" polling has a bigger influence than the "satisfaction" rating. To me, that makes sense, because when it comes to the crunch, the final question for people who have not already decided their vote will be "who do I prefer as PM?". Abbott will never win that one which may add 1-2% to the final ALP vote.

Ad astra

5/08/2013E You make some sound points about our national debt. nasking It looks as if John-Paul Langbroek and Queensland have missed the boat on education funding. I’m sure Rudd will drive that home. I like the new Labor ad. 42 long There are lots of global warming deniers in the LNP. Ken You say: “[i]Although people don't like the idea, on current polling another hung parliament is a strong possibility.”[/i] That would scare Abbott more than Rudd.

Janet (jan@j4gypsy)

5/08/2013Hi Nas. Here's a piece from Crikey that adds some depth to the "Murdochian Day 1 Telegraph cover" story maybe :-). [b]Col Pot’s war on Rudd: how the tabloids turned under Allan[/b] ANDREW CROOK | AUG New York Post svengali Col Allan has helped kick off News Corp Australia’s election campaign coverage in typical take-no-prisoners style. Day one of the election campaign and News Corp Australia’s million-selling tabloids have flagged their intention to pull out all stops to despatch the Rudd government to political purgatory through an unprecedented anti-Labor salvo splashed on front pages across the country from now until polling day. With former Herald Sun turned New York Post hatchet man Col Allan screaming from the sidelines, Rupert’s mass circulation local titles sank the knife in overnight, with Sydney’s Daily Telegraph urging readers in a front page editorial to KICK THIS MOB OUT in about 190 point font. It follows an extraordinary run of tabloid interventions, with Saturday’s Courier Mail claiming the government’s budget “doesn’t add up” following on from its Friday splash: “Kev’s $733 million bank heist”. On Saturday, the Tele was bemoaning the “Price of Labor”, while the Sunday Herald Sun and Queensland Sunday Mail were mocking Rudd’s Nauru “Island hell” … Tony Abbott, responding to suggestions from Sabra Lane on AM this morning that News was “well in your corner”, cryptically admitted that “we all have to take the rough with the smooth.” The swashbuckling start signals a return to News’ fascination with making and breaking governments, with Allan under riding instructions from Rupert to revitalise the tabs and help install Abbott in the Lodge. His role might also unnerve CEO Kim Williams with Tele editor Paul Whittaker, Herald Sun Victorian editorial tsar Peter Blunden and The Australian’s Chris Mitchell back in the driver’s seat with direct lines into New York. Crikey understands that former Herald Sun editor turned conservative blogger Piers Akerman has been despairing of Williams’ 20 months in the top job, telling whoever will listen that Gough Whitlam’s son-in-law had stuffed up the company. At a function in Sydney recently Akerman reportedly cut loose, bemoaning his boss’ progress and claiming that his firm, like Fairfax, was being run by consultants. One mole close to News was scathing: “He has certainly bagged Kim privately to a number of people. Along the lines of ‘we’re no different to Fairfax, it’s just a group of consultants running the place; you can’t tell them apart’.” It’s now 13 months on from Williams’ fireside chat in which he announced that previously state-based print and digital sales units would be combined into one national team and the company’s 19 Australian divisions would be streamlined into five. Since then, Boston Consulting has been hard at work implementing the Williams masterplan and annoying the senior newspaper brass. Sensitivities remain acute: a paragraph reporting the pointy heads’ presence at a Allan-helmed editorial gee-up session last Wednesday (also attended by Williams) was removed, without acknowledgement, from the online version of Nick Leys’ widely read Diary column this morning. A News source said the story was “wrong” and that no current or former BCG employees were there. According to the News mole: “I think there are two separate issues: one is the editorial content of the papers and the other is the business performance. Most of the problem with the business performance is revenue related. That’s about a fairly disastrous restructure of the ad sales group around Australia. And I think Col is here pretty specifically to inject a bit of life into the tabloids. “So there’s a perceived sameness about the papers, and the other issue is a really big fall in revenue, some say 40% in the last year or so since they restructured the sales group.” Sources further report the editorial group was chuffed when Williams took over from John Hartigan because of his background of success at Foxtel. “It was starting to lack, their numbers were falling and I think they saw Kim as someone who could arrest that with some clever moves … and instead he brought in a bunch of consultants which was the antithesis of the News culture,” one reported. “And one of the biggest moves was the restructure of the ad group and it didn’t go well. So suddenly the editors, who are historically a massively loyal group, suddenly they were very grumpy to the extent that some ex-editors like Piers were openly bagging Kim around Sydney. “It was a particularly Sydney issue really, that’s where the discontent was strongest. You also had a fallout between Lachlan [Murdoch] and Kim over the NRL [TV rights] deal … there was an awareness among the editors that Lachlan and Kim had fallen out, the ad sales restructure was a disaster, circulation was still falling so Kim hadn’t had any real wins.” Speculation is now rife that Murdoch Jr, may return to News’ local arm as executive chairman if Williams’ reforms continue to rankle and the company’s newspapers earnings slip further amid the troubled transition to digital. There is also concern internally over the $10 million marketing pitch for the News+ subscription brand. In an email last week to all marketing staff, group marketing director Corin Dimpolous apparently told Holt Street desk dwellers to start consuming the print and digital products so they knew what they were marketing. A marketing insider said the obsession with process and decision-making matrices was being mirrored in that division: “The only thing News is producing in abundance is a truckload of internal Powerpoint presentations, hiring consultants, shuffling papers and org charts and scratching their heads as to why audiences are leaving in droves.” Two weeks ago, Akerman turned on training associated with the $60 million EIDOS Methode operating system, the key publishing reform launched by Williams year. In an email chain obtained by Crikey, Akerman questioned “whether anyone with any editorial experience put Methode through the same scrutiny given to Atex and Cyber before it was purchased?”. Courier-Mail columnist Paul Syvret concurred, branding the updates from News Corp digital guru Peter Judd “incomprehensible technobabble mumble-f-ck”. In the editors’ minds, the return of the rough and tumble Allan is a temporary solution to the mind-numbing corporatese. In this Sunday profile from 2000, Allan, responding to a Crikey sealed section item ”Pissing in the Sink”, the pugnacious former Dubbo resident admitted to occasionally doing the deed in his office: “Well, there’s a long tradition of this here, you see … I mean, a very long and excellent tradition. And let me say it wasn’t a frequent thing. And it was done as much to entertain the likes of Mr [Stephen] Mayne, and I’m glad that it’s succeeded.” A News Corp Australia spokesperson, Stephen Browning, declined to comment this morning. Akerman did not respond to an emailed query. http://www.crikey.com.au/?p=388985#comments

Catching up

5/08/2013<blockquote>Tony Abbott makes his day one pitch in Brisbane: axe the tax Positive plans from the Coalition. Division and dysfunction from Labor. That's Tony Abbott's opening sortie to voters today. (Fortunately he's ditched the high vis vest.) Abbott:</blockquote> http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/04/election-campaign-cars-carbon-tax When we say we'll get rid of the carbon tax, I am absolutely fair dinkum. He says getting rid of the clean energy package is an essential part of his plans to boost the economy. Abbott says getting rid of the tax will improve the performance of companies like the meat works he's visiting today. Abbott says he has today written to the head of the department of prime minister and cabinet to make it plain that the first act of an Abbott government will be carbon tax repeal.

Catching up

5/08/2013Sorry, I messed that one up

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]Crikey understands that former Herald Sun editor turned conservative blogger Piers Akerman has been despairing of Williams’ 20 months in the top job, telling whoever will listen that Gough Whitlam’s son-in-law had stuffed up the company. At a function in Sydney recently Akerman reportedly cut loose, bemoaning his boss’ progress and claiming that his firm, like Fairfax, was being run by consultants.[/b] JANET, ISN'T AKERMAN A VILE, BOSSY CHARACTER? HE OFTEN PUTS HIS FOOT IN IT...NOT UNLIKE ABBOTT. THIS LOT DESERVE EACH OTHER. THE PROBLEM FOR NEWS LTD...AND NEWS CORP IN GENERAL...IS THEY PUT THE URGENCY TO MAKE MONEY AND BRING IN ADVERTISERS BEFORE QUALITY...THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE GOVERNANCE IS SLOPPY...AND THE MEDIA GROUP IS TOO LARGE. BEING A MEDIA TRANSITION ERA ONLY COMPLICATES THINGS. THERE LIES A REAL DESPERATION BEHIND NEWS CORP, NEWS LTD, NEWS INTERNATIONAL MOVES THAT HAS BECOME OBVIOUS TO READERS AND MEDIA CRITICS ALIKE. THE MURDOCH EMPIRE HAS BEEN TOO GREEDY...TO OBSESSED WITH EXPANSION...AND HAS MADE MANY MISTAKES, FUMBLES IN THE PROCESS. WHEN A MEDIA COMPANY AND ITS GOVERNING TEAM AND BIG BOSS BECOME THE NEWS ON A DAILY BASIS YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT A PROBLEM. VERY OFF-PUTTING FOR READERS, AUDIENCES AND POTENTIAL READERS...AND MUST BE A REAL DISTRACTION FOR STAFF HAVING TO CONSTANTLY DEFEND THEIR ORGANISATION AND ITS OUTPUT...AND WORRIED ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THEIR JOBS. NOW THEY KNOW WHAT THEY PUT PUBLIC SERVANTS AND OTHER WORKERS THROUGH. NOT NICE. THE FOCUS HAS NOW BEEN PUT ON THEM...AND THEIR CAPRICIOUS TYRANNICAL BOSS...AND HIS BULLYING HATCHET MEN. N'

Catching up

5/08/2013The part of the story, Abbott conveniently forgot. "....OUTSPOKEN carbon tax critic John Berry has welcomed $4.4 million in federal government funding to help the multinational company he represents slash greenhouse gas emissions. The government money allocated to the Dinmore abattoir near Brisbane - belonging to global meat giant JBS - is the largest yet handed to an abattoir under the Gillard government's Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program. The funding follows last December's massive allocation of more than $6 million in government funds to South East Queensland rendering plant AJ Bush & Sons. Last February the government initially proposed contributing $1 for every $3 invested by industry, a ratio that was reviewed in July to provide matched government funding dollar-for-dollar after fierce behind-the-scenes lobbying by the Australian Meat Processors Council.." http://www.theland.com.au/news/agriculture/agribusiness/general-news/jbs-cuts-carbon/2645270.aspx

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]It looks as if John-Paul Langbroek and Queensland have missed the boat on education funding. I’m sure Rudd will drive that home.[/b] AD, INDEED. THE LNP ARE ALREADY VIEWED AS 'WEIRDOS' BY MANY AS 42 long MENTIONED ABOVE...A BIT OF A SHAMBLES. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL COMES ACROSS AS PONTIFICATING, TOO COCKY BY HALF, A PUSHY YOUNGSTER, DICTATORIAL AND FULL OF HIMSELF. A REAL HOLIER-THAN-THOU MORALISER. NEWMAN IS BOSSY AND DEFENSIVE...AND SOMETIMES LOOKS LIKE HE'S NOT IN CONTROL. THE TRANSPORT FELLA EMERSON IS ODD THE WAY HE STARES IN THE CAMERA LIKE HE'S TRYING TO PICK YOU UP...RATHER DISCONCERTING APPROACH FROM A FORMER NEWS LTD WORKER. THAT'S JUST FOR STARTERS. I FEEL LIKE THEY WANT TO RESURRECT JO AND TURN QLD INTO ALABAMA CIRCA 1950s/60S...BUT WITH MIAMI AND LAS VEGAS RUNNING ALONG THE COAST. VOMIT. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]The part of the story, Abbott conveniently forgot. "....OUTSPOKEN carbon tax critic John Berry has welcomed $4.4 million in federal government funding to help the multinational company he represents slash greenhouse gas emissions. The government money allocated to the Dinmore abattoir near Brisbane - belonging to global meat giant JBS - is the largest yet handed to an abattoir under the Gillard government's Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program.[/b] CU, THAT'S BAD.... ABBOTT LOOKS LIKE HE'S COLLUDING WITH A GREEDY BOSS. THIS WILL MAKE A LOT OF WORKERS WARY OF THE ABBOTT LIBERALS... SCHEMING BEHIND THE SCENES WITH BOSSES. NOT TELLING THE PUBLIC THE TRUTH. NOT GOOD...NOT GOOD AT ALL. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 SO JOE HOCKEY DOESN'T WANT INTEREST RATE CUTS EH?...STUFF HIM. THERE ARE PLENTY OF US TRYING TO PAY DOWN OUR MORTGAGES AFTER PAYING SO MUCH TO THE BANKS AFTER PUTTING UP WITH GAWD KNOWS HOW MANY INTEREST RATES INCREASES IN A ROW UNDER THE HOWARD GOVT. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 REGARDING THE LIBERAL AD ABBOTT LOOKING OUT OF THE JET WINDOW REMINDS ME OF GW BUSH LOOKING DOWN ON THE NEW ORLEANS DISASTER AREA POST-KATRINA, RUNNING LATE...MR. DO NOTHING WHILST THE PEOPLE PLEED FOR HELP. DIDN'T ABBOTT ACT CALLOUS AND NOT WANT A FLOOD LEVY TO ASSIST QLD AFTER THE FLOODS?

Michael

5/08/2013Catching Up, I take your point re turning on the TV's subtitles (if we have the facility), but this is 13 years into the 21st century, for Pete's sake! We should be able to hear reporters' questions. It has to be happening on purpose, maybe because competing media outlets don't want reporters from competitors being heard on their medium - TV, radio, print. But all that boils down to is desperate frustration for viewers trying to hear what's got any given politician responding in whichever way they are - smiling, shaken, disdainful, focused or avoiding. Abbott should have been heard being nailed on his meatworks carbon tax lies this morning, not just giving his also lies response, and us left to search out third party commentary to know what had gone on. If it's competing media as suggested above, that's bloody pathetic. If it's a failure of technology, that's bloody ridiculous!

Ken

5/08/2013Michael I count myself lucky. I don't hear any of Abbott's speeches or responses because as soon as he comes on, my wife, turns off the sound. Ditto for Hockey and Bishop. So I do miss a bit but can come here to find out what I've missed (if I need to). My wife is generally apolitical but can't stand Abbott or most of his front bench. Hopefully that is a good sign for other apolitical persons!

Michael

5/08/2013Ken... and your very sensible wife, hi. I understand the 'silence is golden' reaction you describe. Do the same on the lessers, Hunt, Morrison, Mirabella... the whole 'shadow front bench' (in their dreams). But, I am quite sure Abbott is a microsecond away from tapping his tonsils with his foot any time he's asked to make comment, and I DO want to hear what's brought on that comment.

Ken

5/08/2013Hi Michael I do understand where you're coming from. I used to feel like that sometimes even with Julia - that sometimes I would hear her responding and have no idea what the question was. It is frustrating.

xiaoecho

5/08/2013The Coalition can afford to smooth the feathers of big business and lobby groups because they know where their 70 billion is coming from - the pockets of the weakest powerless and voiceless section of society, welfare recipients and minimum wage earners doing menial work, as well as the under employed who are working often for the same remuneration as welfare recipients. Conservatives have been waging a class war for 40 years and they are winning. Joe intends to inflict discredited 'austerity' on the bottom half of our society. That is where their 70 billion is coming from, the pockets of the have nots. If they get in Joe Hockey will be the most despised man in Australia and he knows it. That is whay he is looking so miserable - or so I like to think

nasking

5/08/2013 [b]Abbott should have been heard being nailed on his meatworks carbon tax lies this morning, not just giving his also lies response, and us left to search out third party commentary to know what had gone on.[/b] AGREE, FRUSTRATING THAT IT WAS IGNORED BY LENORE TAYLOR ON SKY NEWS SPEAKING TO DAVID SPEERS...THE GENERAL SKY NEWS BULLETIN...AND DURING THE QLD ABC NEWS. NOT ON. N'

nasking

5/08/2013 xiaoecho, WELL SAID.

nasking

5/08/2013 THIS LIBERAL CANDIDATE IS HOPELESS: [b]LIBERAL party candidate STUMPED by Channel 10 news reporter (Greenway Liberal candidate Jaymes Diaz)[/b] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V--9cIScz8&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3V--9cIScz8 CONSIDERING HOW LONG THE LIBERALS HAVE TO PREPARE THAT'S AN AWFUL PERFORMANCE. LIKE ABBOTT HE'S NOT UP ON THE DETAILS. DOESN'T DO HIS HOMEWORK. N'

Ad astra

5/08/2013Xiaoecho I think you are right about the Coalition’s budget shortfall: “[i]That is where their 70 billion is coming from; the pockets of the have-nots. If they get in Joe Hockey will be the most despised man in Australia and he knows it. That is why he is looking so miserable - or so I like to think”[/i] Catching up This blog engine uses square brackets. So for quotes use: square brackets around quote at the beginning and [/quote] at the end.

TalkTurkey

5/08/2013Xiaoecho I agree with most of what you say but not your prognostication of Hockey as most despised man in Oz if Rudd blows the election. Shall I give you a hint as to whom I think that would be?

jane

5/08/2013Ad astra another great post. Your assessment of Liealot is absolutely spot on. Even with the wizened foreigner's imported Goebbels look-alike, I don't think it will raise Liealot's stakes enough for him to take possession of the keys to The Lodge. In Qld, most voters are only too aware of the consequences of handing power to the Liars, and now it's official that all the Liars states are in deficit, giving the lie to their much trumpeted claims of superior economic management, voters will be thinking twice about letting them loose federally. WRT Sloppy looking and sounding extremely bellicose lately, I think he's feeling terrible hunger pangs and we know how grumpy we get when we're starving. :) [quote]I was listening to Hewson recently who said he didn't think it was essential for a PM to have all the necessary knowledge and skills because he could surround himself with people with the appropriate skills.[/quote] Which would be all very well if Liealot had ANY of the people with the necessary knowledge and skills to prop him up and disguise his utter lack of knowledge and ability. For that sort of support and protection from discovery and confirmation of his unfitness for high office, he'd have to get rid of the fossils on his shadow benches and restock with talent stolen from government benches. I continue to be preoccupied with my m-i-l's health and also the husbandy substance who we think was bitten by a white tail about 4 weeks ago. Very painful with much swelling and a mini Vesuvius developing at the bite site. That'll teach him to tidy up sheds.

lyn

6/08/2013Today’s Links ALP & L-NP dead even as Rudd fires the starter’s gun for Election By Roy Morgan If a Federal Election were held today the country would be heading for another ‘Hung Parliament’ with both parties locked on 50% of the two-party preferred vote according to this weekend’s multi-mode http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/5085-morgan-poll-august-5-201308050559 Stephen Conroy: An apology by @mumbrella So when Stephen Conroy bleated about News Limited indulging in regime change, Dr Mumbo thought he was being a tad paranoid.Turns out, they may just be out to get them…Welcome back, Col Allan. Welcome back http://mumbrella.com.au/stephen-conroy-an-apology-171009#more-171009 A TerrorGraphing Sight by @mrtiedt Given the disastrous financial position of most newspapers, it only confirms their eventual fate – the expensive loud-hailers of the rich. http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/08/05/a-terrorgraphing-sight/ Telegraph headline prompts Rudd attack on Rupert Murdoch by Lenore Taylor Rudd said: “Mr Murdoch controls 70%of the print media in this country. It is plain from what Mr Murdoch has said through his public statements that he wants to see the government removed and he wants Mr Abbott as prime minister … http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/05/telegraph-headline-rudd-attack-murdoch Good Morning, Mr Murdoch by @TheHoopla Will the blatantly partisan stance of the News Corp mastheads around the country be good for business? (It’s estimated that The Australian lost $36 million last year.) There’s no doubt that in NSW, the ALP is particularly on the nose.Or will even loyal readers be turned off by the boosterism for Mr. Abbott from the Murdoch press? http://thehoopla.com.au/good-morning-murdoch/ Election 2013: Day 1 by @GrogsGamut The major point though is that by declaring it’s hand in this way, the Daily Tele needs the Libs to win. If Rudd gets home then the Tele’s influence will be shown to count for bugger all. http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/election-2013-day-1-or-id-rather-be.html Campaign 2013: Not an auspicious start by @crazyjane13 Democratic process? Pffft. Abbott wrote to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, virtually instructing them to cease their activities. Thoughtfully, he also gave its employees plenty of advance notice that he’d be shutting them down altogether once he was in government. http://consciencevote.com.au/2013/08/05/campaign-2013-not-an-auspicious-start/ Abbott’s ‘no minority govt’ pledge could cost him his job by Stephen Bartos It is conceivable in theory that if the independents wanted to support the Coalition but the Coalition leader refused to accept that support, there would have to be a new election. In practice that is unlikely — the Coalition would probably instead elect a new leader http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/05/abbotts-no-minority-govt-pledge-could-cost-him-his-job/ Tony Abbott: "Everyone knows I'm a crook negotiator and I promise I won't try it again." by Steve Abbott Won't Lead Minority Government Kind of an odd way for Tony Abbott to kick off an election campaign, isn't it?, given that a hung parliament is certainly not out of the question given current polling http://opiniondominion.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/tony-abbott-everyone-knows-im-crook.html Will Obama advisors win election for ALP by @independentaus But the specific expertise of Rudd’s new hires indicates that the party has well and truly caught on to one of the biggest campaign trends in recent years, which is the use of highly professionalised, rigorously tested techniques to generate grassroots political engagement and peer-to-peer activism (somewhat ironically). http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/will-obama-advisors-win-election-for-the-alp/ What the New Zealand Herald is telling its readers about Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott by @no_filter_Yamba Having a wife who hails from New Zealand does not confer an advantage on British-born Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott. derided as the Mad Monk for his Jesuit past and moral conservatism, and parodied for elephantine ears and his red surf lifesaving budgie smugglers, http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/what-new-zealand-herald-is-telling-its.html Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott come out fighting over the economy by @GrogsGamut Finally, one thing Rudd pointed to: “We need fresh investment in agribusiness because there are rich opportunities for Australia in satisfying the new food demands of Asia.” Now, the agribusiness call has come a bit out of left field. The government released a National Food Plan white paper in May http://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2013/aug/05/kevin-rudd-tony-abott-economy Oz, NZ and the election by @JohnQuiggin2 If, like Abbott, Hockey and (on even-numbered days) Robb[1], you regard budget surpluses as the paramount measure of good economic performance, there’s a case to be made here. http://johnquiggin.com/2013/08/05/oz-nz-and-the-election/ Election 2013: the campaign that never ended by @ConversationEDU We can frame the 2013 election as a personal battle between leaders, in which case we can say that is three-and-a-half years late: the belated contest with Tony Abbott that Kevin Rudd shied away from in the late summer of 2010, setting off a cascade of events that led to Julia Gillard’s rise, http://theconversation.com/election-2013-the-campaign-that-never-ended-16691 Derpbates by @fakeedbutler Tony Abbott is a terrible debater who doesn’t have either a substantial policy platform to promote, nor the ability to skillfully convince voters why they should like those policies. He is, however, outstanding at quickly and thoroughly convincing voters why they should HATE his opponents’ policies. He can create reasonable doubt. http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/08/05/derpbates/ Election media insights: It's begun! by @dylanmalloch Journalist Latika Bourke of the ABC asked Kevin Rudd if he'd pledge to not run any negative ads against Tony Abbott.Rudd's answer was a masterclass in steering. He didn't accept the premise of the question. Instead he said something like, "Well, let's talk about Mr Abbott. http://www.dylanmalloch.com/2013/08/election-media-insights-its-begun.html Why the NBN really does scare Rupert Murdoch by @AshGhebranious Under a FULL fibre NBN (FTTH) system, this suddenly can change. Comedy Central can choose to no longer give Murdoch’s Fox their channel and instead choose to broadcast it directly themselves. They no longer need Fox to distribute their content as they can do it themselves. And THAT is what scares Rupes. http://ashghebranious.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/why-the-nbn-really-does-scare-rupert-murdoch/ Running on empty by @Piping_Shrike Even the Daily Telegraph couldn’t keep up the pretence that asylum seekers would be an issue with its “representative” sample of Western Sydney voters, whose concerns over cost of living, health and education seemed no different from what the nation as a whole has been telling pollsters. http://www.pipingshrike.com/2013/08/running-on-empty.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=running They’re off and running by Truth Seeker So the starters gun is fired, And Away is RAbbott’s Run, With Rudd’s Revenge in hot pursuit, Like a shot out of a gun, But before they’d made the first bend, Murdoch’s callers made the callThe race was all but over, Cos they wanted Rudd to fall http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/08/05/theyre-off-and-running/ Electronic ink could make solar cells as cheap as roof shingles by CleanTechnica The researchers say that their new technology brings the possibility of solar-cells-as-cheap-as-roof-shingles one step closer to reality, as well as the means to lower the production costs of a variety of other electronics. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2013/electronic-ink-could-make-solar-cells-as-cheap-as-roof-shingles-69180 Today’s Front Pages Australian Newspaper Front Pages for 6 August 2013 http://www.thepaperboy.com/australia/front-pages.cfm News headlines http://www.hotheadlines.com.au/search.php?q=rate

