What are you hiding Malcolm?

40 Comments

1. Well, they certainly aren’t hiding the 2×4 with the 6″ nails in it that they use quite often to silence the ones who know stuff!

2. Kaye,

   You seem to have fire in your belly. I get so angry, that so called reputable msm journalists don’t give a toss about these happenings. The LNP is well down the path of turning Australia into a Police Ste, forget the harmless Nanny State tag.

   Parakeelia is still operating, Turnbull’s wife is happily fund raising. This would have been AFP raids, Royal Commission, what have you. I need to stop, otherwise my Hypertension will get the better of me. Keep0 up the work.

3. Klaus,

   I don’t like getting lied to. I always said to my kids, tell me the truth and no matter how bad it is we can move forward.

4. Enlighten and educate the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like the evil spirits at the dawn of day.”

   Free trade deals for the rich, plebs pay more, Ohio lost over 110,000+ jobs ’cause of said deal.http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/03/ohio_lost_112500_jobs_due_to_t.html

   Richard Taylor and his team in the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney found similar trends over the past century in New South Wales. When Right-wing LNP governments were in power, men were 17 per cent more likely and women 40 per cent more likely to commit suicide………….link……https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2817-right-wing-governments-increase-suicide-rates/

   Vote LNP Last.

5. antidotally, for the past three days I have been handing out how to vote cards at a pre-poll booth in a safe liberal seat (Mackellar). It’s generally quite easy to understand people’s voting preferences as they run the gauntlet of volunteers handing out “how to vote” cards. There is a definite age gap between the various parties – under 25 Greens, under 35 Greens/ALP, 35-60 a mix of everything, and over 60 predominantly LNP with a bit of far right looney Christian parties.
   Nothing scientific in my observations, but it give me confidence that the LNP will be weeded out as their core supporters die off. 🙂
   Oh, and I met Barry O’Farell who was handing out how to vote cards for the ALP. That was interesting and quite pleasant. He didn’t think the ALP will get over the line but I chose to disagree with him (pleasantly). 🙂
   As I was handing out cards for the Greens, the LNP supporters chose not to speak to me. From my observations, most of the retired people were voting for the LNP, but most of the pre-polling voters were not pro-LNP. A gut feeling – but I think the MSM are calling it wrong.

6. Great article as always Kaye Lee. Thank you. My blood boils when I consider the consequences of LNPs governance over the past (too many!) years. Sadly it will take our country many more years to recover.

   Interesting observation GlennK. I do not believe a word I read in MSM – polls included. From the very bottom of my heart I hope your observations are on the mark.

   Vote Libs and their cronies last!

7. Spent 4 hours on a booth in town, today.
   Standing opposite the hastily prepared sign with the turnball visage beaming his vow that medicare stays!
   Well first of all that disingenuous sign does not preclude privatising as long as the name stays (think of those Aussies who got stung for hundreds of millions by investing in dick smith’s electronics because of the iconic name??)
   Then, secondly, when i got home I found a letter telling me that from friday week, my diabetes plan podiatrist will no longer bulk bill and be charging me $69 up front.
   Even worse, they will not just charge me the $16.05 gap and then they wait for medicare. No, the office will no longer DEAL with medicare and I pay $69 or go without.
   $69 not insignificant for anyone, but for an old-aged pensioner, the $69 cash is a lot of money to disappear from the bank?
   Lying suits the clp twisters but shame on the ordinary women ‘manning’ the booths for their silent complicity in the art of deception.
   ps two busloads of defence personnel arrived gee some of those young people are arrogant?
   pps I took two pensioers who said labor will mess with my pension but turnball wont? I just shook my head and waited for 28 minutes for one to fill in the form(nastily I hoped she messed it up)

