Day to Day Politics: The Abbott/Turnbull Government – give credit where credit’s due
Friday 26 February 2016
1 Its only fair, regardless of one’s political ideology to give credit where credit’s due. The Abbott/Turnbull government has done something truly remarkable. At the last election it accused the Labor party of being the worst financial managers in the country’s history. The budget was in crisis. Something had to be done to arrest it. Spending was out of control. We were an economic cot case and if nothing was done we would end up like Greece.
Two and a half years later after doubling the debt amid a debate about the need for major tax reform they have managed to find 30 billion dollars to spend on defence. What makes it even more remarkable is that they have not been able to get the senate to pass legislation for cost savings in the past two budgets.
So credit where credits due. That’s almost the equivalent of Jesus walking on water.
But not to finish there.The Magician is now, according to the AFR signalled his willingness to arrange a funding deal with the states to relieve pressure on their health and education budgets.
Remember Abbott took $80 billion away from them.
Treasurer Scott Morrison maintains at the same time that the states should deal with funding shortfalls on their own. Turnbull would like to resolve the issue and repair the Federal Government’s relationship with the state governments before the May 2016 Budget.
Wow, I wonder what miracle they will perform when we get the ’real’ bill for Direct Action on climate change.
And there are also going to cut your taxes. The miracles will never cease.
2 It seems that the Prime Minister has decided to walk away from his much promised Tax Reforms. Reforms that might have achieved some budget repair. And not because they may have brought some equitable redistribution of the wealth of the country. Some fairness. No simply because tax reform might have hurt the pockets of those who vote for him.
It seems he has also decided to walk away from the transparent, truthful, and reasoned and policy explanation politics he also promised.
In deciding to take the path of Abbottism politics he has turned his back on all those who had hoped for a new era in politics.
Seeing him in parliament this week mounting a scare campaign against Labor’s proposed changes to Negative Gearing disclosed him for the fraud he is and people are entitled to ask why they changed from a blatant liar as leader to a hypocrite of titanic comparison.
3 Cory Bernardi said that Bill Shorten had had a Mark Latham moment when he said Cory was a homophobe. By saying that was Cory elevating himself to the position of a Prime Minister?
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews summed him up rather well:
’I’m sick of Liberal politicians telling our kids that there’s something wrong with them – when there isn’t’.
‘I don’t think these extreme Liberals are actually offended by the structure of the program, or the teachers who lead it. I just think they’re offended by the kids who need it’.
‘The Liberals now plan to “investigate” (meaning: ultimately shut down) the Safe Schools Coalition, a program that looks after teenagers who are getting bullied at school’.
There is nothing worse than a Clayton’s leader. Grow some balls, Malcolm. Stand up to the ferals in your party. Saying it is a broad church doesn’t gel anymore.
4 When on earth are we going to get the report on parliamentary expenses? It was promised earl in the New Year.
5 Is it just me or are there others who are finding the ABC’s political reporting rather bland? Almost like they are frightened of putting their foot in it.
6 This almost went under the radar but according to The West Australian, retiring Senator Bill Heffernan told Parliament on Wednesday that the child abuse royal commission should be extended to investigate sex abuse in judiciary ranks, producing an alleged list of pedophiles he says includes senior judges and lawyers, as well as a former prime minister.
He says Australia needs a federal judicial commission and he will seek senior legal advice on the matter.
My thought for the day.
‘The young celebrate their youth and the old get their satisfaction by dreaming of the way things once were’.
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Return to home pageThanks John. Just a minor point, it was 80 Billion (not million) that Abbott and hockey cut from the states in the 2014 budget.
Just on that cut, I notice that when that cut of $80B was made the coalition were all screaming that is unfunded, it was never funded, even though it was over 10 years and well beyond the forward estimates. It was a commitment that the commonwealth has a responsibility to help fund education and health and that was the commonwealth’s commitment to it. However, yesterday, when asked to explain how the defence commitments would be paid for, we had payne and turnbull saying they wouldn’t get into funding commitments that are so far into the future. Hypocrisy writ large. Plenty of $ for war toys but bugger our country’s education or health outcomes.