Ad astra

6/08/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

nasking

6/08/2013 [b]Which would be all very well if Liealot had ANY of the people with the necessary knowledge and skills to prop him up and disguise his utter lack of knowledge and ability. [/b] JANE, WHAT I FIND ODD IS HOW HARD LIBERALS WORK AT GETTING INTO POWER...BUT HOW LAZY THEY ARE IN POWER. THEY MAKE THIS LIBERTARIAN EXCUSE FOR 'A NEED FOR CHOICE' TO LET BIG BUSINESS CONTROL THE AGENDA...DISMANTLE EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SERVICES...SELL ESSENTIAL ASSETS... THEN IT BASICALLY COMES DOWN TO LOOKING THE OTHER WAY AS COMPANIES FLOOD THE MARKET WITH CHEAP, POTENTIALLY TOXIC, DISPOSABLE GOODS... LETTING PEOPLE OVER-FISH, OVER-GAMBLE, OVER GROW AND KILL CATTLE, SHEEP, PIGS, CHOOKS...TAKE LIVE EXPORTS TO OBSCENE LEVELS... LET HOUSING PRICES GO THRU THE ROOF WHILST TREES ARE CUT CUT CUT...GORGEOUS BEACHES BECOME PERSONAL FIEFDOMS... PRIVATE EQUITY FLOODS IN AND SUCKS AUSSIE COMPANIES DRY... MARKETS BECOME LESS REGULATED...CORRUPTION BECOMES AN EPIDEMIC...CEO & EXEC WAGE PACKAGES GO NUTS... PEOPLE BECOME CAR AND TRUCK OBSESSED AGAIN...DRIVING LIKE IDIOTS...SPEEDING, SHOWING OFF...KILLING OTHERS...TRUCKERS PUSHED THE LIMIT, TAKING DRUGS TO STAY AWAKE... CONSUME CONSUME CONSUME...FAST FOOD GOES THRU THE ROOF...CHILDREN ARE DUMBED DOWN DUE TO LACK OF NUTRITION...WHILST ADULTS CONSUME EVERY KIND OF CRAP... THEN COMES THE ATKINS OR SOME OTHER DIET EVENTUALLY ABUSED TO THE POINT HOSPITALS ARE FILLED WITH THE DEAD AND DYING... ADD THE OVER-THE-TOP DRINKING...SMOKING...AND THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF THAT... AND LABOR HAS TO COME IN AND CLEAN UP THE MESS. IS IT ANY WONDER THE ALP-LED GOVTS HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH? ESPECIALLY AFTER PARTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS NEGLECTED...INFRASTRUCTURE...PLENTY OF ASPECTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT'S WHY I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME FOR MODERN DAY SO CALLED 'CONSERVATIVES'... IT'S JUST CAPITALISM AND CONSUMERISM ON STEROIDS... WITH SOME FLAG WAVING, DOG WHISTLING, MESSY EXPENSIVE WARS...AND USE OF CHURCH, SPORTS AND ROYALS TO DISTRACT FROM THE INSANITY AND GREED. ---- BTW, SORRY TO READ ABOUT YOUR MIL's CANCER...AND THE OTHER ISSUES. HOPE YOU GET SOME GOOD NEWS AND REST SOON. GOOD ONYA FOR PUTTING THE EFFORT IN. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 NO PRIVATE SECTOR JOBS CREATED IN WESTERN SYDNEY SINCE 2006 SOUNDS LIKE CRAP TO ME. STATISTICS ARE VERY EASY TO MANIPULATE. AND WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE APATHY OF AUSSIE BUSINESSMEN AND ENTREPRENEURS? YOU CAN'T BLAME THIS GOVT FOR BUSINESSES SLOW RESPONSE TO DEALING WITH THE COMPETITION FROM OVERSEAS VIA THE INTERNET...THAT'S A WORLD-WIDE PROBLEM...AND THE PUBLIC WOULD MURDER ANY GOVT THAT TRIED TO SCREW WITH INTERNET-RELATED TAXES. AND ISN'T THERE A LIBERAL GOVT IN POWER IN NSW? WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN DOING? YOU REALLY HAVE TO WONDER ABOUT THE GREED AND LACK OF IMAGINATION OF BUSINESSES IN SOME AREAS IF THEY CAN'T FIND ENUFF MONEY TO HIRE AND EXPAND WHEN INTEREST RATES ARE SO LOW. THEY HAVE ENUFF FOR YACHTS, MANSIONS, ARTWORK, JEWELLERY, OVERSEAS HOLIDAYS, FAST CARS... YET THEY CAN'T INVEST IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY BECAUSE ELECTRICITY COSTS ARE HIGHER THAN THEY USED TO BE...EVEN THO THEY DON'T MIND LIGHTING UP THEIR BUILDINGS...AND HOMES FOR EXCLUSIVE PARTIES. THERE IS A PERCEPTION OF ECONOMIC DOOM BEING CONSTRUCTED HERE INTENTIONALLY TO SCREW OVER THIS GOVT... THEY TRIED TO DO THE SAME IN AMERICA TO THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 I MIGHT ADD, IT'S PRETTY CHEEKY TO BLAME THIS GOVT FOR PEOPLE NOT SPENDING AT EXUBERANT LEVELS CONSIDERING THE CUTS BY LNP AND LIB STATE GOVTS...AND THE SENSE OF INSECURITY THAT CAUSES. HOCKEY CONSTANTLY TALKING DOWN THE ECONOMY DOESN'T HELP...WE FOR INSTANCE, ARE TRYING TO PAY DOWN OUR MORTGAGE FAST AS POSSIBLE IN CASE ABBOTT/HOCKEY GETS IN AND THE QLD STATE GOVT THINKS THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH MORE AUSTERITY MEASURES. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 AND THE MURDOCH EMPIRE PLUS THEIR SHOCK JOCK MATES ALSO HAVE TO TAKE A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR TALKING DOWN THE ECONOMY TO SUIT THEIR POLITICAL AGENDAS AND GREEDY EXPANSION AMBITIONS. CHEEKY SODS THEY ARE. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 FURTHERMORE, LIBS ARE FREAKIN' CHEEKY COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW LOW INTEREST RATES ARE WHEN THEY KNOW HOW LOW THEY USUALLY ARE IN OTHER COMPARABLE COUNTRIES. MY STEPMUM IN AMERICA HAS A MORTGAGE FOR TWENTY YEARS THAT'S AT 4.75%. WE GET RIPPED OFF...YEAR AFTER YEAR. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 LASTLY, WAS IT THE DAILY TELEGRAPH THAT WAS PUSHING THIS ECONOMIC SCARE AGAIN? ISN'T THAT COMING FROM A CORPORATION GOVERNED BY THE INCOMPETENT RUPERT MURDOCH WHO HAS BEEN CUTTING STAFF ACROSS HIS PAPERS? REGARDLESS OF THE FACT HE HAS BILLIONS. RUPERT AND FAMILY MUST COME FIRST EH? THE HIDE OF THE MAN. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 AND...IT WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL TO HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN THE RUDD IN GRIFFITH DEBATE INSTEAD OF JUST HEARING LIB SUPPORTER LATIKA BURKE'S SPIN ON IT ABOUT THE MOST APPLAUSE HAVING TO DO WITH TAXES. TYPICAL ABC CATERING TO LIBS THESE DAYS. I CAN JUST IMAGINE HOW AUSSIES WILL REACT WHEN ABBOTT GIVES COMPANY TAX CUTS AND MURDOCH AND GINA ARE HAPPY AS THE CHINA CRASH COMES...AND SERVICES GO TO SHIT. IF HE WINS OF COURSE. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 THE REALITY IS THE LOWER DOLLAR WILL RECTIFY SOME OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR PROBLEMS...SO ANY LIBERALS WHO TELL YOU THIS GOVTS POLICIES ARE THE MAIN PROBLEM IS FULL OF CRAP. I DON'T RECALL THE COALITION TAXING THE MINING BOOM APPROPRIATELY AND SHIFTING THAT REVENUE INTO CREATING APPROPRIATE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ASSIST BUSINESS. THIS GOVT HAS POURED MONEY INTO INFRASTRUCTURE. 'THE INFLEXIBILITY OF THE FAIR WORK ACT' IS JUST CODE FOR GET PREPARED FOR SHIT WAGES AND CONDITIONS UNDER THE COALITION. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 WELL, AT LEAST THE ABC SHOWED ONE PART OF THE GRIFFITH DEBATE. RUDD DID WELL. PEOPLE POWER COMING AT LNP. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS?: [b]Qld Ethics Committee chair Peter Dowling apologises to family for sending explicit texts to mistress Peter Dowling, a Queensland MP and head of the State Parliament's powerful ethics committee, has apologised for sending pornographic images of himself via mobile phone text. [/b] http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-06/peter-dowling-accused-of-sending-explicit-texts-to-mistress/4867008 APPARENTLY HE'S STOOD DOWN. AND THIS GUY WAS CHAIR OF THE ETHICS COMMITTEE? BEYOND A JOKE. THE QLD LNP ARE A RABBLE. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 WHAT A COP OUT BY HOCKEY!: [b]The Coalition is refusing to commit to a final budget bottom line when it releases policy costings because it does not believe the Treasury figures released in Friday’s economic statement. [/b] The shadow treasurer, Joe Hockey, told Guardian Australia that individual Coalition election policies would be “fully and rigorously costed” but adding them up to forecast a final budget deficit or surplus would be “meaningless” because the starting point would have to be the Treasury’s projections, and they were “not credible”. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/05/joe-hockey-refuses-budget-total THIS LOT OF LIBERALS ARE SNAKE OIL SALESMEN. SURE, THEY WILL GO FOR THEIR PRECIOUS SURPLUS...THEY THINK IT GIVES THEM CREDIBILITY...BUT IT WILL MEAN VICIOUS CUTS...TRASHING THE NBN FOR MURDOCH AND PACKER...PUTTING UP THE GST AND BROADENING THE BASE...CREATING A RECESSION THAT WILL BE USED AS AN EXCUSE TO SELL ASSETS AND PRIVATISE...AND BRING IN STEPS TOWARDS WORKCHOICES AGAIN. AS FOR EDUCATION FUNDING AND THE NDIS...YOU CAN FORGET IT...THEY WILL EXAGGERATE DEBT... AND DELAY DELAY DELAY. AND ONCE AGAIN AUSTRALIA WILL END UP FEELING LIKE CAPITALISM ON STEROIDS...WORK CONDITIONS SHIT...WORKERS DRINKING AND EATING AND SMOKING AND DRUGGING THEMSELVES TO COPE WITH THE DEPRESSION AND STRESS... WHILST CHURCH LEADERS AND HYPOCRITICAL LIBS AND NATS MORALISE AND MAKE THEM FEEL GUILTY...URGE THEM TO HAVE DECENT VALUES AND HAVE MORE BABIES... AND THE MEDIA PUMP UP THE HOUSING AND INVESTMENT MADNESS... AND SO THE PERSONAL DEBT INSANITY STARTS AGAIN. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 TONY ABBOTT'S 'ASPIRATIONAL FAMILY' ARE THE SAME TYPE WHO UNDER HOWARD GOT UNAFFORDABLE HANDOUTS PAID FOR BY MY PARENTS-IN-LAW...BY OUR FAMILY...BY SINGLE WORKERS...THOSE WITHOUT CHILDREN...AND LEFT THE DISADVANTAGED IN CRAPVILLE, AND PLENTY OF THESE 'ASPIRATIONAL FAMILIES' STUPIDLY GOT DUPED INTO HAVING TOO MANY BABIES AND PAID TOO MUCH FOR HOUSES AND INVESTED IN PROPERTIES THEY COULDN'T AFFORD. NOW THEY ARE WHINING ABOUT IT. THE COALITION AND THEIR BIZ MATES AND MASTERS URGE PEOPLE TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE. THEN THE REST OF THE PUBLIC HAVE TO PICK UP THE PIECES. N'

nasking

6/08/2013 TONY ABBOTT'S BATTLELINES: The Howard Government proposed an emissions trading scheme because this seemed the best way to obtain the highest emission reduction at the lowest cost. Issuing licences would enable government to cap overall emissions. Allowing trade would advantage the least polluting businesses over the most polluting ones. As licenses would be valuable assets, businesses would have a strong incentive to compete in becoming environmentally efficient. On the other hand, artificially created markets could be especially open to manipulation. Issuing taxi licenses in Sydney, for instance, has certainly created a market, but not a very competitive one, and the main beneficiaries seem to have been licences holders rather than consumers. For this reason, many now think that a carbon charge scheme directed at the least environmentally efficient producers would be simpler and fairer than an emissions trading system. Source: Page 171-172 HMMM... N'

nasking

6/08/2013 ABBOTT, BATTLELINES: [b]Work Choices wasn't all bad.[/b] Source: Page 87 N'

nasking

6/08/2013 THIS AT SMH: Does it really matter that Lord Rupert has unleashed the hounds? That the Sith Lord of News Limited could save himself an enormous wedge of the folding stuff the next six weeks by just giving up on what passes for journalism on the Death Star these days? After all, on the evidence of the first day’s campaigning he could simply replace all of those newspapers he owns – so expensive to print, even more expensive to truck around – with a single giant sheet of butchers paper screaming “Vote For Tony Abbott You Stupid Bastards”. Perhaps with another message printed on the back, you know, for green cred. “And subscribe to Foxtel! Or Else. Grrr.” Seriously, anyone who’s been paying attention the past three years would know that Rupe’s distress at losing the last election was matched only by Abbott’s relief that he didn’t fall over the line and then have to deal with a bottom-feeding troll like himself as Opposition Leader. (Man, if Mark Latham had a moment when he was born to ride, that would have been it.) But how much influence is a six-week torrent of offal sluicing through the open sewers of News Limited’s election coverage really going to have? Nobody under the age of 30 has ever read a newspaper and presumably most of the zombie horde drawn to the columns of the Piers Boltbrechtson Hivemind would only ever have voted for Rudd by accident or as a result of some calamitous dosage error in their medication. It’s sort of depressing sitting here in the mainstream media, thinking that this might be the last election in which anyone gives a toss what the mainstream media does, and even then it’d be a small and vanishing fraction of the voting age population. But getting upset because a super rich conservative businessman has sooled his pack of attack-munters onto the political party which is only slightly less likely to preference the interests of super rich conservative businessmen over, say, everyone else doesn’t have much of a future. http://www.smh.com.au/comment/blogs/blunt-instrument/lord-rupert-unleashed-hounds-does-it-really-matter-20130806-2raod.html IT WOULDN'T MAKE ONE IOTA OF DIFFERENCE IF WE HAD A LESS CORPORATE MEDIA...AND THE ABC HAD NOT ACTED LIKE BLOODY MURDOCH EMPIRE CLONES FOR SO LONG... THE PROBLEM LIES IN THE DISTORTION OF THE GOVT'S POLICIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS... MAKING SO MUCH LOOK LIKE FAILURES, MISTAKES, OVER-SPENDING, BIG GOVT OUT OF CONTROL... TOO OFT IGNORING THE REAL ON THE GROUND USEFULNESS OF PROJECTS AND SCHEMES...AND IGNORING THE PROSPERITY CONSIDERING THE GFC AND SUBSEQUENT ECONOMIC DESPAIR IN EUROPE AND ELSEWHERE. FRANKLY, I DO NOT TRUST FAIRFAX TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY THIS GOVT AND THE PEOPLE... IN THE LONG RUN DESPERATE COMPANIES LOOK FOR THE EASY ANSWERS...TAX CUTS AND HELP FOR THEIR RICH SHAREHOLDERS...AND AN IMPROVED CLIMATE FOR THEIR DOMINANT AND PUSHY CORPORATE ADVERTISERS. LET'S HOPE THE PEOPLE SEE THRU THE BS. N'

Ad astra

6/08/2013Folks I'll be away from my computer most of the day. I'll be back this evening.

2353

6/08/2013Another scalp from the Queensland LNP Government elected on a platform of trust, ethics and accountability. http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/lnp-mp-peter-dowling-stands-down-in-sexting-scandal-20130806-2rao5.html To make it better - he was the chair of the "Ethics Committee" and accused of texting pornographic images of himself to his mistress.

42 long

6/08/2013Campbell can pick em. The "A" team. Enough to put me off red wine. I suppose the missus will be understanding and the kids will be able to explain it at school. ADULT behaviour from the better than labor mob. No wonder most rate Pollies low. Lies SEX and videotapes , add some kickbacks, insider trading tips from knowing friends . Want action? . Join Campbells army and have it all. Do infants have as much fun in infancy as adults do in adultery? Join the pubic service, not the public service and service more. Forgive me I can't resist it...

TalkTurkey

6/08/2013Michael, I did write you a post yesty which I cannily erased, noting that I have for years railed against the fact that you can hardly ever hear a question in the whistle stops, I said Gee we regularly get reports from interstellar space from a craft launched decades ago but in 2013 we can't hear the questioners on the village green, it's beyond ridiculous, it's plainly deliberate, like the regulation that cameras in Parliament are not allowed to linger on like Rudd eating his earwax or Abborrrtt sleeping through important legislation. It would be too much Power to the People I suppose. What is an answer if you don't know the question to it? I never say things anywhere as well the second time round but that is the gist of what I said yesty. It's bloody infuriating and ridiculous. Some programs have live captions and perhaps they're improving, I hope so. But the Dog's sake why can't they have a mike where it's needed? Weird.

Michael

6/08/2013This from over at the ABC News online site: 'The Coalition has fended off Labor attacks over its decision not to commit to its own budget bottom line when it releases its policy costings, with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott saying voters will be "able to do the arithmetic".' Voters will have to "do the arithmetic" on Coalition numbers because Abbott, Hockey and Robb can't themselves? Or because they've worked them out to the last cent, and definitely don't want THAT number out there? Even the most dedicated Coalition follower will have to start asking themselves soon (never too soon if you ask me), but very very soon, "is this the best we have?", because if Abbott and Hockey and Robb are the economic brains trust of a potential Conservative government, then deity help this country. And as a political brains trust??? Nincompoops!

42 long

6/08/2013Complete fool abort. Don't know what planet he is on. (Wish it wasn't this one, but I wouldn't wish him on anyone). Is there something wrong with his head? If one kept a record of these comments and printed it in the future ( for entertainment and posterity) it would make money. This is like some kind of dream, that one just HAS to wake up from one day.

Michael

6/08/201342 Long, hi. Someone HAS made a start on just such a list of Abbott's clangers. It was amongst Lyn's Links in the previous blog topic, or perhaps the one before, entitled '15 Lies from Tony Abbott' (or a variation on that theme). "lie" and "comment" are interchangeable descriptors for anything from the lips of Tony Abbott.

Michael

6/08/2013Or is that too cruel? Fair dinkum not!!

Jason

6/08/2013 http://www.afr.com/p/blogs/christopher_joye/rates_potent_message_for_rudd_OOHL2YFbSxAxEXR1fcP2oL Christopher Joye The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to cut the cash rate to a new record low of 2.5 per cent notwithstanding a 15 per cent decline in the Australian dollar could be an electoral game-changer. Interest rates, house prices, and jobs are three of your biggest “barbecue stoppers”. Judged on these variables alone, Kevin Rudd’s decision to hold the election on September 7 is smart and equips Labor with potent economic messages. It desperately needs this help given its heavy baggage and the formidable army arrayed against it. It is also why the RBA’s board meeting on Tuesday was so important. Consider these facts. After two years of no growth, Australian house prices have climbed 5 per cent in the first eight months of 2013. Auction clearance rates across Sydney and Melbourne are back in boom-time, 70 to 80-per cent territory during the seasonally weak winter months. The national clearance rate of circa 70 per cent is up from 45 per cent in late 2011. The August cut, which we anticipated on 12 July, will only reinforce this momentum. Thanks to 225 basis points worth of official cash rate relief since late 2011, borrowing costs on outstanding business and residential loans are now lower than they were during the financial crisis. The fact is voters have the cheapest fixed and variable home loan rates since the 1960s. Cheapest money in memory The average home loan rate under Labor is now almost identical to the average rate during the Howard government’s term (there are trivial differences across fixed- and variable-rate products). Perhaps most surprisingly given Labor has had to weather the financial crisis, and European turbulence in the ensuing years, the 5.1 per cent average jobless rate under Rudd and Gillard, which is close to theoretical full-employment, is noticeably less than the 6.4 per cent rate that prevailed under John Howard. The cheapest money in memory, capital gains for the owners of $4 trillion of property, and an impressively low average jobless rate are reasonable responses to the equally valid criticisms of Labor’s proclivity for spending beyond its means. As I highlighted after the last budget, total federal, state and local government debt under Labor has exploded to more than $500 billion today from $250 billion in 2007. The Rudd and Gillard governments have had a deliberate strategy of trying to jaw-bone down mortgage costs as they headed towards this election in exchange for promising budget austerity, which of course never materialised. Labor’s persistent structural deficits have been far greater than Treasury ever projected. And the RBA’s board seemed to buy into the line that the (limited) fiscal drag – in concert with other factors like the once overvalued Aussie – would necessitate lower rates. By holding the election on September 7, Rudd astutely gave the RBA the cover of two meetings to make its decision. The RBA wanted to avoid pushing rates to new lows days before a poll. This only amplified the need to pull the trigger sooner rather than later, but also affords Rudd the chance of capitalising on the news for the entire campaign. Changing board seats It would be foolish to presume that the central bank operates in a political vacuum. The RBA’s board is human, after all. Goldman Sachs’s chief economist, Tim Toohey, who called the August decision, noted beforehand that “the timing of the federal election complicates the RBA’s easing cycle.” Some Coalition members have still not forgiven Stevens for sensationally raising rates less than three weeks before the November 2007 election day. Former treasurer Peter Costello, who appointed Stevens against “some opposition inside the government,” said “a more-experienced governor would not have felt the same need to prove himself.” Here Labor has worked hard to tilt the probabilities in its favour. Breaking with convention, the government removed the independent academic from the RBA’s board, who was most recently the hawk, Warwick McKibbin, and put former Labor adviser, John Edwards, in the seat even though McKibbin wanted to continue. After the retirement of another hawk, Donald McGauchie, the long-time manufacturing industry lobbyist and self-styled “growth girl”, Heather Ridout, emerged. Ridout has been vocally dovish since her appointment. Coalition insiders say that if they come to power, Ridout and Edwards will be “one-termers”. Another board member, Treasury Secretary Martin Parkinson, may be on his last legs too. Finally, Labor locked in Glenn Stevens’s second stint as governor for another three years. This means they have pre-emptively denied the Coalition an opportunity to appoint a new governor even though the governor’s term ends after the election. Unless Stevens agrees to an early transition it may mean the Coalition is dealing with a notoriously independent RBA boss raising rates off historic lows throughout its first term. *The author has a home and fixed-rate mortgage. The Australian Financial Review

BSA Bob

6/08/2013The ABC & Coalition coalition appear to be in agreement that Treasury's figures can't be believed. Apart from the ones that predict an increasing deficit, which seem to be OK & must be seen in the context of the Australian economy being a unique self contained unit. Language fails.

Bloss

6/08/2013I have just watched Channel 10 news in Melbourne ( something I never usually do!) and I was amazed that they gave the Coalition a bit of a pasting over their reaction to the latest drop in the interest rate, even referring to JWH and his comments about a good economy being one with low interest rates. Hugh Rimmington ( reporter) also ridiculed Hockey's bizarre statement earlier in the day that journalists, voters, " anyone" will be adding up the Coalition's budget bottom line, but the Coalition apparently won't be doing it any time soon.