8. There is the dark, 3-more-years option and the brighter, sunnier, more potential option.

9. It seems odd that Nauru goes to a general election on the 9th July. A government shrouded in secrecy and all but buried in their deceit. A government that goes to the polls with its new leadership code;
   “The Government of Nauru has delivered on its pledge towards transparency and accountability by adopting a new Leadership Code which aims to hold those in power and authority accountable for their actions.”
   I kid you not. This is off their website.
   http://www.naurugov.nr/government-information-office/media-release/nauru-leadership-code-makes-politicians-more-accountable.aspx
   Here’s the thing. Back in 2015, the Australian government called in the bastions of our moral integrity, the AFP, to investigate malfeasance on Nauru. Not the crimes that were being committed, but who the heck was reporting them.
   “The federal government called in the Australian Federal Police to investigate information leaks from the Nauru detention camp six times in as many months, prompting claims it is pursuing whistleblowers instead of those who allegedly assaulted and raped asylum seekers.
   While Immigration Minister Peter Dutton insists that crimes allegedly committed in the Nauru centre should be dealt with by the island’s local police, his department routinely asks Australia’s top law enforcement body to probe who is disclosing information from inside the camp.”
   http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjCoPmQiLvNAhVHtJQKHf2bBOsQFggbMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.smh.com.au%2Ffederal-politics%2Fpolitical-news%2Ffederal-government-asks-australian-federal-police-to-find-nauru-whistleblowers-20150930-gjyj0i.html&usg=AFQjCNGAZFT5Ox2uJocpbEqweWVhR8rsBg
   Just in the off chance you don’t get this, Nauru has a police force of 60 to 80 members (most recent figures I could find) for a population of 10k, with a 1.5k variable for those pesky asylum seekers we insist on warehousing there. There are 19 politicians up for re-election, as they have incarcerated the opposition.
   The worst part of this is that any right we might have had to call them names is suborned by our government.
   “If you can’t level with the people”
   Alas, a bygone era. Thank you, Ms Lee. Take care

10. And Tony Abscess had the cheek to say that “Labor lies”, when this inept lying, flat earth, right wing, tea party so-called “politician” lied to all of us! WTF?? And now Malcolm Talkbull & his obscenely over-paid incompetents want us all to “believe” that they are not lying or that (again!) the Labor mob are? WTF again!! I am an “over 60” voter & a lot of my friends are also, & there is NO WAY any of us would entertain placing this Liberal lot anywhere but last! God help Australia & all of us if they get in again! And I am not religious! Another excellent article Kaye, thank you!

11. Kaye, is not only Malcolm who hiding is the extreme faction within the Coalition and some of those that donate to the party the ones behind this, There are the same that handpick the future candidates from the young Liberals, the ones that used Abbott and the ones that control the PM.
    ‘What they are hiding?
    They are hiding their policies, the laws that would like to introduce of which some were in the 2014 budget.
    They know that are not popular, they know that the have to introduce fear, division between classes, between workers (CFA is an example) for after introduce their draconian laws.
    The same sex marriage plebiscite have the purpose to divide society, the the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption to weak the work force and the opposition is another one.
    They know how to manipulate moderate politicians and the opposition when is weak and is worry to lose votes. The law Border Force Act that penalize those who talk is an example, it was approved by the senate.
    All this and more was what happens back in South America during the end of the 1960’s and the beginning of 1970 and continued during the dictatorships.
    It is serious, they are the same ways to try to get what they one, power and control.
    IMO this election is one of the most important in the country history and if they return to power they can inflict some irreversible damage.

12. Everything the Lieberals have done in the past 3 years has been hidden behind a veil of secrecy. Operation Borders or anything ‘on water’. Detention facilities. 6 or 7 reviews on the NBN totally rubbishing the ALP were so heavily redacted to be virtually useless, with zero of their own costings released but all of Labour’s. All trade agreements already signed and the TPP. Privatisation of Medicare. University deregulation, etc, etc. We the taxpayers, their employers, are obviously just too stupid to have any understanding or comprehension of anything they do. And as we have seen above do not even dare to presume anything should be up for public access or discussion or you get the sack.
    In opposition though they demanded access to everything, probably because they are more intelligent and better economic managers. The mind absolutely boggles that anyone could be so stupid to not see what they have done in 3 years to vote them in for another term.