Thanks Garth. Fixed.
hear. hear! excellent posting today
Sorry about that. Slip of the fingers.
“Defence budget expert Mark Thomson said the budget was a bonanza for American and European weapons makers with Australia one of the few western countries still buying expensive new military gear.”
http://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/federal-budget/federal-budget-2015-defence-spending-hits-318-billion/news-story/54b29589ffa3f53debc299e5cd696698
We will be spending more on war toys than we do on Newstart. I would very much like to see a cost benefit analysis done on defence spending. It seems to me we are spending tens of billions on vessels that are primarily used for war games. Perhaps we could get them an X box instead.
The ABC is kow-towing, as it was meant to, following the cuts Abbott promised we wouldn’t have. I rarely watch ABC news and current affairs any more. I find Leigh Sales the worst. Quite the Liberal sycophant these days. Does she cringe when she sees herself in a mirror? But she’s not the only one. They’re all into the soft ride for the Liberals and going in hard on Labor.
Similarly ABC radio. I was looking forward to listening to their much vaunted daytime talk shows when I retired. Major disappointment on that front. More presenters (and producers) doing what it takes (how very LNP!) to keep their jobs.
Even if you believed there was a need to ramp up defence spending, how on earth can slow, lumbering submarines be thought appropriate in this day and age? By the time they got to any scene of action it would be all over red rover. Unlike war games, any real action isn’t going to be plotted to make sure subs can take part.
Love the way you think Kaye Lee.
Maybe the whole problem of the Lib /Nats misgovernment is that they never grew out of their X box mentality. Only now they get to play in the real world rather than the virtual world.
I believe the 30 billion on war toys smacks of commitments made with the TPP.
Continued profits for America’s weapons industry for the next 10 years, a good gig by anyone’s standards. By then the weapons will all be obsolete, and we’ll need to spend another 30 billion or more on the next round.
I find it laughable that one of the justifications for the military largesse is the Chinese invasion of the South China Sea.
A bit late to worry about China’s expansionist policies when they own/lease a significant number of Australian seaports, a significant number of mining leases and agricultural land. And more fire sales of Australian assets to come with the CHAFTA.
What great economic managers these Libs/Nats are.
Now they appear to be going into the social engineering business with their concerns over the Safe Schools program.
I wonder if that will have the resounding success that their economic and foreign trade policies have had.
margcal “slow lumbering” submarines are force multipliers by many fold. It is why advanced nations spend so much money on them.
They are extremely hard to detect and the modern sub is not only the most efficient hunter of other subs, it is deadly against surface ships and can launch cruise missiles that can hit land targets many thousands of kilometres away, all whilst being almost undetectable. Because it is so hard to detect they are used to gather intelligence, which is why China is complaining about us having 12.
China is investing in huge numbers of relatively cheap but deadly anti-ship weapons. So it is the warship that is a slow and lumbering target.
Abbott’s plan to raise GST been abandoned.
Federal government is still responsible in raising money on behalf states to carry out their responsibilities. should look at SA request that they raised nominated income tax on their behalf.
This would make states responsible for raising the money they need to meet their responsibilities.
Adopting Rudd’s submarine plans?
“Defence White Paper: Andrew Nikolic reverses position on Rudd’s ‘unscientific’ 12 submarines plan
By political reporter Eliza Borrello
Updated about 2 hours ago
Andrew Nikolic in Parliament.
PHOTO: Andrew Nikolic was appointed as chair of Joint Intelligence Committee yesterday. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
RELATED STORY: Analysis: 32 billion reasons why Defence must get the balance rightRELATED STORY: Australia joins Asian arms race with surge in ADF spending
MAP: Australia
The new chair of Federal Parliament’s intelligence committee has reversed his position on whether the Government needs 12 new submarines, and now supports it.
Key points:
Andrew Nikolic in 2009 said the Rudd government’s figure of 12 submarines was “unscientific”
Now says he supports the move
Described Mark Dreyfus’ “extreme right wing” comments as inappropriate
In 2009 Andrew Nikolic said the figure of 12 submarines was an “unscientific invention” of the Rudd government’s 2009 Defence White Paper.
