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The Coalition are unbackable because of their policies, not their odds

The government’s new mantra, “Jobs and Growth”, is an admirable goal but they show no sign of a plan for anything more than short term sugar hits.

In order to improve productivity, the government is following the conventional neoclassical route of deregulation, privatisation and increased competition. Whilst this may provide a quick boost, it does little to provide gains in the long run. Similar reforms implemented in the past resulted in high productivity levels that were short term and not sustained.

Rather than spending cuts, we need targeted investment by our government in long term productivity enhancers.

Warren Truss boasts about this government’s investment in infrastructure as he reannounces roads again and again and flies all around the country, shovel in hand, but these are the people who canned FttP NBN and the High Speed Rail Advisory Group – two projects which would provide many ongoing jobs and huge potential productivity gains.

HSR linking Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane, with the preferred alignment including four capital city stations, four city-peripheral stations, and stations at the Gold Coast, Casino, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Newcastle, the Central Coast, Southern Highlands, Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga and Shepparton, would reduce congestion and free up existing rail, road and air routes for freight. It would allow for decentralisation and provide a boost for regional areas. It would help with housing affordability and businesses could relocate to cheaper premises. It would also reduce carbon emissions.

The opportunities provided by FttP NBN have been widely discussed and the future applications can only be imagined, instead of which, we are lumbered with an expensive white elephant that is already proving inadequate before it is even available to the majority of us. What should have been seen as a critical tool in the overall transformation that is happening worldwide (Malcolm’s digital disruption), has been sacrificed to the surplus disciples (with encouragement from a certain media mogul who doesn’t like competition).

Malcolm Turnbull talks a great deal about innovation as his government slashes funding to research bodies. Data has indicated that a 1% increase in R&D expenditure led to a 0.11% long-run improvement in Australia’s productivity. Turnbull’s plan is to encourage entrepreneurs and to protect investors whilst defunding the people who make the discoveries. Restricting research to areas with commercial potential ignores the importance of protecting us from dangers such as climate change, threats to our water supply, or social disunity.

Most importantly, strong productivity growth relies on a healthy, skilled workforce. Investing in health and education is crucial in providing a highly qualified workforce, dynamic in its ability to adapt to changing market condition and future challenges.

From the outset, this government has attacked health and education – preventative health initiatives have been defunded, primary health care is to cost more, hospital and school funding has been slashed, vocational education privatised, and university fee deregulation sought. These moves are hugely counterproductive in the long run.

It has also been shown that good union-management co-operation improves productivity but this government seems determined to do everything in its power to destroy that by demonising unions and undermining their power to act as a representative of the workers.

Lenore Taylor suggests that “for good reason [the Coalition] is at almost unbackable odds to win this year’s election.” For the life of me, I cannot see why.

 

37 comments

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  1. Kaye Lee

    “The head of the IMF says reducing inequality spurs growth. Scott Morrison says cutting taxes for the rich spurs growth. Somebody’s got it wrong.

    During his time as treasurer, Costello cut the top tax rate and increased the threshold for the top bracket by 300%. He also introduced the “50% discount” on capital gains tax, cut the company tax rate and made multi-million dollar incomes from superannuation entirely tax free.

    Treasurer Costello oversaw unemployment benefits (for a family of four) falling from 3% above the poverty line to 13% below. In none of his 12 budgets did he find a cent to increase their meagre payments by more than the rate of inflation.”

    http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/04/income-inequality-trickle-down-economics-is-alive-and-well-in-australia

    Increasing a regressive tax like the GST to fund tax cuts will not help anyone but the wealthy. It will not improve productivity, reduce inequality, alleviate poverty, or provide jobs and growth.

  2. Klaus Petrat

    This government has a simple strategy. Follow the American corrupt and sick system to the T. Privatize at all cost, see that your backers are richly rewarded and campaign strongly against the majority of people, who have wrongly entrusted you with their governance. In my view this is not an incompetent government, this is a criminal government. Committing crimes (as you outlined above) against the real interests of the majority of Australian people. It started around 2000, when I stuck up the finger to John Howard when he de-funded research in the local solar industry. Back then I didn’t understand the underlying Agenda as I do now. But now it makes sense. On local radio, 2 German solar scientists appeared who had just broken the efficiency record (back then) the established through research in Australia. As a result, they left Australia and founded one of the largest (then) solar industries in the world. Unfortunately, that was in Germany. Thousands of modern, clean working environments were the result. Germany never looked back since then. I wonder where Australia could have been today, had consequent funding been provided. I venture to say that Australia would be amongst the main exporters of clean industries and energies. This is why the LNP systematically commits crimes against Australia. And because of offshore detention, against humanity.