13. This PM has promised less than Abbott if that is possible. Will be hard to accuse him of breaking his word, Free to impose on us whatever he likes. They say all is in the budget, Cormann says all new promises will be offset with cuts in the budget, Who is telling the truth.

    Remember Pyne launched his tertiary education policies that seemed to come out of nowhere. Seems that was wrong. Abbott made a speech at some obscured university function that was repeated nowhere. According to Pyne it was a lie, it wasn’t mention in the campaign, Never neglect what appears to be an aside or throw away comment by this mob, Is likely to show up as campaign promises.

14. these people that infest the LNP and the horrors of news corpse don’t give a shit. and they will continue not giving a shit as the world becomes one big pile of the same. They think that money will save them. fools.

15. By the way, the AMA was saying different things as the day went on. This morning no evidence PM privatising Medicare, to narrowing it to outsourcing payment system wasn’t privatisation.

    Last I heard was that they had concerns rebate freeze if it continues was privatisation by stealth (SKY) Added they like all else Labor was doing.

    I was confused as to where the headlines were coming from, Just heard AMA first statement. No idea why he changed his comments as day went on.

    There is a rumour that WA Liberal doctors are making attempts to get rid of him.

16. Re refugees, the “problem” hasn’t stopped while there are still wars of aggression and thus refugee flows. The final solution, that a boat sinks and people drown is the “solving” of it, is reminiscint of a type of thinking in vogue amongst black uniformed people in the early nineteen forties.

17. A brief note on other things. During a discussion on DV, Kaye Lee expressed a hope that those not directly affected by it, not tune out as to the DV issue itself and in a sense that discussion continues in today’s Guardian:

    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/22/the-focus-on-domestic-violence-is-good-but-lets-hear-more-about-solutions-than-deaths

    Because it is a real world issue, particularly for those experiencing it, I can’t quite let it rest either, at least not in clear conscience and because, as with a number of social problems, there is a cultural element involved as well as practical ameliorating solutions involving adequate social infrastructure available but shunned in favour of tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy; likely worsened by the return of a Turnbull government.

    Therefore, I included the link for those who may seek to consider its viewpoint.

    It is not intended as a derail, I include it as an illustration of what I beleive Kaye Lee’s current thread is about.

18. Florence nee fedup,Their is a new head of the AMA now and he is a real Liberal

19. For me, writing for the AIMN is liking inviting a heap of people over for dinner without having to cook. I just start the convo. It progresses where it will and I invariably learn things.

20. I agree about dividing and concquering Freethinker – the divisiveness of that awful ‘lifters and leaners’ speech by Joe Hockey was a turning point. Take away the explanatory labels like ‘unemployed’, ‘sick’, ‘elderly’, ‘disabled’ and lump them all together as ‘lifters’ and they are demonised and divided from the majority ‘lifters’. Similarly ‘asylum seekers’, and ‘refugees’ became ‘boat people’ and then just ‘the boats’ dehumanising a group with whom Australians could empathise and instead becoming just objects without feeling. I assume this was all done with advice from psychologists and advisers from the IPA along with its ‘Be like Gough’ ‘to do’ list. Many over-60s have not been sucked in by their lies – we didn’t vote for them before and definitely not this time either. In fact we are for the first time in our lives handing out HTV cards at our local polling booth – one positive is that the appalling actions of the LNP have made people stand up and fight for a better govt.

