‘The defence minister, David Johnston, has blamed the previous Labor government after Tony Abbott’s departure for Indonesia was delayed by technical problems with his RAAF jet on Wednesday.
‘Abbott was due to meet Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Batam Island later in the day to improve relations damaged by spying revelations and asylum seeker policies.
‘But his departure from Canberra was delayed for several hours and a replacement jet had to be brought in.
‘Johnston said the Rudd government had given the Coalition a “hospital handball” by renewing the contract on the current fleet of jets just before the 2013 election.
“I was very unhappy about that,” Johnston said.’
The Guardion
God, are there no depths to which Labor will sink to sabotage the Liberals. Making Tony Abbott late. Of course, they should have SPENT MONEY on new jets. I mean, it’s not like anyone was complaining about their SPENDING.
And this is on top of the way they have the Budget blowing out over the next four years. It’s not Joe Hockey’s fault that it’s projected to blow out to three times what it was when Labor left office. There’s nothing he could do to stop that. After all, raising taxes isn’t an option because they specifically ruled that out before the election. (Although Hockey did say that it was nonsense to suggest that they’d promised no new taxes when it was via a new levy that they were going to pay for the PPL, and a levy is clearly a tax unless it’s being temporarily applied to high income earners.)
Then, on top of all the things that Labor has done, we have the Fair Work Commission increasing the minimum wage by a whopping $18.70 a week. That’s going to cost jobs, according to Mr Hockey. After all, it’s about four middies and while a visit to the doctor is only two middies and not worth worrying about, four middies is serious money.
I suggested to a Labor voting acquaintance that if we abolished the minimum wage altogether, people would work for half the wage – particularly after the freeze on the dole for under 30s – then we’d be able to employ twice as many. He showed his economic ignorance by asserting that if people were earning less, then they’d spend less and that’d lead to a slump in economic growth, but that just shows how out of touch Labor people are.
“That’s just the sort of woolly logic that led to the recession Australia experienced during the Global Financial Crisis,” I told him.
“There was no recession in Australia,” he argued.
“Well, not technically, but that was only because Labor spent all our money. If they hadn’t done that, we’d have had a recession like the good lord meant us to.”
He attempted to change the subject by arguing that economics has nothing to do with religion.
But I steered him back to the point: How our lack of a balanced budget was Labor’s fault for introducing a carbon tax when Julia Gillard promised in one speech that she wouldn’t.
“She said there’d be no carbon tax,” I told him, “and that speech was replayed over and over again after the election, so it’s not like the Australian people didn’t hear her broken promise!”
“But what about Abbott’s broken promises?”
“He had to break them because of Labor. If Whitlam hadn’t introduced Medicare, the country would have plenty of money.”
“Actually, Whitlam introduced Medibank, then Fraser and Howard trashed it to the point it wasn’t recognisable.”
“That has nothing to with what we’re discussing. We’re discussing ways of getting the lazy, unemployed back to work.”
“Why is that just last year, anyone losing their job was due to Labor incompetence?”
“You mean like when they mandated keeping a log book for leased cars? That nearly caused the death of our car industry.”
“Which Abbott and Hockey finished off by cutting subsidies…”
“Why should unprofitable companies expect to be subsidised by government?”
“Then why do they give such handouts to mining companies?”
“Because mining companies are profitable and they create jobs!”
“Then why do they need subsidies?”
“Oh, so you want to indulge in class warfare and attack the tall poppies. You just hate anyone who’s successful.”
“I give up,” he said, throwing his hands in the air and walking off.
Typical Labor man, I thought, they can’t stand it when you use a logical, consistent argument.
Bwahaha!
Yesterday there was an article in the MSM about the economy being better than expected. For once Labor didn’t get the blame for that – the Liberals took the credit for it. Funny that. 😉
Today we’re being told that the trade balance has fallen and is in deficit. The journos are a bit slow but tomorrow morning I’ll expect to see “It’s all Labor’s fault” again.