42 long

6/08/2013Without trying to be opportunistic I really wonder how much damage has been done to general confidence with the constant scare mongering of SHockey and Co and the rabborts BIG NEW TAX wrecking balls, emergencies and bagging the economy generally. With the amplification by media It has to be a big factor in people NOT spending. With other economies with interest rates at totally unrealistic Zero rate of interest. USA printing money by the truckload, Australia has the highest rate by a margin of over 2 percent .These are large distortions to an unstable circumstance not of out making. All countries subsidise their agriculture and vehicle industries. Our Auto investment is linked to company investment and gives a value for money proposition without considering the fact of 50,000 jobs related to that activity. NO economist is advocating a rush to surplus. Hockey's SCARE tactics is juts that and preys on ignorance. the Labor rate of taxation is still lower than Howards and HIS rate was too low according to most experts and was just dissipating money that should have been put away for worse times, on pork barrelling for the election. Johny Howard has one unusual achievement He not only lost the election, He lost HIS SEAT in a blue ribbon electorate. Back to the future is 100% Bullshit, with the LieNP

Mick P

6/08/2013Hi Ad, I not new to you blog just have not contributed for a while. My thoughts on the constings of the Coaltion policies or should I day no costings by Joe, left me with no other choice but to take up Tones challege for voters to do their own costings, so he goes. I knew that this would be a comples task so I had to start with my own formula from scatch and here it is. I took the girth measurement of Loveble Joe, then multiplied it by the cube of Abbott's head and finaly multiplied the result by the combined IQ of the Coaltions front bench. The result was $69.75, I thought this seems to be a bit out and maybe I have made an error with my calculations. I reached for my trusty old calculator and is doing so accidently knocked it onto the floor. Low and behold when checked the figures on the screen it was not $69.75 it was 69 billion 750 thousand, now this was more like it. What do you think Ad can you see the logic in the formula?. Mick P sometimes using Sawdustmick

Janet (j4gypsy)

6/08/2013Hey Sawdustmick. Think u just made ma day! :-)

Ad astra

6/08/20132353, 42 long, TT, Michael, Jason, BSA Bob, Bloss, Mick P aka sawdustmick, Janet I’m back after a day away from the computer. Thank you for your comments and links. Mick P, I thing your calculations are at least as accurate as the Coalition’s promise to be. Have we ever had such an insolent approach to policy and costings as we are having afflicted on us by the Coalition? Joe Hockey was over the top when he attempted to lampoon the Government for the RBA’s lowering of the cash rate, and Abbott now insults the electorate by telling it that it can do the arithmetic on their costings. Of course, that would be more reliable than relying on the Coalition’s arithmetic. Last time they needed Perth accountants HK Howarth to do the sums for them. Leigh Sales gave Hockey a pretty thorough working over on [i]7.30[/i], but he just babbled on, and at the end beamed a big self-satisfied smile not realizing how foolish he looked and sounded, how unconvincing his arguments were. Lack of insight is an awful impediment.

jaycee

6/08/2013Mick P....Was that an "eleventy calculator"?

jane

6/08/2013[quote]WHAT I FIND ODD IS HOW HARD LIBERALS WORK AT GETTING INTO POWER...BUT HOW LAZY THEY ARE IN POWER.[/quote] AGREE, NAS'. SEEMS AS THOUGH THE GETTING OF POWER IS THEIR ONLY GOAL AND THEY NEVER GIVE ANY THOUGHT TO WHY THEY WANT IT & WHAT THEY'LL DO WITH IT IF THEY GET IT. AND AS YOU SAY THE ONLY ANSWER THEY HAVE IS OPEN SLATHER FOR BIG BUSINESS, WHILE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IS NEGLECTED AND THEY SIT AROUND AND PAT THEMSELVES ON THE BACK. AND AS ALWAYS, LABOR HAS TO COME IN AND CLEAN UP THEIR MESS. AGREE ALSO WITH YOU @9.03AM. WILL BE TAKING M-I-L TO QEH NEXT WEEK FOR APPOINTMENTS. HUSBANDY SUBSTANCE IS GETTING BETTER, BUT IT'S BEEN A WHILE. 2353 @11.17am, what a joke the Campbell government is and what a great chair of the Ethics Committee he chose. Certainly adds weight to Piss in Boot rumour. The Liars really are a bunch of unspeakable grubs & hypocrites. Michael @1.21pm, if Liealot's mob are their A team, it defies imagination what their B team would be like. 42 long @5.56pm, as Nas' observed above, the Liars shift heaven & earth to get power, but do bugger all once they've got it. I really don't think they have anything like a policy, because the only thing they want is the power, and apparently the country will be fine in the "tender care" of the wrecking ball of big business while they sloth about on their hammocks. Mick P your formula seems to be better than anything the Liars have managed to produce over the last 3 years. And the total is closer to the truth than anything Sloppy's managed. Ad astra, Mick P has proved that the public probably has a far better idea of how to cost a policy than the Liars ever will.

TalkTurkey

6/08/2013Comrades of the Sword, I am saddened but also fascinated by the various ways some of my favourite 5th Estate Comrades have reacted to the Jilting of *J*U*L*I*A*. I think it makes a study in human behaviour. I noticed the different responses almost immediately but I did not know how the dynamics would play out: how would the wounds fester, how could they heal? I still don't know. Jason was absolutely ropable, in an agony of indecision as to whether to quit the Party. He has reluctantly but staunchly stuck nevertheless. But he feels pretty truculent, and I don't blame him. Let me say :[i]We will need your anger Comrade in the Party beyond our Victory[/i]. Lyn was the most practical and least discombobulated of us all. Next day she was in there being as staunch and determined as ever. She still is. A Canary in a Scramjet, above the hurly-burley, just doing her daily surveillance job. Honour to You Lynnie. Ad astra and I shared pretty much the same response I think. Shock and horror, disheartenment and disillusion, revulsion really with Rudd's perfidy, but from the first neither of us has wavered in our certainty that it is still just as urgent that Labor be re-elected, even if the flavour of the front bench is not so much to our liking as it was. Because Abborrtt is still just as menacing, and that's quite enough to fight just as hard. I was never conflicted about this and I'm sure Ad wasn't either. PatriciaWA has been hurting bad I know, and so have a lot of others. It has taken a lot of the juice out of our verse, I know I share that with her, though I see with joy that Mr Truth Seeker, undaunted, has set the nags off on the real Canberra Cup. Gypsy Janet is quietly sad too but she is made of tough political stuff and she too is fully committed. No wobbliness there. Everybody seems a bit different. Sort of splattered, as happens to particles in a collider, and never so confused. Lots of disappointment and a sense of betrayal. But the two people whose cases inspired this rave are from The Pub blog, where things between Bushfire Bill and C@tMomma aka Hillbilly Skeleton have been a bit heated. CM is a real Labor footsoldier as I understand it, actually active on the ground helping her local Candidate on a daily basis I think. She was a Gillard supporter I believe but since the Usurping has thrown her weight behind Rudd's campaign. A bit [i]too[/i] vociferously and whole-heartedly for BB's liking it seems: he is still in profound grief at *J*U*L*I*A*s undermining, and he is deeply resentful of Rudd. He will still vote Labor he says, but he is scathing of C@tMomma's enthusiasm for Rudd's campaign. I mean, scathing. And these two are old friends. It gives some idea of the depth of feeling about the issue. But Comrades we can salvage it all. The Government, the Party and the Nation. And we must, because we all want a real red-blooded Australian Labor Party, not an anaemic jelly-spined parody of it. [i]But first we must win the election.[/i] And the dynamic that will win it for us is this, that while I don't know anyone on this site, hardly anyone on Twitter, who is glad that Rudd has wrested power from *J*U*L*I*A*, all of us are equally determined that Abborrrtt Will Never Be Prime Minister. We are very lucky that he is so horrible. And now it's too late for Turdball to roll him. Deep breaths Comrades. Once more into the breach eh! I think you're a great bunch here.

TalkTurkey

7/08/2013SawdustMick I'm sitting here reading your calculation for the third time, I can't fault it but then I'm laughing so much I can't see my calculator properly for the tears. Truly, LOL to myself, not a figure of speech, real tears. MORE PLEASE You got it so you gotta share it eh!

jane

7/08/2013TT, I'm still grinding my teeth about Rudd' return. Not the return as much as the way it was achieved by 3+ years of treacherous undermining. However,I realise that for this country to avoid the horrors of a Liealot-led government, I have to put aside my disappointment and rage and work as hard as I can to make sure that Liealot is vanquished utterly. I hope that Liealot, Sloppy & co keep making stupid gaffes, because finally we have an Australian version of Rupert's nemesis to provide balanced reporting and a willingness to hold the Liars to account. I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that Slipper, Thomson & Ettridge will become the Liars perfect storm, although time is not on our side in that regard.

Casablanca

7/08/2013More on Hockeynomics: The Kouk Writes: the issues with Mr Hockey's methodology, 6 August 2013. [quote]Let’s use Mr Hockey’s methodology for the tax to GDP ratio. Under the Howard government, the average tax to GDP ratio was 23.4 per cent of GDP (data from 1996-97 to 2007-08, inclusive). Under Labor, the average tax to GDP ratio has been 20.9 per cent (data from 2008-09 to 2012-13, inclusive). In other words, the tax take under Labor is 2.5 per cent of GDP lower, which in 2013 dollar terms is around $40 billion a year. If the Labor government collected tax at the same level of the Howard government, we would already be swimming in budget surpluses. Maybe on the unemployment rate and the Coalition government's additiction to tax, Mr Hockey has something with regards to the methodology.[/quote] http://www.percapita.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=623

Casablanca

7/08/2013Peter Dowling: Australian MP mixes sexting with a nice glass of wine [quote]most politicians are primarily concerned with being in the black, rather than the red.[/quote] There are some very witty remarks in the comments section following the article. http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/shortcuts/2013/aug/06/peter-dowling-australia-sexting-penis-wine reCAPTURA: peorgeli softened

Marilyn

7/08/2013Trsding, trafficking and jailing people in other nations is not neutralising anything you fuckwit, it is a crime.

nasking

7/08/2013 [b]AND AS YOU SAY THE ONLY ANSWER THEY HAVE IS OPEN SLATHER FOR BIG BUSINESS, WHILE PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE IS NEGLECTED AND THEY SIT AROUND AND PAT THEMSELVES ON THE BACK.[/b] INDEED JANE, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHIFT EMPHASIS AWAY FROM THE OBSESSION WITH MINING...CERTAINLY THE RESOURCE EXPORTS WILL GO ON...BUT NOW WE HAVE A CHANCE TO USE THE POWER OF THE INTERNET AND LOWER DOLLAR AND LOWER RATES TO ATTRACT OVERSEAS INVESTMENT IN MINI-SERIES, TV SHOWS, MOVIES...CANADA HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS... WE CAN RAMP UP INNOVATIVE HOUSING...USING ALL KINDS OF DISUSED, UNDER-UTILISED PROPERTIES.... ATTRACT MORE TOURISTS AND STUDENTS TO OUR BRILLIANT COUNTRY.... AND THE POTENTIAL FOR UNIQUE AUSSIE COMPANIES TO EXPORT BY WAY OF THE INTERNET IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED... THINK OF THE VARIETY OF PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE SOLD THAT ARE NOT TOXIC AND HAVE DISTINCT FLAVOURS OR LOOKS LIKE ABORIGINAL ARTWORK, DRIED BUSH TOMATOES, MOUNTAIN PEPPER, LEMON MYRTLE, WATTLE SEED...YOU NAME IT. JUST FOR STARTERS.... N'

lyn

7/08/2013Todays Links Abbott Must Come Clean On The Budget Emergency by @beneltham Whether a budget surplus is in fact the best measure of economic management is something well worth debating, of course. But if an ordinary voter were to take the Coalition at its word, they would conclude that the fiscal balance is the most important economic metric. Tony Abbott warned Australians that we face a “budget emergency.” http://newmatilda.com/2013/08/06/abbott-must-come-clean-budget-emergency Abbott’s macro double-speak by @macro_business From the AFR comes Tony Abbott today: And we may have a new catch phrase! The Coalition is not going to “chloroform the economy”, Mr Abbott repeats three times. “The economy will always be stronger under a Coalition government. Government spending will always be lower under a Coalition government http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/08/abbotts-macro-double-speak/ The issues with Mr Hockey's methodology, 6 August 2013 by @TheKouk In other words, the tax take under Labor is 2.5 per cent of GDP lower, which in 2013 dollar terms is around $40 billion a year. If the Labor government collected tax at the same level of the Howard government, we would already be swimming in budget surpluses. http://www.percapita.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=623 Election 2013: Day 2 (or, you could cut the interest rate with a knife) by @GrogsGamut Now c’mon, really Joe. You’re arguing that 7.26% to 7.29% is a wining argument? You do know that 0.03% is about a $5.80 difference per month in interest rate payments for a $300,00 loan? That’s your big proof of better economic management? http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/election-2013-day-2-or-you-could-cut.html Abbott’s 10 tough election questions by Tristan Edis (1) You have suggested that Gillard was ‘seriously ethically challenged’, because she broke her no carbon tax pledge. Yet since you’ve assumed the Liberal leadership, you and your colleagues have made a range of claims about the impact of the carbon price that haven’t come close to true. http://www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2013/8/6/solar-energy/abbott%E2%80%99s-10-tough-election RBA decision sets the economic parameters of campaign by @crikey_news interest rates will always be lower under a Coalition government”, etc etc), has suggested rate cuts are a sign the economy has been mismanaged by Labor, while at the same time arguing Labor is spending too much. Maybe, Joe — but both can’t be right, unless Labor has found some economically miraculous way of spending money so that it doesn’t end up in the economy. http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/06/rba-decision-sets-the-economic-parameters-of-campaign/ Joe Hockey refuses to commit to final budget total by Lenore Taylor “Voters will know exactly how much our policies cost and how they will be paid for, but we do not accept the bottom line figures released on Friday. They are not credible,” Hockey said. “These numbers just look stupid so we won’t be adding up our policies. It would simply produce a meaningless document if we were to do that.” http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/05/joe-hockey-refuses-budget-total It’s official: Joe Hockey has lost the plot! by @MigloMT If Joe Hockey keeps this up then between now and the election someone will be wiping a lot of egg off his face. Maybe they should find a way to shut him up. Or maybe they could get rid of him. This economic buffoon could be our next Treasurer. Frightening, isn’t it? http://theaimn.com/2013/08/06/its-official-joe-hockey-has-lost-the-plot/ Coalition rejects Labor criticism over policy costings; Abbott says voters can 'do the arithmetic' by ABC "It is a falsified figure from Kevin Rudd and he needs to be called out on his lack of honesty," Mr Hockey said. Mr Rudd said the failure to state a final budget figure would leave the Australian people to conclude that the Coalition was not "fair dinkum http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-06/coalition-rebuffs-labor-criticism-over-policy-costings/4867852 The Debate, We Have to Debate by @TheHoopla Abbott wants one debate at the National Press Club (where journalists 
would ask the questions) and two American-style Town Hall meetings – one in
 Sydney’s Rooty Hill RSL club and one in Brisbane – where “real people” would
 ask the questions. first is tricky debate where you had better know your policy. The latter? You can get away with just about anything http://thehoopla.com.au/debate-debate-2/ Standing there Diazed by @mrtiedt The most shocking thing of all is that Diaz has been preselected to run against Michelle Rowland – a Labor member sitting on a margin of less than 1%, surely making her seat a must-win for Abbott. http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/08/06/standing-there-diazed/ Jaymes Diaz, Australia Liberal Party Parliament Candidate, Can't Name 1 Point Of His 'Six-Point Plan' (VIDEO) By Chris Gentilviso "We have a six-point plan to make sure that we do stop the boats," said Diaz in the television interview. "Six points, could you run through them for us," the reporter replied. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/05/jaymes-diaz-australia_n_3710009.html The last croak of the media dinosaurs by @independentaus The Daily Telegraph in Sydney is now temporarily controlled by one of Murdoch’s fast shooting headline writers, imported from the United States. The paper is focussing on Western Sydney, where high unemployment is a major concern and offers problems for Labor. Murdoch believes Western Sydney [see one of Rupert's candidates below in action] is the key to a Labor defeat. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/the-last-croak-of-the-media-dinosaurs/ Economic outlook weakens – but keep an eye on inflation by @ConversationEDU the Australian dollar has continued to depreciate, there are concerns in the medium term that this will put upward pressure on inflation due to higher import prices. However, in the near-term the stimulus from the lower dollar and the historically low cash rate has yet to be fully transmitted to the real economy. http://theconversation.com/economic-outlook-weakens-but-keep-an-eye-on-inflation-16753 Advertising that money can’t buy by @LarvatusProdeo Greenslade also rightly points out that while his editors conduct the daily battles Murdoch conducts the wars. In large part I think he selects editors that don’t need much telling, if at all. http://larvatusprodeo.net/archives/2013/08/advertising-that-money-cant-buy/ Rudd poised to win media land by Nick Cater About 10 per cent of Australia’s 20,000 journalists live in central Sydney or its eastern and inner-western suburbs in the seats represented by Labor’s Tanya Plibersek and the Liberals’ Malcolm Turnbull. One in five journalists lives in just five seats: Sydney, Wentworth, Melbourne Ports, Melbourne and Grayndler. Three are held by Labor, one by the Coalition and one by the Greens. http://coffsoutlook.com/rudd-poised-to-win-media-land/ Liberal confusion over FBT change impact by Trading Room Opposition Leader Tony Abbott claims federal government changes to fringe benefits tax (FBT) rules for car usage are a $2000 a year "tax hit" on ordinary workers. A NSW mayor who was campaigning with Mr Abbott on Tuesday indicated the impact would be $500 a year. http://www.tradingroom.com.au/apps/view_breaking_news_article.ac?page=/data/news_research/published/2013/8/218/catf_l Lemons by @otiose94 Abbott & Hockeynomics – cut Company tax AND increase it simultaneously, Abbott’s Greenway candidate Jaymes Diaz NOT on top of his brief, Abbott’s White Australia Policy, Hockey refuses to commit to budget total http://otiose94.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/lemon/ Rich Tales: Meet the man with millions riding on the September 7 election by Myriam Robin Today, McMillan Shakespeare has more than 800 staff and handles salary packaging for more than 1000 businesses, which included the leasing arrangements for over 45,000 cars. The legislation enacting the change in the fringe benefits scheme has yet to be passed by Parliament. Given an election has been called http://leadingcompany.smartcompany.com.au/wealth/rich-tales-meet-the-man-with-millions-riding-on-the-september-7- Refugee Boats; The Timeline – Updated to August 6th by @archiearchive Every word from the leadership in PNG and Nauru is being over-analysed by the media and the L-NP to show confected inconsistencies and Scott Morrison is beginning to foam at the mouth because his business model has been destroyed! I repeat – Still no boats! http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/refugee-boats-the-timeline-updated-to-august-6th/#comment-74268 PNG & Nauru agreements will stop the boats, but what about the human cost- by @bbaldwin2013 In one swift move, the Rudd Government has effectively ended the cycle of maritime asylum to Australia. It is a drastic line for the Government to follow, but it will achieve its main aim; deterrence, and more importantly; the preservation of innocent life. http://brentonbaldwin.wordpress.com/2013/08/06/png-nauru-agreements-will-stop-the-boats-but-what-about-the-human-cost/ Australia – the good and bad of the Economic Policy Statement by Bill Mitchell The Treasury clearly is reeling from its massive forecasting errors (revenue is $Axx billion down of what they forecast in the May 2012 Budget and $AxX billion down on what they forecast in the May 2013 Budget). It is also realising that they cannot fight against a significant private sector spending slowdown. http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=24875 The Liberals gear up to flood social media during Australian federal election campaign by @no_filter_Yamba According to the Liberal Party of Australia it has more than 80,000 members in more than 2000 branches and now it’s looking for reinforcement…... http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/the-liberals-gear-up-to-flood-social.html NBN- The $110 ARPU Fallacy and Coalition Double-Speak by @SteveJ_CBR The "tripling of the ARPU" is a bonanza for ISP's and other NBN Retailers - it means their Revenues will increase by at least that and their Profits will increase more again. Implying the reverse, especially without any supporting argument, is absurd and incredible. Just more Coalition "Double-speak": what's Bad is Good and what's Good is Bad. http://stevej-on-nbn.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/nbn-110-arpu-fallacy-and-coalition.html#more Today’s Front Pages Australian Newspaper Front Pages for 7 August 2013 http://www.thepaperboy.com/australia/front-pages.cfm News headlines http://www.hotheadlines.com.au/search.php?q=company

nasking

7/08/2013 HOW PREDICTABLE OF THE COALITION TO OFFER UP A COMPANY TAX CUT. WHAT A LAZY BUNCH OF THINKERS THEY ARE. I BET THAT WILL SUIT ABBOTT'S MASTERS. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 A GENERAL COMPANY TAX CUT BY THE COALITION IS NOT TARGETED ENUFF. LAZY.

nasking

7/08/2013 RUPERT MURDOCH AND HIS PROPAGANDA MOB SHOULD BE CONDEMNED FOR TALKING DOWN THE ECONOMY... HIS LOT VIA FOX NEWS AND THEIR PAPERS PUSHED GW BUSH'S TAX CUTS FOR THE RICH WHICH HELPED FCK AMERICA. NOW HIS NEWS LTD LOT HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR UNAFFORDABLE ABBOTT COALITION TAX CUTS. BAD STUFF. IRRESPONSIBLE. UNIMAGINATIVE. NOT FUTURE PROOFING. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 YOU SHOULD ONLY GIVE COMPANY TAX CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD IF YOU HAVE A MORE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD... THIS WILL MOSTLY BENEFIT THE DOMINANT COMPANIES...WHO ALREADY HAVE ADVERTISING AND BRAND AND MASS PRODUCTION ETC ADVANTAGES. AND ABBOTT PURPORTS TO GIVE A DAMN ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 WHAT A SHAMBLES THE COALITION ARE...AFR RECKONS HOCKEY SAID GST INCREASE PART OF THE EQUATION AND NOW OTHER COALITION TYPES DENYING IT. WE KNOW THE COALITION LUV THE GST...THEY BROUGHT IT IN... THE CONSERVATIVES IN NZ AND UK PUT IT UP (VAT IN UK) WHEN THEY GOT IN...AND HOCKEY HAS MENTIONED THIS BEFORE. YOU CAN'T TRUST ABBOTT AND HOCKEY N'

nasking

7/08/2013 THE COALITION SHAMBLES SHOWS NOT ONLY LIES...BACKFLIPS...BUT ATTEMPTS TO HAVE IT BOTH WAYS TO DUPE THE PUBLIC...AND LACK OF DOING ECONOMIC HOMEWORK...AND LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN VARIOUS MINISTERS. EVEN CANDIDATES ARE UNSURE OF THE SELLING POINTS. THE COALITION UNDER ABBOTT/HOCKEY/ROBB/PYNE/BISHOP/CORMANN ARE A BLOODY SHAMBLES... NOT FIT TO GOVERN IN THESE TESTING, TRANSITIONAL TIMES. N'

Ad astra

7/08/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

nasking

7/08/2013 FROM PETER WICKS: News Ltd are clearly only interested in the glass half empty approach, and are seemingly looking to buy themselves the Manchurian Candidate in Tony Abbott. Those who read front pages that say “…Kick this mob out” And take them to heart need to take heed of the moral fibre of the organisation that is saying it. [b]News Ltd, and the Daily Telegraph are a part of News Corp. News Corp is the company that is comfortable with pursuing and then bankrolling the hacking of the mobile phone of a murdered 13 year old girl and deleting messages (and possible evidence), making her parents believe in vain that she is still alive, as they did in the case of Milly Dowler. I can think of fewer things more callous and cruel. [/b] If that is what floats your boat (pardon the pun) then vote for Abbott and the Coalition as News Ltd seem to suggest. http://wixxyleaks.com/2013/08/07/front-page-news-news-ltd-ridiculous-front-pages-the-most-marginal-electorate/ INTERESTING INFO ON JAYMES DIAZ, LIBERAL CANDIDATE TOO...READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE. N'

Michael

7/08/2013Abbott may come to very much regret suggesting voters 'do the arithmetic' on Coalition policies and costings. If a party provides its own numbers it establishes a point of contact with them for everyone standing for election for that party - arguments against that point, for it, challenging its method, questioning its timescale, all of those can be responded to from a specific point, partywide, in all electorates everywhere. The number is grounded, set. It's theirs. Right or wrong, the politicians presenting that number start from a standard point - after that it's all politics. They either succeed in 'proving' it, or not, and voters make their minds up on that. Leaving the fiduciary setting of the party's policies to anyone and everyone with ten fingers or a calculator is just plain asking for trouble. It's avoiding establishing a standardised core of a budgetary discussion with voters so that they can, informedly, focusedly, decide what the party actually intends to spend voters' taxes on, or which services voters use will be trimmed or dumped. It's avoidance, not a display of 'anyone can do the numbers' competence. It's arrogant, it's stupid, it's stupefied at source... it's Abbott all over.