21. Kaye Lee, you are a God sent.

22. Kaye Lee. This is probably not the right place to send this essay but I have just finished typing it in a hope that I could influence some of my Liberal mates. They need guidance. Anyway here it is and I would appreciate any comments regarding clarity.
    Economic Manager?
    Many people believe that because Malcolm Turnbull is an extremely rich former businessman that he should have little difficulty managing the economy. Last Monday night on Q & A he lost all credibility of being an economist when he said “ the economy is like a cake and Labor thinks they can just keep cutting slices”. This is an extremely misleading analogy unless he is referring the ‘cake’ to the household budget.
    The government of Australia (a Sovereign Country) spends currency into existence and taxpayers use that currency to pay their obligations. A sovereign government’s finances are nothing like those of households and firms. We often hear statements like “if I ran my household budget the way that the Federal Government runs its budget, I’d go broke,” followed by the claim “therefore, we need to get the government deficit under control,” this is a distressingly false analogy. A sovereign, currency-issuing government is NOTHING like a currency – using household or firm. The sovereign government cannot become insolvent in its own currency, it can always make all payments as they come due, in its own currency. Sovereign Governments don’t need to borrow their own currency in order to spend. The government deficit ought to be higher, a well targeted budget deficit allows for a Private Sector surplus and injects demand into the economy, it does not burden future generations. The idea that it does is another myth.
    So, how does the economy work?…….Microeconomics looks individually at markets, the Car Market, the Market for Meat, the Steel Market, etc. Macroeconomics looks at the entire economy. A good starting point is to look at the Circular Flow of Income. This will give you an overview of how the entire economy works. To build this up we need to start with a very simple type of economy called a closed economy, which means there is no International Trade, there’s only the resources within the economy. Also we are going to assume there is no government, also we are going to assume that anyone who receives money, spends it. There is no savings happening. There are two groups of economic agents in this economy and they are Firms and Households. Now the Households own the ‘Factors of Production’ which they provide to the Firms in return for payment. The ‘Factors of Production’ are: Land, Labour and Capital. The Firms use these ‘Factors of Production’ to make ‘Goods and Services’ which are sold to the Households. So, here we have a flow of real variables, ‘Goods and Services’ – ‘Factors of Production’, ‘Goods and Services’ – ‘Factors of Production’. Of course these things don’t happen for nothing, there is a Flow of Money circulating the other way. In return for the use of the Land, the Firms give to the Households, Rent and in return for Labour, they pay Wages and in return for Capital they pay Interest from Profits. So, there is a flow of money from the Firms to the Households to pay for the ‘Factors of Production’. The Households in turn spend the money they get by making Payment to the Firms for the Goods and Services. So there is a Flow of Money circulating in the economy and likewise there is a flow in return of Real Variables, ‘Goods and Services’ – ‘Factors of Production’. This is essentially how an economy works – but we have simplified it because there are Injections into this economy and there are Leakages from the economy.

    So let’s examine this. There are Injections into the flow of this economy, three in total and they are Government Spending(G), there is foreign money flowing into the economy because some of the Goods that the Firms make are sold abroad and foreign money flows into the economy from our Exports (X) and there is also Investment (I) into the economy. There are Leakages from this economy, money leaking out of the system. There are three and they are the opposite to the Injections. Although the government has been Spending money or Injecting money into the economy there are Leakages as the Government Taxes (T). They tax Firms, they tax Households Income, there is indirect tax on the Payment of Goods and Services. There is also Households spending money on Imports (M) causing leakages – money going overseas. Lastly, Households and Firms may not spend all of their money so there will be Savings (S) as well. So this now is a truer picture of how the economy works. We can measure the size of the economy by just dipping into the economy and measuring the flow at one or more points, it’s all the same flow. We can measure the entire production of this economy, if we measure the flow of Goods and Services from Firms to the Households we get a true size of everything being produced by the economy, this is the National Output or GDP. Alternatively, we can look at the flow from Firms to Households for payment of the Factors of Production, this is called the National Income of the economy. If we look at the flow Households to Firms for payment of Goods and Services, this is called the National Expenditure. It’s the same flow. That’s how the economy works, the interaction of Households and Firms with certain influences of Injections and Leakages . Pumping money into the system and taking money out of the system.
    The basic Income – Expenditure model in macroeconomics can be viewed in two ways, Source of Spending and Uses of Income produced. (G-T) + (I-S) +(X-M) = ZERO, this is also a basic rule derived from the National Accounts and must apply at all times. The Government Sector = (G-T) The Private Domestic Sector = (I-S) Current Account Deficit = (X-M) The Private Domestic Sector and the Current Account can be combined and called the Non Government Sector. All these relationships hold as a matter of accounting and not a matter of opinion. If the Private Domestic Sector spends less than it earns (tends to save) and the nation runs a small external deficit, ie. Imports are greater than Exports, then the government’s fiscal position will ALWAYS be in deficit at all levels of National Income. If the nation is running a Current Account Deficit, ie. Imports are greater than Exports, which is accompanied by a Government Sector Surplus of equal size, then the Private Domestic Sector will always be spending more than it earns.
    I find it extremely difficult to see how any of this can be compared with Malcolm Turnbull’s ‘cake’.

