What They Say, Is Not What They Do
“He’s a can-do prime minister,” she said, “He’s got a vision for this country, he’s got a lot of issues to deal with but he’s performing strongly and he will retain the support of the vast majority of the party room in order to lead us to the next election.”
These are the words of Foreign Affairs Minister, Julie Bishop on 26th March when asked if the Government might dump Malcolm Turnbull as party leader. Let’s unpack this seemingly simply statement and juxtapose it with the March 26th Fairfax-Ipsos opinion poll.
The poll puts the government 10 points behind Labor, (55/45%) on a two-party preferred basis, so one might expect a show of support for an embattled leader. But to say he’s a ‘can-do’ prime minister is ridiculous.
If Malcolm was a can-do PM, we would have marriage equality, we would have an emissions trading scheme, we would be heading toward becoming a Republic. Most likely, we would have a state of the art NBN, not the second rate one he was forced to cobble together when he was Telecommunications Minister.
If Malcolm has a vision for this country, it has not emerged thus far. What has emerged is his willingness to cave in to the far right of his party in an effort to keep his job. Not a good look from an electoral point of view.
When is it going to become apparent to the MSM that the Federal government’s “Jobs and Growth” mantra is a farce? In fact, it’s far worse than that. It is an utterly deceptive political stunt to give the impression that they have a plan and the plan they have, is working.
And this seems to have become the standing mantra. The constant reminders that they are doing the job that will lead us back to prosperity. The only problem is, what they say, is not what they do.
“In last year’s Budget, I said we needed to focus on jobs and growth … Since last year’s budget, we’ve made good progress,” Scott Morrison told the AFR Banking and Wealth Summit on 6th April. What rubbish. There has been no improvement this financial year.
Unsurprisingly, the March Labour Force results as analysed by Bill Mitchell confirm this….
“I repeat my standard monthly warning – we always have to be careful interpreting month to month movements given the way the Labour Force Survey is constructed and implemented.
Today’s figures show that the Australian labour market has improved in March 2017, although we have been led down this path before in recent years.
Total employment rose fairly strongly, relative to its recent history – by 60,900 but it was the strength of full-time employment (up 74,500) that is welcome.
The curious fact is that despite the strong full-time employment performance, total monthly hours barely moved.
But the analysis shows that employment growth over the last few years has been zig-zagging around the zero growth line on a more or less monthly basis with some positive spikes such as we saw in March 2017.
So it is too early to form a view that this month marks a turning point in a positive direction.
Over the last 12 months, Australia has gained 67.8 thousand full-time jobs (in net terms) and gained 78.1 thousand part-time jobs.
Overall, employment has grown by only 145.9 thousand jobs (net) – a fairly modest annual figure.
While this month’s surge in full-time work represents a break in the dominance of part-time work, we need more months like this before we can reject the obvious conclusion that Australia has become a nation of part-time employment growth with all the attendant negative consequences – poor income growth, precarious work, lack of skill development etc.
Underemployment remains high at 8.5 per cent and taken together (unemployment and underemployment) there were 14.7 per cent of the labour force counted as broadly underutilised (1,890.3 thousand).
The teenage labour market remains in a poor state even though this cohort shared in the full-time employment growth in March 2017.
Overall, the state of the Australian labour market is tenuous verging on weak.
It is clear that the current restrictive fiscal policy position adopted by the Federal government is not sufficient to redress the inadequate non-government spending growth.
It is also clear the cutbacks the Government is planning in the May Fiscal Statement are unwarranted.”
So where is the growth? Where are the jobs? Overall, the labour market is weak and showing no signs of improvement. Yet Malcolm Turnbull continues to spruik his government’s commitment to job creation. He is either a supreme optimist, or a very poor salesman. Either way he is spruiking rubbish.
His hapless bunch of Coalition cohorts put on a brace face but can clearly see the writing on the wall. In the coming months look for a diversionary campaign. Something, anything to distract the voters’ minds from the bleeding obvious.
There have only been 52.4 thousand jobs (net) added in Australia over the last six months while the labour force has increased by 82.2 thousand. Furthermore, employment growth over the past twelve months has failed to keep pace with population growth. We are going backwards and the Coalition government are a monumental failure.
They simply do not know how to arrest a declining economy.
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Return to home pageWe must be complete idiots because that’s how they treat us. Vomitous.
“In the coming months look for a diversionary campaign”
Perhaps the donald will arrange something to take our minds off Oz’s pathetic, inept, and corrupt Mal-“administration”
The LNP having sacked thousands of defense personnel makes me wonder if the LNP are working for a different country.