nasking

7/08/2013 GOOD WORK LYN...YOU ARE AN ASSET TO THIS BLOG: FROM THE BEN ELTHAM @ NEW MATILDA LINK ABOVE: [b]The Coalition’s disdain for the Treasury bean-counters is all the more noteworthy because the Coalition has repeatedly struggled with basic numeracy. In 2010, when Hockey and Andrew Robb had the chance to cost the Coalition’s election policies with the federal Treasury, they waited until two days before the election to submit their costings. [/b] [b]Perhaps this was because, as Hockey and Robb claimed at the time, that they questioned the independence of the Treasury bureaucracy. Or perhaps it was because the Coalition’s costings were a mess. When the Treasury finally went through the numbers, an $11 billion error in the accounting was discovered.[/b] Instead of submitting their figures to Treasury, Hockey and Robb engaged an auditing firm, HWK Horwath, to go over their costings. With typical bluster, Hockey told Australian voters that the figures were legitimate and had been checked by professionals. “If the fifth-biggest accounting firm in Australia signs off on our numbers it is a brave person to start saying there are accounting tricks,” he told ABC radio. "I tell you it is audited. This is an audited statement.” [b]Unfortunately, as the Treasury later discovered, there were indeed accounting tricks. Lots of them, as Fairfax’s invaluable economics correspondent Peter Martin has detailed. For instance, capital expenditure had been confused with recurrent expenditure, allowing the Coalition to claim the sale of an asset (the health insurer Medibank Private) as an ongoing saving. Some policies were double counted, some weren’t counted properly, while others weren’t counted at all.[/b] As a result, the bravest people in the 2010 costings charade may well have been HWK Horwath auditors Geoffrey Phillip Kid and Cyrus Patell, who were later fined and reprimanded by the Institute of Chartered Accountants for professional misconduct. It’s not all smoke and mirrors. [b]One policy the Coalition has been commendably upfront about is minority government. The Coalition won’t form one, which means that, as happened in 2010, if it doesn’t win enough seats to govern in its own right, then the Coalition will sit out the term in opposition. [/b] While many conservatives will no doubt applaud Tony Abbott for his clarity, the decision not to join any governing coalitions does seem a strange decision for an opposition that goes by the name of … the Coalition. It’s surely unlikely that the Coalition would ever join with the Greens, of course. But in Katter's Australian Party the Coalition may find a like-minded minor party. [b]More concerning is what this decision reveals about Tony Abbott’s views on parliamentary democracy. The Australian parliament has featured several minority governments in its 112 years, including the current one. As many Europeans can attest, governments stitched together from disparate parties are a quite normal feature of parliamentary democracy.[/b] [b]By refusing to negotiate with independents and minor parties to achieve legislative outcomes – including to implement its own election promises – the Coalition is effectively saying it can only govern with a clear majority. That’s disappointing, and arguably anti-democratic. [/b] [b]It’s also counter-productive. Does Tony Abbott really think the Liberal Party is better off for having sat out the past three years in Opposition? How about another three? After all, it was with the support of the independents and minor parties that Julia Gillard was able to push through so many of the laws Abbott opposes. [/b] [b]Like so much of the Coalition’s threadbare election platform, it just doesn’t add up.[/b] INDEED. BUT THEN...WE ALL KNOW THAT ABBOTT'S MASTER MURDOCH WANTS IT ALL... THE MURDOCHRACY TO REIGN SUPREME. N'

TalkTurkey

7/08/2013[b][u]The Long Story In Short[/u][/b] Labor warned that LNP would introduce GST What happened? [b][i]LNP got in and introduced GST![/i][/b] Labor warned that LNP would introduce Work Choices. What happened? [b][i]LNP got in and introduced work Choices[/i].[/b] Labor warned that LNP in Qld would sack thousands of public servants and wreck the economy and sell off public assets to their rich mates. What happened? [b][i]LNP got in and sacked thousands of public servants [/i][/b] and [b][i]wrecked the economy[/i][/b] and [b][i]sold off public assets to their rich mates.[/i][/b] [u][b]NOW HEAR THIS![/b][/u] [b]LABOR IS WARNING YOU: IF THE LNP GETS IN - IT WILL RAISE THE GST! REINTRODUCE WORK CHOICES! SACK MANY THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC SERVANTS! WRECK THE ECONOMY! SELL OFF PUBLIC ASSETS TO THEIR RICH MATES! AND MOST OF ALL CAUSE MASSIVE SOCIAL DISSENSION AND DISRUPTION. Don't play with Australia's future Folks! The way you vote next month will shape our future forever. [b]VOTE LABOR![/b] Not perfect but bloody good managers just the same. [/b]

nasking

7/08/2013 SEE HOW LIBERALS AREN'T WILLING TO LET THE ECONOMIC LEVERS OF LOWER INTEREST RATES, LOWER DOLLAR WORK. THEY WANT MORE IR CHANGES AND COMPANY TAX CUTS. AND WORKERS COME LAST: [b]State Treasurer Michael O'Brien has ramped up demands for a far-reaching industrial relations overhaul if Tony Abbott wins the election, including a return to individual contracts and restrictions on union access to workplaces.[/b] http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/vics-urge-abbott-to-overhaul-ir-20130806-2rdkn.html YOU JUST CAN'T TRUST THE PRESENT DAY LIBERAL PARTY. THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF PRESSURE FROM THE LIB AND LNP STATES AND ABBOTT/HOCKEY WOULD BE HEADING BACK TO WORKCHOICES AND PUTTING UP THE GST. IT'S IN THEIR DNA. N'

DMW

7/08/2013TT @ August 6. 2013 11:56 PM In the end some may take solace in the aphorism: [i]Time wounds all heels[/i]

nasking

7/08/2013 TT, WELL SAID. N'

TalkTurkey

7/08/2013Joan Kirner Best Wishes and Lots of Love Glass Ceiling Smasher You! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGyD2hn7d3Y

nasking

7/08/2013 GARBAGE TABLOID MEDIA NOT INTERESTED IN AVIATION

Ad astra

7/08/2013TT I echo your good wishes and love to Joan Kirner Your account of what the Coalition has done is timely. We have been warned yet again. The people must listen.

nasking

7/08/2013 SOME OF THE REPORTERS TODAY VILIFYING THOMPSON BECAUSE HE HAD A BEER WITH ALBO CHATTING ABOUT HIS DAD'S B'DAY. I WOULD SUE THE ASSES OFF THESE CHARACTER ASSASSINS AND VILIFIERS IF I WERE THOMPSON. WE KNOW THE TABLOID MEDIA ARE CHARACTER ASSASSINS AND HATERS...MURDOCH'S LOT AND CURRENT AFFAIRS HAVE EMULATED THE UK PRESS AND AMERICAN STYLE CRAP FOR YEARS. WASN'T MURDOCH'S LOT FORCED TO APOLOGISE RECENTLY TO A WOMAN WHOSE INTEGRITY WAS ATTACKED BY KROGER? THEY NEVER LEARN. THE FACT THAT THE LABOR HATING MEDIA HAVE VILIFIED THOMPSON THIS MORNING...AND TRIED TO EMBARRASS ALBO FOR HAVING A BEER WITH HIM DEMONSTRATES THEY ARE WILLING TO GO INTO THE GUTTER AGAIN TO HELP A SHAMBLES OF A LIBERAL PARTY THAT ARE STRUGGLING. N'

Ad astra

7/08/2013Folks Andrew Forrest has LOST his appeal against the validity of the MMRT. Lots of money wasted by him and QLD and WA governments.

nasking

7/08/2013 SEE HOW ABBOTT HAS HAD TO RUSH TO WHAT HE SEES AS A SMALL BUSINESS...THE MAN HAS NO ORIGINAL IDEAS...LIKE MOST IN THE COALITION. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 [b]Andrew Forrest has LOST his appeal against the validity of the MMRT. Lots of money wasted by him and QLD and WA governments.[/b] AD, WHOSE IDEA WAS THAT? TONY ABBOTT'S? WASTE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY TOO EH? THE RIGHT-WING REALLY DON'T WANT BIG PROFITABLE COMPANIES TO PAY MORE TAX DO THEY? THEY PREFER WE PAY BY WAY OF AN INCREASED GST. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 JUNE 2011 [b]Fortescue's Andrew Forrest warns of minerals resource rent tax High Court challenge[/b] by: By Rebecca Lawson From: PerthNow June 13, 2011 3:09PM Mining boss reveals High Court plan to fight tax Warns mining tax is pure "economic vandalism" ANDREW Forrest has warned his company, Fortescue Metals Group, will help mount a High Court challenge if the Federal Government goes ahead with the proposed mining tax in its current form. [b]The outgoing chief executive will also travel to Canberra, along with other key Fortescue executives, to meet with the Federal Government and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott tomorrow, to voice his disappointment with the mining tax, reported PerthNow.[/b] http://www.news.com.au/business/andrew-forrest-warns-of-mrrt-high-court-challenge/story-e6frfm1i-1226074332180 HMMM...DID ABBOTT TELL FORREST TO GO FOR IT? N'

TalkTurkey

7/08/2013Abbortt's eyes are going WEIRD! He's ON something I swear! He has visual nystagmus - his eyes are out of synch!

nasking

7/08/2013 ABBOTT AND HOCKEY ARE ECONOMIC IDIOTS. ABBOTT IS A GUTLESS TURD TOO WHEN IT COMES TO DEBATES.

nasking

7/08/2013 THIS IS BACK OF A POSTAGE STAMP ECONOMICS BY THE ABBOTT/HOCKEY CLOWNS AGAIN...POLICY ON THE RUN...JUST LIKE IN 2010. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 MORRISON DESPERATELY TRYING TO ATTRACT ASYLUM SEEKERS BY TAKING A PARTISAN APPROACH AND RIDICULING THE RUDD PNG PLAN. HE MENTIONS HOWARD...THE MAN WHO SUPPORTED GW BUSH IN HIS EXPENSIVE WARS THAT DISPLACED MANY PEOPLE IN THE FIRST PLACE...AND CAUSED MASSIVE GLOBAL INSECURITY. MORRISON AND LIBS REAL KEEN ASYLUM SEEKERS COME AGAIN...YOU CAN FEEL THE DESPERATION...HEAR IT IN TONE OF VOICE...SEE IT IN MANIC, PANICKED, SOMETIMES SMUG EYES. N'

Bacchus

7/08/2013Well said TT @09:28 AM. I might misappropriate that for use in other forums as the election draws closer. (with attribution of course) I have "rusted-on" rellies in electorates like Wide Bay, Hinkler and Groom. Might make them pause for a moment's thought...

Ad astra

7/08/2013Hi Lyn I’ve now read Today’s Links. You have given us another feast, with emphasis on economic issues, which might be the subject of the next piece. We have certainly seen a lot of hype from Hockey, Abbott, Robb and Cormann, who seem to be thumbing their noses at the electorate by refusing to detail how they would manage the economy. All we have so far is large dollops of gobbledygook and deviousness. Thank you again for doing the footwork in garnering such valuable resource material.

nasking

7/08/2013 LOL...NICE ONE! BILL SHORTEN WHEN QUERIED ABOUT HIS CLAIMS THE COALITION WILL PUT UP THE GST COMES BACK WITH: [quote]JOE HOCKEY AND THE COALITION ASSUME AUSTRALIAN VOTERS HAVE THE MEMORY OF A GOLDFISH.[/quote] SPOT ON. THE COALITION BROUGHT IN THE GST. THE HOWARD GOVT TREASURER COSTELLO THAT BROUGHT IN THE GST HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN QLD POLITICS LATELY. PUT 2 AND 2 TOGETHER. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 AND TO THINK TONY ABBOTT WANTS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR COMPANIES AND STATES TO BYPASS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS... SHUDDER!: Highly radioactive water seeping into the ocean from Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant is creating an "emergency" that the operator is struggling to contain, according to the country's nuclear watchdog. The contaminated groundwater had breached an underground barrier, was rising towards the surface and exceeded legal limits of radioactive discharge, said Shinji Kinjo, head of a Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NRA) taskforce. Countermeasures planned by Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco) were only a temporary solution, he said. [b]Tepco's "sense of crisis is weak", Kinjo said. "This is why you can't just leave it up to Tepco alone [to deal with the situation]. "Right now, we have an emergency."[/b] [b]Tepco has been widely castigated for its failure to prepare for the 2011 tsunami and earthquake that devastated its Fukushima plant, as well as being lambasted for its inept response to the reactor meltdowns. It has also been accused of covering up shortcomings. [/b] http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/aug/05/fukushima-nuclear-plant-emergency-radioactive-groundwater WE WON'T GET FOOLED AGAIN...RIGHT! N'

nasking

7/08/2013 FROM OUR BLOGGING FRIEND AND CYBER-WARRIOR TRUTH SEEKER: [b]Only a few days into the election campaign, and already we have that mendaciously meddling megalomaniac Murdoch telling us that we should vote for his boy Abbott... And this is also the man who gave up any rights to vote or even have a say in our political future, when he voted with his feet, to turn his back on the country of his birth for the sake of money and power. [/b] http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/cos-treasury-hasnt-got-sloppy-joes-calculator/ THE GALL OF MURDOCH EH? N'

Ken

7/08/2013On Hockeynomics. Friendly Joe has suggested (this time - see MiGlo's article) that the cut in interest rates was a result of a poorly performing economy. On the political-fact meter that probably rates as mainly true. He just ignores (this time) that that is what interest rate movements are used for. They tend to go down in bad times and up in good times as a balance to unbridled deceleration or acceleration in economic growth. Without such a reaction, we would be continually going through major boom and bust business cycles - it is one measure used to smooth the business/economic cycles. When the Reserve first started cutting interest rates, it was largely in response to the high $AU. The mining boom was coming off and there was a need for manufacturing and other industries to pick up the slack. While the dollar was high manufacturing was suffering. The GFC had also led to an increase in "savings" and a downturn in consumer spending - another reason to lower interest rates and get that spending going again. The high dollar helped control inflation during the boom but lagged well behind the mining downturn in coming off its highs, prompting the Reserve to act. I could go on and on. Simple fact is that Joe's pronouncement (this time) is over-simplistic and ignores reality - but what's new!!!!

42 long

7/08/2013How much is the LieNP's bagging of the ecomomy got to do with the lack of confidence. SHockeys "beyond emergency" What a clown. Over the top in everything they say. Like the little boy calling "wolf" IF a real emergency came along he would have wasted his scaremongering credibility. Watched A.abbort make a speech in Adelaide. Apsrt from having little content. HE is not very good at speaking is HE? What an embarrassment, and WILL continue to be.

nasking

7/08/2013 TONY ABBOTT BOASTS ABOUT HAVING THE SAME OLD TEAM...WE NOTICED...KEVIN ANDREWS INCLUDED...AND WE'VE SEEN SMUG PETER COSTELLO HERE IN QLD: [b]WorkChoices for workers - suck it and see or see that it sucks The discount haberdashery chain Spotlight, a private company owned by Melbourne brothers Ruben Fried and Morry Fraid, has become the first big firm known have used the Howard Government's workplace laws to take the low road by cutting rates for new employees to the bare minimum. [/b] It's come to light that whereas overtime and weekend penalties exist under the retail workers' award, the brothers who grew a small business into a big business bringing in $600 million a year are now using the new industrial relations laws to bring about a workplace [b]where it will be a thing of the past to pay overtime and penalty rates to the workers who serve the customers wanting to shop late nights and weekends. [/b] Spotlight has decided an AWA offering $14.30 with no overtime, no penalty rates and other award protections regarding rest breaks, incentive-based payments and bonuses, annual leave loading and public holidays cut out is an attractive offer. [b]Last Thursday the Workplace Relations Minister, Kevin Andrews, used a spokesman to relay the message that Spotlight was legally entitled to offer jobs that traded off many conditions under the Government's WorkChoices laws. [/b] [b]And the man who got to act as Prime Minister and enjoy the limelight for three days whilst once again the Boss was away last week, that smiley fellow Peter Costello, smirked and defended the new laws saying they allow employers and workers to reach mutual agreements on pay and conditions. [/b] [b]Opposition Leader Kim Beazley likens the 'mutual agreement' in this case - the Australian Workplace Agreement for Spotlight employees - to compare Australian workplaces to sweatshops. "When you look at the Spotlight AWA, you see that it is an agreement which has many of the sweatshop characteristics," he said. [/b] So it is worth a glance back to those choices for employers that Mr Chaney highlighted last year and then with the choice exercised by Spotlight in mind begin to examine the choices workers might have. Retail is the largest employment sector in Australia, with just under 15% of the workforce. And last week Kevin Andrews encouraged retailers, facing a shortfall of 22,000 workers, to look to flexible arrangements and to attract people who might not have traditionally been in the workforce to bridge the gap. So you'd think retailers would be smart enough, and care about their reputation enough, to understand which choice between the high road and the low road is the smarter one. Is gaining 2 cents per hour over the current award (that's what the Spotlight AWA offers) to cover a new 'no overtime and no penalty rates' deal attractive? An example of the high road, and a strategy that will address the looming shortfall of skill in the retail sector? Obviously not. [b]This deal is not looking terribly attractive to those in a job, who'll see this as a blow to their own conditions, who'll see their own position being undermined as prospective employees cave in and take the penny for a pound deals.[/b] [b]Besides, if you read up on the Howard Government's welfare to work reforms you'll find that if an unemployed person turns down a suitable job offer then they are simply cut off. You'll find that from July single parents will be forced to work for a gain of $1.67 an hour over the parenting payment they've been getting and they will have to accept any job that meets criteria set by Kevin Andrews.[/b] http://webdiary.com.au/cms/?q=node/1496 AND WE HAVEN'T FAILED TO NOTICE HOW EAGER JOHN (WORKCHOICES) HOWARD IS TO POP UP AND SUPPORT THE STRUGGLING ABBOTT TOO. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 THE NATIONAL PARTY HAVE COPPED OUT BY BEING IN COALITION WITH THE LIBERAL PARTY. WHETHER IT'S LETTING ALL OF THEIR PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS DOWN IN QLD & WA...OR THE DREADFUL PAID PARENTAL LEAVE SCHEME THAT BENEFITS WELL-OFF CITY MOTHERS...OR THE NBN... OR THEIR BAD CLIMATE CHANGE DENIAL STANCE DURING TIMES THEIR FARMERS, LANDOWNERS COULD BENEFIT FROM WIND POWER AND CLEAN ENERGY INVESTMENT...PARTICULARLY WHEN IT IS FARMERS, RURAL & REGIONAL HOUSE AND LAND OWNERS WHO CAN BE BADLY AFFECTED BY FLOODING AND WILDFIRES AND DROUGHTS... AND IT WAS THE ABBOTT LIBS WHO DIDN'T WANT A FLOOD LEVY THAT HAS ASSISTED AREAS. AND HOW MANY TIMES HAVE FARMERS LOST OUT DUE TO LIBERAL PARTY PUSHED DEREGULATION? AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF ORGANIC BUSINESSES AND FARMERS THAT DO NOT SUPPORT LIBERAL PARTY POLICIES. AND EYE THE NATS WITH SUSPICION. THE ABBOTT PUSH ON COAL SEAM GAS TOO...ONE STOP SHOP. THE NATIONAL PARTY TODAY ARE JUST FAKES AND FRAUDS IN BED WITH A LIBERAL PARTY THAT OFT DOES NOT LOOK AFTER THEIR INTERESTS. WHY DO REPORTERS, JOURNOS NOT QUESTION THIS AWKWARD ALLIANCE? N'

Michael

7/08/2013I know they know what they know... Well, I think they know what they know, but what Abbott and co seem to think is that they are still in 'the voters kick Gillard out, we skate into government' mode, even though they actually know Rudd is back and the numbers have gone even-stevens, not landslide catastrophe for Labor. But Abbott and his mob still act as if all they have to do is say something (anything!), and Labor is so on the nose, people will vote against the government just because... Because what? Well, it was because people wanted to throw out Julia Gillard. That option's gone, but you'd never know it watching and listening to the Coalition gang. Do they imagine they aren't going to have to work? Or have they just got so used to that idea ('we won't have to work for this at all') it's the only one they actually have - "we'll walk it in, regardless"? In their soggy dreams.

nasking

7/08/2013 DAVID BRADBURY DID A USEFUL AND GUTSY INTERVIEW WITH DAVID SPEERS ON PM AGENDA...BUT ONCE AGAIN FIONA SCOTT OF THE LIBERAL PARTY UNAVAILABLE. BRADBURY DESERVES TO WIN...SCOTT HAS TAKEN THAT 'SMALL TARGET' TACTIC TO COWARDLY AND UNDEMOCRATIC LEVELS. N'

nasking

7/08/2013 OUCH! LIBERAL PARTY MELTING DOWN OVER FRAUDBAND SCRUTINY: Malcolm Turnbull has expressed "regret" after one of his senior staffers sent an email to a popular technology blogger that told him to "get fucked". Stephen Ellis, a policy adviser for Turnbull, told Steve Jenkin, who publishes a blog called Steviej on NBN, in an email that "no one takes your psychotic rantings seriously. Nobody." Ellis added: "Given what you write is a delusional fantasy that exists only in your own mind, you can get fucked." In a blogpost detailing the exchange, Jenkin said he had been seeking information from Ellis on the wholesale costs associated with the Coalition's alternative National Broadband Network. Ellis responded by saying that he marked Jenkin's emails as "junk (like your copy)" and that the blogger's numbers were "all wrong". "Since the NBN stands to be greatly modified under whoever wins, your serial lies and distortions will be exposed in due course. In the meantime do not contact me again. Have a nice life." Jenkin's blog is regularly critical of the Coalition and its broadband policy, with recent posts labelling the plan a "financial disaster" and accusing another Turnbull staffer of having a "born to rule" attitude. Turnbull, the shadow communications minister, addressed the spat on Twitter on Wednesday, posting: "Regret my staffer's lapse into vulgar Anglo-Saxon in an email to a blogger. Charm remediation has been administered & equanimity restored." Jenkin, via Twitter, said the email had been "ill-advised, not just uncivil" and that, in policy terms, Turnbull was "pitching something he knows is a dog". Turnbull has endured an occasionally fractious relationship with journalists and bloggers who cover the NBN. He has clashed with Nick Ross, editor of ABC Technology and Games, and accused tech journalists of "fanning a pro-NBN zealotry among tech-savvy citizens". http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/aug/07/malcolm-turnbull-regrets-staffer-email CAN STAND THE HEAT THEN DON'T CREATE A SHAMBLES OF A FRAUDBAND POLICY IN THE LIBERAL PARTY COOKING-UP BS KITCHEN. N'

42 long

7/08/2013Why wouldn't they think it's an easy run for them? They hold all the cards (as far as they know). Mitt Romney thought he did too. (and Rupert backed HIM too). I hope Rupert is their "kiss of death" A lot of Australians might just consider his interference beyond reasonable since it is self serving. Energetic KRUDD is a game changer and the TAbbott mob are NOT very talented, never have been. Their conversation is sloganeering and when evaluated, unconvincing. This contest is CLOSE. Poor Mining Twiggy Forrest gets beat by a complete high court decision and States that went with him waste money. A good decision for the Federal Government. Four weeks is a long time in politics. The Liars have much more money to spend and there is no level playing field but their case is flawed and there are a few things out there which could harm the LieNP. The NP don't like the gold plated leave scheme and IT is not cheap.

Curi-Oz

7/08/2013Could barely believe my ears in the car on the way home just now. Apparently the figures produced by Treasury are unacceptable to Mr Abbott and Mr Hockey in calculating their proposed budget. Yet they are good enough to use to calculate the number of jobs that _would_ be created when their proposed corporate tax cuts take place. I have a suspicion that Mr Abbott's proposed Paid Parental Leave Levy on the "better off" businesses will never be renamed as a TAX either! But then, I'm starting to think I am becoming cynical in my old age.

Libbyx33

7/08/2013Ad Astra, Once again an insightful article. You have a very special way with words. Thank you for this column, and your previous efforts - I am a serial loiterer but rarely have anything to contribute. Also, a HUGE thank you to Tweety Lyn. What a diligent friend of TPS. Your links are a treasure trove always. On the economy, here is a juicy link for you. I have often wondered how this journo has kept his job, Murdoch being the thuggish pig he is... "[b]Take for example the oft-repeated claim that Australia is drowning under close to $400 billion in debt. This is a patent falsehood.[/b] The truth is that $400 billion figure is an estimated market value of gross government debt securities, not the amount owed and repayable on maturity. The fact that the market value is higher than the deal struck when the debt was originally issued actually represents the value investors see in buying Australian issued paper. In truth, total the face value of gross government bond debt is somewhere closer to $265 billion according to the Australian Office of Financial Management. The claim, though, fits with the Opposition line that it reduced debt to zero under Howard and Costello, while Labor has been obscenely profligate." Read more: http://www.couriermail.com.au/national-news/queensland/australians-simply-want-a-government-who-can-manage-money-not-play-with-figures/story-fnii5v6w-1226691912091#ixzz2bGvBhFGo Someone not afraid to tell it how it really is. A rarity these days, unfortunately.