23. Very few people do micro and macro and their (proper) relationship, partly due to maths in my case but Don’s posts hints at what goes wrong when economics undergoes a presentation something akin to Monckton on climate change; the sort of thing that drives someone like Prof John Quiggin nuts, I think. What in hell does neolib economics relate to as to the real world and people (objects)? How long is a piece of string and how does this relate to the selling of wholesale theft as an article of faith?

    Speaking of the real world and msm, just back from a rivetting doco on climate change and the arctic melt as agents for an accelaration global warming due to release of methane and carbon as the Tundra melts, it would have been a shock to many others, this update that deals with complications exacerbating an already out of control problem.

    But where was this doco?

    Tucked way on NITV, a mighty little teev station, but not on a mass audience commercial network or ABC.. something else they don’t tell the children about.

24. Someone posted this on the Guardian website.

    So how corrupt(?) could the Liberal party actually, be ?

    MPs forced out of parliament or party in the last 31 months:
    Barry O’Farrell (Liberal, NSW)
    Scott Driscoll (Liberal National, QLD)
    Troy Buswell (Liberal, WA)
    Chris Spence (Liberal, NSW)
    Darren Webber (Liberal, NSW)
    Gary Edwards (Liberal, NSW)
    Andrew Cornwell (Liberal, NSW)
    Tim Owen (Liberal, NSW)
    Craig Baumann (Liberal, NSW)
    Bart Bassett (Liberal, NSW)
    Peter Dowling (Liberal National, QLD)
    Marie Ficarra (Liberal, NSW)

    MPs sacked from executive government:
    Greg Pearce (Liberal, NSW)
    Mike Gallacher (Liberal, NSW)
    Chris Hartcher (Liberal, NSW)
    Jamie Briggs (Liberal, Federal)
    Stuart Robert (Liberal, Federal)

    MPs stood aside from executive government:
    Mal Brough (Liberal, Federal)
    Arthur Sinodinos (Liberal, Federal)

    MPs assisting police with thier inquiries:
    Christopher Pyne (Liberal, Federal)
    Wyatt Roy (Liberal, Federal)

    This country is literally run by criminals.

25. correction, and I made a big mistake in my post…..it was Barry Unsworth who was handing out “how to vote” ALP cards that I met – not Barry O’Farrell. How could I be so wrong………

26. My father uneducated, loner, non reader, farmer born 1900 used to get angry when anyone said money was being wasted. His belief was that money was made to go round. It was only when it stopped, we were all in trouble. Hated banks as many did after the depression. Farmers rely on both dbt and banks.

    We still hear condemnation of Rudd’s $900 cheques as we did from accountant, deputy leader of this government yesterday. Joyce would know, matters not what money was spent on, as long as it was spent. If not, he is bigger liar than one suspects.

    I believe my father’s simple explanation is correct. I also believe each time it goes around, it creates more wealth. It is the combination using above of the households and firms that create the commonwealth. This wealth belongs to all, as all contributed to it.

