To Joe Hockey.
The news that a young homeless couple were found dead in their car was news that you would, in an indirect way, find offensive.
It was not their death that offended you, but a certain reaction to it.
But first to the young couple:
Police say the 27-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, both from Ballarat and believed to have been living in the car, were using a butane gas heater to keep the chill away when they died.
Most decent people – upon hearing of these tragic deaths – would have in all likelihood been deeply saddened. The life situation of this poor young couple was also tragic. As too it is with thousands of young Australians living like this. Jobless. Homeless. Penniless. Desperate.
It is a sad reality that some jobless, homeless, penniless people die. Thankfully, the numbers are small. The welfare system in Australia has always provided something for those desperate people; a fortnightly dole payment which could ensure they at least could have access to the most basic of human needs; food, shelter, medications and clothing.
But now back to you.
You were offended that Wendy Harmer (of ‘The Hoopla’ fame) tweeted that this incident (the deaths in Ballarat) may not be the last as your budget starts to bite. You fired back, with this ignorant, pathetic response:
Really, which planet do you live on?
So it is your opinion that Wendy doesn’t think before she tweets. Well I think she does. She obviously thinks more about the social horrors that your budget will cause than you yourself have given a moment’s thought to.
If you cannot fathom that people with no money for food or shelter may die of hunger or exposure then you live on a different planet to the one I do, Wendy does, or anybody I could care to name.
There is something else you don’t seem to understand: desperate people do desperate things. Sleeping in a car is a measure of desperation. As is by need going without food or medication.
None of this bothers you. If it does then I’m yet to see, read or hear any indication of such. Yet you’re offended over a tweet though: a tweet that spells out the bleeding obvious.
It’s not as though Wendy’s claim is any revelation. Since the budget was handed down (and even before it was handed down) to a shell-shocked nation the media has been filled with the predictions this horror budget will cause. People could die. People could also turn to crime if their survival depends on it. You can read such predictions on news.com.au. Or here on theage.com.au. Or here from the chronical.com.au. Or on dozens of other sites, if you care to look, as I have.
And don’t just stop at the articles: have a look at reader’s comments. They have been predicting the same social destruction echoed by Wendy.
If you had been alert to what people were saying then I can assume that you would have been offended long before Wendy’s tweet. I can’t find any indication that you’ve been aware of not only how people feel, but of the tragic fate that awaits many of them. I’m guessing that you haven’t listened to anyone, except of course, the highly paid bureaucrats that are paid to tell you what you want to hear.
That you should only now stop to listen, and in response spew forth the shock and horror of being offended at the cold hard truth, is behaviour I find difficult to comprehend.
If the ‘age of entitlement’ is over – as you have been constantly trumpeting in an effort to justify your cruel budget – then I guess it means that people are no longer entitled to secure and basic needs. I find that truly offensive. Repulsively so.
Mr Hockey, brace yourself. Your days of being offended have only just begun.
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Michael, there has been a great rise, over the last few years in homeless. This in spite of money been aimed at homeless
There has hot been any obvious reasons why this is so. Unemployment, I believe has been steady., They say there is a droop in alcohol use.
What has occurred over this time, a big drop in the purchasing power of New Start, Indexing changes has meant, it has not risen in line with other benefits. Also the guidelines to obtain it, have been tightened.,
Could this be the cause of the rise in homeless. Once you lose your home, it is hard to amass the money top get back into a over priced rental market.
This government further attack on the unemployment, will and can only mean a rise in those sleeping rough, Sleeping rough, with their kids beside them.
They will it hard to get back into the rental market, even if they obtain work.
Harmer was correct in her twitter message.
It’s gone a bit beyond predictions in Britain Michael.