”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-25/nikolic-reverses-position-on-'unscientific'-12-submarines-plan/7201546
The truth is Labor, along with Shorten has managed in a subtle way, wedge this government at every turn.
Mind you these cost savings were only to pay for their increased wasteful spending, and the proposed savings didn’t even cover that. They were also to build a war-chest for an election. It’s a standard SOP for the Liberals, started in a big way by Kennett in Victoria and used by all Liberals since then, especially in a big way by Howard, which is why his was the biggest spending government in our history.
Thanks John, well worth reading.
Kaye Lee ; your comments are always worth reading!
In defence of the ABC
margcal; I can’t agree with your comments about the ABC, I actually find Leigh Sales very good. She asks probing questions and when the person being interviewed tries to get out of answering she keeps on bringing them back to the original question. If they still don’t answer it tells you something??? NO?
I also find the Insiders program balanced and interesting .
More balanced than Andrew Bolt!!!!
Getting back to economics;
The latest uproar by the LNP’s far right makes me wonder.
It would be interesting to know how many members of parliament use negative gearing to avoid tax, also, how many members have negatively geared properties????
With regards the spending announced in the White Paper is this some veiled fear raising exercise? It takes the heat off the LNP for no policies…or does it??
Perhaps we should start looking for reds under our beds?
They could balance the budget tomorrow if they bought in measures that ensured that corporate Australian paid a minimum of 15% tax on the income they make. They have so many deductions that they can legally get away without paying a cent in tax on a fortune in income. This racket has to come to an end. They have been on the pigs back for far too long. As it is we are still waiting for ‘our’ money from the 2013/14 financial year where 579 companies who made more than $100 million paid absolutely nothing in tax, which as a low income earner all my life, and paying 19% income tax, I find bloody contemptible in the extreme. It seems as though it is Aussie workers and small business who do all the tax paying while these bludgers are allowed to get away scott free they should face treason charges.
The problem with the ABC to tories is that unlike the commercial media the ABC report without bias. The commercials are blatantly right wing and support the Liberals. The ABC supports nobody but their journalists ask probing questions, as all journo’s should for the sake of public information. The tories in their sight means if they don’t support the tories, they must be ‘pinkos’ or ‘commos’ they are bloody ridiculous.
John Lord, no it is NOT just you who are finding the ABC have wilted away to become a weak, lily livered shadow of their former glory! This is because the ABC’s Board has now been stacked with cronies sourced from the LNP/Murdoch/IPA undemocratic fascist alliance, eg Mark Scott who worked for the NSW LNP government under the notorious neoliberal, Nick Greiner; Ric Smith who was a military man favoured by John Howard, yet ANOTHER mouthpiece for Murdoch’s ultra conservative ideology, Janet Albrechtsen and former deputy Liberal leader Neil Brown! Also on the ABC Board is another devastating Abbott’s Captain’s Pick, Peter Lewis! Lewis will serve on the ABC Board for five years. He was shortlisted by the members of this so-called “independent” nomination panel that also includes businessman David Gonski. Not including Mr Gonski, it is hardly an unbiased panel! Community and Public Sector Union National President Michael Tull said the appointment of Peter Lewis was “hostile” and could, and definitely HAS, undermined the broadcaster’s independence.
All the best, most credible interviewers like Kerry O’Brien, Sarah Ferguson have now “abandoned ship” as the best, most challenging interviewers on television to be replaced by second rate talking heads like the appalling Leigh Sales. Who could ever forget Sales’ pathetic, obsequious interview with Abbott at the height of his notoriety, amid a litany of scandalous LIES and broken promises? Sales did not offer ONE iota of challenge. All Sales did was bat her eyelids, outrageously flirting with the most heinous, corrupt PM in our history … nodding, smiling and, like a doormat, agreeing with EVERYTHING this monstrous aberration (Abbott) said with not ONE single taxing, demanding question about any of Abbott’s pathological lies, his blatant nepotism and abuse of power for his own personal gain and to feather the nest for every one of his daughters (eg the shocking $60K fake “scholarship”)!