27. Florence, Rudd shone very brightly indeed for two years out of two and half and it was a shame he burned out. Gillard held it together well after the bottom dropped out, our longest serving PM out of the last four.

    I beleive your dad anticipated Keynesianism very well indeed.

28. Btw, shock horror that, for once, we plebs should have had $900 cheques instead of big business and the wealthy, who caused that recession.

29. What utter nonsense paul walter. Kevin Rudd didn’t “burn out”.

    That’s what Gillard and her henchmen would like everyone to believe. She stabbed Kevin in the back when he was at the top of his game. The man steered us out of the biggest financial crisis since the great depression and was leading in the polls when it all went down. Kevin could have gone down as one of the greatest Prime Ministers since Whitlam and most likely we wouldn’t be in the bloody mess we find ourselves now.

30. Paul I think my dad formed his views from observation of what was going on around him. Left school at 12. Built up a team of horses which he worked as a contractor, becoming a share farmer very young. Took up a land grant in 1926 .

    Yes Rudd handled the GFC well. More than well. Also had right policies for the times. Julie faithfully put his policies in place.

    If Turnbull was PM, he would have went down the familiar track of not handing out cash but lowering taxes, mostly of higher income earners, These people would have left money in the bank. Economy achieving nothing.

    I don’t understand their thinking. Have inbuilt horror of giving to the needy, masses but quick to deliver handouts to the wealthy. Do not see those at bottom of the ladder as worthy. Those at the top not only worth but entitled to what they get.

    The Rudd/Gillard was a good government. Sadly a government ripped apart by party politics. I believe the government party did right thing deposing Rudd, but should have explained themselves better. It was not Gillard that deposed him. It was nearly all of caucus.

    This government is also ripped apart by party politics but is not good, is chaotic. Will be worse if re-elected. PM can’t deliver the stable government he promises. There was much wrong beside Abbott.

31. ” ….I believe the government party did right thing deposing Rudd” You don’t believe in democracy; I understand, a pretend democracy is more your style.
    And by the way the Labor party was ripped apart by Gillard politics.

32. Florence, your dad was a brainy man. As to what would have happened if we hadn’t had Labor in, you only have to look at David Cameron and Austerity Britain.

    God help us if we get more Cameronite style government let loose, after the last three years.

    Wake up, Oz!

33. Florence, your dad used common sense logic to understand what was happening around him. He probably wasn’t caught up with the propaganda that we cop daily through so called news. It’s a pity more people don’t take the time to find the facts.
    I have summarised that long winded piece that I posted last night. I would appreciate any comments before I send it to my misguided Liberal mates.

    Many people believe that because Malcolm Turnbull is an extremely rich former businessman that he should have little difficulty managing the economy. Last Monday night on Q & A he lost all credibility of being an economist when he said “ the economy is like a cake and Labor thinks they can just keep cutting slices”. This is a misleading analogy unless he is referring the ‘cake’ to the household budget.

    The government of Australia (a Sovereign Country) spends currency into existence and taxpayers use that currency to pay their obligations. We often hear statements like “if I ran my household budget the way that the Federal Government runs its budget, I’d go broke,” followed by the claim “therefore, we need to get the government deficit under control,” this is a distressingly false analogy. A sovereign, currency-issuing government is NOTHING like a currency – using household or firm. The sovereign government cannot become insolvent in its own currency, it can always make all payments as they come due, in its own currency. Sovereign Governments don’t need to borrow their own currency in order to spend. The government deficit ought to be higher, a well targeted budget deficit allows for a Private Sector surplus and injects demand into the economy, it does not burden future generations. The idea that it does is another myth.

    The economy is the interaction of Households and Firms with certain influences of Injections and Leakages.
    The Households own the Factors of Production (Land, Labour and Capital) that they supply to the Firms in return of payment. For land the Firms pay rent, labour they pay wages and for capital the Firms pay interest from profits.