“David Clapson was found dead last year after his benefits were stopped on the grounds that he wasn’t taking the search for work seriously. He had an empty stomach, and just £3.44 to his name. Now thousands of other claimants are being left in similarly dire straits by tough new welfare sanctions…”
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/03/victims-britains-harsh-welfare-sanctions
People who’ve been protected from poverty have no understanding of it. It is doubtful that the Treasurer has ever met anybody who is poor. His family and vocation make sure of that. The PM’s attitude is “the poor will always be there.That’s a fact of life.” It’s not hard to read into that and Hockey’s casual disregard, that they imagine that there’s anything that they can do to help. Let’s go a little further and suggest that a certain pleasure can be had from persecuting the marginalised in our society. It’s not as if it hasn’t happened before and it’s not as if people haven’t been found to be enjoying their power and the opportunities it gives for perverted pleasures. Ms Harmer has drawn out Mr Hockey and and he shows in his reply his callous disregard for those unfortunate people and his own conceit. He is a pathetic imitation of a human.
Michael, Excellent article about Smokin Joe, he is too busy dancing and puffin fat cigars in premature celebration to worry about the hidden figures and the lack of the non existent charter of budget honesty thingy.
He is a magician, but he pulls new taxes out of hats, not rabbits, but hey ask joe, there is no diff between a rabbit and a tax, geee he is smart, not.
He is a failure of a man and a treasurer, his lack of compassion is gob smacking and his arrogance breathtaking, just seeing him now makes my skin crawl and when he flaps that fat mouth of his, and creaks his neck to the side often, he reminds me of a boxer getting ready for a big bout in the ring 😉
When Hockey was asked “what would you do if you were unemployed with no support”, his answer was “well I wouldn’t be unemployed”.
The age of Joe Hockey is over…..
I didn’t think it was possible even for a politician to lack so much compassion. Or to have such an enormous amount of ignorance. Hockey, I’m afraid, is typical of the modern Liberal politician. Add compulsive lying to his reportoire too.
Good one, Dan Dark. I like it. 😉
FANTASTIC FOLKS AT AIMN…
Shameful and offensive Joe ?
While you are on the subject of shameful and offensive , I find it shameful and offensive that the likes of ” Rupert the Humble ” is able to exert his considerable power and influence to install a fascist regime headed by your ” leader” Teflon Tony and others of his ilk. An election campaign by Murdoch media based on nothing but lies and scare mongering.
I find it shameful and offensive having to witness you LIEberals sowing the seeds of an ever growing underclass within australian society , the likes of of which has not been seen since the horrid days of Thatcher’s britain. ( Yes Smoking Joe , I know you are a fan of the ( ding dong ) ” witch “. No surprises there. )
I find it shameful and offensive that our political system allows an incompassionate , sociopathic and compulsive liar such as yourself to masquerade as ” treasurer ” and defrauding the australian people every time you draw your parliamentary salary and other over generous perks.
We could get better from a first year undergraduate economics student.
But most of all , I find it shameful and offensive that the australian people will have to endure your sour , lingering stench long after they remove you from office at the next election.
Wendy got it right.
Hockey has taken a huge dive in approval ratings and a corresponding rocket up in disapproval.
Had a little chuckle on reading the Sky News online piece on this in that they averred it was OK because though he had sunk he still had better figures than Chris Bowen.
Whenever the right throw back to Labor on anything to do with this government, and you see this in spades on social media, then you know with certainty this government is failing.
Sorry, Treasurer, but your tax figures are a long way wide of the mark
Also Hockey has been caught out diddling the figures yet again. If he’s not deliberately putting out incorrect data and stuffing up the counting then he has to be by far the second worst Treasurer Australia has seen. Howard was by a long shot the worst ever.
Hockey gets his instruction on how to perform from that “class act” Mark Textor. Joe, how about you think before you bring down a budget that destroys everything this nation has built. I dunno about a class act but there are grounds for a class action against this government for their negligent attack on our current and future way of life. I admire anyone who uses whatever platform is at their disposal to stand up and condemn this madness. Suck it up Joe – you have NO right to be offended….remember?
Hockey didn’t think before he tweeted that
“You are without class” ??????
Clealry Joe means “you are not in my class”
Clearly the young couple were not in Joe’s class (upper) either. Nor were they ever going to be? Joe made damn sure of that! They certainly won’t be in Joe’s class now. Maybe Joe will join their class? Soon please?
Given a choice between Hockey and Harmer on whose sensibilities are most accurate and relevant, Harmer wins hands down every time. The idea of Hockey commenting on ‘class’ is offensive.