TalkTurkey

7/08/2013Abbortt's eyes are going WEIRD! He's ON something, no joke! His eyes are winking - Out-of-synching! Whacko! ICE & COKE!

Catching up

7/08/2013Well that was one for the books. Leigh Sales had very hard time tonight on 7.30. I must say, she did not seem to appreciate someone else taking control. Gotcha questions went nowhere One of the reasons I was glad to see Gillard take over, was because Rudd did not seem to be coping with the continual carping from the press at the time. I am pleasantly surprised, that Rudd has developed considerable skill in dealing with the media. In fact, quote deadly. I would say that Rudd can now lob the insults back with finesse.

Ad astra

7/08/2013Libbyx33 Thank you for your kind words and your helpful comment and link. There is a huge gulf between the facts and what the unholy triumvirate of Abbott, Hockey and Murdoch would have us believe. To them, truth is optional. Catching up That was a nasty interview by Leigh Sales tonight. She was belligerent and rude to Kevin Rudd. She did not take kindly to being contradicted with facts, and Rudd insisting on saying his piece. Let’s keep that in mind to see if she gives Tony Abbott the same treatment, if he ever fronts for [i]7.30[/i] again.

nasking

7/08/2013 WHERE LEIGH SALES HAS MADE A MISTAKE IS ASSUMING THE BHP-BILLITON CHIEF EXECUTIVE IS ENTIRELY CORRECT IN HIS VIEWS... DON'T FORGET HE IS PAID HANDSOMELY TO BE A CHIEF SPRUIKER FOR HIS CORPORATION...AND HAS A SHARE PRICE TO PROTECT. ALSO, CHINA HAS BEEN BUILDING UP RELATIONSHIPS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE AND USING ITS MONETARY INFLUENCE TO ENSURE IT CAN SOURCE SOME OF THE MINERALS ELSEWHERE...CHEAPER. WOULD ALSO HELP IF SHE LET THE PM MENTION HIS 'SEVEN PILLARS' BEFORE RUDELY INTERRUPTING AND THEN INSISTING HE HAD GOT THEM ACROSS. RUDD HANDLED THE INTERVIEW WELL I THOUGHT...CONSIDERING THE OFT SNIDE REMARKS AND VOLLEY OF ACCUSATIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS. N'

Catching up

7/08/2013Little long but telling. “……….With the federal election looming, the ABC’s flagship evening current affairs program, 7.30 is featuring economic matters each night. But, as I have noted in the past, the presenter, Leigh Sales, knows very little about macroeconomics and her questioning (or lack of relevant questioning) means that myths are perpetuated and the viewers are misled as a consequence. The same goes for her Canberra off-sider, Chris Uhlmann. Both seem to give privileged access to the Director of Access Economics, a Canberra-based consulting company, which sings from the neo-liberal hymn sheet. The company is continually telling us about how bad deficits are, that the government is broke, that the deficit is broke and all the rest of it. Access Economics was one of the private groups that had forecast that a budget surplus would materialise last financial year. I considered their forecasting prowess (or almost total lack of it) in this blog – A Budget that reduces growth and increases joblessness – for no sound reason On September 28, 2011, News Limited carried the story- Access Economics’ Budget forecast is pessimistic, says Wayne Swan which said: Access expects a surplus of $3.8 billion in 2012/13 compared with Treasury’s forecast of $3.5 billion, but a $1.8 billion deficit in 2013/14 against an official prediction for a $4.5 billion surplus. They were significantly wrong for both years. By late 2011 (November) as the data was showing their predictions were unsustainable, Access revised their estimates to a small deficit for 2012-13 (Source) and progressively altered their forecasts as each previous forecast looked to be an deeply flawed assessment. Late last year (November 2012), the ABC news sprayed the following headline across the daily news – Access Economics forecasts budget deficit. The only news at that time was that Access had changed their minds when it was obvious they had completely missed what was happening in the economy (and why), which of-course the ABC didn’t choose to report. Anyway, the first segment on 730 last night – Interest rates fall as electioneering picks up – once again featured the Director of Access Economics and it is clear humility is not his thing. The segment was reported by Chris Uhlmann and after some introductory banter about what the political leaders were doing on the campaign trail, he began an interview with the Access director (Chris Richardson). The Access Director was asked what the low interest rates said about the economy and replied: They’re headed down because the economy is soft. And it’s been soft for a while because of a strong Australian dollar, it’ll stay soft because the big mega mining projects are now winding down, but neither of those things you know, earlier strength of the dollar, the next phase, the wind down of the mining boom construction, neither of that is due to Canberra. All of it is due to China. The Government’s own – Economic Statement – (released August 2013) – showed that public final demand contracted by about 1.5 per cent in 2012-13 at a time private sector final demand was also not as strong as previously forecast. That has everything to do with Canberra (and the state/territory governments). Further, the factors identified have been obvious for the last few years and the correct policy response would have been to abandon any plans to achieve a budget surplus and instead expand the deficit in a discretionary fashion. The deficit has risen but largely due to the automatic stabilisers (massive loss of tax revenue as the economy slows). After some further questions to politicians about the credibility of deficit forecasts and other meaningless issues like that, the reporter turned back to his “economics expert”, the Access Economics Director. The transcript went like this: CHRIS UHLMANN: No matter who wins the election, the task of making the books balance will be difficult for any future government. CHRIS RICHARDSON: Whoever wins has to repair the Budget. The official forecasts are for a small surplus. But they’re very dependent on two things. Number one, if China slows further that surplus disappears very fast. Number two, those official forecasts stop just four years from now, and it’s beyond that that things like these new policies, DisabilityCare, schools, the rest of it, get really expensive. We run the risk that even if we do manage to make it to surplus it’s five minutes of surplus sunshine. Whoever wins faces a big expensive Budget repair task. The terminology tells you all. “Repair”, “Surplus Sunshine”, “Expensive repair task”, etc The budget is not a limb that can be broken. It is not a machine that wears out. A deficit equivalent to 2 per cent of GDP might be a very irresponsible outcome or the perfect public sector contribution to final demand. It all depends. A surplus of 5 per cent of GDP might be required for sound fiscal management but it also could be the sign of a very destructive policy position. It all depends. What sense does the meaning of the work “repair” have in this regard? None at all. What sense does the expression “Sunshine”, which we usually take to mean as indicating warmth, have in relation to a surplus? None at all. A surplus could be a reasonable position or a totally inappropriate position for the government to be in. Would a surplus be good, in the context of an external deficit (which Australia will run at around 3-4 per cent for the indefinite future) and a private sector balance (given the rise in household saving to 10 per cent of disposable income and the decline in investment growth)? The answer is that such a position would be unsustainable and the economy would soon see recession and high unemployment and …. a budget deficit brought about by the negative income shifts. There would be no sunshine in that outcome. The point is that these loaded terms have no meaning when we talk about budget positions and outcomes. There is no “big expensive Budget repair task” looming for any future government. What is looming is an ageing population – which presents a productivity challenge. To maintain real standards of living we are going to have get more out of less and creating stagnant growth and rising unemployment by cutting discretionary net public spending now is the least obvious way of achieving that. We need massive public investments in education, public infrastructure (such as the National Broadband Network) and the like to sustain higher productivity growth rates in the future. That means we need larger deficits now and into the future. The massive amount of excess productive capacity at present means we can easily “afford” to run larger deficits. Afford here means that we have idle real resources that can be brought back into productive use by appropriately targetted government spending. The idiocy in the interview continued: CHRIS UHLMANN: So whoever’s in government after September seven, what are the kinds of decisions that they will have to make? CHRIS RICHARDSON: You’ve got to cut spending and raise taxes. Both are unpopular. Already we are in a phase where the promises that have been made by past governments, the current one, previous one, are costing more than the Budget will support so it’s showing up as a deficit. This is a campaign where I want to see as few promises as possible because we already can’t pay for the promises that both sides What Richardson should have said is this – “You’ve got to cut spending and raise taxes” if you want to engineer a massive recession and push unemployment up towards 8-10 per cent and lock out the teenagers from the labour market indefinitely. Further, there is no economic meaning to the statement “costing more than the Budget will support”. Perhaps that is a political statement, in which case what qualifications does Richardson have as a political scientist? The answer to that question is clear. It certainly has no economic sense. The Budget can be whatever it is. The government can buy whatever is for sale in Australian dollars. It can run very small or very large deficits in absolute terms or relative terms without blinking. The only sensible relationship that we might consider in terms of the budget is whether it is calibrated to the real resources that the non-government sector is not using. If there are real resources idle then the budget deficit can always increase – and should. The second segment on the 730 Program – Joe Hockey says rates cut reveals struggling economy – featured the Opposition (conservative) Shadow Treasurer….” http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=24927#more-24927 Leigh was too interested in getting her view over, not listening to Rudd's. The truth is, her questions are a little stupid and simply not relevant.

Catching up

7/08/2013I put that long, probably too long article up, as many seem to think Rudd did badly. Also today, Abbott verballed both ken Henry and Julia Gillard. Once again cherry picking sentences out of context. Yes, repeating half of what they said. There was a rider on both statements. Gillard' reduction of company tax was opposed by Abbott. Ken Henry had conditions that had to be in place for a reduction over time. Neither exist under the Abbott proposal. Therefore, as Rudd said on 7.30, cannot be afforded now. If Rudd was able to answer questions, he might have been able to get around to pointing out that fact. We have big structural problems within the budget, of diminishing revenue base. Abbott wants to decrease it more. If Sales new anything about economics, these were the questions she should have been asking, not scoring political points. It would not matter, if understanding was not so important.

Catching up

7/08/2013Teachers and others have come out against Abbott's school funding. That is a very effective lobby believe me. One that gets to talk to parents on a personal level.

TalkTurkey

8/08/2013[b]THIS![/b] http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/

TalkTurkey

8/08/2013Catching up You're right about teachers being good to have firmly on side. They tend to be pretty articulate especially their leaders.

lyn

8/08/2013Today’s Links The gravity of The Situation by @awelder Perhaps they should be more concerned than they are. Abbott's economic credentials will not see out the week. His policies on the environment, telecommunications and workplace relations are arrant garbage and nobody will change their vote on account of them. The education policy where Abbott promised to do bugger-all http://andrewelder.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/the-gravity-of-situation.html VOODOO ECONOMICS by Nick Feik, If you're not following the logic, another way of saying this is: there will be no net change in the tax rate for big companies but a tax cut for small/medium businesses. The Coalition's paid parental leave scheme now joins the long list of Coalition promises that is, in real terms, unfunded. So does the tax cut for small and medium-sized business http://www.themonthly.com.au/politicoz Company tax cuts won’t lift investment and jobs or increase tax revenue by Bernard Keane We are confident that the company tax cut will deliver some partially offsetting benefits to the budget bottom line over the medium term,” Abbott announced this morning. This, of course, is supply side nonsense, articulated by economist Arthur Laffer, that cutting taxes produces higher tax revenue, which has been repeatedly mocked by economists http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/07/company-tax-cuts-wont-lift-investment-and-jobs-or-increase-tax-revenue/ Libs to cut company tax, hike GST? by @macro_business Meanwhile, Joe Hockey is contemplating raising the GST: Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said the Coalition would look at the measures as part of a proposed overhaul of the tax system.It’s part of the equation,” Mr Hockey said on Tuesday, adding he wanted “less tax, fairer tax and simpler tax”. http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/08/libs-to-cut-company-tax-hike-gst/ Tony Abbott claims savings already announced will pay for company tax cut by Lenore Taylor Abbott also rejected Labor’s claims that he “planned” to increase the GST to pay for his policies saying it was “more, shrill hysteria”.But at the same time Abbott reconfirmed the GST would be “on the table” in the full tax system review the Coalition has promised after the election.“If it comes up in the consultations we will consider what the consultations come up with,” he said. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/07/abbott-savings-company-tax-cut Trust Us! You know you want to… by rossleighbrisbane I said to my wife that we’d saved a lot of money by not getting a new Toyota this year, but next year we could save even more by not getting a Maserati. Indeed, we could probably save enough to quit work if we didn’t get two Maserati’s! http://theaimn.com/2013/08/07/trust-us-you-know-you-want-to/ Debate: Economic crisis! Or what economic crisis? by Stephen Koukoulas and Henry Ergas, the Coalition says it's more evidence of Labor's mis-management. So is the Australian economy in dire straights? Is the budget in crisis? And is Australia's triple-A credit rating under threat? Two of Australia's leading economists http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-07/debate-economic-crisis-or-what-economic-crisis/4871204?section=business Higher income, lower wealth: how the GFC made Australia more equal by @GrogsGamut In this election campaign, as with most, the economy will take centre stage. The key for the government is if it can tell a story of the past five years that resonates with voters. To do this, it might have some help from the latest ABS Household Income and Income Distribution Survey released last week. http://www.theguardian.com/business/grogonomics/2013/aug/06/income-wealth-gfc-equality Labor, hiding its light under a bushel by @JohnQuiggin2 Labor cover-up to hide successful economic managementThe first thing to be said about the economic policy debate in the lead-up to the election is that we shouldn’t be having one. Economic outcomes under Labor have been good in absolute terms and spectacular when the global economic environment is taken into account http://johnquiggin.com/2013/08/07/labor-hiding-its-light-under-a-bushel/ It's the season for breakable promises by @1RossGittins When such incredible fuss was made over Ju-liar Gillard breaking her promise not to introduce a carbon tax, people were behaving as though such a thing was utterly unprecedented. The people who work in the House with the Flag on Top convinced themselves the era of easily made and broken promises was over. http://www.rossgittins.com/2013/08/its-season-for-breakable-promises.html Caught in Howard’s “neoliberal” trap by @Piping_Shrike Whoever is to blame, a Treasury that turns a surplus into a $5bn deficit in a matter of weeks does not look credible. Indeed it may not be. The problem for Hockey, as revealed on 730 last night, is who does have credibility? The Coalition will struggle with that because of the black hole last time and its refusal to publish figures this time. http://www.pipingshrike.com/ GST changes- Do you feel lucky- by @Billablog So whether or not there is any substance to the rumours that the Coalition plans to increase the GST or apply it to food or both, you have to look at their history and ask yourself a question: “Do I feel lucky?” http://the-billablog.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/gst-changes-do-you-feel-lucky.html Mirabella under siege in Indi by @NoFibs The current member for Indi Sophie Mirabella has been notably absent at the recent candidates forums, and in general, so much so that The Border Mail ran a story and a poll about her absence. The poll asked: “Do you think Sophie Mirabella has a good enough excuse not to attend a Q&A with the other Indi candidates?” http://nofibs.com.au/2013/08/07/mirabella-under-siege-in-indi/ Hung-er Games 2013: What might transpire on Sept 8 by Politifact A political leader refusing to become Prime Minister? It could happen, after Tony Abbott ruled out doing "deals" with minor parties and independents to form government. if you have a hung parliament then people just have to cooperate," Twomey says. "And there is a political obligation on you to cooperate and form government and treat with respect the outcome of the election http://www.politifact.com.au/truth-o-meter/article/2013/aug/06/thanks-no-thanks-refusing-govern/ Election media insights- Labor's first stuff up by @dylanmalloch Well played, Mr Rudd. He knew one of his own team would screw up sooner or later, and by not attacking the Liberal candidate he was protecting himself against seeming hypocritical when one of his team followed suit. http://www.dylanmalloch.com/ Murdoch and his influence on Australian political life by @ConversationEDU After the 2010 election – which resulted in a minority Labor government Murdoch summoned his Australian editors and senior journalists to his home in Carmel, California. He made clear that he despised the Gillard government and wanted regime change. In 2011, Murdoch met Abbott and told his editors he liked him. http://theconversation.com/murdoch-and-his-influence-on-australian-political-life-16752 Newsagents refuse to sell Murdoch’s Telegraph by @btckr Mrs Sheluchin is a former Liberal voter who now supports the Labor Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. She said her decision to withdraw the edition would have been the same if the cover had been biased against the Liberal Opposition. http://truthinmediaresourcecentre.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/newsagents-refuse-to-sell-murdochs-telegraph/ Jaymes Diaz and the dying lying dinosaur by @madwixxy Despite Abbott backing another candidate, and what seemed like a million others throwing their hats in the ring – including burnt out rocker from the opposite side of town, Angry Anderson – at the end of the day, the factional powerbrokers and “faceless men” of the Liberal Party fought it out and, reportedly with the aid of a large amount of branch stacking, Jaymes Diaz eventually came up trumps. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/jaymes-diaz-and-the-lying-dying-dinosaur/ Cos treasury hasn’t got Sloppy Joe’s calculator! by Truth Seeker And this is also the man who gave up any rights to vote or even have a say in our political future, when he voted with his feet, to turn his back on the country of his birth for the sake of money and power. So as far as I’m concerned, the front page that we should be seeing is; http://truthseekersmusings.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/cos-treasury-hasnt-got-sloppy-joes-calculator/ Due to the previous Governments mismanagement we have no choice but to by @YaThinkN Mathias Cormann has already stated on numerous occasions that they will be having a ‘look’ at the tax system, GST of course has to be included in that ‘look’ as obviously to have a thorough review of the tax system http://yathink.com.au/article-display/due-to-the-previous-governments-mismanagement-we-have-no-choice-but-to,86 Things To Remember Before Voting by @wrb330 Hockey has screamed for years about how bad the Carbon Tax is, think a small increase on power is bad. Wait until everything in your life INCLUDING FOOD goes up another 10% under the Libs, then how much for something as simple as a cup of coffee or going out for dinner with friends, after all 10% is the base increase, http://wrb330.wordpress.com/2013/08/07/things-to-remember-before-voting/ The NBN: It’s a No-Brainer by By bushfirebill Under attack for unethical practices everywhere else, Murdoch seems to have retreated to his spawning ground where he can still kick butt and be thanked for it by cautious lawmakers, anxious not to get on his wrong side. Call Australia Murdoch’s Last Redoubt. http://pbxmastragics.com/2013/08/07/the-nbn-its-a-no-brainer/ Turnbull staffer turns on blogger by @renailemay One of Malcolm Turnbull’s senior staffers has sent a popular Australian technology blogger a caustic email telling him to “get fucked” and informing him that “nobody takes your psychotic rantings seriously”, as the relationship between Turnbull and sections of Australia’s technology community continues to sour. http://delimiter.com.au/2013/08/07/get-fucked-turnbull-staffer-turns-on-blogger/ NBN- Why the Real NBN fixes a slew of problems with broadband by @SteveJ_CBR Turnbull's "reasonable assumptions" in modelling are wrong or ignore the most important factors. Turnbull wrongly argues that telecommunications in Australia has never seen long-term strong growth: http://stevej-on-nbn.blogspot.com.au/ Rupert Murdoch, Malcolm Turnbull, & a Big Bag Of Grass Snakes by @sortius So why is Murdoch so afraid of the NBN & so amenable to Fraudband? Easy, because Mal wants to pay Murdoch for the pleasure of using his Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial (HFC) network. Oh, you didn’t know this? Yeh, it’s hidden pretty well in his policy document, page 9: http://sortius-is-a-geek.com/?p=3213 Today’s Front Pages Australian Newspaper Front Pages for 8 August 2013 http://www.thepaperboy.com/australia/front-pages.cfm News headlines http://www.hotheadlines.com.au/

Truth Seeker

8/08/2013Ad, thanks for another great piece, and fine appraisal of the gradual disintegration of Abbott. It is certainly interesting to watch. :-) After listening to Abbott, Hockey and Turnbull yesterday, you would have to come to the conclusion that they are looking more and more rattled, as their arguments are becoming decidedly shrill and panicked. Lyn thanks for all your wonderful links, you do an amazing job (K) Cheers :-)

nasking

8/08/2013 I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND THOUGHT 'WHY THE FCK AM I WASTING MY TIME ON THIS ELECTION RACE?'... IF THE AUSSIE MEDIA AND VOTERS HAVEN'T LEARNT YET THE DARK LESSONS OF PUTTING IN GOVERNMENTS COMPOSED OF MURDOCH EMPIRE PUPPETS, CORPORATE LACKEYS, NUTBAG RICH SHOCK JOCKS AND RELIGIOUS BRAINWASHED FREAK JOBS WHICH ABBOTT'S LOT OBVIOUSLY ARE...THEN WHY THE FCK SHOULD I WASTE MY TIME AND EFFORT WARNING THEM? THE GW BUSH, DICK CHENEY, RUPERT MURDOCH, FOX NEWS, ROGER AILES, RUSH LIMBAUGH, OIL BARONS, EVANGELICAL, NEO-CON GANG OF SCHEMERS, CRUSADERS AND RIGHT-WING CORPORATE NUTBAGS TOOK AMERICA INTO NIGHTMARE TERRITORY. IF THE VOTERS AND MEDIA HERE HAVE THAT SHORT A MEMORY....FCK EM! SICK OF SPEAKING TO DEAF GREEDY DUMBED DOWN EARS AND BRAINS... AND EYES WIDE SHUT. THNX FOR NOTHING ON HERE TOO. N'

Ad astra

8/08/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

jaycee

8/08/2013Turnbull's a liar..he's lied for years just to stay in the "political ring" and have another chance at the top job. He'd lie to his kids, his wife , his family, you and me and the nation....at least with Abbott you KNOW you've got a turd in your smell-area...with Turnbull, you've got a perfumed stool!......but the "texture" is the same!

TalkTurkey

8/08/2013So impressed with 7.30 last night I wrote its anchor a ode! Leigh Sales Not in race Trying to fluster Kevin Rudd: Going beetroot In the face All she gets is Flushed with blood!

TalkTurkey

8/08/2013Lyn Well-to-do people come back from luxury cruises fat and sleek complaining that what with breakfast elevenses lunch afternoon-tea dinner supper and snacks all so good they just had to eat it so they have O.D'd on food. So sad! Looking at your Links each morning is a bit like that. Gee all that stuff to get through! How do you do it, we are all in awe, because it's like that John West ad with the fish, [i]It's the links that Lyn rejects that make Lyn's Links the best![/i] And they don't make us fat they make us think. You have unfailingly spun a continuous thread, an unbreakable cable, like a spinal cord I think of it, with nerve-connections running right throughout the body politic, linking the whole contemporary political history of Australia as told by all most notable writers ever since you started @lynlinking here. That is what you have done. That is All Your Own Work. You do us proud, and better still you make us proud too. No issue gets past you. You have chronicled this most turbulent period as no other ever has been anywhere, the archives here cover it sort of as the Bayeux Tapestry covered the Norman invasion of England, except with squillions of times the information, and of course it's potentially infinite. In fact it is already immortal, because we all do a bit of "lyn~linking" now that you've got us going on it. Your influence is felt right throughout the Fighting 5th Estate and you have liaised the various sites and writers as no-one else. Remarkable. You have made a valuable and indelible mark on the political landscape, you have led the way and you deserve recognition. When we win this election, you will be justified in counting that win in no small part due to your efforts. I know I say this sort of stuff to you a bit often, but after all you serve us Links [i]every day![/i] The Order of the Tweety Bird grows ever more legendary. And it's all really about one aim: [i]Stopping Australia going to the Pigs.[/i] Which is why you are not just a chronicler you are a Heroine of the People's Struggle. Sounds corny but it's true. Well we all do a little, some a lot, but you have done more than most. Never forgetting The Man Who Makes It All Possible, Ad astra, and The Man Who Makes It All Happen, the mysterious Opera-Phantom-like Web Monkey! Well, Onward To Victory! (but this was especially for you Lynnie. :) ) [b]VENCEREMOS![/b]

Ad astra

8/08/2013Talk Turkey What a lovely, moving tribute you have made to our dear Lyn this morning. Every word you write is true. Lyn links us to the world of the Fifth Estate, and anything worth reading in the Fourth Estate. No one else does it as she does. Not in the Fourth Estate, nor anyone else in the Fifth Estate. It is unique and unusually valuable. Lyn initiated her service to us all about four years ago, and has kept it up day after day, week after week, year after year. Her only breaks are on Sundays and at the end of each year. It is salutary TT that you have once more drawn our attention to just how much Lyn contributes to our knowledge and understanding of federal politics, just how much time she saves us in presenting us with the essence of what’s important. Her followers must be the best informed in the sphere of Canberra politics. That is the treasured gift she presents to us every day. Thank you Lyn for making [i]The Political Sword[/i] such a heavily visited site, included as it is on many blog-rolls, such a uniquely useful source of information. Every day we appreciate your outstanding contribution. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Casablanca

8/08/2013Lyn Ad Astra said: [quote][Lyn's]followers must be the best informed in the sphere of Canberra politics. That is the treasured gift she presents to us every day. [/quote] In fairness, I should share with you an accolade given me at a dinner party last night. Mine host introduced me as 'the Antony Green of Canberra' because I know so much about politics, politicians and the election. You have made it so much easier for me to keep across the issues with your daily links. I am in no doubt about the time and dedication that you have given to this daily collection of relevant links. A tour de force!

