Federal Coalition Government 2013-?

[Ruggo]

Lets have a look here at a few things about timing and whose responsible

Live cattle ban -- ALP
Boats coming in large numbers ---- ALP
Boat in Indonesia harbour with protesters on board --- ALP
Spying Jakarta 2009 ? --- ALP
Spying Timor 2010 ? --- ALP
Carbon tax lie--ALP
Mining tax mess---ALP

Now Abbott et al get the blame for a number of the above.

Next Pink batts, the GFC, the loss of Green votes, climate change will be a Liberal created problem-- get real.

If Shorten took $1.2b out of the budget then why arn't the questions directed at him about these cuts?

Pyne is a poor salesman.

1/ Climate change will (noticed the context you have put it in) be a liberal created problem. The flat earth attitude and complete disregard for reputable science will be a curse on this government in generations to come.

2/ Why would you keep the funding for QLD, WA and the NT when they flatly refused to sign up to the program? It makes complete sense to pull the funding that was meant for them if they had signed up, but the fact is they didn't.

3/ I nor dare I say most Australians don't want a fucking salesman. I think you will find they want an education minister to honor his commitment before the election. What they have got is a smug lying, arrogant little turd.

 

[I like to watch]

You have obviously forgotten the golden years of the Howard Government,when they did a complete about face immediately after winning office,and reneged on several promises they took to the election.
The minister they shoved out on the ledge to explain about "core and non core" promises?
Yep,it was the mad monk.
He learnt his lessons well,he knows the electorate will forget about these issues years before the next election.

 

[Scotty]

I just love how when it comes to economic policy, deregulation and free markets are supposed to solve all our problems (according to our politicians, particularly the conservative party).

Yet when it comes to population movements, a free market is about as far as you can get from "efficient" according to them.

I see no reason why the same logic doesn't apply to both systems. If you have freedom of movement those in oppressed states will eventually move away from them until the point where the oppressive regime becomes unsustainable. People moving away from these states will generally move to places they know they can find basic needs.

That's obviously a simple model but the case is there to be made for more flexible immigration movements looking forward. It's the "free market" approach after all.

If there was a world government that might work.

It isn't quite like that though.

Not sure the Germans or French would agree with you after their experiences with the EU.

 

[Scotty]

Frankly I think the way Abbott is handling it is a cluster fuck. He addressed parliament instead of picking up the phone and calling SBY. Why would he think that was the way to go. Indonesia is set to have the third biggest economy in the world in a few years and we are running around pissing them off.

You really think their politicians are pissed off. They are posturing for show.

They are happy to take over $500m in foreign aid from Australian taxpayers each year.

 

[Runner]

Yeah, because the ALP went to war with the countries the people occupying those boats are coming from. And if they didn't go to war, they directly caused the conditions where people will flee for their safety..

Get real. You are clutching at straws here.

Sorry but when did we send troops to Sri Lanka, Iran and Pakistan?

 

[Runner]

Come off it Runner.

It was evident, based on their performance in opposition, that they would make a hash of being in government.

Who's the current P.M.?

Who's the current government (I'll give you a hint: it's not the A.L.P.)?

They may well make a hash of it but the previous list will be very hard to beat. Even Whitlam was better.

 

[Scotty]

1/ Climate change will (noticed the context you have put it in) be a liberal created problem. The flat earth attitude and complete disregard for reputable science will be a curse on this government in generations to come.

2/ Why would you keep the funding for QLD, WA and the NT when they flatly refused to sign up to the program? It makes complete sense to pull the funding that was meant for them if they had signed up, but the fact is they didn't.

3/ I nor dare I say most Australians don't want a fucking salesman. I think you will find they want an education minister to honor his commitment before the election. What they have got is a smug lying, arrogant little turd.

Pretty sure that constitutes a personal attack.

This is meant to be a reasonable discussion - no place for that insulting language.

 

[Runner]

If there was a world government that might work.

It isn't quite like that though.

Not sure the Germans or French would agree with you after their experiences with the EU.

Alternative is the East Germany model of a wall.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

He learnt his lessons well,he knows the electorate will forget about these issues years before the next election.

I think you are right.
He's cramming it all in now and it will soon be forgotten - particularly if we win the Ashes.

What they have got is a smug lying, arrogant little turd.

This describes the alternative too - assuming you can extend "lying" to include stabbing 2 leaders in the back.

 

[Ruggo]

You have obviously forgotten the golden years of the Howard Government,when they did a complete about face immediately after winning office,and reneged on several promises they took to the election.
The minister they shoved out on the ledge to explain about "core and non core" promises?
Yep,it was the mad monk.
He learnt his lessons well,he knows the electorate will forget about these issues years before the next election.

I have no doubt the Mad Monk like his mentor will be more concerned about conning the voting public rather than progressing the nation.