I’m deeply offensive. No, wait, I mean I’m deeply offended. How dare you, or Wendy Harmer, express their opinion. What do you think this is, Mister, a free country? Shortly you’re going to understand why we dumped the proposes changes to 18c. Treasurers are a particular breed. We are therefore protected by 18c. You have just vilified me. Brace up, yourself, buster.
http://nicstuart.blogspot.com.au/2014/08/the-liberal-soul.html#more
Is that the real joe hockey above or is somebody having a joke lol
An excellent comment I read was concerning Joe’s habit of bringing his migrant parents into the argument stating “my parents made sacrifices”.
The comment was something which Joe fails to comprehend is that you have to have money before being able to make those sacrifices – the private school education which Joe enjoyed.
It’s typical egocentric, if you cannot do what I did then you deserve punishment. To the warped and twisted mindset of these people punishment equates with ‘encouragement’.
All that expensive private education, and it did not help Smokin Joe jot, he cannot count, he talks in riddles,
Looks like his parents wasted a whole lot of money as I see it, maybe that’s where he learnt his smoking habits though,
private education failed the goose of gooses 🙂 or did Joe fail the private education I am guessing yes, not good advertising for expensive private schools, they would be cringing toooooo every time he flaps those jaws…
The afr sure knows how to penetrate to the real man….or not. This from September 2012
“The problem with Hockey is that his humanity and authenticity are both an asset and a liability. In contrast to many peers, he struggles to subjugate his integrity to the political altar of opportunism. ”
and the adversity that Joe’s parents faced as he is so fond of bringing up….
“The credit crunch in 1974 brought Richard’s prosperous property business to its knees, and he blamed Gough Whitlam for the macro environment.
Joe’s great-grandmother was one of the largest landowners in North Sydney, and traded shares into her eighties.”
http://www.afr.com/f/free/blogs/christopher_joye/is_joe_hockey_australia_most_misunderstood_KE3Jop9YGeK9xeyEPnR03M
Until these so called ” journalist” stop fawning over Hockey and treating him like some sort of God he will continue to blast and bluster his bullshit around the country. The Canberra press gallery is just as out of touch with ordinary people as Hockey is,and i saw them last week crawling and throwing roses in front of him and treating him like some economic guru,it was truly sickening.
As each day passes he comes across as more belligerent, more stubborn, and more aloof . His outward portrayal of himself is of a puffed up elitist, is quite a spin around from the avuncular Joe of Sunrise on television.
I guess eventually all snakes need to shed a skin to grow. This one has been spectacular to watch.
Joe never actually said the age of entitlement was over. He said the age of UNIVERSAL entitlement was over. So it’s entitlement for the few. A rare moment of honesty.
Hockey’s reply to Wendy Harmer was offensive. I’m tired of his lies, his ignorance, and the sight of his stupid face in the media. As for him bragging about his clever wife, she isn’t that clever. After all, look at who she chose to be the father and role model for her children.
Hockey finds compassion offensive. He finds wind power offensive. He has lost all sense of humanity – but that is not surprising; you would have to, to fit in with the offensive lunatics on the front bench of the LNP. I am waiting – impatiently – for life to deal him, and all his gang, the punishment they deserve.
It has become relatively obvious, that the whole purpose of the budget was to make a lot more sub 18 year olds available in the Canberra brothels, so appreciated by Hockey and co.
Turning to crime? No. Prostitution around Joe Hockey is not only legal, it’s rife.
#Treasurer4Sale ring any tills for you, Joe?
Psychopath in dictionary = lack of empathy for others
I want to see the end of Joe Hockey and his ruling class’ very own born to rule, “age of entitlement”. That’s worth struggling for.
This very wise man once said :
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
***
Perhaps I should be addressing this comment direct to Mr. Hockey. But I hesitate. I cannot shake the notion that this man is between a rock and a hard place. He is subject to his power hungry bosses’ wishes, and sold testament to that through his Budget. That was not entirely Joe Hockey’s budget, any more than I might be culpable if my boss tells to me to do something, ( even if I don’t want to do it ) and it lands me in hot water with authorities. But – as an adult person, I am responsible for my own actions – just as Joe Hockey is, or should be.