N'ellie May

8/08/2013Hear! Hear! I respectfully agree. What a treasure is dear Lyn.

lyn

8/08/2013Hi Ad, Thankyou for your treasured comment to me @ 10:59 AM. You know how much I think of you, TPS & all our contributors, we are very lucky indeed. Talk Turkey thankyou to you for your post to me @ 10.17AM, yours and Ad’s words are golden keepsakes for me. Nasking, thankyou for your kind words and thankyou so much for posting TPS on facebook for us, we appreciate you very much. Thruth Seeker you are delightful, your work has become very popular, I know by the amazing re-tweets I receive. Libbyx33 thankyou so much for your lovely words, I am so pleased you enjoy the links.

Michael Taylor

8/08/2013OK, I'll admit it too . . . Lyn ain't half bad.

Janet (j4gypsy)

8/08/2013 So much good love for the Tweety, and no Sylvesters here, our diligent, ever hard-working sweetie :-). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kYJYFanoko

lyn

8/08/2013Hi N'ellie May , Casablanca, Miglo, Janie our little gypsy, Thankyou my friends, You are all fabulous and make my work so much more enjoyable because of your contributions and appreciation. ♥")

jaycee

8/08/2013Abbott was, more than now ; IS, a manufactured "product" of the MSM., Their cynical delinquency in giving him and the LNP."invisible men" a free ride while ripping into Gillard like the PM. was fresh-flesh for an isatiable beast has written their vile history with the indelible ink of the internet memory sticks attached to "everybody's" laptop! The filth of the MSM. journo's may yet try to redeem themselves with confected "investigative journalism" while the election is on (though I have yet to see ANY!) but it will never be enough to erase that gestapo look of "gas-chamber glee" on their faces that we saw with an "off-camera" sweep at the first concocted "Town Hall Debate" of Tony Abbott against Julia Gillard in 2010. The vile bastards!

Libbyx33

8/08/2013I think putting up Peter Beattie in my electorate of Forde was either a big mistake or a masterstroke of genius! No one around my area (except for N'asking, maybe - whom I've never met personally) is seemingly interested at all in politics. Now, all of a sudden, at the shops today, the whole place was talking about it. The current local member may be a nice guy, but here at the poorer regions of the electorate, I have not seen Bert van Mannen a single time - not ONE single time - in 3 years! Apparently he likes to spend his time in the previous Gold Coast city council (more affluent) suburbs. IMHO he has been a lazy, apathetic do-nothing representative. Our Mayor, Pam Parker is a fantastic public servant & leader. Works her arse off in such a diverse electorate. Even ran for election last time UNOPPOSED! To see her standing with Rudd & Beattie at the presser, announcing that FINALLY the centre of town will be fixed - there was relief on her face as well as excitement. This few mil$$$ has been a long time coming. And I do wonder at the graciousness of Des Hardman, who stepped aside for this "Captain's pick". A man who said that the only objective was to get Labor into the seat & serve the people, rather than let the Opposition win. A true Labor gentleman. Thank you Des! For the record, most of the things overheard today were pretty positive wrt Beattie. I think he's a nice guy too. Times certainly are getting interesting! (PS) You're welcome Tweety Lyn :-) All well-deserved accolades here today! L.

jane

8/08/2013NAS' @7.51AM, I MUST ADMIT I FEEL THE SAME AT TIMES, PARTICULARLY IN THE ELECTORATE I LIVE IN. IF THEY STOOD A CANE TOAD HERE, THE IDIOTS WOULD VOTE FOR THE IT. DON'T BE DISCOURAGED; YOU & S' ARE FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT, ALONG WITH THE REST OF US. TAKE A BREAK & RECHARGE THE BATTERIES; WE NEED YOU TO KEEP US UP TO DATE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING O/S AS WELL AS HERE. My youngest is constantly barraged with the same old depressing lies barrackers pedal & relies on me for the truth. This is when Lyn’s invaluable links are so helpful. Thanks to her hours of reading and ferreting, it’s a snap of the fingers to access the information my youngest needs to continue the battle with the infidels. So a special thanks to Lyn. Youngest is mildly retarded, so the unbiased and truthful information your hard work provides is a great help. Many accolades for all your hard work, Lyn. [quote]He'd lie to his kids, his wife , his family, you and me and the nation.[/quote] Not only would, but has lied to everyone consistently, Fraudband being the most egregious, imo. Anyone who's fooled into thinking Turnbull is a bit of a lefty should buy a mirror and have a good hard look at themselves. And as for voting for the arrogant twat if he rolled Liealot, afaic he is the other side of the Liars Party coin just as nasty and corrupt but with a leather jacket.

nasking

9/08/2013 LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD WE HAVE BEEN HEARING MURDOCH'S UGLY VOICE FOR DECADES LET YOUR VOICES BE HEARD THIS IS WHY THE FIFTH ESTATE IS SO IMPORTANT LYN'S LINKS LET OTHER VOICES...YOUR VOICES BE HEARD THIS IS MY VOICE TOGETHER WE CAN DROWN OUT MURDOCH'S UGLY VOICE TOGETHER USING OUR...VOICES N'

nasking

9/08/2013 JOHN HOWARD IS A LIAR JOHN HOWARD IS A WAR CRIMINAL THERE IS NO HONEST JOHN HIS CHOSEN ONE ABBOTT IS ALSO A LIAR WHO LIES ABOUT A SLUSH FUND N'

nasking

9/08/2013 [b]My youngest is constantly barraged with the same old depressing lies barrackers pedal & relies on me for the truth. This is when Lyn’s invaluable links are so helpful. Thanks to her hours of reading and ferreting, it’s a snap of the fingers to access the information my youngest needs to continue the battle with the infidels. [/b] JANE, I AGREE. [b]Anyone who's fooled into thinking Turnbull is a bit of a lefty should buy a mirror and have a good hard look at themselves. [/b] JANE, I AM CONCERNED THAT TURNBULL AND ABBOTT AND MURDOCH ARE NOT INTERESTED IN EVERYONE BEING PROVIDED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AS EQUAL AN ACCESS TO THE NBN AS POSSIBLE. I FEEL THAT THE INTERESTS OF BUSINESS MATES AND MASTERS ARE BEING PRIORITISED OVER AN EGALITARIAN, FAIR-GO APPROACH... THIS IS NOT AUSTRALIAN. N'

nasking

9/08/2013 PETER BEATTIE IS NOT A CLOWN HIS ALP EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GAVE MY WIFE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL...THE FIRST FEMALE IN HER FAMILY TO GO TO UNI...SHE HAS NOT LOOKED BACK...NOW A HEAD OF DEPT THIRTEEN YEARS LATER. KEVIN RUDD IS NOT A CLOWN HIS ALP GOVT DURING THE GFC PROVIDED APPROPRIATE FUNDING TO MY WIFE'S SCHOOL AFTER THE HOWARD DROUGHT. THIS LIFTED STUDENT, STAFF AND PARENT, GUARDIAN MORALE IN A LOWER SOCIO-ECONOMIC AREA THAT DESPERATELY NEEDED IT. BEATTIE AND RUDD ARE NOT CLOWNS MR. MURDOCH...YOU AND YOUR CRONIES ARE. N'

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9/08/2013Today’s Links The Heresy Of The Gospel Of Low Taxes by @MikeSeccombe Second, the tax cut means taxpayers are effectively paying for Abbott’s proposed, lavish paid-parental-leave scheme, which would see new parents paid at their salary level for six months, up to a maximum salary of $150,000. This will essentially see a transfer of wealth from low-income taxpayers to high-income new parents. Is that fair? http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/the-heresy-of-the-gospel-of-low-taxes/676/ Rudd sticks it to biased Murdoch press by @macro_business The above front cover brings back memories of Fox News’ (also owned by Murdoch) blatant bias against Democratic candidate, John Kerry, in the lead-up to the 2004 Presidential election, as well as Fox’s ongoing attacks on the Obama administration. It is also the type of bias that I hoped would never find its way into Australian mainstream media. http://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2013/08/rudd-sticks-it-to-biased-murdoch-press/ Asylum seekers asking people smugglers for their money back because of PNG policy by ABC News of the policy has reached Cisaura, in West Java, home to some of the thousands of asylum seekers stuck in Indonesia. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-09/asylum-seekers-smugglers-refunds-png-manus/4875078 Big Mining Lines Up Behind Abbott by @beneltham Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey was enthusiastically promoting the policy to trim company tax rates from 30 per cent to 28.5 per cent. It’s part of a broader election platform of reducing business costs and boosting corporate profits. But he made sure to include reference to the Coalition’s opposition to the carbon tax and MRRT. http://newmatilda.com/2013/08/08/big-mining-lines-behind-abbott Political fact checkers — useful as pet rocks by @independentaus Where were these self-styled paragons of political righteousness when we needed them? No, where are they where we need them? Brough, Sinodinos, Pyne? There’s a few pants on fire right there. Arthur’s apparent forgetfulness, particularly. And his mates. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/business/media-2/political-fact-checkers-useful-as-pet-rocks/ Cutting the corporate tax rate by @LarvatusProdeo There has been some fuss from Labor as to whether the Coalition’s announced spending cuts will “pay for” the tax cuts. Tim Colebatch thinks not. Either the Coalition plans more debt and deficit than Labor, or they’re going to cut something else at some point to pay for their tax cut. http://larvatusprodeo.net/archives/2013/08/cutting-the-corporate-tax-rate/ Jensen skips climate forum, but takes questions from our reporter at tea by @NoFibs Jensen: As with most things Climate Commission, it is political dogma rather than science. There is no basis for the statement that they have made. The Climate Commission has serious credibility issues, and I would treat anything they said with a bucketful of salt. - http://nofibs.com.au/2013/08/08/jensen-skips-climate-change-forum-but-faces-our-reporter-at-morning-tea/ Killer surpli by @fakeedbutler But to slash spending when rates are incredibly low, only to stifle growth and make you run harder down the austerity rabbithole is not only stupid, but calls to mind that old definition about a psychopath doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result. http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/08/08/killer-surpli/ Explainer: what are the caretaker government conventions? by @ConversationEDU The Coalition has raised concerns that the Memorandum of Understanding with Papua New Guinea over the Manus Island asylum seeker processing deal was entered into after the caretaker conventions commenced. It was reportedly entered into by Australia’s representative before 5:30pm on August 5 when parliament was dissolved, but was not executed by the PNG government until afterwards. http://theconversation.com/explainer-what-are-the-caretaker-government-conventions-16817 News Corp Australia vs the NBN – is it really all about Foxtel? by @ConversationEDU Turnbull admitted he was personally “uncomfortable with that” possibility, the fact remains: the Coalition policy is that, ultimately, the operation of the HFC network will be subject to a new negotiation with Telstra that could leave Telstra to operate the HFC network as a wholesale asset to its own and Foxtel’s advantage. http://theconversation.com/news-corp-australia-vs-the-nbn-is-it-really-all-about-foxtel-16768 Peter Beattie to run in marginal Brisbane seat of Forde by @gabriellechan Fellow Coalition frontbencher Malcolm Turnbull said Queenslanders would have to have a case of "collective amnesia" to vote for Peter Beattie. He so neglected investment in infrastructure that Brisbane came very close to running out of water. [Beattie and Rudd] have a unity ticket in not investing." http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/08/peter-beattie-marginal-seat-forde Day four: Beattie back in the ring by Ben Raue Discussion has already begun on the Forde page about his prospects in the seat, and the very quick turnaround in the bookmaker’s odds in the seat, with the LNP losing their favourite status. Centrebet has moved the odds for the LNP winning Forde from $1.68 to $3.75, with other bookmakers making similar changes http://www.tallyroom.com.au/16593 While I have rice, I will share it with those who need it the most: Why inequality matters by turnleft2013 I refuse to do nothing while Tony Abbott dreams of turning Australia into a nation whose national characteristics are greed, smallness, dead-hearted, narrow-mindedness, hate, pettiness, bitterness, jealousy (a nation in Tony Abbott’s own image). http://theaimn.com/2013/08/08/while-i-have-rice-i-will-share-it-with-those-who-need-it-the-most-why-inequality-matters/ Refugee Boats; The Timeline – Updated to August 8th by @archiearchive Aug 6th David O’Shea has written that the “Tough policy fails to sink in“. Every word from the leadership in PNG and Nauru is being over-analysed by the media and the L-NP to show confected inconsistencies and Scott Morrison is beginning to foam at the mouth because his business model has been destroyed! I repeat – Still no boats! http://archiearchive.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/refugee-boats-the-timeline-updated-to-august-8th/ Social media popularity boost for leaders following election announcement by @mumbrella During July Kevin Rudd (@KRuddMP) was mentioned on Twitter almost twice the amount Tony Abbott (@TonyAbbottMHR) was mentioned. Their research notes this is due to the power of incumbency and most-likely the PM’s easier username. http://mumbrella.com.au/social-media-election-171710 Forget big pictures the evils in the detail. by @wrb330 BUT the even bigger issue is that the policies Mr Abbott has potentially said yes to also do one other very important thing, they remove entire departments in Environment, Government, workplace rights and conditions, Industry oversight, pricing control, and http://wrb330.wordpress.com/2013/08/08/forget-big-pictures-the-evils-in-the-detail/ Tony Abbott hoses down Kevin Rudd's suggestions he discussed NBN with Rupert Murdoch by ABC "I do from time to time talk to Rupert Murdoch. My discussions with Rupert Murdoch are so secret, I wrote about it in my Spectator diary a year ago," the Opposition Leader told a press conference in Launceston. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-08/abbott-denies-nbn-talks-with-murdoch/4873416 Abbott, Turnbull: No NBN talks with Murdoch by @renailemay Irationale behind them comes from the fear that the NBN could prove to be the catalyst which will unlock real competition to Foxtel, the subscription TV joint venture between News Corp and Telstra. However, according to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, the topic has never come up in talks with Murdoch. The Australian newspaper reports (we recommend you click here for the full article): http://delimiter.com.au/2013/08/08/abbott-turnbull-no-nbn-talks-with-murdoch/ Myths: Low-end Broadband users subsidise high-speed, high-end users by @SteveJ_CBR NBN Co has adopted a very sensible and well known pricing regime that both allows them to charge entry-level customers six-times less than the high-end, but also returns exceptional value-for-money to those high-end customers by reducing their charges thirteen times on a speed basis. http://stevej-on-nbn.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/myths-low-end-broadband-users-subsidise.html Today’s Front Pages Australian Newspaper Front Pages for 9 August 2013 http://www.thepaperboy.com/australia/front-pages.cfm News headlines http://www.hotheadlines.com.au/

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9/08/2013 OF COURSE TONY ABBOTT DOESN'T WANT THE CH. 7, FACEBOOK DEBATE...HE IS AFRAID OF THE PEOPLE. THE TOWN HALL DEBATES ARE RUN BY THE MURDOCH EMPIRE...THEY CHOOSE THE AUDIENCE. N'

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9/08/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

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9/08/2013 LYN, GREAT JOB PER USUAL WITH THE LINKS: THIS FROM MIKE SECCOMBE...PROVIDING A REALITY CHECK WHEN IT COMES TO ABBOTT'S COMPANY TAX CUTS AND THE SO CALLED BENEFITS HE AND HOCKEY ARE TRYING TO SELL TO THE VOTERS: I’m just saying it’s much more complicated than the Gospel of Tony would have it. [b]Let me point out a few of the complications. For one, companies already pay well below Australia’s statutory company tax rate of 30 per cent anyway, and have done ever since the Global Financial Crisis[/b]. Exactly why this is the case is a bit of a mystery, but a Treasury issues paper from May this year, poetically entitled Implications of the Modern Global Economy for the Taxation of Multinational Enterprises, strongly suggests tax avoidance is involved. [b]The average company tax rate fell to less than 24 per cent in 2010. It has since increased slightly but “remains around 3 percentage points lower than the statutory rate” according to Treasury.[/b] [b]Furthermore, more than half the company tax raised came from just 0.1 per cent of companies, most of them no doubt operating internationally. [/b] [b]We can’t say how many of those companies are dodging tax, but, as I pointed out recently in Tax Dodgers Sans Frontières, we do know that 61 of Australia’s biggest corporations have subsidiaries in one or more “secrecy jurisdictions”, as tax havens are more properly known.[/b] ([b]Just as an aside, you might be interested to know that Toll Holdings, the company that picked up the tab for Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison’s recent trip to Nauru, has 64 such subsidiaries. News Corp, the Opposition’s preferred propaganda organ, which was given the exclusive on the trip, has 146 such subsidiaries.)[/b] http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/the-heresy-of-the-gospel-of-low-taxes/676/ NOW ABBOTT AND HOCKEY AND INVISIBLE ROBB HAVE TO [b]SHOW US THE CUTS[/b] CONSIDERING THE BILLIONS THIS COMPANY TAX CUT WILL COST TO THE BUDGET. I SURE DON'T WANT A PISS WEAK FRAUDBAND JUST SO COMPANIES CAN PAY EVEN LESS TAX. N'

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9/08/2013 COOL: "[b]Sophie Mirabella is being “thoroughly outgunned” in her bid to retain her seat of Indi, according to a leaked email from a member of her staff, with her main challenger claiming the support of several former Coalition MPs.[/b] Mirabella, the shadow science and innovation minister and a leading figure on the right of the Coalition, holds Indi with a notionally safe margin of 9%. But the incumbent is facing increasingly stiff competition from popular local independent Cathy McGowan, who could topple Mirabella if she is preferenced strongly by Labor, the Greens and minor parties. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/08/sophie-mirabella-thoroughly-outgunned-election MIRABELLA'S REP HAS REALLY BEEN DAMAGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. TIME FOR A CHANGE. N'

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9/08/2013 YA KNOW, I'VE BEEN WATCHING THIS UNFOLDING SPIN BY THE RIGHT-WING AND USUAL MSM SUSPECTS ON RUDD'S 7:30 INTERVIEW WITH LEIGH SALES...WHICH I MIGHT ADD MOST OF US THOUGHT A GOOD PERFORMANCE BY RUDD CONSIDERING HOW FREAKING RUDE, INTERRUPTIVE AND DISMISSIVE SALES WAS... RUDD'S QUERYING OF THE SAMENESS OF ABBOTT'S NBN POLICY AND MURDOCH'S WAS APPROPRIATE... AS WAS HIS MENTIONING THAT TURNBULL AND ABBOTT USED THE FOXTEL STUDIOS TO LAUNCH THEIR FRAUDBAND... LET'S FACE IT, THERE IS SOMETHING REAL INAPPROPRIATE ABOUT ABOUT MURDOCH AND TURNBULL'S SUCKING UP TO NEWS LTD AND FOXTEL...CONSIDERING HOW DOMINANT THOSE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN DUE TO VARIOUS GOVTS GIVING THEM COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE APPLIED BY RUPERT MURDOCH AND HIS CRONIES... COMPANIES RUN BY A MEDIA BARON WHOSE REPUTATION IS DIRT TO MANY IN THE PUBLIC... A MAN NOT REALLY FIT TO RUN NEWS ORGANISATIONS... AND IS IT APPROPRIATE THAT THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION AND HIS SHADOW COMMUNICATION MINISTER USE FOXTEL STUDIOS WHEN APPARENTLY THAT COMPANY HAS BENEFITTED BY SCREWING OVER OF OTHER COMPANIES? THE RIGHT-WING ARE AFRAID OF THIS SCREW-UP BY ABBOTT AND TURNBULL... AND THE LINKS BETWEEN THEM, RUPERT MURDOCH, LACHLAN MURDOCH, KIM WILLIAMS AND THE NEW FOXTEL BOSS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A DEAL DONE BETWEEN THE MURDOCH EMPIRE AND THE COALITION... THE WAY THERE OBVIOUSLY WAS IN THE UK BETWEEN THEM AND CAMERON...AND A FEW LIKE ANDY COULSON...??? I WANT A DEMOCRACY... NOT AN ALL-SPIN ZONE MURDOCHRACY. N'

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9/08/2013 What happens when one of the biggest media groups in the world sets up its own private security force? What happens when part of this operation goes rogue? Fairfax reporter Neil Chenoweth’s new book, Murdoch’s Pirates, investigates News Corporation’s links to worldwide piracy. Here is an extract from the book. Toronto, 24 October 1997 http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/on-the-run-with-murdochs-pirates-20121024-284th.html HMMM... N'

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9/08/2013 [b]Neil Chenoweth - News Corp accused of hack attacks against rivals[/b] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0QqMSYGyD0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dn0QqMSYGyD0 N'

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9/08/2013Tony Abbott is only visiting safe business and controlled Liberal Party events. It reminds me of when Mitt Romney said that there was no need to bother about the 47% who would not vote Republican. I could be misjudging him. He might just be a scaredy cat. The PISSWEAK BROADBAND is another way of creating an inner circle. Turnbull relies on the fact that the general public don't understand how broadband works. I think that he doesn't know either. And it's about time somebody else had a go at fronting the 7.30 report. Leigh sales and Chris Ullman are not smart enough. They both have a shallow understanding of economics. And are blinded by their egos. I could be snarky and say that's the role of politicians. We need somebody to question that, not go into competition. We need a general public lesson about the meaning of 'forecast' 'estimate' 'projection' 'budget'. It's like reading the tea leaves. Has anyone EVER got a budget right? Remember the Italian seismologists who I think we're imprisoned because they got the earthquake forecasts wrong and 'caused' all that destruction. Somebody should do something. Now that's another nonsense. People are happy to let other people do the work and then criticise. That's probably me in some way too.

