[rustynutz]

[Doggie 1]

I was cringing listening to that.
That would have felt like being out in the middle of a big deep ocean without your floaties on and not having any idea of how to swim. 

[rustynutz]

 

[Phil №❶]

Worst part is that the Labor Govt thinks that putting someone who has no idea what they're talking about, will satisfy the average Ozzie. It's an insult really. 

[Doggie 1]

I think they probably used one of their outstanding rising stars. 

[Ugly Mongrel]

So, what didn't everyone understand there? 


What she should have said is that the MRRT on miners super profits will fund a short fall in the revenue caused by the reduced taxes on all other businesses. By reducing the tax burden on businesses, the extra SG payments they make to their employees will be either cost neutral or cost negative to those businesses.

In simple terms, miners pay more tax, other businesses pay less tax and the revenue from the MRRT filters down to all workers via an increase in their SG payment, rising from the existing 9% to 12% over the next 7 years.

BTW, Tony Abbot will abolish the MRRT tax if elected so the miners can keep their super profits, other businesses will pay the same or more tax and the good old Aussie workers get SFA.  Now, I reckon that's a good plan

Oh, and watch the sky fall tomorrow when the carbon tax starts


 http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/BudgetReview201011/Superannuation

[Doggie 1]

Sky falling doesn't happen over night.
It generally takes some time for it to happen.
As the current govt has so brilliantly stuffed up almost everything else it has touched, I don't suspect that the CT or the MRRT will be any different.
Roll on the next federal election.

[Ugly Mongrel]

Sky falling doesn't happen over night.
It generally takes some time for it to happen.
As the current govt has so brilliantly stuffed up almost everything else it has touched, I don't suspect that the CT or the MRRT will be any different.
Roll on the next federal election.

Not according to Tony Abbott. Get your helmet on, Dave.

[Phil №❶]

Why don't you have a go at politics UM, you know more than that bird did 

[Ugly Mongrel]

Why don't you have a go at politics UM, you know more than that bird did 

I wouldn't lower myself, Phil.

Unfortunately, the information I posted are the facts that so many Australians either fail to understand or simply refuse to understand due to their political leanings.


I, for one, am someone who actually looks past the rhetoric and negativity of the likes of  Tony Abbot, Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt etc and try to find the facts.

Australians just don't understand that major economic reforms are necessary at times, e.g. the GST and the introduction of the Superannuation Guarantee scheme.

The two examples above were both supposed to make the shy fall, just like the Mabo Decision was going to see the end of mining and mining exploration in this country. As we all know, the sky did not fall and Australia has had nothing but growth in the mining industry for the last two decades.

Yet Tony Abbot insists the coal industry in Queensland will die a quick death with the CT & MRRT.  This is despite the FACT that megabillions worth of mining investment is occurring in QLD, NSW & WA.

[Doggie 1]

Why don't you have a go at politics UM, you know more than that bird did 

I wouldn't lower myself, Phil.

Unfortunately, the information I posted are the facts that so many Australians either fail to understand or simply refuse to understand due to their political leanings.


I, for one, am someone who actually looks past the rhetoric and negativity of the likes of  Tony Abbot, Alan Jones, Andrew Bolt etc and try to find the facts.

Australians just don't understand that major economic reforms are necessary at times, e.g. the GST and the introduction of the Superannuation Guarantee scheme.

The two examples above were both supposed to make the shy fall, just like the Mabo Decision was going to see the end of mining and mining exploration in this country. As we all know, the sky did not fall and Australia has had nothing but growth in the mining industry for the last two decades.

Yet Tony Abbot insists the coal industry in Queensland will die a quick death with the CT & MRRT.  This is despite the FACT that megabillions worth of mining investment is occurring in QLD, NSW & WA.

Why did you only pick Liberal members/supporters in the media when you talk about negativity?
That wouldn't be a political leaning you have there, would it? 
The only reason Australia came through the GFC as well as it did (albeit massively in debt) is because when Labor took office they were left with AAA credit ratings and budget surplus.
Then Labor went on a spending spree wasting vast amounts of tax payers dollars and disguised it as necessary in order to boost the nation's economy. Then they try to take credit for it.
Wayne Swan would have to be one of this nation's worst ever treasurers.
I'm no political expert but I'm not stupid either and I can think of many, many ways they could have done that whilst actually benefitting the nation rather than crippling it.
But it's ok, Liberal will get back in and will then be blamed for poor government as they tighten belts to bring the country's finances back in order. It happens every time. They can never properly govern in their own right because they're always having to be focussed on paying back Labor's massive debts caused by insensible spending as though we are a bottomless pit.
And then Labor has the nerve to tell working Australians that we have to prepare for tight times ahead to bring in budget surplus!
Mind you, they don't cut foreign aid spending - that still increases.
We can still afford to build hundreds, yes literally hundreds, of schools in Indonesia, yet we can't even get our own education systems in order. And Indonesia doesn't even like us.
I also look past the rhetoric and pure BS that we are fed every day by this Labor government. I have to because it's all we ever hear from them.
As far as the federal election is concerned - bring it on, I say. The sooner the better so we can rid of the government that has done more harm to this country than any government since Whitlam. 
P.S. I wear my politics on my sleeve.   