Professionals Australia.com , says the dwindling resources of in-house technical expertise at Defence put lives in danger at sea and on land.
At a time when urban congestion is acting as a handbrake on our nation’s economy, housing costs have hit record highs and climate change is creating serious consequences for our cities, the Government should be using evidence to inform its decision-making, but it doesn’t the LNP walks away from real evidence time and time again.
The LNPs- IPA, are the churn house of misinformation and smear; and their chaotic mind-numbing doublespeak is what’s used daily by the colluding cabal of media propagandists – who have also managed to get prime weekly spots on the once reliable and non-partisan ABC.
We have a NewsLtd/IPA COALition regime in power in Australia as intended by the religious right wing fundamentalists and their masters the corporate world.
Turnbull is now running a government that unashamedly puts big business first, whether it be prioritising company tax cuts or waving through structured corporate tax evasion.
We have the worst government . since 1949 and it’s the LNP,……As the Australia Institute’s research in June found – across a broad range of economic measures, the Abbott/Turnbull government has performed the worst of any Australian government since 1949. Economist Jim Stanford’s report examines economic performance across 12 indicators – including GDP per capita, the unemployment rate, employment growth and the growth of real business investment and intellectual property investment, and the LNP have failed in all of them.
crypt0,
World War Three should do the trick!
As a newcomer to online publications I have discovered a couple of things that were unexpected and that is the animosity to the Liberal Government in the articles and the dislike of the Labour Party by lots of responders.
I would no longer vote for either based on responses and valuable information I have gained on the site and may as well vote for Pauline Hanson as she at least will stir up the ruling parties.As a Queenslander it will be interesting to see how well she fares in the next state election and I believe that with experience by her and her team of newcomers to politics she will learn to be a bit more tempered in her statements.All that I imagine would come with experience in the political arena
Shallow Mal part 2
Shallow Mal has been returned
but now more weak than ever
The double D has shown us all
Shallow Mal is not too clever
Shallow Mal has had a fright
The ego had a bruising
A tantrum on election night
Now a morbid fear of losing
Shallow Mal is on the edge
The right still have his balls
More policy paralysis
Avoiding party brawls
Shallow Mal has made a call
A dump on Kevin Rudd
Another weak decision
Showing Shallow Mals a dud
Shallow Mal is trying to look
all upbeat and excited
But pumping fists and waving arms
Won’t keep this mob united
Shallow Mal can thank himself
For a senate that is worse
Eleven on the cross bench
Including Howard’s curse
Shallow Mal must watch his back
The Thug is sure to plot
The Delcons on the right still dream
Of returning to the clot.
Shallow Mal is getting hit
By Ley and Centre link
As right wing nutters move to split
Shallow Mal is on the brink
Shallow Mal is near the end
His future has been Trumped
This whole charade will fall apart
Shallow Mal will soon be dumped
Shallow Mal was once a climate prince
He is now the king of coal
The people know he’s on the take
As he digs a deeper hole.
Shallow Mal has jumped the shark
He is going the full Tony
A petulant tanty aimed at Bill
The last resort of a phoney
Shallow Mal can’t wash his hands
As penalty rates are cut
The workers will be taking aim
At kicking Malcolm’s butt
Shallow Mal watched the west dissolve
As deals with phonies backfired
The polls continue to show that
Mal’s use by date is expired
Shallow Mal is in so much shit
Even Dutton thinks he’s hot
Mal is stalked by a potato
You couldn’t make up this plot.
Shallow Mal is changing 18c
Except he knows it will come to nothin
It’s just a bone to the rabid right
And another nail in Malcolm’s coffin
Shallow Mal’s making shifty deals
With all manner of subterfuges
he’s proving what we all know
He’s dealing with liberal stooges.
Shallow Mal’s smelling brain farts
That Morrisons been letting off
The stink of carcass in the breeze
Belongs to the Wentworth Toff
Shallow Mal is walking dead
His Faustian pact is f*cked
So break out the popcorn now
As we watch him self destruct
That is a great poem Graeme,bloody good stuff!…………….
Helen Bates, it is beyond my level of comprehension how anyone can be fooled by the sheer populist antics of Pauline Hanson. Your feelings about both major parties is understandable given the way they both try to manipulate the electorate with half truths and outright lies. But to use that as a reason to vote for one who stands for nothing more than perpetuating her own existence, is compounding your own misconceptions of what is best for the nation. Voting informal would serve the nation better than voting for One Nation.