  3. Neil of Sydney

    During his time as treasurer, Costello saw unemployment got from 8% to 4% and anybody who wanted a job could get one.

  4. Terry2

    Yesterday Turnbull said that state governments must increase their own taxes – such as land tax or payroll tax – and run health systems more efficiently to share the cost of the looming hospitals funding crisis.

    This rather confusing statement seems to sum up the problems that the Abbott/Hockey budget started and that have been perpetuated by the Turnbull/Morrison approach of trying to portray the states as wasteful administrators of our health system with their hands forever outstretched for handouts from the Commonwealth.

    Malcolm, we all know that the tax collecting powers in Australia are largely the sole province of the Commonwealth with the states having minimal capacity to raise their own taxes thus they are dependent on the Commonwealth to collect and distribute essential funding as part of our federal compact.

    This ridiculous ideologically driven commitment to reduce federal taxes – principally personal and corporate income tax – at the expense of the states and the services that they are constitutionally obliged to provide is bound to cause significant damage as services collapse due to lack of funding.

    Can we please acknowledge that the so called funding crisis is because we have a revenue problem that we must address with increased taxes – and not just the GST.

  5. keerti

    Innovation? Promote research and development into alternative energy, begin developments in using black soldier fly to recycle organic waste (already viable on small and large scale), develop pasture

    management systems d that improve soil (not deplete as at present), change zoning and other restrictions to make innovtive housing solutions doable (it is to make a house thst looks good and works well for $20000), apply a liveable minimum income available for all, develop income designed to maximise quality of life for all.

  6. cornlegend

    Kaye Lee,
    The truth is the LNP are just lying deceptive scumbags , full stop
    When you shake hands with one you check your watch and rings are still there and tap your arse pocket to check on your wallet .

    Labor called Turnbull Government’s bluff – now ordinary voters should demand their right to know

    When Dyson Heydon decided to permanently conceal from public view one volume of the report produced by the Royal Commission into Union Governance and Corruption, he did a grave disservice to the democratic process.
    Opposition and cross-bench parliamentarians are starting to demand access to the secret ‘facts’ a commissioner (trailing apprehended bias allegations behind him) relied on, before they consider new government legislation.
    Now in this 2016 federal election year it’s time that Australian voters also fight for access to a copy of this volume with individual/company/place names redacted.
    It may be a hard fight as I rather suspect that Heydon’s hidden hyperbole won’t stand up to close public scrutiny.
    The Australian, 18 January 2016:

    Labor has written to the Turnbull government to formally request access to the secret volumes of the Heydon royal commission report on trade unions, as it accused the Coalition of selectively using the inquiry’s recommendations for its “immediate political interests”.
    In a letter to Employment Minister Michaelia Cash, obtained by The Australian, opposition employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor says the government must provide access to all sides of parliament — “and potentially to other interested parties” — if it seeks to use the chapters “to make the case for legislation”.
    It comes after The Weekend Australian revealed the government would take the extraordinary step of providing crossbench senators with redacted versions of the confidential volumes in a desperate bid to end the stalemate with the independents over its industrial relations reforms.
    The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet is arranging a viewing of the secret parts of the report after independents Jacqui Lambie and Glenn Lazarus demanded to see the full document before deciding on the government’s stalled IR bills.
    “If your government wants to rely on these secret volumes to make the case for legislation, the opposition is of the strong belief that the government must, at a minimum, provide them to all sides of the parliament, and potentially to other interested parties,” Mr O’Connor writes……
    Royal commissioner Dyson Heydon has recommended a volume of the interim report be kept confidential to protect the physical wellbeing of 29 witnesses and their families. He has also urged for a sixth volume in the final report to remain confidential.
    Mr O’Connor, who has slammed the royal commission as a “political witch hunt”, said it appeared the government “only respects the royal commission’s findings when it suits your immediate political interests”.
    “A failure to provide the opposition with an opportunity to access the confidential volumes will only confirm this,” he says.