Then there is Emma Alberici and Virginia Trioli who are bland, boring, ultra conservative mouthpieces for the new, conservative ABC … the ABC that NO LONGER represents ordinary Australians but, rather, is strictly monitored, controlled and censured by the self serving fascists of the LNP!
The ABC, once completely unbiased and credible, are now completely muted! Once challenging shows like Q&A have had their panels taken over by screaming members of the right wing lunatic fringe, eg Cory Bernardi, the arrogant Scott Morrison or the crazed lunatic, Barnaby Joyce! Shows like The Insiders are being held to ransom by revolting, self serving members of the IPA like Simon Breheny or the regressive, ultra right wing Gerald Henderson whose love affair with Phony Abbott is so twisted he REFUSES to acknowledge or tolerate any criticism of the most diabolical LNP PM in living memory!
The ABC have kowtowed to the staggering, reprehensible threats by Abbott to defund what was once OUR ABC with OUR money!!! Now right wing conservative Overlords have been stacked on the ABC Board who want to shut down ALL opposition to the undemocratic, fascist ideology of the LNP by AMALGAMATING the now discredited ABC with the LAST bastion of unbiased news reporting, SBS!! Once the Abbott/Turnbull/LNP/Murdoch/IPA ALLIANCE have taken over every section of our media, they will have ABSOLUTE POWER in reporting only what THEY want us to hear …. as Hitler said: “In order to CONTROL THE PEOPLE, you must CONTROL THE MEDIA” …. this is EXACTLY what Murdoch and his cronies in the IPA/LNP want! Thank God for AIM, The Guardian and Crikey.
As each day passes under the fascist jackboot of this deplorably corrupt and undemocratic government, news sources like you and AIM, The Guardian et al are becoming MORE and MORE ESSENTIAL and much appreciated.
God its a laugh. The 8.30 am radio news makes putting up with school traffic bmws worth it. Billions of dollars on new defense toys, Yay. Go mal, you gutless piece of shit. Wow. It includes 12 submarines. Yay again. The RAN only has the crews for 3 of the 6 Collins class subs as it stands, but what the hell, a few in dry dock as spares for when the literal translation of japanese/german/french into Australian means they don’t go where we want them to.
Nikolic as chair of JIC is a bit like putting General Lee in charge of freeing the slaves in the old days. Ideologically insane.
The person in charge of of government business, chrissy pyne, is of the opinion that some time in July is as good a time as any for an election, because tuddbullshitartist is just not cutting the mustard like he promised, so the rest of the rednecks on the speakers rhs reckon it doesn’t matter any more. They are going to do as much damage as they can as quickly as they can, and then blame the rest of us for the shit they put us in when it all falls in a heap. Young christopher must be getting tired of having to deal with the governments business each night after question time. He can’t put it out with the garbage and the days retrenchments, because it’s biologically unsafe, and it poisons the roses, so Heaven only knows what he does with it. On the plus side for him, he does have his tiny little gavel with which he can bang himself silly, or deaf and blind, or all 3. He’s already as dumb as a bag of week old government business.
I stopped at aldi on the way home, and I worked out the billions of dollars, and maybe the defense spend is not as bad as it sounds. What malcolm has done is duck down to the local Canberra aldi with marise payne, and they have bought a butt-load of 3D printers and a couple of semis worth of that special coloured 3D printer plastic wire shit. that way, they can build submarines, or war-planes, or whatever pops into their tiny minds in the back shed of the Lodge. I’m sure marise would have picked the right colours. I know they have to be made in 8 inch x 8 inch x 8 inch blocks, so the subs might experience a few leaks, but so does cabinet, and the Collins class subs leak too, so our sub-mariners will have plenty of silicone on hand. (They keep it in the empty torpedo tubes.)
That pillar of the political community, little willy hefferlump (nearly ret) is slinging as much business as he can under the rules of parliamentary privilege before he cuts and runs. Maybe, just maybe, he will get picked up for something really naughty, like ‘litterin’, and have to appear before one of the judiciary who he has had the fortune to have offended. Could be an interesting sentence. One can only hope.