    The Firms use these Factors of Production to produce Goods and Services that the Households purchase.

    This is a basic Closed Economy, but there are other influences by way of Injections. There are three forms of Injections: Government Spending, Money from the sale of Exports and Investment.
    There is also Leakages out of the economy. There are three forms of Leakages that are the opposite to the Injections. Government Taxes Firms, Households income is taxed and there is indirect tax from Goods and Services. There is also Households spending on Imports, money going overseas. Lastly, Households and Firms may not spend all their money so there will be savings as well.
    We can measure the flow of Goods and Services from Firms to Households to get a true size of everything being produced by the economy, this is the National Output or GDP.
    This is how the economy works; pumping money into the system and taking money out of the system. I find it extremely difficult to see how any of this can be compared with Malcolm Turnbull’s ‘cake’.

34. Kaye Lee June 22, 2016 at 10:54 pm

    You would not have to invite me twice!

35. Can’t resist pointing out an absurd comment suggesting the removal of Kevin 07 was undemocratic. Interestingly, Tony Abbott was unaware of how Australian Democracy works too, so perhaps it isn’t widely understood.

    Aussies vote for their local member.
    All the local members get together to select their Leader. It’s their responsibility to make the best choice of the deck the Voters have given them.
    If a party picks someone not fit for purpose (as happened with Tony), it is the responsibility of the party to correct the error.

    I don’t know who came up with the idea that Voters select the Leader. It has never been the way our system works. And thank goodness for that.

36. [She stabbed Kevin in the back when he was at the top of his game]

    Same as Eddie McQuires comment to me. Totally fine. Unlike A Jones and the chaff bag at a political event.

    Disagree with your point of view on both Gillard and Rudd though. I thought Rudd’s ego was becoming out of control and he was loosing it a bit. To me he overspent by about 20b on the GFC, too panicky, once the crisis was under control, the BER timeframe needed to be expanded out. At no point did I see evidence of a Gillard initiated coup for powers sake – it was gung ho faceless men and the public like me who did want him replaced.

37. PC, try reading Lenore
    Taylor’s “Shitstorm”.

    Yes, the Right Faction knifed him, always were going to do that to protect their own little empire, but Taylor offers a much more nuanced view of how Kevin Rudd fell.

    Jimhaz, your economics worry me..what they did was th einverse of classic tory nostrums for recessions and kept the economy going. How much suffering did that prevent and how much value was maintained or added to the economy for keeping it functioning rather than grinding to a halt as happened in the nineteen thirties?

    Put down thy Niemeyer, pick up thy Keynes.

38. [Jimhaz, your economics worry me]

    The operative word is “overspent”, I’m not saying the GFC did not need some hard hitting spending. I think the cash payments to taxpayers had the most benefit.

    Below, is a form of proof the overspending was political (and in my view BER should have been rejigged to for spending over double the initial period of the program (once the GFC effect here, post prop up spending, was shown to be shallow).

    http://www.thegoodfightonline.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/1.-Note-from-meeting-at-the-lodge-%E2%80%93-August-2008.pdf

    It is possible the flow on from this self serving strategy choice cost Gillard from an outright majority. In which case we may have been able to avoid Abbott – though the LNP would still have got in at some point due to the increase in debt levels from other programs and mining income decline.

39. [nuanced view of how Kevin Rudd fell]

    In the 6 months leading up to his replacement I progressively became more certain that Rudd’s EQ was not high enough to manage his enlarging ego. I was quite happy for him to be replaced as I was confident Gillard was a better administrator and strategist, though lacking in presidential style motivational speaking. I ended up quite disappointed re her strategy score – but I have never though her unworthy or incompetent or mad or conniving. Many of her errors were exaggerated so very much by the media.

40. One week to go – time to wake up the sleepers:
    NBN – Malcolm’s one and only job and he stuffed it
    renewable energy – Malcolm = if you cannot see it it must not exist
    ………