[Ugly Mongrel]

Dave, like you, I also wear my political colors in my sleeve and I can tell by your passion that you are an intelligent man. And by the way, I wasn't "picking" on anyone, I was pointing out some facts.

The negativity I was commenting on was in relation to the MRRT and the CT and comparing them to other major structural reforms that happened in the past.

Governments are elected to govern and do what they think is the right thing to do. The Coalition had it's go and the people of Australia told them twice at the ballot box that we didn't like what they were doing. It's called democracy.

It is hardly the current government's fault that there was a surplus when the GFC hit. Australia managed to get through that tough time far better than any other Western county.

It's a bit like losing your job, or having a major health problem. What do you do? Do you go to your savings and use them to get through the tough times until you get another job or your health improves, or do you leave all your savings in the bank and stave to death.

Yes, I admit and respect the fact that Australia had "savings" thanks to the Coalition, but what exactly were Rudd and Gillard supposed to do?

[Dazzler]

Why did you only pick Liberal members/supporters in the media when you talk about negativity?
That wouldn't be a political leaning you have there, would it? 
The only reason Australia came through the GFC as well as it did (albeit massively in debt) is because when Labor took office they were left with AAA credit ratings and budget surplus.
Then Labor went on a spending spree wasting vast amounts of tax payers dollars and disguised it as necessary in order to boost the nation's economy. Then they try to take credit for it.
Wayne Swan would have to be one of this nation's worst ever treasurers.
I'm no political expert but I'm not stupid either and I can think of many, many ways they could have done that whilst actually benefitting the nation rather than crippling it.
But it's ok, Liberal will get back in and will then be blamed for poor government as they tighten belts to bring the country's finances back in order. It happens every time. They can never properly govern in their own right because they're always having to be focussed on paying back Labor's massive debts caused by insensible spending as though we are a bottomless pit.
And then Labor has the nerve to tell working Australians that we have to prepare for tight times ahead to bring in budget surplus!
Mind you, they don't cut foreign aid spending - that still increases.
We can still afford to build hundreds, yes literally hundreds, of schools in Indonesia, yet we can't even get our own education systems in order. And Indonesia doesn't even like us.
I also look past the rhetoric and pure BS that we are fed every day by this Labor government. I have to because it's all we ever hear from them.
As far as the federal election is concerned - bring it on, I say. The sooner the better so we can rid of the government that has done more harm to this country than any government since Whitlam. 
P.S. I wear my politics on my sleeve.   

 

I'm an intelligent man too 

[Doggie 1]

Yes, I admit and respect the fact that Australia had "savings" thanks to the Coalition, but what exactly were Rudd and Gillard supposed to do?

Well, for a fraction of the billions they wasted, they could have built a new hospital in each state and territory which would have provided growth in so many areas and lots of ongoing employment opportunities for decades to come.
Even though ordinarily a state matter, they could have funded several schools in every state and territory and provided for our Australian kids plus the ongoing employment opportunities that that would bring, rather than building schools in Indonesia FFS.
They could have invested heavily in infrastructure in all states and territories, or at least in the poorer (non-mining) ones, to boost local economies and provide meaningful employment to communities and include indigenous youth in the projects in order to cut welfare outgoings.
They could have built much-needed quality aged care facilities for Australians who have worked all their lives, rather than giving billions to Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Southern Sudan (!!) rather than telling our old people they have to sell their homes to have any sort of quality life in their senior years.
There are lots of things they could have done other than squander so much money on pink bats and set-top boxes (can you believe it??) for pensioners.
They wasted lots of great opportunities and lost a lot of respect of even a lot of Labor voters and will pay for it at the next election.
And just to show I'm not completely one-eyed, we have a Liberal state government (who I voted for & will do again) but they can be rightfully criticised for increasing utility prices every year since they've been in and may well pay for it at the next state election.
I can see why they have done it - because previous Labor govts went for eight years with no price increases - so they had to do something.
But they have done too much, too quickly (IMO) and will at best, lose votes because of it.

[Phil №❶]

Actually, IMO you can blame little Johnny Howard for Labor getting elected. If he had given Pete Costello a go at the PM job, there wouldn't have been any contest at the last election. Labor are only there because of sweetheart deals with independents, who are playing little Hitler's while they can and the Greens who are making the best of their opportunity too. Sadly, the /Liberal party are devoid of any decent leadership both now and in the immediate future, they have no credible leadership, which will actually mean the next election won't be a walkover either.