I don’t agree with the way Turnbull is described as ” caving in to the far right” because as far as I can see, he IS the far right. I can’t recall him doing anything at all to convince me otherwise because taking selfies with the plebs doesn’t make him a moderate.
“Total employment rose fairly strongly, relative to its recent history – by 60,900 but it was the strength of full-time employment (up 74,500) that is welcome.” I’m confused. How can full time employment rise more than total employment?
John Kelly I have read all the articles critical of the Liberals and their policies and read all the commenters and their aversion to Labour and I certainly don’t intend to vote informal.Hansons team is new to politics and who knows what new players in politics can bring. I have been convinced that a vote for Liberal or Labour is a waste so I will accept the unpredicability of Hanson,as according to both the articles and the commenters the established lot are hopeless and maybe sometimes new faces and new ideas are what is needed.I have discussed the articles and comments from this site with friends and based on that they are in agreement that they have nothing to lose by supporting Pauline and her party,You would prefer we voted for those of “half truths and outright lies?”
O for a group of visionaries, ethics, fearless, wise and educated, to form a party. Such a party is destined for greatness.
Helen Bates, Hanson’s team are not new to politics, she’s been around for over 20 years, spouting the inane drivel that appeals to the intellectually challenged. She for the most part votes as an LNP proxy, and her party policies are insane.
jobs and growth nice slogan
52000 jobs even better
never hear 82000
ps
good one helen when you cannot spell then ayour vote from trumble to pauline wont hurt.
wam I don’t claim to be an excellent speller but what is it about casting the first stone? “good one helen” H and not sure about “ayour”, pauline P wont ‘,,,,,,,,,capital lettters a problem are they?
131 I’m talking about all the new candidates likely in Queensland
Helen, I fully understand your disillusionment with the major parties but Pauline Hanson is definitely not the answer. She is far from being a “new player”. She has run in 11 federal and state elections and collected a hell of a lot of money for doing so even though she didn’t win. The more candidates there are, the more Pauline collects so she doesn’t bother vetting the candidates – every vote is more dollars in her pocket. She does not have the management or intellectual capacity for the job. She thrives on the attention but is not capable of understanding complex legislation or the repercussions/consequences of her actions. I don’t think you have to be a genius to enter politics but you certainly have to be receptive to advice from experts. Pauline, in her arrogance, is not. She doesn’t listen to experts as shown by her dangerous opposition to vaccinations and action on climate change.
I applaud your interest but would ask you to look further than One Nation. James Ashby and Pauline Hanson are in it for themselves, not for the public interest, and her ignorant racism is a distinct threat to social cohesion.
Oh and when questions started being asked about what she was doing with the money, she sacked the One Nation Treasurer and installed her brother-in-law to cover it, or is that cover up.
Iggy, an increase in full time employment can be higher than the increase in total employment when there is a decrease in part time employment.
Helen Bates
Your choice is to vote for the the lesser of two evils, or a party of complete inconsequential.
Pauline Hansons One Nation (PHON) is a Right wing party so a vote for her is a vote for the LNP policies, and three brain dead nut cases.
A vote for independents is a vote for keeping seats warm.
So good luck voting for the PHON
Helen – look up ‘critical thinking’
Kaye I don’t support Paulines line on vaccinations.The reason I an commenting at this ungodly hour is it is feed time for my 4 week old who will be vaccinated.The comment made by the one that spells even worse than me WAM “then ayour vote from trumble to pauline wont hurt.” whoever trumble may be is incorrect.I voted for Anna
last time but the indication from commenters that she is on the take turned me of doing that again.
In the Queensland election therefore I was considering either Paulines party or the Katter party but the bulk of my friends have indicated they will be voting One Nation and so will I.
Look,I am not much interested in politics and neither are most of my friends and family,I gained some knowledge of the evils of the 2 major parties on here so that turned me away from voting Labour again and when I informed some friends of what I had read they to will ditch voting Labour and give Pauline a try. I read most of these comments and article as it was Good Friday and nothing to do and I was bored.
It seems if I express my views on this site I will just get insulted and attacked so I won’t bother you again by expressing my views
Congratulations on your new bubba 🙂 I remember those days when waking and sleeping had little to do with the hour.