Funny you mentioned Howard though. The treasurer before Keating and the man that put the Australian economy in the to hard basket under his watch.

 

[Ruggo]

Pretty sure that constitutes a personal attack.

This is meant to be a reasonable discussion - no place for that insulting language.

Yes, the last sentence was an attack at a person I have absolutely zero respect for, though don't let that stand in the way of the rest of my post.

None the less, I stand by my assessment of him, based on his conduct.

Feel free to judge me on my conduct if it makes you happy.

 

[Braveheart81]

Yes, the last sentence was an attack at a person I have absolutely zero respect for, though don't let that stand in the way of the rest of my post.

I thought it was harsh but fair.

I think this is a good description of his recent career.

Christopher Pyne was appointed Shadow Education minister in September 2008. In the five years he held that position he produced no education policy, asked 3 questions in parliament (none related to education) and was expelled from parliament a record 26 times for unruly conduct. This amounts to his entire achievements as Shadow Education minister.
During the same time the government of the day undertook the Gonski review. The most comprehensive review of the Australian education system in 40 years. The purpose of the review was to address declining overall student performance, the growing performance gap between schools, the complexity of current school funding arrangements and dealing with the imbalance of education funding between states and territories.
The recommendation of the review was for an agreement between Federal and State governments to increase funding for schools to ensure smaller class sizes, more specialised teachers, more support for children with disabilities and learning problems and additional training and classroom support for teachers.
In his first act as Education minister Pyne has effectively announced today that the Gonski reforms will be scrapped. Apparently a man who has spent the last five years clowning around in parliament until he's thrown out for being a distraction is better placed than a year long review with over 7000 submissions and input from 71 national education groups to decide what's best for the future of education in Australia.

 

[BPC]

If Shorten took $1.2b out of the budget then why arn't the questions directed at him about these cuts?

As I understand it, Shorten had $Xbillion to pump into Gonski. Certain states, mainly WA, didn't sign up so Shorten (notionally) put the $1.2billion to be allocated to those states back into consolidated revenue. The amounts to be paid to the states who signed up remained on the books.

Pyne is now proposing to scrap Gonski and take, not the original $Xbillion, but the amount reduced by $1.2 billion and spread that across all the states, including those like WA who did not sign up.

Pyne is justifying this on the basis that when the Liberals said before the election that they were committed to the same spending program as the ALP, they meant retaining the funding envelope of $Xbillion less the $1.2billion, but now spreader it thinner than the ALP had agreed to do.

Understandably, those states who signed up, like NSW, who will now get a smaller slice of the pie than they had allowed for and based their state budgets on are unimpressed.

 

[Braveheart81]

It's quite amazing that the Coalition is so hell bent on reducing education funding.

It's a long term payoff but is easily the best way to produce a stronger economy and a wealthier population in the future.

Investment in education is just such a no brainer. It's pretty much the only investment in the future that is guaranteed to pay dividends.

 

[boyo]

There will be more stuff-ups.
The circus is in town.
Step right up folks.
Bring some popcorn.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Can't wait to see which way the regulars in this thread jump on Hockey's rejection of the takeover of Graincorp.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/trea...-takeover-bid-by-adm-20131129-2yf5f.html#poll

I think its the right decision.

 

[Round 15]

Messing with education funding is a mistake. 1. The schools need to be able to plan for the future, especially when dealing with children who are in support classses or have behaviour problems. Literacy and numeracy programs need to be funded over an extended period of time. 2. One year funding is not enough. Heads of schools can now only do limited planning. They can't plan for 2015 because they don't know if the money will be there. I have two kids in school and I won't forget this broken promise come the next elelction.

 

[matty_k]

Why am I not surprised.

The federal government has signalled that any cuts to funding for the states that signed on to Gonski would only be borne by public schools, according to NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli.

http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politic...-cuts-says-adrian-piccoli-20131129-2yg3k.html

 

[Braveheart81]

Can't wait to see which way the regulars in this thread jump on Hockey's rejection of the takeover of Graincorp.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/trea...-takeover-bid-by-adm-20131129-2yf5f.html#poll

I think its the right decision.

I am confused as to what good reasons there were to reject it. Most of it seems to be pandering to jingoistic sentiments regarding food security and anti foreign ownership.

Australia is a huge net exporter of food, particularly wheat. There is no issue of Australia not being able to feed itself. Under foreign ownership there would be no change to the way Australian consumers/companies access grain.

Graincorp is a public company already that foreigners can perfectly easily buy shares in. The company which was trying to buy Graincorp (ADM) is a publicly listed company in the US that Australians can perfectly easily buy shares in.

Australia has a huge amount of economic potential from our natural resources of which we need foreign investment to help effectively exploit. It's not like we can shift the farming land overseas. The land will still be here growing grain in Australia, employing Australians to grow it and raising tax revenue from the profits.

 

[boyo]

"Open for business". More BS.

Another three word slogan.