I hates to say it young mans but I did told ya so that logic thingy works a treat when ya already knows the answers hey?
Logic by brute ignorance is the go these days.
Don’t you worry about that. Now there’s a bloke who knew his logic.
That bloody edumacation stuff just gets in the bloody way. Ask Tony he’ll tell ya Mr Smarty ares Leigh.
I read it in the Australian and you can trust their logic because they don’t lie not like Gillard. They invented logic while Malcolm was building the internet thingy.
Fair go you ignorant socialist commie bastard how dare you answer back with stuff you made up.
Go suck up to ya mate Marx and his Commie Manifesto shitty rag bum wipe.
Good old Jonesy and the Lightning Bolt, the know the do and would intellectually run all over that Husane runny fella with the Muslim name. Should lock up that terrorist.
Any way good to talk to ya ya idiot.
One day you might learn some bloody stuff.
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I've got very little sympathy for Labor when they can't even help themselves.
If Shortens Labor had a tactic in Question time today it must have been to get as many people laughing at them as possible.
For the Record ….. the tactic worked ….. admirably.
There's Hockey puffing himself up because he is really suffering from the criticism of his "stinking carcass" of a Budget.
And Morrison hoping no one on the Labor side has the killer instinct to lay the responsibility of a murder in custody and a suicide by self immolation right here in Australia …. on him.
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The move to replace Turnbull is well and truly on.
He is in the way of asset sales.
Shorten made strong speech immediately after QT
Here we go again mate all those suffering wealthy people have to hide their money because of yous lefties greed.
Can’t get a break now that Guardian rag is sticking its nose in.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/04/australias-richest-could-be-hiding-billions-from-tax-office
Might help the deficit a bit that Hey Joe what are you doing with that gun in your hand?
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@Florence nee Fed up
"Shorten made strong speech immediately after QT"
No sign of it across the MSM.
Got a Link ?
"If a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it etc etc"
The mouse stamped it’s foot
while the rat was out rutting
the cat is still caged.
John,
Could be this speech, perhaps:
Yes, its the typical lame argument from the tragically misinformed (by tabloid media) about Labor ‘mess’.
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@Nuff Said
Thanks for that.
Thats good from Shorten.
It should have been Shortens Budget Response 3 weeks ago.
Instead of this long, long drawn out verbose rambling :
http://www.alp.org.au/budget_reply_speech
“You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone” By Tim Dunlop
The budget has been delivered, the pollsters have read our entrails, and the verdict is in: we don’t want to be America. Or England. Or most of Europe. We certainly don’t want to be Tony Abbott’s Petri dish.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-06-05/dunlop-fair-go-australia/5499240
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Fairfax Media now reporting the move is on to get Turnbull out of Communications.
http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/attacks-on-malcolm-turnbull-have-been-linked-to-a-reshuffle-of-the-abbott-ministry-20140605-39lzc.html
That's Murdochs work via his idiot Bolt.
Get ready for the sale / breakup.
Given that Abbott is now ‘going for broke’ or to put it a nothing way ‘betting the rent’, then the obvious strategy is to eliminate all opposition within his own ranks, broadly defined, to include LNP governments at the State level.
Turnbull’s elimination, while essential, is small beer.
As I’ve argued consistently, Tony is engaged in total warfare. He has no enduring alliances.
It’s not just the ALP but ‘anyone’ else who is the problem. Suck it up. LOL.
Nuff Said:
Well that’s more like the doctor ordered. If he can continue to run like this he has a good chance. Good one liners; simple clear targeted attacks; it’s what I have been tearing my hair out hoping to hear. If they can keep this up and go on full frontal attack I am prepared to eat my words.
That is a speech that would have a public impact so lets hope there is more of the same in the coming months.
Damn these guys are doing a shitload of damaged. Let’s hope the Senate can hold off the worst of the policies. Its time to see what Palmer is made of. Makes me bloody nervous though. Still old Clive seems to hold grudges so as long as Murdoch keeps up his Abbott sucking and Abbott remains Cheerless Pleader I think Palmer will want sweet vengeance.