  7. Kaye Lee

    The only reason to increase taxes would be to act as a redistribution tool or to remove excess funds from circulation. As inflation is below the RBA’s target range, we don’t need to remove funds but we do need to address inequality which implies we should be increasing taxes on superprofits and high incomes. As a sovereign currency issuing nation we can pay for anything we want to provided we remain within the productive capacity of the economy (otherwise we risk causing inflation). We have underutilised labour – we need some nation building projects that use this resource. We should increase welfare because every cent will be recycled creating demand and jobs. Stagnant wages mean less disposable income.

    We do not have to fund deficit spending with borrowing. We can just create the money by spending it into existence.

  8. Wayne Turner

    The Libs MSM are “framing” Turnbullsh*t and these Libs all on the personality of Turnbullsh*t. It’s the usual CONservative CONjob.The Libs policies are terrible,just like the Libs MSM.

    The suckers that fell for Idiot Abbott to vote for a party misled by him,are now of course the same suckers falling for Turnbullsh*t and these Libs.

    We are doomed because the gullible suckers out number the critical thinking informed.

    The Libs MSM are UNDEMOCRATIC BIASED SCUM.Who long ago,and continue to RUIN our so called democracy.We really are a MEDIAOCRACY.

  9. Kaye Lee

    cornie,

    Kerry Packer reportedly once said “I would never stand between Turnbull and a bag of money.”

    This is a rather revealing article from 1991, reprinted in 2014.

    Turnbull has some powerful enemies – he nicknames himself “Satan” – but even more powerful friends: his first patron, Australia’s wealthiest man, Kerry Packer; his business partner, ex-NSW Premier Neville Wran; his father-in~law Tom Hughes QC, perhaps Australia’s most eminent silk.

    He once wrote: “My connections with Packer and my father-in-law all helped my progress.”

    http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/gw-classics/raging-turnbull-20140904-10c7ye.html

  10. keerti

    Nation building projects usually mean concentrations of labour and capital in one place. More likely that intense assistance in developing micro business would have an overall positive affect.

  11. Kaye Lee

    keerti,

    Constructing high speed rail and a real NBN would facilitate micro businesses too.

  12. Klaus Petrat

    Hi Kaye,

    Connections helped Turnbull to progress. Obviously not competence, ability and compassion.

  13. Kaye Lee

    Klaus,

    The article I linked to above begins….

    “In his dual careers as lawyer and merchant banker, Malcolm Turnbull has earned a reputation that inspires a mix of awe, fear and, among some, downright loathing.

    Suddenly, he can turn. The charmer becomes the menacer, the defender of freedom of speech its most sophisticated challenger. He laughs, and disarms, but always be on guard. Remember, he can turn. Malcolm Turnbull, at 36, is one of the most powerful lawyers in Australia, and inspires a wide range of feelings among those who know him.

    “He’s a prick,” says ex-business-partner Nicholas Whitlam, who says he is being restrained in what he says so as not to fuel an ongoing feud.

    “He’s a turd,” says former Labor senator Jim McClelland. “He’s easy to loathe, he’s a shit, he’d devour anyone for breakfast, he’s on the make, he’s cynical, he’s offensively smug. He’s a good exploiter of publicity.”

  14. Klaus Petrat

    Yes Wayne, yes!!!

  15. Klaus Petrat

    Kaye, about Malcolmm, I have no doubt whatsoever, that all of his traits are true. I even excuse the public from falling for it. What I can’t excuse are the MSM who are either too dumb or have been cowarded by threats. The ABC seems a good example of this. Australia is doomed I am afraid. One day, the big awakening to a destructed society will come.

  16. Kaye Lee

    “there are 10 companies that wield the most incredible amount of power in Australia, to the point where it has stifled proper democratic and economic progress.

    “Four banks, and we all know who they are – the Commonwealth Bank, NAB, Westpac, and ANZ – three big mining companies, in Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton, and Fortescue Metals, you’ve got your two big grocery chains, and you’ve got your big telco, which is Telstra,” Mr Dastyari said.

    They have “unprecedented concentration of corporate influence” in Australia, he said.

    “The entire political debate has become so dominated by the interests that they’re pushing, and the agenda that they’re pushing. And [we’ve] ended up with this complete crowding out of a proper political discourse in this country because there is one sectional interest that is so much louder than every other voice out there combined.”

    http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/labor-senator-sam-dastyari-claims-10-companies-have-taken-complete-control-of-australias-political-process-20160205-gmmy30.html#ixzz3zL5Eobm8

  17. Steve Laing

    Is Neil of Sydney channeling Tim of Altona? How about some of your own thoughts Neil, to back up your sound bites?