I am sorry if you felt attacked. That was certainly not my intention. All I ask is that you find out more about Pauline before making your decision. If enough people listen to Pauline regarding vaccinations then we lose herd immunity putting your baby at risk, If enough people believe Malcolm Roberts (the other ON Queensland Senator) that climate change is a hoax then we end up destroying the planet. Pauline and Malcolm will tell you that the Reef is just fine. It’s not, and their misinformation is truly dangerous. If Pauline ends up with any sort of power in Queensland, say goodbye to the 70,000 jobs created by Reef tourism. Also say goodbye to the ABC.
Pauline stirs up racism. She has attacked Asians, Africans, Muslims and Aborigines. Instead of looking at how to fix problems, she alienates people and stirs up resentment, making the problems much worse. She says ridiculous things that are just plain wrong. She pretends to be a battler but has collected many millions of dollars over the years making a career out of running in every election. She originally stood as an LNP candidate but they disendorsed her just before the 1996 election because of her derogatory remarks about Aborigines. It was too late to change the ballot papers and she won under questionable circumstances with people still thinking she was the LNP candidate.
It is your choice obviously but, in my opinion, Pauline has no answers and nothing to offer.
When mad mal was finally elected one of his catch phrases was on innovation. I have seen nothing innovative regarding LNP policies.
Helen… I’m sorry you can’t see through Pauline’s facade of looking after the aussie battler. Pauline is a racist fear monger. She creates disunity and disharmony for many minority groups living amongst us in Australia.
That’s a statement that didn’t have to be made. When you do become interested in politics as all citizens should, you might do some reading about the rise of One Nation and it’s complete collapse a short time later. One Nation and its ‘thinking’ have been around for decades. One Nation is NOT new!
In many ways I am glad that you will vote for One Nation this time around – mainly because it is a considered decision – one you have thought about. When One Nation does well in the coming State Election, then you should celebrate. You should have satisfaction. Enjoy that moment. And, above all, remember it.
You do realise that voting for One Nation is an effective vote for the LNP. A glance at the political record shows she preferences the LNP and her Senate voting record clearly shows she invariably supports the Turnbull Government. I don’t know what you do for a living but be aware that the Turnbull government is the friend of the rich and powerful. So if that’s your situation then vote as you intend.
Good that you are becoming interested in politics. And best of luck with your child – hope it sleeps well and is healthy\.
Helen, were you aware that Pauline Hanson has declared that Labor is her enemy and had voted with the government 89% of the time? She is nothing more than a Liberal. Her record shows that she cares zero for the working class or the unemployed.
Helen, as many are commenting here, a vote for Pauline is, more often than not, a vote for the right wing nut jobs (rwnj) known as the Liberal Party. Look at the link below and you will see that a vote for Pauline is not a vote for “change” or “new ideas”… it’s a vote for SAME!!!
Helen, as you hold that new born of yours, think about the future for him/her and the political decisions that you make that can and will impact on that future. I think that having an interest in politics is having an interest in your bubs future life/health/education /work/environment /etc.
Pauline has shown time and time again that Pauline only thinks about Pauline.?
https://theyvoteforyou.org.au/people/senate/queensland/pauline_hanson/friends
Helen, here’s a tip: listen to what LOVO says. He is oh so wise for one oh so young. The man is a political genius. He has successfully predicted two of the last ten elections. ?
A distraction did you say???? “Look over there…. A terrorist”
Helen, you are obviously a Queenslander and you are considering voting for Pauline Hanson. A couple of facts about her……………. 1 She is an ex-LNP politician and still votes with them so voting for her is a vote for LNP
2 She is racist in her policies towards people with these characteristics Aborigines, Asians anyone with a dark skin and those of faiths other than hers
3 She is ill informed on just about every scientific fact that 95%+ of the population recognise as true
4 She attracts those on the fringe of rational thought for her candidates, but makes sure she collects the electoral funding they gain
5 Her party is now being controlled by a known liar James Ashby who was involved in some nefarious dealings that had him side-lined by a very embarrassed LNP
6 She claims to have the needs of every Australian at heart but then supports cuts to pensions, welfare for the most needy and wages for the poorest
7 She supports coal mining in the Galilee Basin although it will employ very few, but destroy valuable wetlands that are home to threatened species
8 She is for the export of this coal at Australian taxpayers expense
9 She is for industries that pollute the air and water and will destroy the Great Artesian Basin that supplies water to vast areas of rural QLD and NSW
10 Her refusal to recognise Climate Change and its effects on the GBR means that you child will never see the Reef as a living thing and the $m that tourism and the thousands of jobs it provides will be lost
If this is the future you want for your new child then by all means vote for PHONy
How far up the Quisling scale is John Roskam?