While I'm about it, this week's performances in parliament regarding the boat people is an embarrassment to Ozzie's. I sympathise with everyone over the deaths of these people, but tears are something that has not occurred to me. Parliament had a responsibility to deal with this problem as a matter of humanitarianism, and failed miserably. I am not a supporter of accepting queue jumping "refugees", but this is nothing but a disgrace. Winter has arrived in Canberra, so all the pollies nick off to warmer places. IMO, they're obligated to stay until a resolution is reached.

Sorry about the rant, I'll stop now. 

[Doggie 1]

Actually, IMO you can blame little Johnny Howard for Labor getting elected. If he had given Pete Costello a go at the PM job, there wouldn't have been any contest at the last election. Labor are only there because of sweetheart deals with independents, who are playing little Hitler's while they can and the Greens who are making the best of their opportunity too. Sadly, the /Liberal party are devoid of any decent leadership both now and in the immediate future, they have no credible leadership, which will actually mean the next election won't be a walkover either.

While I'm about it, this week's performances in parliament regarding the boat people is an embarrassment to Ozzie's. I sympathise with everyone over the deaths of these people, but tears are something that has not occurred to me. Parliament had a responsibility to deal with this problem as a matter of humanitarianism, and failed miserably. I am not a supporter of accepting queue jumping "refugees", but this is nothing but a disgrace. Winter has arrived in Canberra, so all the pollies nick off to warmer places. IMO, they're obligated to stay until a resolution is reached.

Sorry about the rant, I'll stop now. 

I agree with you.
It was a disgrace and it needs to be sorted now.
But we can sleep easy knowing that Juliar has formed another committee stacked with her supporters so that will sort it no doubt. 
As for it being JH's fault I tend to agree with that too.
He should have done what he said he would do and stand aside for PC - who really was a great treasurer. 

[Surferdude]

I agree with much of what has been said above, except about Peter Costello.
He may have been a 'great" treasurer although (even though I'm a Liberal supporter) there are many qualified observers who would rate Paul Keating well ahead of him and I have seen some fairly lengthy, logical arguments documenting how some of Keating's policies actually fed the Liberal surplus in ensueing years.
Howard fell over with his support of workplace reform. I also suspect that he had second thoughts about handing over to Costello because he could see he would not fill the top roll very successfully.

[Phil №❶]

Have to disagree surferdude, if PC was a good treasurer, then he would make a great PM, IMO. The only thing Keating did for me was to increase my bank loan to 17%, so pleae don't blame me if I'm less than enthusiastic at the mention of his name. 

Regarding interviews, in hindsight, anyone can justify their position. 

[Doggie 1]

Workplace Reform did cost the Libs and the fact that Labor won the safe Liberal seat of Bennelong (previously held by John Howard) in the Kevin 07 campaign by specifically targetting the Chinese community (in their own language) was a clever move on the part of Labor.
That hurt the Libs immensely.
I actually quite like Peter Costello - he has a certain character that is lacking in a lot of politicians.
As for Keating.....well, any PM who can call his own country the arsehole of the earth probably doesn't need to be explained any further.
A very clever man but very smug and not a person I could take to at all.

[Phil №❶]

 

But, I respect our other member's opinions and their entitlement to have them. That's what democracy is all about. Unlike the Taliban & other dictatorships, all of whom, need their a$$es kicked.   

[Ugly Mongrel]

Let's stop our overseas aid, shall we? I know it's hard to give 0.35% of Australia's GDP to those poor bastards who really don't deserve or appreciate our generosity.......
Australian Bureau of Statistic data.

 Australia’s overseas aid program improves the lives of people living in poverty, particularly the two-thirds of the world’s poor who live in Australia’s region. For instance:

In 2010–11, Australia supported the administration of 463,000 measles vaccinations and 480,000 oral polio vaccinations to children under five in PNG. In East Timor, Australia has helped to improve primary education enrolment rates from 64% in 2005 to 86% in 2011. In 2011, Australia supported NGOs and clearance organisations in Laos to release more than 1,000 hectares of agricultural and community land from contamination with unexploded ordnance, benefitting more than 65,000 people. Between July 2011 and February 2012, AusAID provided life-saving assistance to an estimated 18 million crisis-affected persons, responding to 24 humanitarian emergencies. Working with other donors in Burma, Australia has distributed educational materials to 2,440 schools, helping over 918,000 children go to school.

[Phil №❶]

All the more reason UM, why Oz should not be in the firing line for not accepting the current muslim invasion. there are only 21 M of us after all. 