  18. susan

    What is wrong with Labor?? Are they seriously wanting to tax everyone who owns a home instead of going after foreign owned corporations and ending massive tax payer subsidies to these same corporations and multi millionaires? Gillard thought she was smart cutting payments to single parents and appropriating bank accounts that hadn’t been used in three years. Gonski would have seen funds cut to universities etc etc. They must be sharing Turnbull’s policy advisors . Help!

  19. kerri

    Why will no one in MSM or Labor or Greens for that matter point out that our taxes pay for the actions of our Government and that they have no right to take more from us in order to give to the rich without our specific permission? Neither do they have any right to use our taxes to fund reports and legal actions (and illegal actions) without transparently reporting how they are using our money. There is no such thing as a mandate.

  20. cornlegend

    Kaye Lee,
    Now when I email LNP scumbags to tell them exactly what I think I never take much notice of the links
    Now this is a bit of useless information and a test of your knowledge 😀
    No peeking !!
    I emailed one and noticed the last 3 letters on his Parliamentary directory list was GOD
    Being an old atheist I don’t usually worry about this god botherer stuff , but bugger me what if this is GOD returned?
    Is the day of reckoning nye > Armageddon ?
    This is the address , have a guess first ,
    http://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members/Parliamentarian?MPID=G0D

  21. Kaye Lee

    Without peeking I would guess Bernardi

  22. Jennifer Meyer-Smith

    I agree with Klaus Petrat @ 8.48am. This LNP MALadministration is criminal.

    Kaye’s article has again highlighted how the LNP continue to fail Australia by deliberate poor choices for transport, NBN, economic incentives. These travesties need to be reversed by an alternative, progressive and enlightened government.

    I would be glad if learned commentators could start to list in simple, user-friendly language, how the NBN could be returned to the premium Labor brand, so we all get a premium service.

    Same goes for rail transport. We need to be listening to the rail transport innovators who understand how High Speed Rail, as Kaye identifies, will save us from air pollution first and foremost, road congestion, environment protection due to less road construction, travel efficiency not to mention the fantastic economic boosts to greater employment created through all the building and community services created.

    I knew that their LNP Startup funding scheme would just be a scam to fund the already well off and not the most needs-based people, which is what the emphasis on government funded Micro-Finance Grants and Micro-Credit Loans for micro-businesses is all about. I agree with keerti that positive and reformist economic development needs to be focused on the micro-scale, as well as the macro-scale, so it spreads throughout the community. (This is a key area I expect Labor to show political strength of character to ensure micro-finance reaches the most needs-based people in the community, who have the great concept and plans, enterprise, initiative, skills, experience and qualifications BUT who lack the essential funding. That includes people who are currently unemployed or under-employed and who are avidly seeking their own self-employment opportunities in this low job market.)

  23. Roswell

    The comment from Lenore Taylor suggests to me that political journalists are just as out of touch with ordinary Australians as the politicians are.

  24. diannaart

    Steve Laing February 6, 2016 at 10:35 am

    Is Neil of Sydney channeling Tim of Altona?… Julia’s partner?

    Just having a little stir, please don’t be offended.

    For NoS, time stopped when Howard lost his seat at Bennelong – the shock was too much for the poor man.

  25. guest

    A great deal has already been said about off-shore detention – and when it is raised we realise it is also Labor policy. But I wonder how long any government, Labor or Coalition, can maintain such a policy which at present is costing $1bn p.a. – or in the case of Cambodia, $50m for 4 transferees.

    I ask this because I wonder what will happen to those people on Manus and Nauru who, supposedly, will never come to Australia. Does that mean they are destined to die in those places? Or has either political persuasion got some plan to compel them to go away? Or to bribe them or bully them in some imaginative, innovative way?

    It seems this problem of migration is not going to go away soon. It is a phenomenon which has been around for a long time with various consequences. So if it is historically long term, how do we stop it?

    I was told recently that a country has every right to build walls or fences to keep out the unwanted. And I thought of how for decades the USA turned back boats from Cuba and has built a fence to keep out Hispanics from the south. Hispanics are now the largest ethnic group in the USA. Hadrian’s wall in the old northern Roman Empire is heap of rubble. The barbarians came through the gap between the Rhine and Danube rivers to enter the Roman Empire. The Great Wall of China is a tourist destination. The wall separating east and west Europe came down in 1989.