Hockey was torn between keeping his position in Government and his life long pension … and doing the right thing by the nation. He chose the former – to keep his powerful position – and the money it brings. On that score ” Joe Hockey – you are a disgrace —– to yourself. And a disgrace to this nation. ”
I fail to understand why someone with guts and determination cannot stand up to the architect of this ideological mayhem. I honestly thought Joe Hockey had that guts How wrong I was.
Wendy Harmer is right … spot on with her comment. In defensive, written aggressive fashion Hockey asserts that Wendy’s ‘tweet’ is shameful and offensive. The only one in that category is Joe Hockey, for not standing up to be counted, for bowing to the wishes of one he see’s as superior ( ??? ) … and for not having any guts whatsoever.
@ Florence nee Fed up : Might I be so bold as to add a lilttle to your excellent comment. ” Once you lose your home ” …. When that happens, I would like to have just ONE instance of a Bank or other financial institution even entertaining, let alone listening to, someone who wants to borrow to get themselves established in a rental or mortgaged home, somewhere they are safe at least, if perhaps hungry and cold. It WOULD NOT HAPPEN. Frankly, I would like to test the case. Present myself to a Bank, looking dishevelled from rough living, and asking for help. I would get NONE. Even if I could con a shower from somewhere beforehand !!!
There’s them what’s got it and them’s that ain’t. There will be more of the latter if these wicked measures pass – even minutely – through the Senate.
God help us all …. until there is a forced election, or … for the next ( ugh ) 2 + ? years. And God help our future generations, if this kind of Government is allowed to continue.
When these bullies finally get chucked out will they show their heads and face the music. I say not.
One can only hope this dreadful govt. will be chucked out next election
Ann, I was talking abut renting, Even harder.
@ Florence. Yes, I realised that – AFTER my editing time had come and gone. Apologies. Just rental is difficult enough for people with a reasonable income … let alone those without. And rent is utterly prohibitive these days.
I did mention borrowing for rental, in my reply, but added the totally unlikely situation of anyone being able to BUY anything – only to labour the point.
Whichever way we cut it … this current mob has to go – somewhere.
Anywhere but here.
“I did mention borrowing for rental, in my reply, but added the totally unlikely situation of anyone being able to BUY anything – only to labour the point.”
Good luck with that too. If someone cannot afford to rent, they can’t pay the rent and repay the loan at the same time.
Please dont assume all homeless are unemployed ! My girls and I were, simply because of one very vindictive real estate agent. It took 18 months in court with her before it was resolved. In the mean time the kids are I could not get a house due to the lies (proven in court) that she was telling agents and owners. I dont smoke,drink,do anything but study for my law degree and take care of the kids. The problem is affordable suitable housing and Hockey is just pushing it further and further away. I assume at this rate, when this house is demolished next year, we will return to living on the streets.
Jules no one in this government seems to know how precarious one life at the bottom can be. Losing ones job, can and often does, lead to one losing all the have amass, even over years. There are no savings to carry one over. Yes most do manage to scrape through, but only by borrowing from those around them. Yes, money tha6 has to be paid back. Once one has a poor rental record, one is in trouble. Same if one needs to borrow.
Same thing counts, when the likes of Pyne cannot see, what loading our young with debt fro their education. Most, even on comes that come from a degree, struggle to get that deposit on the home, and the ability to pay it back. What happens to these people now. Will they become the new poor, relying on affordable rental housing that does not exist, even now.
This government is simply following on what Howard began. Yes, us3er pay for all government services,. Yes, the government moving out of the welfare and proving health, and education fields.
Yes, the aim is to lower taxes, especially that of the rich and corporations to a low a level as possible.
The result was, and will he again, a great rise in private debt.
Not sure who the rich sell their goods to.
Will lead to a collapse of the economy. One cannot continue to pull the props out, that lead to a just and civil society without this happening/.
Yes, when those on low income say the are broke, they mean it. They have no access even to a cent.
Have they ever searched down the back of the lounge or under the edges of the carpet to send their kids to school. I bet not.