[Ugly Mongrel]

All the more reason UM, why Oz should not be in the firing line for not accepting the current muslim invasion. there are only 21 M of us after all. 

That sentiment is pure BS as we said the same thing about being overrun by those sneaky communists when we had the Vietnamese boat "invasion" all those years ago.

Did it happen? No. Will we be overrun by Muslims? No. (Unless you listen to Alan Jones & Andrew Bolt that is) 

BTW, put your hand up if you know some nice Vietnamese folk.

[Doggie 1]

I do not think we should stop overseas aid and that is not what I said.
I think that we should have a generous overseas aid program to help those countries less fortunate than we are.
BUT, I don't think that it should be at the expense of Australians in Australia.
Overseas aid is one thing but building very expensive infrastructure in foreign countries is another.
Spending millions of dollars building detention centres in Australia to house predominately young, fit, healthy males from Iraq and Afghanistan who have travelled through many safe countries in order to get to our land of milk and honey whilst our troops are fighting in their country for THEIR freedom, is not very clever of us.
No wonder it is increasing.
Some of Australia's neighbours are more than happy to accept our gifts of money, naval patrol boats, fighter aircraft, etc as we have given them, but do they respect us? Not likely.
I believe that we should get our own house in order first and then, where appropriate, administer foreign aid.
Australians are generous people but at the moment we are not only being taken advantage of (which is being allowed to happen because of our federal govt policies) but we must be the absolute laughing stock of the Asia-Pacific region.
Help anyone who genuinely needs it, by all means, but don't allow ourselves to be played the for the fool.
$100 million and the appointment of a full-time female domestic violence federal minister to help out with domestic violence in our neighbouring countries (but not Australia!) and yet we can't even sort out the DV problem here. We don't have that luxury.
Untold funding to assist with poverty in the Asia-Pacific, yet we have such poverty here in Australia that continues to go unaddressed.
We should be the most affluent society in the western world but we are not and there are reasons for that.
And then when there are certain industries who do make good profits and provide employment for Australians (mining companies), well, let's tax them even more heavily and use that revenue to prop up our own inadequacies in other areas.
If it becomes unviable for mining companies to operate in Australia they will move to Africa and Canada, etc.

[FatBoy]

I know some lovely Vietnamese people (I used to work with a genuine boat person), as well as some fantastic Muslim people, not to mention Christians, Jews, Buddhists, agnostics and atheists. I've also met some right a-holes from all persuasions.

I prefer to judge a person by their deeds (not their religion).

I also knew a Serb-Croat, he woke up each morning wanting to kill himself!!

[Doggie 1]

I know nice people from all of those walks of life.
But not let's give away our values and our history if those people choose to live here.
Here we are, we are Australians, this is our history, these are our general beliefs. You are welcome if you choose to fit in and live our lifestyle. No problem.
If you choose not to, no problem either, thanks for taking the time to check us out and I hope you're very happy where you choose to go next.
Sorry, but I believe in standing up for what my grandfather fought for. And he didn't fight for a culture that is so different to ours. He fought for our culture.
Tolerance? Absolutely. But it has to be based on mutual respect which is something that is sadly lacking in lots of areas IMO.
All welcome - just don't even think about trying to change who we are.
Boy, did this start something...

[FatBoy]

[Ugly Mongrel]

A quick history quizz.....
Question 1. Who invaded Iraq?
Question 2. Who lobbed into Afghanistan uninvited?

Answers....
Question 1.  Australia.
Question 2. Australia.

Reap what you sow.

[Doggie 1]

And who's lobbing into Australia uninvited?
The difference is we welcome with open arms, give them money, give them housing, give them social security, give each child that arrives $3000 to buy their entertainment, etc, etc. (govt figures, not mine).
There is a huge imbalance here. We should be looking after our own first.
We continue to make the same mistakes that have been made by other western nations.
I believe in a multicultural Australian society within reason and on our terms, providing the newcomers adapt to our western society as many before them have done, given that it is our country and they are coming here.
Apply, be approved, be welcomed. European immigrants, Asian immigrants, etc have all added value to Australia in many ways, no argument.
True refugees - no problem.
Refugees who pay large sums of money to the people smugglers after having travllled through several safe-haven countries and who then ditch their identification papers to try to con their way into Australia - different story. 

[Phil №❶]

I know this is a terrible analogy, but people are incriminated for possessing & viewing illegal pornography. Judges base their sentencing on the basis that by possessing or viewing, you create a market, which encourages further abuse of victims, therefore you're guilty by association. Now, what irks me is that the boatloads of people arriving here are victims of organised crime & I feel for them, but no government is interested in shutting down the well paid smugglers who put the lives of these unfortunates in jeopardy.