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9/08/2013 PRETTY SUS TIMING KIM WILLIAMS STEPPING DOWN AS CHIEF EXEC OF NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA. CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER. N'

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9/08/2013 [b]Simons: the view from inside an Australian hatchet job[/b] MARGARET SIMONS | [b]DEC 18, 2012 [/b] Two parts of this story remain incomplete. First, the original Office of Police Integrity report, which The Australian spent so much time, effort and money trying to suppress, has never been released. The Federal Court action resulted in the OPI settling for a redacted version, removing criticisms of the newspaper. Even this has not yet been released. Second, we have not yet heard from the person most centrally concerned, and with least power and voice: the source Simon Artz, who faces the possibility of jail. We may never hear his account, though it is likely something will be said on his behalf at his sentencing hearing next year. My main criticisms of The Australian concerned later reporting, conducted after the newspaper had been criticised by then Victorian Police Commissioner Simon Overland and the Office of Police Integrity for its handling of Stewart’s Operation Neath scoop. The newspaper then waged a campaign against Overland and the OPI, which formed part of the backdrop to Overland resigning. I stand by the criticisms I made, and continue to regard this episode as a most worrying example of the use of media power. My reporting on this is all on the public record, and I laid out my concerns in detail in my submission to the Finkelstein inquiry more than a year ago. There is nothing new in any of this, other than Artz’s guilty plea last week. Everything I have said on this issue, up until The Australian reviving it, is at least 12 months old. [b]For The Australian to devote so much space to a story where there is nothing new to report—even suggesting that my employer should take some unspecified action against me because I have dared to criticise The Australian —is really quite extraordinary.[/b] http://www.crikey.com.au/2012/12/18/simons-the-view-from-inside-an-australian-hatchet-job/ INDEED. N'

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9/08/2013 ALSO FROM THE ABOVE CRIKEY ARTICLE BY MARGARET SIMONS: [b]If you take last May’s efforts and today’s crop of stories in The Australian together I now rival Robert Manne in terms of words devoted to attacking me. For those that haven’t seen today’s paper, I’ve been attacked in an editorial, news story, accompanying infographic and the Cut and Paste column over my coverage of the paper’s reporting of Victorian policing issues. Criticising The Oz comes at a price. I hope people will not lose sight of the fact that the important underlying issue is the impact of media campaigning on police politics. That is much more important than anything I have said or done.[/b] [b]NEWS LTD LOVES TO USE CHARACTER ASSASSINATION TACTICS...[/b] NOT UNLIKE THE EXTINCT [b]NEWS OF THE WORLD.[/b]..AND [b]THE SUN[/b] IN THE UK... THEY ALSO SEEM TO GET [b]SPECIAL ACCESS TO POLICE.[/b] HMMM... N'

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9/08/2013 FROM THE GUARDIAN: In an internal email sent to News Corp Australia employees Williams said he made the decision with a “heavy heart and a mixed bag of feelings”. “Whilst the leadership roles and the issues encountered have at times been frankly really confronting, it has been a source of perpetual renewal and reinforcement to have worked with so many terrific colleagues both here and internationally,” he said. “It is the people that one remembers the most. I will be forever grateful to those who have been so helpful and constructively supportive in the many matters we have mutually confronted. “There have been many good wins matched with some memorable awful problems and opponents! “It has all been the stuff of a rich and varied professional life that I would never have had without the benefit of the trust reposed in me by many great colleagues at News Corp.” http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/aug/09/kim-williams-quits-news-corp N'

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9/08/2013 HOW MANY DIED WAITING FOR ABBOTT?: [b]In 2007 he attracted criticism over long delays in funding for cancer diagnostic equipment (PET scanners). [/b] Wikipedia N'

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9/08/2013 JULY 2011: A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is one of the most effective diagnostic tools that can be used to detect whether a cancer remains after surgery. Only a few hospitals in mainland Australia can carry them out, following a decision to restrict funding seven years ago. [b]But the Federal Government is now considering funding more machines because the decision to restrict funding might have been based on bad information. The decision to review funding yesterday followed revelations on the ABC's 7:30 Report that the original decision to restrict funding may have cost thousands of Australians their health, and in some cases their lives...[/b] [b]Tasmanian Greens Senator Christine Milne sits on the Senate inquiry that has been investigating the original decision. "Tony Abbott is doing too little, too late as far as cancer sufferers around Australia are concerned," she said.[/b] "It's now perfectly clear that the scientific evidence shows that PET scans are safe and clinically effective and in fact the evidence showed that as long ago as the year 2000." She describes it as a case of political and scientific fraud, which has cost thousands of Australians their health and in some cases their lives. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2007-07-11/govt-rethinks-pet-scan-funding-decision/95692 INTERESTING. THOSE WHO THROW STONES EH? N'

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9/08/2013 HOW MANY HAVE DIED FROM SMOKING MR. ABBOTT AND MR. HUNT? ABBOTT AND HUNT ARE LOW CHARACTERS. N'

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9/08/2013 THE UK INDEPENDENT: [b]Front-page Nazi slur puts Rupert Murdoch centre stage in Australian election Sydney tabloid, the Daily Telegraph, carries depiction of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as Colonel Klink[/b] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/press/frontpage-nazi-slur-puts-rupert-murdoch-centre-stage-in-australian-election-8752968.html THE WORLD LEARNING ABOUT MURDOCH'S GROTESQUE ATTACKS AND BIAS...SUPPORT FOR ABBOTT. N'

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9/08/2013 OTHER NEWS INTERNATIONAL CHARACTERS GO DOWN...BUT JAMES AND RUPERT SITTING PRETTY: James Murdoch, 40, continues in a senior position at 21st Century Fox. He is deputy chief operating officer, based in New York, specializing in the company's foreign TV businesses. And on Thursday, James Murdoch was one of just four senior Fox executives to take the stage to field questions at the end of six hours of presentations by Fox division heads. Murdoch's presence on stage led some in the audience to observe that the younger Murdoch should not be counted out as a candidate for the top job. James Murdoch sat beside Carey in the center of the stage, flanked by the company's new chief financial officer, John Nallen, and Rupert Murdoch. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-rupert-murdoch-wont-reveal-corporate-succession-plan-20130808,0,1448923.story THE PRIVILIGED FEW EH? AND THEIR DISPOSABLE, EXPENDABLE STAFF. N'

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9/08/2013 WHY HAVE THE ABC PUT LATIKA BOURKE ONTO THE RUDD CAMPAIGN? SHE IS SO BIASED. ABBOTT GETS AN EASY RIDE AGAIN FROM THE ABC. N'

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9/08/2013 [b]Tony Abbott is only visiting safe business and controlled Liberal Party events. It reminds me of when Mitt Romney said that there was no need to bother about the 47% who would not vote Republican. I could be misjudging him. He might just be a scaredy cat.[/b] E, GOOD POINTS GW BUSH DID SAME...WE SAW WHAT A DISASTER HAPPENED IN AMERICA BECAUSE TOO MANY IN THE MEDIA GAVE HIM AN EASY RIDE... AND HE HAD FOX NEWS ON SIDE WHICH HAD HELPED TAKE OUT TED TURNER OF CNN AND WAS THE GROWING NEWISH KID ON THE BLOCK IN 2000/2001 HAVING BEGUN IN THE LATE 90s. ABC 24 SHOULD BE GOING AFTER ABBOTT BIG TIME...BUT THEIR ODD IDEA OF BALANCE MEANS OFT GIVING ABBOTT A PASS. CONSIDERING HOW MUCH ABC 24 HAS CRITICISED RUDD AND GILLARD I FIND IT ODD THEY ARE SO EASY ON ABBOTT. I EXPECTED MORE FROM THE GUARDIAN TOO. THIS GUY ABBOTT IS BACKED BY MURDOCH AND THE BIG RESOURCE COMPANIES JUST LIKE BUSH... AND HE IS A CRUSADER JUST LIKE BUSH... THE MEDIA COULD BE OFFERING UP AUSTRALIA A DISASTER. THE AMERICAN MEDIA SMARTENED UP...AND DIDN'T LET THE NEXT COUPLE OF REPUBLICANS GET AWAY WITH A FREE RIDE. AUSTRALIA IS TAKING A BIG RISK ECONOMICALLY WITH ABBOTT, HOCKEY AND PYNE. N'

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9/08/2013 HOW BIASED OF THE ABC TO PUT UP AN AD CRITICISING RUDD ON THE WORLD TODAY BUT NOT ONE GOING AFTER ABBOTT. N'

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9/08/2013 FROM INDEPENDENT AUSTRALIA: MURDOCH AND THE COALITION: ...[b]Murdoch – even if he was able to avoid jail as a result of some more serious investigations in both the USA and the UK – would certainly be forced to recede back to the country of his birth once again to run what is left of his business capability. Let’s look as some of his current concerns. [/b] In the US, the English lawyer Mark Lewis, who led the attack on phone hacking, has partnered an American lawyer named Normal Siegal in an investigation into hacking allegations by Murdoch’s Fox News television. At least ten people have come forward with complaints. [b]Lewis has been quoted as saying he has been contacted by at least 10 other people, not about hacking but about “…other untoward dark arts to obtain information that should be private.” [/b] More complaints have been raised by the New York Civil Liberties Union. U.S. Federal law provides for jail sentences of up to 10 years for violations. [b]Hillary Clinton, who plans to run for the US presidency, and her husband, the former president Bill Clinton, were friends of Murdoch but have had a falling out with him over stories that ran in his New York Post and on Fox News. Mrs Clinton has spoken of privacy intrusions and recently commented:[/b] “[b]Whether it’s law, finance, medicine, academia or running a small business, people rely on confidential communications to do their job. If somebody breaches our trust we are all the worse for it.” [/b] [b]Complaints against News Corp have already been filed in California under laws protecting communications, wiretaps and personal privacy. [/b] [b]The U.S. national Foreign Corrupt Practices Act is far stricter than state laws. Hundreds of companies have been convicted, with tens of millions of dollars paid out in fines. U.S. courts seem far more comfortable than their UK counterparts when it comes to sending executives to jail.[/b] But more immediate for Murdoch is the rising demand from his U.S. shareholders for his removal. His senior executives are aware of shareholders concerns and their continued loyalty must be strained. [b]In Britain, Murdoch has to await a second inquiry ordered by the government covering Murdoch’s suitability to hold one third ownership of BSkyB TV. Ofcom, which governs Britain’s communications industry, may soon rule that he must divest himself of those shares. This investigation is based on secret recordings in the UK in which Murdoch viciously and stupidly attacked the British government, the British police and the British judiciary.[/b] [b]He would have little alternative then to return to Australia and, under Tony Abbott, might be allowed to continue to own all his newspapers and his pay TV and, perhaps, even own the NBN, or a major share in it. Is this what Australians really want?[/b] http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/business/media-2/the-coalition-and-rupert-murdoch/ TOM WATSON...COME ON DOWN...UNDER. N'

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9/08/2013 I WON'T BE WATCHING ANY RUSSIAN WINTER OLYMPICS...WILL NOT BUY ANY RUSSIAN PRODUCTS...NOR IF STACE AND I GO OVERSEAS WILL WE GO TO RUSSIA WHICH WE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO DO...PUTIN AND HIS GROTESQUE WAYS WILL PROVE TO BE A DISASTER FOR RUSSIA: http://mobile.rawstory.com/therawstory/#!/entry/george-takei-explains-why-we-need-to-learn-from-history,52044fc2da27f5d9d008063e PERMITTING PERSECUTION OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY IS A DISGRACE. N'

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9/08/2013 I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THAT INSULATION BUSINESS WAS MAKING BEFORE THE GFC STIMULUS...AND HOW MUCH IT MADE DURING THE STIMULUS. AND HOW MANY WORKERS DID IT HAVE BEFORE...AND DURING? AND HOW CAN RUDD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A BUSINESS THAT CAN'T SEEM TO PROSPER YEARS AFTER THE STIMULUS? SOUNDS LIKE A BUSINESS THAT DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO COMPETE AND ABBOTT IS DUMB ENUFF TO BE USED BY IT. N'

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9/08/2013Abbott has never run a business. He shows no aptitude for it. He is a paid Lackey for business especially the BIG ones. He hopes they will reward him. That is the business he is in. A Priest or the PM. That is what HE wants. He decided against serving god and to ostensibly serve Mammon. Maybe he will serve both at the same time. That is my biggest FEAR. Doesn't MARR find him complex and interesting? Screwed up and SCARY I reckon. Almost the same.

nasking

9/08/2013 [b]Murdoch’s News Corp empire turns on itself[/b] NEIL CHENOWETH [b]After barely a month, Rupert Murdoch’s journalism project is a shambles. All the Crazy Uncle features of Murdoch’s management style were on display in the last week[/b]. They speak of a deeply dysfunctional corporation which has become a hotch potch of diverse assets that fight each other fiercely for the only true measure of success – Rupert Murdoch’s attention. This is what the truly bizarre newspaper splashes that Murdoch’s most trusted editor, Col Allan, has produced for the Daily Telegraph in Sydney really show. News Corporation has a deep commercial interest in defeating the government and subverting the National Broadband Network but the anti-Labor campaign is driven by far more visceral impulses. News Corp Australia is locked in a bitter struggle, not with the age-old enemy Fairfax Media, but with itself. And the election coverage is merely an extension of that – each headline becomes a way of securing Rupert’s approval. http://www.afr.com/p/national/murdoch_news_corp_empire_turns_on_Vyddrdflv120QLxLBkXG8H RUPERT OUT OF CONTROL? N'

Jason

9/08/2013For those on twitter look out! Bernard Keane ‏@BernardKeane 3m oh great. @MarilynShephe15 is on Twitter. Hide conversation

nasking

9/08/2013 I GIVE UP. THE FREAKING ALP HAVE BACKED DOWN AND ARE LETTING DAVID SPEERS MODERATE THE DEBATE...MURDOCH'S GOLDEN BOY ON SKY NEWS... THE SAME SKY NEWS RUDD WANTED TO GIVE THE AUSTRALIA NETWORK TOO. AND THE PANEL HAS NEWS LTD SIMON BENSON, HARTCHER AND LYNDAL CURTIS. A DISASTER! FURTHERMORE, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS TO BLAME...WHETHER IT WAS SWAN, TREASURY, BOWEN, WONG...BUT THAT BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT WITH THE SHIFT OF 30 BILLION IN TEN WEEKS AFTER THE CAR FRINGE BENEFIT ANNOUNCEMENT HAS CAUSED US A HUGE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE CONTROL WORK, UNDERMINED MOMENTUM FOR AWHILE...AND GIVEN THE LIBS AND HOWARD A FREE KICK OR TWELVE. I DID NOT APPRECIATE IT AFTER SO MUCH EFFORT. THOUGHT IT A BETTER DAY FOR AWHILE...BUT NOT NOW... IF WE LOSE YOU CAN BLAME THOSE TWO EVENTS FOR STARTERS. VERY ANNOYED. GET YER ACT TOGETHER ALP. I'M OFF FOR THE WEEKEND. TIRED OF THE ALP SHOOTING ITSELF IN THE FOOT...KOWTOWING TO THAT BASTARD MURDOCH AFTER HIS BULLYING... GOOD LUCK. FEELS LIKE ALL OUR EFFORT GOES TO WASTE. BLOOD FROM A STONE. N'

Curi-Oz

9/08/2013Thanks to Lyn and her morning list of talking points for when I go shopping and ask (oh so innocently) those from whom I am purchasing stuff what they think about the pollies on offer. I am seriously starting to feel depressed at the ability of people who have been convinced that politics are none of their concern to realise exactly what is going to happen should the Liberals and their puppet-masters get into power. Two conversations this morning left me feeling like screaming into the smug faces of people who just refuse to consider that the information they have got through the MSM might, just possibly, have been incomplete or even plain wrong! I am completely gobsmacked about the reaction to the changes that the WA Government has proposed in its budget yesterday. How can people not recognise that by enacting retrospective changes to solar-power contracts with householders (http://tinyurl.com/mek88yv) the whole 'trust in government contracts' principle is brought into doubt? Those same smug faces just seemed to think that it wouldn't affect them! I can't be the only one who is starting to feel afraid for this country given the way in which the two sides of this campaign are becoming so polarised and increasingly intemperate?

TalkTurkey

9/08/2013A lot of comment throughout the Fighting 5th Estate re British MP Tom Watson flying in to take on Murdoch tabloids! [i]BRITISH anti-Murdoch campaigner Tom Watson says he is coming to Australia to take on the nation's tabloid editors over their coverage of Kevin Rudd. The Labour MP, who shot to prominence during the Leveson phone hacking inquiry, announced the move on Twitter last night.[/i] [i]“That @dailytelegraph front page did it,” he said, referring to yesterday's Daily Telegraph splash featuring Mr Rudd as Colonel Klink, from Hogan's Heroes. “Sorting flights and clearing my diary.”[/i] http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/election-2013/british-mp-tom-watson-flying-i... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The good news behind that Telegraph headline | Overland literary ... 20 hours ago ... Imagine if the ACTU issued a poster with Rupert Murdoch decked out in the uniform of a Nazi concentration camp Kommandant. Cue Andrew ... http://overland.org.au/2013/08/the-good-news-behind-that-telegraph-cove/comment-page-1/

Libbyx33

9/08/2013I REALLY wish the MSM would focus more on this stuff... "PROFOUND FALSEHOODS about Australia’s economy are repeated relentlessly. The damage this does to political discourse and community wellbeing is immense. The first lie is that the economy is weaker now than it was when Labor took office. The second is that Australia’s economy compares unfavourably with other nations. The third is that Australia’s outstanding progress through the current global financial crisis (GFC) is due to pre-existing factors. And the fourth – so often repeated that it seems ingrained in the national psyche – is that the Coalition is better at managing the economy than the ALP. [b]There are others. These will do for now. They are all false. Not just slight distortions. They are the opposite of the truth."[/b] http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/we-really-must-talk-about-all-these-lies/ ...I know, I'm dreaming :-(

Catching up

9/08/2013Looks like that scheme to get employment for 2000 long unemployed in Tasmania offers much less than the one that already exists. Does it surprise one, that the Coalition come up with so many schemes, that are already in existence. I believe the existing scheme is called Connect, and has already been successful in getting the long term unemployed back to work. I know there is money available for many to take on extra training and education. Up to $5000, under one scheme for young people. I know this, as my young grandson, who left school last year has become eligible. It will get him a car license, and certificates for things like forklifts and so. Trouble with Abbott, he always seems to be playing catching up.

Catching up

9/08/2013nasking, that was an established business of thirty years.One would think they would just revert back to what they where doing. One would have though they would have clear the stock by now, as homes are still being insulated. My s-i-l worth for a similar firm during the scheme. That firm reverted to what it was doing previously. Had to let the contractors go, that they hire for the scheme. My s-i-l did stay for a while, moving over the the work they were doing in new buildings, but decided there was easier work. Climbing around in roof cavities in heat wave conditions is not good for ones health. I would imagine that they were able to pick up batts cheaply from firms that sprung up just for the scheme, and other firms in the building trade that expanded into the area. One example of that was the electrical firm where there were deaths. My s-i-l went back to his previous work in the civil area. Is there anyone in the region that knows anything about this company.

lyn

10/08/2013Todays Links We really must talk about all these lies by @independentaus Of the 37 measures of economic wellbeing, Australia is ahead of where it was in 2007 on 26. It is about equal on four. The position on the other seven has been a deterioration relative to Australia in 2007, but a strong advance relative to the rest of the world. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/we-really-must-talk-about-all-these-lies/ Abbott backflips on use of Treasury figures, says 'net outcome' of budget will be released before election by ABC Earlier this week Mr Abbott said voters could do the math on his costings, and his treasury spokesman Joe Hockey said the Coalition would not provide a final budget position before the September 7 election http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-09/abbott-to-use-pefo-figures-as-base-for-costings/4876554 Abbott to base costings on PEFO after all by Channel 9 Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has had a change of heart and will use new figures from Treasury and Finance as the basis for his election costings. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/08/09/17/26/abbott-to-base-costings-on-pefo-after-all Murdoch’s News Corp empire turns on itself by Neil Chenoweth, AFR News Corporation has a deep commercial interest in defeating the government and subverting the National Broadband Network but the anti-Labor campaign is driven by far more visceral impulses. News Corp Australia is locked in a bitter struggle, not with the age-old enemy Fairfax Media, but with itself. http://m.afr.com/p/national/murdoch_news_corp_empire_turns_on_Vyddrdflv120QLxLBkXG8H Can Murdoch truly influence the upcoming election? Not quite by Bronwen Clune News is in the business of credibility. It always has been. Without it there’s no influence – something Rinehart, Murdoch et al have failed to fundamentally understand. And it’s only readers that can empower them with that one.Let them wage their futile editorial (and now twitter) wars. It looks like an embarrassing attempt at relevance, which Murdoch lost some time ago. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/09/australian-election-editorials-rupert-murdoch?CMP=twt_gu News Corp Australia Kim Williams departs, Julian Clarke named as replacement by @mumbrella News Corp Australia masthead The Australian is reporting that “more changes are expected to follow”. Such a declaration is likely to spark speculation about the fate of senior News Corp Australia executives, such as editorial director Campbell Reid. http://mumbrella.com.au/kim-williams-resigns-171875 Williams resigns as News Corp boss by Ad news Speculation about Williams' future had intensified in recent days after the arrival of Rupert Murdoch's lieutenant Col Allan. Williams had been at the helm of one of Australia's largest media companies for less than two years. http://www.adnews.com.au/adnews/williams-resigns-as-news-corp-boss Maybe Rupert wants to stop the boats by @MigloMT So Mr Murdoch believes that Labor has wrecked the country. How wrong could he be? As Alan Austin points out in today’s Independent Australia, “profound falsehoods about Australia’s economy are repeated relentlessly” and the Murdoch media are the ones leading this charge. http://cafewhispers.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/maybe-rupert-wants-to-stop-the-boats/ Election 2013: Day 5 (or how to put spin on a front page) by @GrogsGamut Now when you start accusing the Prime Minister of being “wrong” on QLD jobs, you bloody well better be right. And you damn well better not just cherry pick some data that tells the story you want to tell because to do so really would leave you wide open to charges that you are either incompetent and thus not deserving of the loudness of voice you have, http://grogsgamut.blogspot.com.au/2013/08/election-2013-day-5-or-how-to-put-spin.html The Numbers by Bob Ellis It is wrong to say Tony Abbott starts with 75 seats. He has lost Forde to Beattie. He has lost Indi, Mirabella’s seat, to Cathy McGowan plus the several Mirabella geriatric-sex-and-will-forging scandals. He has lost Kennedy, Katter’s seat, to Bob’s deep friendship with Kevin. He has lost one more seat that Katter is bound to pick up in the north, http://www.ellistabletalk.com/2013/08/09/the-numbers-8/ Liberal spin doctors give journalists their top 5 questions for Kevin Rudd by Latika Bourke An email containing five questions advises journalists to ask about his pink batts stimulus program, Deputy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's drink with suspended Labor MP Craig Thomson, and whether or not the Australian Workers' Union is behind the plot to parachute former Queensland premier Peter Beattie into the federal seat of Forde. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-09/liberals-kevin-rudd-media-matthew-franklin/4876130 Worming Families – The 20 Questions You Won’t Hear at the Debate on Sunday by @AusVotes2013 Very Important Sky News has some kind of cred – David Speers is the moderator again – and that Peter Hartcher and Simon Benson are somehow ideal for asking questions. Lyndal Curtis, yes, that’s reasonable – but Rudd’s Cheerleader-in-Chief and the main Abbott supporting hatchet man at the Telegraph? http://ausvotes2013.com/2013/08/09/wormingfamilies/ Dig the new breed by @PollBludger The recruitment of Peter Beattie to run for Labor in the crucial marginal seat of Forde was without question yesterday’s play of the day. However, Beattie will be far from the only Labor newcomer should his bid succeed, the weeks before the election announcement having seen an avalanche of preselection action as Labor scrambled to cover an exodus http://blogs.crikey.com.au/pollbludger/2013/08/09/dig-the-new-breed/ Preferencing, tactical voting, and Indi by @LarvatusProdeo Sophie Mirabella is a dishonorable mention. But, safely ensconced in the uber-conservative seat of Indi, there had been essentially nothing progressives can do about her. Stuck slightly outside the day-trip belt of two state capitals and Canberra, Liberals and Nationals have been comfortably winning state and federal seats in the area since, well, forever. http://larvatusprodeo.net/archives/2013/08/preferencing-tactical-voting-and-indi/ Sophie Mirabella being 'thoroughly outgunned' in election, her aide warns by Oliver Milman But the incumbent is facing increasingly stiff competition from popular local independent Cathy McGowan, who could topple Mirabella if she is preferenced strongly by Labor, the Greens and minor parties. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/08/sophie-mirabella-thoroughly-outgunned-election Old dog, new tricks: can Beattie save Labor in Forde? by @ConversationEDU It sends two clear messages to the people of Forde. After coming out of political retirement at the age of 60, Beattie would not be running if he thought he couldn’t wrest the marginal seat off the sitting Liberal National Party candidate. And he would not be going to Canberra as an opposition backbencher – so he must believe that Kevin Rudd can win. http://theconversation.com/old-dog-new-tricks-can-beattie-save-labor-in-forde-16843 The bell rings for round two of economic boxing by @TheKouk While no one in the Bloomberg survey expects the Reserve to cut again in September, if there is a run of soft data, the door will open a little for such a move which would certainly super-charge the election campaign in its final days. http://www.crikey.com.au/2013/08/09/the-bell-rings-for-round-two-of-economic-boxing/ John Lords Election Diary Update No 7 by @saint13333 I cannot think of one positive thing to say about Abbott. Their denial of climate change appals me and their opposition to equality of opportunity in anything simply disgusts me. I’m sorry to disappoint. I will try harder because I am not generally speaking biased. Perhaps I love my country too much and it shows. http://theaimn.com/2013/08/09/john-lords-election-diary-update-no-7/ This is some bullshit, Daily Telegraph by @JacobLeigh It’s crap journalism and it’s even worse satire – it just feels like someone at the Tele wanted to randomly sledge Labor by photoshopping some politicians to look like Hogan’s Heroes characters, and worked backwards from there to make it happen. http://flourishandbloggs.com/2013/08/09/this-is-some-bullshit-daily-telegraph/ The Twitter” Front Page by @geeksrulz Twitter has over two million Australian users, while Facebook has more than 11 million. The Telegraph (approx) 350,000 daily sales and The Australian 123,000. Murdoch’s sad little echo chamber of Yes men! http://stopthestunts.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/the-twitter-front-page/ Today’s Front Pages Australian Newspaper Front Pages for 10 August 2013 http://www.thepaperboy.com/australia/front-pages.cfm News headlines http://www.hotheadlines.com.au/

Ad astra

10/08/2013LYN'S DAILY LINKS updated: http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/page/LYNS-DAILY-LINKS.aspx

TalkTurkey

10/08/2013CQ? CQ? Anybody copy?

2353

10/08/2013I don't know where anyone else is TT, maybe they are busy doing errands or helping their local candidate? Off to do more errands.

Ad astra

10/08/2013TT We are here. I've spent the morning reading Lyn's Links, which are both wonderfully informative and helpful. I'm now up-to-date again in a way I could never be reading dead-trees media. I've noticed that traffic has slowed. We seem to be in a state of suspended animation

42 long

10/08/2013With all the Chaos in the Murky empire, you would think some "unhappy" chappy might spill the 'what has beens" on some matters. How and why would everybody remain silent when there is no reward anymore? Conspiracies need a lot of keeping silent and the more in on it the bigger the problem of keeping the lid on things. I don't know why it is so quiet. What is happing is not so edifying. It is more likely to produce a feeling of "tell the rest of the world not to bother getting to where we are' We are supposed to be smart, educated and well off but it hasn't really worked has it? We could end up with a " leader who is a ( insert your worst fears here)leading a party of drongoes.