Turnbull’s little munchies with Palmer certainly changed the landscape. He ain’t no wallflower and we all know he would love to roll Brear Rabbit and Little Cocky. Throw the machinations of the back-bench in and we have happy mix of hale fellow well met. Wish I could fire some scatter rounds of controversy into the mix. Really under the surface bravado I don’t think the LNP has looked more fragile.
No matter what Dear Leaderless says the polls is the polls and they are hurting. There is going to be a lot of soft shoe shuffling to save the Titanic however with Palmer around he is building the damn thing himself. Lets hope the old model slide into Davey Jones Locker with the LNP snugly ensconced on board.
Personally, I wouldn’t want the good ship LNP to sink, just tilt enough to jettison some of the unsecured detritus that clutters it’s decks (not the lifeboats; need those).
Pluralistic democratic society should have sensible representation for the values of moderate conservatism(which can have pragmatic virtue). But the LNP must shift away from the teabagger model of catering to the loudest loons of the rabid religious/reactionary wing and especially tune out to the corrupting voices of corporate lobbyists and fink-tanks.
National interest is not served by catering to kooks, courtiers and mountebanks.
Where are the ‘Leadership Crisis’ headlines?
But, then again, can a Turnbull ressurrection be anything else than putting lipstick on a pig?
The ‘Mad Uncles’ are firmly in control, Heffernan is smuggling pipe-bombs into Parliament for fs sake.
My dear Corvus, Australia already has a centre right party (the ALP) as well as a centre left (the Greens) and no need of the loony extreme right wing teabag LNP.
I think the Nationals should remove their support from Abbott since he is happy to con them, and form a new Coalition with Clive – the Country Pups (affectionately known as the blue heelers).
The Greens and Labor should form a Coalition – the Sustainability Party.
Sane Liberals can have a short amnesty in which to join either of these parties or to become independent. I wonder how many would choose to stick with Tony if he wasn’t wearing the crown? Wouldn’t it be great to see him, Morrison, Pyne, Andrews, and Bronwyn sitting on the cross benches. Better still, I would prefer to see them sitting on park benches trying to find a job to keep them going until they are 70.
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Pyne supporting Turnbull.
Wont be long before Turnbull is the Minister for Nothing.
An article from the best journalist in Australia.
http://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/news/politics/2014/05/31/abbotts-faceless-men-the-ipa/1401458400#.U5EEhBFZoc8
Great article by Mike Seccombe. I agree, he is one of the best.
Great points Kay. Would be a nice pipe dream but the nationals have too much too lose. They just love sitting on the government benches with their superior demeanor looking down upon that leftist swill. Plamer may, or may not, have long term objectives who knows? Now a Labor Greens coalition sounds interesting however the Labor right is still a powerful business lobby and they would fight like hell to prevent it. There is a powerful fear of change the further you move towards the right. The left just has to be, well more left, if they are going to capture the masses. This is their big chance for once, and maybe a very long time, to stick it to conservatism and economic rationalism. This will most certainly bring about a more leftist tilt by Labor but, of course, the question is will it be enough?
I think global warming is the other monkey in the room that, regardless of current goings on, is going to be a weight too burdensome for conservatives to wear.
Stephen,
Yes, that was an impressive speech by Shorten, but it was just a prepared speech. He still needs to be that person in the general run of things. His QT efforts mostly haven’t been overly impressive. Still, it’s something.
The current political machinations are quite difficult to interpret. Hard to say what Bolt and Jones are doing but there appears to be some sort of agenda driving it. Guess we’ll find out soon enough. Whatever happens I don’t think it’s going to be anything but helpful to Labor.
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More of Mike Seccombe's work can be found at the now defunct "Global Mail".