Our illustrious ex-treasurer, and pm to be who little johhny coward shit on at the last minute, has been given the role of ‘boss of channel 9′ by kindly uncle rupert. That wrinkled old prick obviously felt he had to make sure his base was covered back here in Australia while his front is being looked after over there in the good ol’ us. Having taken the position of chairman of channel nine, peter costello (friend to the masses and engineer if the GST) will also continue as chair of the Board of Guardians of the Future fund and also continue as a member of the international advisory board of the global insurer Allianz and chair of the Melbourne-based boutique advisory business ECG Financial.
Does he continue to receive his Parliamentary Pensions and allowances and expenses, and is he paying/avoiding the correct tax on what must be a collectively exorbitant gross annual income. Maybe he can buy a house in the Caymans next door to tuddbullshitartist, and they can chat about their royalist overlords and shafters over twilight cocktails.
I’m off to buy shares in aldi. When the subs and war-planes don’t work out, I’m sure they will start to 3D print more money, or maybe barbed wire and other stuff to keep themselves and their current funds safe from the revolution.
The Coalition mess is getting worse and as everyone is saying, nothing is being done. The claim that everything is on the table achieves nothing. So it is beyond belief that the major announcement of the Turnbull government is a huge spend on military equipment in the name of security. It spins out over the next 2-3 decades.
What is amazing is that China is named as a possible threat, based on Chinese activity in the South China Sea. Australia is highly dependent on trade with China, yet continues to push the communist threat. If indeed China is a threat, and decides at some future time to take action, a few well-aimed intercontinental missiles would make a mess of Oz capital cities.
Of course Oz would be relying on help from the USA. But there is also the economic possibility of recession having world-wide effect, including in China. Are we going to continue to depend on China economically? What are the alternatives?
It is difficult to see why the Coalition is stirring the hornets’ nest. Some kind of “shirt-fronting’?
what public interest news is no longer fit to hear because of balance, Graeme Morris tells sky News that our PM should be kicked to death it took the ABC two weeks to mention it, and not once on Q&A was a questioner allowed to pose a relevant question about it to Morris despite his numerous appearances, yet Germaine Greers first questions have been directly related to something controversial she said.
Democracy relies on the people being able to make informed choices and we have 70 percent saturation of murdoch in the print media telling readers the Liberals are infallable godlike beings reduced in stature by grubby pinko commies who are best represented as nazis or murderous rulers from history, the ABC cant tell the public every Liberal disgrace or it gets in trouble and the rest of the media lack the reach and resources to get the real message out there.
A local worker at a Butchers thinks Labor’s NBN is a disaster based solely on Malcolm Turnbull saying it was.
Did the ABC do a story on any problems with the NBN?
when the Libs took over the NBN contractors weren’t paid and even though a whole nation had to be connected many contractors didnt have any work scheduled, companies went into receivership during the supposed build and peak demand for their skills yet it isnt worthy of a four corners investigation.
Attacking job network providers is one thing blaming the government is just a step too far for Turnbulls ABC.
We need real news the government has been abusing its powers, An iron curtain has come down over Canberra and yet we barely get told it is happening by the media.
The net result of this is the media are actually helping the Liberal party by not reporting all of their disasters and cover ups, the media turn a blind eye to their lies and when someone challenges the Liberal storyline they get jumped on by ministers and Murdochs rags.
The next inquiry into the ABC should be about what it has had to omit to maintain the balance required and whether those omissions have changed given the Liberal party an unfair advantage to behave outside of the public interest.
Matthew, a friend worked at the ABC as a journalist. He resigned last year after being told that they had to go easy on the Abbott Government.
All of you bashing the ABC ! Are you prepared to put your money where your mouth is and crowd fund the ABC so they don’t have to go cap in hand to which ever party is in power for funding.?????
Whilst the ABC depends on funding from government they have to walk a fine line!
Or perhaps have commercials!?
In which case they would be constrained by their sponsors.
Make a choice!!!!
Happy Birthday, John.