DMW

10/08/2013[b][i]Not in my Australia. Not in my name.[/i][/b] A short and interesting commentary on the subject of the previous post. [b]Echoes of apartheid[/b] [i]YOU don't forget spending quality time with Nelson Mandela. ... Compared to the White Australia Policy, apartheid was a flash in the pan, lasting from 1948 to 1994. Our version of apartheid - keeping the wrong-coloured humans out of the country - began at Federation and lasted until 1973, when Whitlam finally killed it off. Some scholars suggest that white South Africa had learnt a few wrinkles from White Australia.[/i] Click on the link on this page http://goo.gl/4xH01r

jaycee

10/08/201342 long....It is what I call a "Cabal of Conspiracy" in that ALL are guilty of some minor or major quasi-criminal activity and so even in adversity, they "stick together" because to depart from the self-protective collective is to bring the wrath of confected public opinion down on them...and THEY ALL know how that works!

BSA Bob

10/08/2013I must say I'm almost touched, but really more amused, by the attitude of that insulation firm chappie as he allowed himself to be used by the coalition. Yes, Rudd, possibly panicking, cancelled the program, but in response to what? The poor fella should've realised it was pressure being applied by some of the people standing next to him & their allies, representatives of whom were standing in front of them with cameras. Really, it's symptomatic of the way sections of the community have one by one allowed themselves to be utilised for the purpose of returning their rightful rulers to government.

TalkTurkey

10/08/20132353, Ad, 42 Long, It's Relevance Deprivation Syndrome ... Rudd has largely made us feel redundant. One has the feeling now that either we'll win or not, but there's nothing we can do about it anyway. He'd better bloody win.

Catching up

10/08/2013I noticed the Ruddock is still chaperoning Abbott today. Accompanied him today,. to Gove.

TalkTurkey

11/08/2013Who'd a' thunk that *J*U*L*I*A*s departure could suck so much juice from US? All Crassidy's questions come off a negative base. Interrupting Bowen's answers with Buts and Wouldn't's and Tony has saids. Ad astra has written extensively on the techniques bigoted creeps on MSM use to undercut points and discredit those whom they wish to destroy. Ad's article should be studied in high schools. Imagine it being honestly considered in rich religious schools, as if! But *J*U*L*I*A*s loss has hit many in the Fighting 5th Estate below the belt, including Bushfire Bill and me. Here we are a month out from the election, and posts on TPS are at an all-time low. It is a phenomenon. Come on Comrades, speak out, help your local candidates, donate if you can, don't lose heart now. Summon up the blood eh. 27 days to go.

jaycee

11/08/2013I get your point, TT...and you are correct about the relevance thing..trouble is, the 'socially aware' left has been carrying the 'swinging couldn't be bothered to know' middle for years,election after election, geeing them up to vote for a gov't that will look after their interests etc. and it gets tiring, all that "encouraging optimism"!....and then you get this!...no kidding, I have a cruel streak in me that would viciously rejoice at a LNP. govt' that most certainly will whip and beat to a pulp, the cowardly curs that put them there!...but I know that is silly and reckless. Of course, I know who I will vote for, but I am having trouble confecting enthusiasm for what is now a sideshow. This is one election where it will be thoroughly proved beyond doubt that the public will get the government they deserve!

Ken

11/08/2013DMW Interesting comparison but there is a difference between apartheid and the White Australia policy. Apartheid kept blacks in certain areas, out of certain jobs, created "Black only" and "White only" services,and generally discriminated against Blacks [u]by law[/u]. White Australia policy did its best to keep coloureds out of Australia but for those already here, or who still managed to make it, there was not the extent of law that discriminated against them. A lot of this started with the Chinese during the Gold Rushes but even after the Gold Rushes there were many succesful Chinese businessmen, some of whom became pillars of their local community and who were accepted locally. Where there was racism and discrimination in OZ, it tended to operate informally (social customs and pressures) at a local level not by an array of legislation. As one of my university tutors (a bloke who had done his PhD in South Africa - on the "poor whites") put it: South African racism was very "conscious" (i.e. deliberate and enforced by legislation) whereas Australian racism tended to be based on "ignorance" and, thus, was more amenable to change over time.

Ken

11/08/2013I wonder why Abbott didn't take his good mate Brough with him to the NT!!! [facetious]

jaycee

11/08/2013To prove I am not ALL spite and spit!...I have mentioned, I believe, that I administer and moderate a community environmental / social blog and one of the recent posts I put up concerned community responsibility toward Local Govt' policy, via each individual stepping up to the crease and evaluating such policy and making reasoned and rational judgement, for the good of themselves AND the community, as an adult living and enjoying the benefits of such a community.....I called it ; "The Principle of the Third day"....those three days in the community calendar being..a) The day of recreation. b) The day of rest or spiritual restoration. and c) The Third day being the day of social and community responsibility. The reality being that every adult, enjoying and partaking of individual rights and freedoms has to, in fair play, return the "favour" with responsible consideration for the entire community. There is nothing more that can be asked.

TalkTurkey

11/08/2013From bushfirebill at The Pub blog August 11, 2013 at 9:57 am And – not ot be trivial or anything – The Insiders reckon the Daily Telegraph front pages were a hoot. “Quite brilliant” according to Mark Kenny, in fact. It’s all such a laugh, this election. The pollies are just little kids playing in the journos’ sandpit. Next we’ll be hearing how bored they all are. Today, we’ve heard three hundred reasons why Labor is going to lose the election, and no criticism of the Coalition at all. So I guess Abbott’s mob are pretty fine people. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Exactly right about Lopsiders. TT

Michael

11/08/2013I wouldn't wish this on Zimbabwe or Kazakhstan, but maybe the only thing that will lay this 'the Coalition are superior economic managers' (hello Barnett and Buswell) myth to rest for all time is three years of Abbott and Hockey and Robb taking the meat ax to Australia's economy. But this is clearly too high a price to pay, a country stalled in its reforming tracks by troglodytes of the Right. Man oh man, though, what will it take to convince Australian voters to 'do the arithmetic'? Labor has this country streets ahead of where Coalition economic behaviour (it can hardly be called theory or philosophy) would have us if they'd been our government these last six years. It's mindboggling how so many political myths about the 'efficiency' of the 'party of business' have survived real world proof that Conservatives screw national economies any time when the going's not so smooth a possum could oversee the place working only on weekends. Come on Australia, wise up!

Bloss

11/08/2013TT - you are right. For all the crap hurled at Labor from all sides, they're still in with a chance, I reckon. It's still close at the moment and four weeks is a long time. Labor has moved quickly on a new candidate for Hotham - Clare O'Neil, a rising star and a Fullbright scholar to boot. Young and energetic. Let's keep up each other spirits. There is so much at stake. Venceremos.

nasking

11/08/2013 THE MEDIA GROUP I CONDEMN THE MOST IS THE ABC. I EXPECT THE MURDOCH MONGRELS AND SHOCK JOCKS TO DO NOTHING BUT BASH THE GOVT LIKE THE TABLOID THUGS THEY ARE...IT'S NOT SURPRISING THEY BACK A FORMER PUGILIST...THERE IS NO SUBTLETY IN THEIR APPROACH, JUST NAKED AGGRESSION, RIDICULE, IN YOUR FACE THREATS AND ABUSE OF CHARACTER...JUST LIKE A BOXER TRYING TO PSYCH OUT THEIR OPPONENT...EVEN PUNCHES BELOW THE BELT IN A RIGGED SYSTEM...WIN AT ALL COSTS... AND OF COURSE FAIRFAX HAS MULTIPLE PERSONALITY DISORDER...TRYING TO SURVIVE...DRIVEN BY THE NEED TO HOOK-IN READERS, SUBSCRIBERS AND ADVERTISERS IT CANNOT BE RELIED UPON TO BE CONSISTENTLY AND HONESTLY CRITICAL OF AN OPPOSITION LEADER AND PARTY WHO OFFER UP COMPANY TAX CUTS...AND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF READERS...CAN INFLUENCE ADVERTISERS. THE GUARDIAN ARE THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK RELYING SADLY ON TOO MANY AUSSIE MEDIA 'INSIDERS' AS REPORTERS AND OPINION WRITERS WHO HAVE SPENT MANY YEARS COMPROMISING ON ISSUES DURING THE BULLYING HOWARD ERA...UNFORTUNATELY, UNDERMINING THEIR IMPACT ON THE POLITICAL SCENE... BUT THE ABC HAVE NO EXCUSES AS THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC WITH THE FACTS...AND AN INTENSE SCRUTINY OF BOTH LEADERS...THE CANDIDATES AND THEIR POLICIES AND HISTORY. INSTEAD WE GET USELESS BIASED COMMENTARY FROM THE OLD GUARD JOURNOS INTERVIEWING THEMSELVES, CHOSEN POLITICALLY ALIGNED THINK TANK CHARACTERS, POLITICAL ADVISORS & SPINMEISTERS...AND EX-POLITICIANS... ABBOTT GETS A FREE RIDE...IT'S FINE TO PERMIT MURDOCH'S LOT TO CHARACTER ASSASSINATE AN ALP CANDIDATE REPEATING AD NAUSEUM HE 'ABUSED' A DISABLED PERSON WHEN 22 AS THO HE SEXUALLY ABUSED THEM...AS THO HE BEAT THEM UP... BUT ABBOTT DOING SAME TO BERNIE BANTON IS A NOTHING. ABBOTT PUNCHING WALLS IS A NOTHING. NO DEMANDS HE STEPS DOWN... NOT FROM THE MURDOCH EMPIRE...NOT FROM THEIR ABC CLONES. I'VE COME ACROSS SOME SHIT NEWS MEDIA IN MY TRAVELS...BUT AUSTRALIA'S HAS TO BE THE WORST OF ANY DEMOCRACY I'VE LIVED IN. AND THAT'S SAYING SOMETHING...I LIVED IN THE UK TOO. THE NEWS MEDIA IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE DONE A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE VOTERS...AND THE PUBLIC GOOD & INTEREST. THEY DISGUST ME. N'

BSA Bob

11/08/2013Nasking Agreed about the ABC. I think it does the heavy lifting for the coalition. The Murdoch crew can be relied upon to be vicious & hopefully factored out, at least by some. And Fairfax is grabbing onto any straw, currently a different one to their attempts to "get" Gillard. And while commercial TV usually present Abbott's platform uncritically they can on rare occasion rip him apart. Showing him who's boss? Who knows? But back to the ABC. Outside the Meredoch lot it's the most reliably pro coalition outfit & it does this from a position of now fake respectability & evenhandedness. Dunno where this'll end.

DMW

11/08/2013Good Afternoon Ken, in part the discussion could get bogged down in semantics. For example the White Australia Policy could be viewed as apartheid in that it kept coloureds and others out of a certain area called Australia. Australia certainly practised apartheid and our treatment of Indigenous Australians shows that. A form of apartheid was practised against some ethnic groups and one prominent example would be Sir Leslie Joseph Hooker (Tingyou) who because of his Chinese heritage was not able to be a real estate agent hence the change of name to get around the problem. I guess part of the wider point is that we, as a nation, are far from free of blemish. As a nation we are good at pointing out the 'sins of others' while hiding from or ignoring our own 'sins'. This is not something to beat ourselves up about it however we should admit to our blemishes and strive to become a better nation as we learn from our past. As a (facetious) aside I would note that the Liberal Party are/were masters at apartheid in the way Catholics were kept firstly out of parliament and later away from high level positions in the party. Some could be forgiven for wishing that the Liberal Party still had a policy of preventing Catholics getting into parliament.

Ad astra

11/08/2013TT It does feel, as you say, that ‘juice has been sucked out of comment’ on [i]TPS[/i] since Julia’s departure. Yet the traffic is holding up well. We had a couple of record days for traffic on the Monday and Tuesday after the current post, but it tailed back later in the week. 24 visitors have rate the post as 5. It shows how much interest in the current post about Abbott’s disintegration is out there. The number of comments has dropped, but at present is 253. Some commenters have not been around much. I believe that is due to the residual disappointment over Julia Gillard’s departure. Many here admired her as a person, commended her many significant legislative achievements, and applauded her gutsy performance in the face of vitriolic criticism from Abbott and his Coalition cohort and from a vituperative media hell-bent on destroying her. Many resented deeply Kevin Rudd’s sabotage, and abhorred the corrosive effect of Team Rudd on her Prime Ministership. Because they felt she had been very unfairly treated, they lost the desire to post comments. Many feel that after all Kevin Rudd has done to Julia, he had better win this election and save us from the horror of an Abbott government. But we must push on. Lyn continues every day with her brilliant links. Later today I will post [i]Partisan economics[/i], somewhat academic-sounding, but with important messages about who we should trust for information in this crucial field. [b]VENCEREMOS[/b].

FB2

11/08/2013Ken @ August 11. 2013 10:05 AM With respect Mate, the White Australia Policy was set in legislative stone from the time Federation kicked off. The Immigration Restriction Act 1901 (relied on elements of Sth Africa's Apartheid Laws) and the Pacific Island Labourers Act 1901 were but two pieces of legislation passed by the new Parliament to keep Australia white. Prime Minister Edmund Barton, stated in support of the passage of the IMA 1901: "The doctrine of the equality of man was never intended to apply to the equality of the Englishman and the Chinaman." The PILA 1901 was designed to deport the South Pacific Islanders, "Kanakas" (Mal Meninga's people) working mostly on plantations in Queensland from Australia (7,500 is the most commonly used number deported)and prohibit their entry into Australia after 1904. It was Arthur Caldwell who many years later continued the racist tone of the debate when he infamously quipped "Two Wongs never make a White." It took the Whitlam Government to end Australia's racist apartheid by enacting the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 which made the use of racial criteria for any official purpose illegal. And this RDA 1975 completed the work initiated by the Holt Government's Migration Act 1966 which finally dismantled the White Australia Policy. There is much, much more Mate but my main purpose in penning this note is to clarify your assertion that while there was a White Australia Policy: "Where there was racism and discrimination in OZ, it tended to operate informally (social customs and pressures) at a local level not by an array of legislation." The facts are that there were at least two pieces of Legislation enacted immediately after the formation of the new Parliament during 1901. So from 1901 to 1975 Australia was effectively a State where racial discrimination was not only tolerated but it was also legal by Parliamentary edict. Kind regards FB2 a long-time lurker.

nasking

11/08/2013 TONY ABBOTT: - LIED ABOUT THE SLUSH FUND RELATED TO THE ONE NATION ATTACKS IT'S A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOUR FOR AN OPPOSITION LEADER WHO LEARNT PART OF HIS POLITICAL ATTACK DOG APPROACH FROM SO CALLED 'HONEST JOHN' AND THE PACKER AND MURDOCH MEDIA GROUPS...AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH KNOWN FOR BSing AND COVERING UP ABUSE.... HERE'S A FEW MORE SELECTED LIES AND DELIBERATE DISTORTIONS, EXAGGERATIONS BY TONY ABBOTT FROM AN EARLIER IN THE YEAR INDEPENDENT AUSTRALIA ARTICLE: [b]Tony Abbott’s dishonest speech this week confirms fact-checking in federal politics remains a faraway fantasy, writes IA’s fact-checking guru Alan Austin. Tony Abbott is a self-confessed liar and here he is at it again. [/b] [b]Mr Abbott’s address to the Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce in Melbourne last Monday contained about twenty readily identifiable falsehoods — some are well-worn favourites from earlier speeches … plus fresh ones as well:[/b] 1. “The Howard/Costello Government … presided over what now seems like a golden age of prosperity – that’s been lost.” On most indicators, Australia is much wealthier now than 2007 — despite the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Indicators include income per person, pensions, superannuation, productivity and personal savings — all much higher now. Plus interest rates, inflation and tax levels — all lower. This is affirmed by international credit ratings, the value of the Aussie dollar and quality of life indices — all much better now. 2. “By contrast, the Rudd/Gillard Government has not just failed to continue this bipartisan legacy of [economic and workplace] reform; it’s reversed it.” Nonsense. Heritage Foundation’s economic freedom index reflects progress in freeing capitalists from government obstruction. Its latest survey ranks Australia first among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations and third in the world. Australia’s current score is higher than the Coalition ever achieved. 4. “GDP growth per head has been just one third of the Howard era.” This is a subtle porky, but a porky nonetheless. The essential dishonesty is denying the impact of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) which devastated economies and reversed GDP growth worldwide. The average annual increase in Australia’s gross domestic product was 3.65% during the 11 Howard years. Then down to 2.44% under Labor. So it is not down to one third, more like two thirds. But here’s the deceit: Australia’s average growth through the Howard years was matched or bettered by several other economies. The USA averaged 3.04%. Canada 3.3%. Some European countries were higher. Luxembourg averaged 4.78%. Then came the GFC. In Labor’s five years, growth has been 2.44%. But in the USA 0.54%, in Canada 0.94% and Luxembourg 0.52%. And the Euro Zone negative 2.3%! 5. “Australia’s fundamental strengths owe far more to the reforms of previous governments than to the spending spree of the current one.” Evidence affirms the opposite. Most recently, a UNICEF paper by Bruno Martorano shows that while Europe’s austerity measures worsened their economies, Australia’s prompt spending “limited the possible negative effects caused by the macroeconomic shock and favoured the process of economic recovery.” 6. “Australia’s debt position is better than that of some other countries – not because we’ve done better, but because we started better.” Not true. If it were, then other nations with no debt and strong budgets surpluses should have done well through the GFC. And nations deeply in debt and deficit would have done poorly. There is no such correlation. Several countries which emerged from the GFC in good shape went in with huge debts at the outset. These include Israel, Switzerland and Singapore. In contrast, Spain, Finland, Iceland and Chile all had modest debt and budget surpluses in 2008 yet suffered severe reversals. 15. “[b]Also at the Press Club recently, Mr Rudd claimed credit for saving Australia from the global financial crisis — almost single-handedly apparently. Apparently he thinks that installing batts that caught fire in people’s roofs and building school halls for twice the normal price was good economic policy.” [/b] [b]Multiple fibs here also. It is not Mr Rudd asserting that the stimulus packages saved Australia’s economy almost alone in the developed world from recession. Those claiming this include Joseph Stiglitz, Scott Haslem, Juan Jose Daboub, Dun and Bradstreet, John Quiggin, Rodney Tiffin, David Gruen, Glenn Stevens, Tim Harcourt and several business and union groups. Plus countless economics journalists.[/b] [b]As the CSIRO found, the rate of house fires and industrial injuries and deaths during 2009-10 fell to one quarter of the rate during the Howard years. Audits of the building programs found cost overruns to have been minimal. There are other untruths in the speech. But there’s a start.[/b] [b]So how many are deliberate lies and how many reflect genuine misinformation? In other words, does the man suffer a major personality disorder or profound ignorance? And where are Australia’s fact-checkers and what are they doing?[/b] http://www.independentaustralia.net/2013/politics/tony-abbotts-latest-15-lies/ NOT GOOD. NOT GOOD AT ALL. WHEN A POLITICIAN BULLSHITS AND EXAGGERATES THIS MUCH BEFORE BECOMING PM...EXPECT MUCH MORE WHEN FATIGUED AND UNDER PRESSURE BIG TIME AS PM. WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT. NOT AFTER THE IRAQ WAR FIASCO, AWB SCANDAL, CHILDREN OVERBOARD. N'

DMW

11/08/2013jaycee @ 10:12 AM, [i]"The Principle of the Third day"[/i] sounds very interesting. Can I suggest that after the election you contact Andrew Leigh, current and, many trust, after the election Member for Fraser about the [i]Third Day [/i]. Mr Leigh's interest in 'community' is huge and he has written extensively on many aspects of the topic.

nasking

11/08/2013 [b]Outside the Meredoch lot it's the most reliably pro coalition outfit & it does this from a position of now fake respectability & evenhandedness. Dunno where this'll end.[/b] BSA BOB, AGREE. MY WIFE REFUSES TO WATCH THE ABC NOW...SHE THINKS THEY ARE GIVING THE COALITION A FREE RIDE...EVEN SKY NEWS AT TIMES PUTS MORE SCRUTINY ON THE ABBOTT COALITION...WHICH IS SAYING SOMETHING. THE ABC HAS FAILED TO FULFIL ITS CHARTER. THE HOWARD GOVT CHANGED THE PUBLIC BROADCASTER FOR THE WORSE...IT HAS NOT RECOVERED. RUDD WAS STUPID TO LEAVE MARK SCOTT IN CHARGE. WE ARE STILL SUBJECTED TO MANY OF THE SAME NEWS SHOWS AND HOSTS THAT RAN UNDER HOWARD. ABC 24 OFT COMES ACROSS LIKE A PLUG FOR THE NEO-LIBERAL, CORPORATE AND CONSERVATIVE LIFESTYLES. N'

Ad astra

11/08/2013Folks Regarding [i]Insiders[/i], I think that the panel today had made up its mind that despite the improvement in the polls, Labor was still going to lose. Karen Middleton has been of this mind for ages, as has Mark Kenny. Dennis Atkins, whom I regard a usually pretty balanced, seems also to be coming to that view as a result of listening to people that talk to him. Who knows whether they represent mainstream or biased opinion? So I suppose these journalists are aligning themselves to what they see as the winning side so as not to be in the winner’s bad books. Fair and fearless reporting and opinion writing is becoming a thing of the past as lesser journalists jostle to get on the winner’s favoured list and the consequent drip feed. Barrie Cassidy seemed more even-handed than the rest, and he did give Chris Bowen a fairly good run with a few interruptions. Sadly though, the ABC remains too much of an echo of malignant Murdoch media.

FB2

11/08/2013G'day Ad Astra, Lynn, et al. Now that I've broken the ice with the post to Ken above, I'd like to follow up with expressions of gratitude to Ad Astra for his incisive informed opinions concerning the sad state of our political classes and the impoverished state of our MSM, including the ABC; and to the wonderful and comprehensive Lynn for her informative Daily Links. My sincere thank you to both Ad Astra and Lynn whose posts I follow with almost avaricious interest. Now I'm returning to the 'lurkatorioum' from whence I originated. FB2

Ad astra

11/08/2013FB2 Welcome to [i]The Political Sword[/i] family of commenters. Do come again. Thank you for your complimentary remarks about Lyn and me. It is encouraging to know that you, and many others, are 'lurking' out there and enjoying what [i]TPS[/i] has to offer. Later today I'll post the next piece [i]Partisan economics[/i].

nasking

11/08/2013 [b]Dennis Atkins, whom I regard a usually pretty balanced, seems also to be coming to that view as a result of listening to people that talk to him. Who knows whether they represent mainstream or biased opinion?[/b] ATKINS SOUNDED LIKE HIS BIASED, MONGREL OF A PAPER...THE COURIER MAIL. EVEN MY FATHER-IN-LAW WHO HAS THE PAPER DELIVERED NOW SKIPS THRU MUCH OF IT AND SAYS HE 'TAKES ITS VIEWS WITH A PINCH OF SALT'. HERE IN QLD VOTERS IN TWO MINDS...AWAITING THE DEBATES. MANY ARE NOT ENGAGED YET. IT'S OBVIOUS THE MURDOCH EMPIRE WITH THE HELP OF THEIR ABC CLONES ARE TRYING TO MANIPULATE PUBLIC PERCEPTION... BUT THE DISTRUST OF THE NEWMAN GOVT AND ABBOTT WILL RISE AGAIN AS AN ISSUE I RECKON GOING BY THE FEW I'VE SPOKEN TO. [b]RUDD JUST NEEDS TO GET HIS MOJO BACK. LIKE OBAMA DID IN HIS LAST DEBATE, [/b] N'

jaycee

11/08/2013DMW. thank you for your asessment of the third day. It was penned as a future possible format principle for the running of "community forums" on the basis that everyone in a community "owes" a certain amount of time and responsibility to the community and it's local govt' body. I believe it all has to start with a rebuilt attitude of social awareness built on community ideals rather than "bottom-line" demands. I wanted to see Local Govt' administrators organise these "community forums" on a more equitable basis rather than let those with patriarchal or social status bully others into agreement rather than let a broad opinion make the running on local issues.

DMW

11/08/2013jaycee, I would like to read it as, I suspect, many others here would be. Maybe even it could be a good guest post for Ad to consider after the election.

DMW

11/08/2013fb2, welcome and thanks for your very informative contribution. I had 'forgotten' about the [i]Pacific Island Labourers Act 1901 [/i] and some of the effects that it had. Thanks again and please fell free to further my edumification at any time :)

Ad astra

11/08/2013Folks I have just now posted [i]Partisan economics[/i]. http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/post/2013/08/11/Partisan-economics.aspx
How many umbrellas are there if I have two in my hand but the wind then blows them away?