Link : http://www.theglobalmail.org/
Nuff Said:
I think back room talkies have filtered through to the shock Jocks and they decided to go on the attack. Turnbull knew his actions weren’t without risk. It’s not just random meet ups and the jocks know it. The back benches are on the move and the rightist media rabble are trying to shut down internal dissent but it ain’t going to work – mark my words. If the polls become locked in there will inevitably be a lot of navel gazing and stiletto jabs until some one brings out the sharp edgy sword. Nothing to get your attention like bad polls. lock em in and watch the circus break out. Internal ructions and leadership struggles must be avoided at all cost but that doesn’t stop the angst and internal dissent. The good thing is it makes the Gear-less Pleader look out upon public dissension and backwards to ward of the stabby, shafty scared backbench rabble. Couldn’t happen too a more deserving fool.
totally off subject, but I would really love to know where the picture heading your story was taken, it’s an awesome shot, would love to know where that is 🙂 please and thankyou
Dear hotspringer,
I kind of see things the same way, but then I lean mainly “left” in my views.
Many of our countryfolk hold views well to the “right” of anything I would claim, you too, probably.
Many others follow their politics as they do their theology and sporting allegiances, by hereditary determination. This is hard to change, and I still, despite the problems, hold to the principle of broad representation.
The LNP will not disappear, they hold an entrenched(approx) 40% of the electorate. My point is they should represent a moderate centre of the far right, not the territory of chip-shop politics.
Yes Corvus, they should represent the centre right (I don’t know what a moderate centre of the far right might be) but as all major parties shifted right in the past 40 years, their original position is now taken by the ALP. Just by the bye, I am 50% of the Green vote at my polling station. Best of luck to you, left leaner.
Hotspringer
Point taken on “moderate” extremes. The ground has definitely tilted in my lifetime. Thanks for good wishes, returned with interest, and may you one day be a point percentage of your electorate’s green vote. 🙂
Sorry, I did not realise someone else put it up. Another in Newcastle today, in defence of the ship industry.
Can someone tell me why Abbott is overseas, on his own at this time. No notification of him going. No agenda.
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Quite all right Florence nee Fed up.
Others who might have missed it get a chance to see one of Shortens best performances.
I suspect the Liberalls are very happy, having the Nationals sewn on to their coat tails. Lets the Libs blame the Nationals for all that goes wrong in the bush. It is many decades sicne the Nationals made any demands on the Libs. One would have to go back to the days of McEwan. Should never have changed their name from Coutry Party.
I have watched it many times
and how the libs, walked off
just did not want to hear the truth
about the stinking carcass that is
their budget of lies and deception
I am an optimist, I believe there will be more coming, I noticed that Albo, along with others are coming more animated. One can see this at the estimations during the week. Some are expressing, what one can only call, pure anger, Yes, there us now plenty to be justifiable angry about.
I think that carbon emissions, are again becoming a concern. I am not too sure, if Labor can just forget about carbon tax, and et out and sell the full CEF suite of legalisation. Yes, and also point out how successful many of the results have been, Yes, show the results of research that has already Benn achieved. Show the many industries that have transform to a CEF. Show that the CEF legalisation is much more, than a tax. it is also about what the money is spent on.
Much of what Hunt is closing down, could be transferred to his DA. The main difference in how one pays for their scheme, and how the money is raised.
I believe once the public understands that, they might want to keep the toxic tax.
This is one area, Labor should take a stand. Could be seen as negative, that could be turned into a positive. It would pull the at from under Abbott for all time.
I think the penny is beginning to drop, that there is no budget emergency, no debt crisis.
I also think, that many are remembering, we are one of the richest, not poorest countries in the world
I really believe Abbott has contrive this world tour, as Grattan describe it, to run away.
Could be that the powers to be are allowing him one last fling.
The Abbott government’s war on transparency. There’s a worrying thread running through decision making in Canberra, writes Rodney Tiffen
http://inside.org.au/the-abbott-governments-war-on-transparency/#sthash.GYDnZ2wq.dpuf