The only thin g I can think, that they see value in not paying benefits for six months, is these people seem to believe they have saving to rely on,. Many say that saying should go, before being entitled to any benefit This is a short sighted and cruel policy. Means those on low income will never be able to amass, even the smallest nest egg.
[Hockey’s reply to Wendy Harmer was offensive.]
It sure was. He would dislike her because I have noticed she is one of the few on TV who sees through all the LNP-IPA cabals propaganda.
Wiki: Advocacy[edit]
Harmer is one of 28 members of the National People with Disabilities and Careers Council (NPWDACC), whose main goals are to advise the Australian Government on the development of the National Disability Strategy. She is also the ambassador for Interplast.
“For over 30 years, Interplast has worked in 25 countries and implemented over 600 surgical and allied health medical program activities across the Asia Pacific region. We provide free reconstructive surgery for patients who would otherwise not be able to afford access to such services and we empower local medical personnel by building their capacity to act independently”
Such a dreadful person, she is. NOT. I’ll take her kind of class over everyone in the LNP front rank.
@ Jules …. I feel for you that you had to go through such a nightmare – of living homeless, fighting a ‘(w)itch’ in court, and now facing the possible demolition of your current home. I wish you every success with your law degree, and that you will find further suitable accommodation before the year is out.
However, WHEN you do, it will be with no thanks to the likes of Hockey – and his obstinate cronies, oblivious to anything but their own needs and comforts. And especially no thanks to his ‘boss’.
May all good fortune come your way – you deserve it.
This Grubby Puppeteer of Muppett Abbott as never had any Conscience and come Federal Election time Australian Voters will be putting ourselves out of the Misery we have suffered since the Liberals won Office…Hockey will be knocking Abbott off very soon so he Hockey can become Prime Minister and retire himself on the Prime Ministers Pension when they get SOUNDLY beaten.
More poor form from Hockey. But when did people start thinking that any politician, is aware of the reality of life as a citizen? The country is run, on both sides, by a majority of Lawyers, the be it and end all of leaches. Even in civil practice, they profit from others hardship. Right up there with real estate agents, producers of nothing.
After recently travelling overseas, I was disgusted at how expensive Australia is. You name the item or service, and we are being shafted. If a can of Coke ( for example ) is 20 cents in another country, why is it +$2 here? Coke/Amital is still making a profit @ 20 cents, or they wouldn’t sell it there.
I have no idea how someone on an average wage in the Country, can afford to live. Never mind someone looking for work or studying.
We are made to believe that the unemployed are of such a vast majority, that they are killing this country, sucking all us workers dry. This is absolute bull.
One of the main contributors to this country going wrong, is the role out of ridiculous workplace safety laws, which make it near impossible for companies to operate in competition with the world. To combat insurance prices, risk assessments, installation of safety equipment, stop work and wait, setting up safety equipment that takes 8 hours ( for a 1 hour job), all this BULL, halts production. No site entry until you sit the site safety seminar for two days, but I just want to change your light bulbs? No, a ten minute job has taken 2 days, and instead of costing $5, has cost 2 days wages.
The other gripe I have with the system, is that of needing a certificate to just take a crap.
Telling a 16 yo girl she cant have a job at Kmart because she has no first aid cert, or retail certificate is absolute crap, and keeping unskilled people from working. you can’t be a bar girl, without first aid, and a RSA certificate..
The more these dumbass pollies sign laws making it hard for people to get a job, the more it costs. Then they blame the unemployed.
The poor young people that died, yes I believe there will be more like this, as well as children and the elderly. Crime will also rise for those inclined to take, if they can’t get.
And once again, the non funded volunteer agencies will take up the slack. But don’t worry, the Govt will name a day of the year after you, and move on with there own superannuation fattening at our expense. One day, I hope, the chickens will come home to roost.
All the while we just discuss how we are getting fked over…
To the streets I say!
Hockey seems to think the ‘poor’ are always the same group people bludging off welfare…how naïve is he? stopping the safety net or LIFELINE from the vulnerable for 6 months will cause horrific hardship as tomorrow’s statistics will show… so is the next tragedy causing deaths going to be on Hockey’s head? Will he shed a tear or will he say ‘sheesh – they brought all this on themselves by not having a job’….CREEP! He’s one heartless bastard……
Dont blame Joe, its just that he has never meet anyone poor (unwealthy) He didnt know that we could actually drive a car and that even poor peoples cars use petrol. Try applying for forty jobs a month on public transport Joe!