    Walls and fences in Europe? Is it already too late? Where will the migrants be when the fences are up? Inside? Outside?

    Think about the driving forces: political and religious chaos and fighting; the gap between the haves and have nots of the world; climate change and food/water security. These are long term drivers and are the root causes of migration. Fifty million people on the move!

    It is revealing to see what people think of them. Just peasants, for some. Marauding terrorists for others. A huge cost, for others. The general view hardly ever considers them as individuals and more than just a swarm. Some are professional people. They have their own skills and ambitions just like any of us. Surely they could contribute to the economy (and not just by taking their possessions).

    Already large numbers of people are marooned in detention centres with nowhere to go, nothing to do. They cost money of course, far more than the UNHCR has to spend. But if they were to be seen as investments, then they would be seen as more than nuisances.

    They would be seen a contributors to the economy, as we have seen with all those people who have immigrated here over more than two centuries.

    With those drivers at work – war and chaos, the inequality gap and climate change – I cannot see the number of migrants diminishing, whether we call them refugees or economic migrants. Nor can I see how we can demand that these people fly into the country, as they have to do if they cannot come by boat.

    So the horrendous policy of mistreating captured men, women and children as deterrents on lonely islands to stop other people coming in boats is cruel and immoral. And a short term, short-sighted policy.To call ourselves children of the Judaeo-Christian tradition and of the Enlightenment is hypocritical.

    Encouragingly, more and more people are starting to say so publicly, including church leaders. Talk of sanctuary!

    Wouldn’t it be interesting if Bill and Labor could say: We were wrong. We have been wedged. It is not right to do what we are doing!

  26. jimhaz

    Had to laugh at these urban dictionary entries (just people trying to be funny)

    “To do a Turnbull, means to deficate and vomit simultaneously, and then to frolic in the resulting products”. (2007)

    “An agreement which is made in good faith but then not ultimately honoured, potentially under significant pressure from once allies turned traitors” (2009).

    ” – to take something good away from someone.
    – to stand in the way of something that will benefit someone.
    – to screw someone that is already doing it tough. (2009)”

    http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Turnbull

  27. diannaart

    I second JMS, ‘Guest’.

    As a special favour, because I have issues with use of ‘guest’ as moniker, and considering you have contributed some very thoughtful comments here recently (unless there are a whole lotta guests) would you consider a nom de plume more in keeping with your AIM personality?

    How about ‘Straight Talkin’ Dude’?

    OK, maybe not ‘STD’, I’ll keep working on it…

  28. margcal

    “From the outset, this government has attacked health …… – preventative health initiatives have been defunded, primary health care is to cost more, hospital……. funding has been slashed, …… These moves are hugely counterproductive in the long run.”

    On the contrary. What is yet to be confirmed, but will be, is that a cheap euthanasia pill is waiting at the end of this impoverished (ill) health journey. Those more likely to have poor health are those on low incomes and pensions, the biggest users of what remains of public services. Thus, this genius government policy will hasten the demise of, and eliminate $$$$$$ spent on, all those leaners who are a blight on the nation.
    People like me.

    It was nice knowing you!

  29. Wun Farlung

    Steve Laing
    You are aware that Neil of Sydney isn’t the full quid … poor bugger
    It’s the only reason I can think of why he gets AIMN confused with smellograph

  30. Paul Murchie

    unfortunate choice of a name, but NEW HOPE FOR THE WRETCHED ?

    http://www.tlcp.net/

    “The Labour Coalition Party (TLC)
    was born from dissatisfaction, disappointment and endless Government deceit. Once avid ALP supporters we seek a new avenue to express our displeasure and demands for a better life. A demand for fairness, job opportunity and the protection of what industries we have left while respecting our uniquely diverse environment that we all enjoy.”

    KICK THE ZOMBIES TO CURB !

    #TearUpTheTPP

    Φ

  31. Glenn K

    I suspect the LCP is another Abbott inspired scheme to further thin out the primary labor vote

  32. guest

    While we are talking about Coalition policies, we might mention the clever accounting of the Direct Action plan for reducing carbon emissions. How is that going? Hunt displays wonderful enthusiasm about people on the land being paid not to keep cattle (less methane) and not to cut down trees (more carbon up-take) which are things these people had no intention of doing anyway.

    It is called ‘reverse auction’. Sounds fraudulent? Perhaps it is. Especially because the taxpayer is paying for these people not to do what they were not going to do. It is costing heaps and would have to do much, much more to get anywhere near the carbon emissions required to have any meaningful effect.