Helen, it is difficult to feel you can support the major parties, I struggled for 6 months for the 2013 Federal election whether to vote formally or informally. But, for the size of the PHON Party it is amazing how many candidates and party officials have felt alienated and left the party. Check it out (the WA State election is a good starting point).
A major issue which will have a huge impact on your child is climate change. Malcolm Roberts (PHON) in relation to climate change is completely wrong. Visit some sites such as NASA, NOAA, and various other major science bodies.
An example, NASA has just published an article in relation to acidification in the Arctic; deniers such as Roberts will say that is wrong.
https://www.climate.gov/news-features/features/research-shows-ocean-acidification-spreading-rapidly-arctic
We know the Great Barrier Reef is in poor shape, Pauline Hanson has denied it.
jan russell
Keith
Kaye Lee
I will certainly be voting One Nation in the upcoming Queensland election.
I keep speaking of the Queensland Elections and most commenters here disregard that and talk of Canberra
There have been some developments since I last wrote on AIMN as a friend who is a One Nation member put me in touch with a candidate,There are 36 candidates and a variety of experience and lifeskills.Some candidates are meeting down at the Bay in a few weeks time and offered to speak with my friends and I in Queens Park M’boro later that day.I asked how many I could bring and they said a busload if I like so I will aim for more than that :-} and so far many of my friends want to come and I am thinking of putting a classified in the Chronicle to invite people
Those willing to speak to ordinary voters are Rod Jones,Chelle Dobson,Damien Huxman John Cox and Dr Jane Truscott.
I don’t think any other Party would do that and I am sure such a diverse group would represent Queenslanders well
Helen Bates
Good that you’ve ‘outed’ yourself – but any intelligent reader realised that some time ago. Clearly you operate with mala fides (As an aside, Ashby must do better than that.)
What is it with PHONy supporters who think we are as dumb as … Hanson, Ashby, Bates … and friends who like bus rides.
Senator Hanson’s blueprint for Australia includes a flat two per cent tax rate for everyone – even welfare recipients and has compulsory pre-nuptial agreements for newlyweds.
She wants to introduce an Australian identity card, and axe the GST.
She would also set up a royal commission into Islam.
“People see me as I could be their sister, their mother, their neighbour next door,’’ Senator Hanson said. “If you look at what I said 20 years ago, it’s exactly what I’m saying today. I’m a type of person who can make a decision.”
Speaking about One Nation candidates, Pauline said “They are under a banner, the banner is Pauline Hanson’s One Nation. They’ve joined Pauline Hanson’s One Nation and I’ve said right from the very beginning, I will run this party, meaning right from the top … who stands, policies, preferences.
“I have to make the decisions, I am leader of this party. If they’re not happy with it, everyone has a choice, don’t stand under my name. Don’t stand for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, they have every right to go and stand as an independent under their own name.”
http://www.news.com.au/national/politics/senator-pauline-hanson-says-her-one-nation-candidates-can-leave-if-they-dont-like-her-leadership/news-story/55ac9b85ca47fac464bc59bb91fb1bd5
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/pauline-hanson-outlines-one-nations-blueprint-for-australia/news-story/4697844183eb01c4aa903c005722f6ce
I’m all for axing the GST. It falls heaviest on the poor and MMTers will tell you we don’t need it. It’s a neoliberal solution to a non-existent problem. Do you remember why Howard wanted it introduced in the first place?
Can’t remember why it was, Silky. All I remember is Howard telling us it was good for us. If it was good for us then why did he need to spend millions on telling us so?
Chelle Dobson has switched parties then?
GYMPIE local Chelle Dobson has thrown her name into the Federal election ring, joining a newly formed party, the Australian Liberty Alliance, set to contest the up coming election.
Two huge problems which she believes are not being addressed are refugees and Islam.
“Islam is becoming a problem. It is an ideology which doesn’t fit with our Western democracy. They want their own laws within our country.
“And if Labour and the Greens get in, they’ll let in refugees.
“I don’t disagree with humanitarianism, but when refugees are Islam, there is a problem.
The Australian Liberty Alliance (ALA) which was launched in secret in Perth last year by the far-right and anti-immigration Dutch MP Geert Wilders puts its growth down to social media given it has received virtually no mainstream news coverage and claims it had its request to advertise nationally in Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp newspapers knocked back.
“They simply do not know how to arrest a declining economy.”
A declining economy is unavoidable and is really what we need.
Cheers.
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