Maryse Payne and co-degenerates appeared to me to be implying that the $30bill budget for 12 submarines and other war toys was especially well targeted because it would promote innovation and employment opportunities. Not only are the bastards wasting money on filling their warmonger mates’ pockets, but they are reducing the focus of what true industry innovation, research and diverse employment opportunities could be. Making war toys only meets the credentials of selected businesses and personnel. Too bad about the rest of the human ingenuity and scholarly wealth going begging because this inept LNP Degenerate gov can’t think beyond war toys and uniforms.
Bad Mal is trying to frame the negative gearing debate in negative terms by scaring ordinary people about losing value in their homes. This could be a very influential killing point if Labor, the Greens and sane Independents can’t cut through this scare campaign and point out to Bad Mal that ordinary mums and dads would be worse off if their kids can’t afford to buy their own homes and thus stay dependent on them for far longer.
Also, higher property values mean higher rates and other every day increased costs and this can be disruptive to their economic security. Not much good keeping the home if struggling families can’t afford to meet their everyday costs and mortgages rising through inflated house values.
Yes, where is the report on parliamentary expenses? Dragging their feet probably because it won’t be good for the gluttons with their snouts in the trough.
It has been more than obvious Michael, just a shock to have reality confirmed.It is a pity there are not whistleblowers but as we know every whistleblower now gets investigated by the AFP.
BREAKING: Another one bites the dust. Mal ‘Ashbygate’ Brough will not contest the next election.
Thak you Jennifer. Yes 75 today.
Here’s cheers John. May your day be filled with love and happiness and may you enjoy many more.
Perhaps the ABC should get a percentage of GDP for their funding, as defence is getting. That would stop the rot. As should health, education and so forth. Crowdfunding could be considered by the Friends of the ABC, but you have to be careful that the government of the day doesnt reduce their funding obligations by the amount so raised. I also think ABC should come under some kind of Education budget, because that is what it is.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
traditional gaelic blessing
As I am not religious, sláinte mhaith, Mr lord. Take care
Great point Kaye and excellent summary John.
Happy birthday, John, from everyone at The AIMN. We all appreciate the fabulous work you do.
Kyran, you made me cry, That is the toast that my father (who died in 1997) always used. I said it at his funeral. It is a beautiful sentiment. I miss him but the memories are good. Thanks.
It’s a beautiful toast, Kyran and Kaye.
We all need such beautiful poetry in our lives.
Slainte mhaith! (Sorry not clever enough to do the accent.)
Thanks Kyran. I have a recording of that and have recited it in my church going days.
Incompetent, fascist ruling rabble. At least another barnacle (Brough) has dropped off the stern of the rust-bucket, SS Liarbril. I’m beginning to think that this country will never recover from the excesses of these IPA led mongrels.
Having derailed the thread and further demonstrated a rare gift of utterances that have unintended consequence, I would like to offer the following.
In my defence (possibly the worst three words with which to start a sentence), it was Ms Meyer-Smith’s fault. She started it. Having said that, I could easily announce candidature for the LNP, as everything is always somebody else’s fault.
Ms Lee, my father passed away in 1985. I still have furious arguments with myself and rely on my recollections of him and our many conversations as a ‘guide’ of some sort, in resolving issues. Whilst that utterance may suggest an insanity of sorts on my part, his caution was always to ‘step back, look at the big picture’, which serves me as a constant reminder to seek facts over hype. I can only hope your tears were for fond memories, not loss.
Mr Lord, another of his expressions, which I doubt is recorded, goes along the lines of;
“If I had a wife, the bane of my life,
I tell you what I would do.
I’d buy her a boat, and set her afloat
And paddle me own canoe.”
He, apparently, had deficiencies as an Irish Catholic.
By way of segue back to your article, it seems to me we have a constant discussion of non events, such as an endless supply of back benchers espousing opinions devoid of fact or reason. Merely hype. Any expectation that this government will deliver coherent, reasoned policy is, in my opinion, delusional. Even insane, if one accepts the non-clinical definition of “doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. There is one of those meme things about George Orwell’s 1984, “I meant it as a warning, not a fecking instruction manual”.
With regard to your ‘thought for the day’, Oscar Wilde had another version. “The trouble with youth is age. Age is no trouble”. Take care
Dear Kyran,
what did I start?