Although Tony and his poor parents are $20 ( 10 pound ) tourist, they weren’t really poor it was just cheaper for them if we payed there fairs. The age of entitlement is not over for Tony.
After following all types of media coverage, comments here at AIM, tweets, Facebook anger etc., articles decrying this Government ( and rightly so – all of it ) … a most chilling thought struck me.
ONLY an analogy …. a brutal spouse will beat the living daylights out of their partner or children …. and then back off, bringing flowers, gifts and huge apologies. The partner ( and children ) will give him or her another chance. Most often they do – because a) they are too afraid to upset the status quo b) they are too afraid to stand up to brutality c) they BELIEVE THE LIES. More importantly they believe the promises that it will NEVER happen again – but of course it does. Frequently.
Another small analogy – putting a price on a house when selling – you have to go fairly high ( so’s you can accept a lower price which is nearer the reasonable & expected ). If you start low – you can’t put it up any higher. Simply cannot be done.
Now – before anyone jumps on those analogies – and relates it to any other article previously ever published here — I have chosen this way to highlight what I think ….( and God knows I hope I am wrong )…… this vile excuse for a Government might be doing.
They have gone in hard … to put everyone off balance, to create a furore, and to make people AFRAID … and then presto, they will start to back down. A mini-budget might be given, some or all agreements to various legislations presented to the Senate as asked for … yes we will do that, and that, and that ! …. Abbott’s backdown over the Racial Discrimination situation 18C … is the first bullet out of the gun.
And then – closer to voting time, they can thump their chests – yet again, and say :
” We have compromised for the good of the country ” ……
” WE LISTENED TO THE PEOPLE ” ….
” We told you, we can be trusted ” … ( one or more of Abbott’s pre-election speeches mentioned “Trusting the LNP” ).
and the people, in a desperate sigh of great relief that they are not going to be living on the streets, that they will get paid while finding jobs, that the excise on petrol has been taken off etc. etc….. just might – in the moment – believe them.
FEAR is the key here …. and I shudder to think it is the card this Government is playing – to weaken resolve, to make afraid, and then to turn it all around so’s they maintain power … by being the ‘good guys’.
God forbid we ever fall for it.
Now … you can have a go at me – call me paranoid, delusional, half-baked, a conspiracy theorist – anything you like.
But before you do, remember just what FEAR can do to a person, a family, a neighbourhood and a nation.
We’ve seen it before in the world – don’t let it happen here.
I so hope and pray that my chilling thoughts are utterly WRONG.
Hockey proves once again, just how out of touch with reality he really is… His ‘care’ for those people most at risk in our Community hopefully will not be forgotten by the voters at the next election.
Looks like another back down on Tones signature policy, to help rich women have babies after they have crunched the recent poll numbers, its been a shocker year for them that’s for sure….
“Overnight, Independent Nick Xenophon announced he will start his own political party called NXT or Nick Xenophon Team, to field candidates in the next Federal election.
The Senator said he is in talks with a range of mystery high-profile candidates to run for the Upper House and said the current system is at breaking point because of a lack of trust in politicians.”
“Australians just don’t feel like the major parties are looking out for them,” he said.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/business/abbott-forced-to-scale-back-paid-parental-leave-to-exclude-women-earning-more-than-150000-a-year/story-fni0cms4-1227147386108
You frikking pig, Tobias. I should ignore you but this is beyond the pale. Can Tobias’ comment be deleted?
Don’t feed the child aravis1 – I have notified the moderators via the ‘Contact Us’ menu item. Best to ignore it in the meantime.
Thanks Bacchus; you’re right.
I have removed the offensive comment.
Thanks Kaye for removing that comment, It wasn’t worth recognition in any form….
Let’s hope he goes outside to play now
Thanks Kaye – perhaps someone “behind the scenes” will put this person into permanent moderation or automatic deletion of anything it posts. There was another comment on another thread, also trolling for a response. I’m not sure if that one is gone too…