    Besides that, it takes no notice of exported coal sent to be burnt overseas because that is the problem of the country involved in burning the coal. (Just as Oz is not to be blamed for what happens on Manus and Nauru because they do not come under Oz jurisdiction.)

    Current criticisms about AGW are around two things: adjustment of old temperature reading and the use of modelling. Adjustment of numbers by statisticians is something they do. I don’t pretend to understand it, but I do know that in drawing a line graph though a cloud of numbers requires the rejection of some ‘rogue’ scores. And the IPCC is about collecting and recording data and presenting the data that is there, understanding anomalies. Attack on an email in IPCC focused on whether certain data be included or not. The denier response was that this is clear evidence of conspiracy on the part of IPCC. They fail to understand what statisticians do.

    Never mind that the deniers themselves are champions of cherry-picking data and ignoring ‘inconvenient’ truths. So also with the revelation that the CSIRO is moving from modelling to practical applications. The deniers are delighted about that because it is their claim the modelling is inaccurate because it require too much complex data to be properly applied. Never mind that the deniers use their own modelling in their attempts to disprove the IPCC, CSIRO and any other AGW advocates. Needless to say, the deniers have no scientifically coherent argument – just cherry-picking at the edges and thinking they have disproved everything.

    (As an aside, are CSIRO changes do to cuts in funding of what is a world famous and successful scientific organisation?)

    This is the conservative approach: to keep the status quo, which is to favour the big money people and dud the rest. We see it in every one of their policies. Conspiracies which might lead to change; danger from far away… And at the same time, denial of what is patently obvious: finite resources; massive inequality; so much inaction; too much ‘Work, Save Invest, Never has there been a better time to…

    Turnbull knows what the truth is. But he is in thrall to his own party. Hence the delay and the dithering. He will be found out for his duplicity.

  33. gee

    kerri,

    “Why will no one in MSM or Labor or Greens for that matter point out that our taxes pay for the actions of our Government”

    that is because our taxes do not pay for federal government expenditure. the federal government “spends” money into existence by typing in numbers in ledgers held at the RBA, or it “borrows” it by selling interest bearing bonds which it also brings into existence and pays interest on by typing numbers in different ledgers held at the RBA or it “borrows” from an external agency (other central bank) who “created” the money in the same way.

    This is because it is a “sovereign currency issuer”, it can never go broke and never run out of money. It “creates” the money, it “creates” the market and it “creates” the system by which national resources are distributed.

    They are using the “scarcity” furphy as a domestic level “common sense” con job just in the same way that they used the “budget emergency” and “debt and deficit disaster”.

  34. Richard Kopf

    “Lenore Taylor suggests that “for good reason [the Coalition] is at almost unbackable odds to win this year’s election.” For the life of me, I cannot see why.” Kaye you would be an unusual person if you didn’t have overpriced and substandard products in your house. Why? Because of advertising. The Liberals are being advertised in every newspaper that is readily available. On Television and radio through the shock jocks. We know Murdochs’s reach. The ABC is also touting the Liberal line. The three stooges, the Liberals that hold the seats in the deep North of Tasmania, seem to have a permanent place beside Leon Compton on talk back radio. The balance is missing. Unless it is some issue that Labor would be ashamed of, a Labor spokesman is conspicuous by her and it is most likely a her, absence. Advertising Kaye. Paid or free, It works.

  35. Ian Sprocket Muncher Parfrey

    Quote : “Lenore Taylor suggests that “for good reason [the Coalition] is at almost un-backable odds to win this year’s election.” For the life of me, I cannot see why.”

    Easy answer is Shorten is a noose around the ALP’s neck. No media cut-through, wishy washy persona, seen as a rubber-stamp for shit LNP policies, and has too much political baggage.
    Whether we like it or not, persona is a HUGE influence on how the majority of non-political savvy voters think and this will be a deciding factor in who wins the upcoming election.

  36. Jennifer Meyer-Smith

    Oh dear, I’m not sure who to blame!

    Maybe Lenore Taylor for standing back in arrogant judgement on a flailing political party aka Labor.

    Or, Labor for endorsing Shorten and telling him pig-headedly that he was the man despite what we commenters, the voices of the people, were telling them.

    Or, SOME of the voters who are so easily manipulated that they would vote LNP even when that means destroying their lifestyles and their children’s prospects, and unfortunately ours as well!

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