Politics

[Scotty]

This one is really scary. The government essentially giving money to the tv networks in an election year? Wow, where are we, Italy?

'Hey big media outlets, I'll give you some more money if you make sure I get a lot of positive coverage this year.'

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/ruddsbr250mbrlifts-tvbrprofits/story-e6frg996-1225828506347

THE $250 million handout from the Rudd government to Australia's television oligarchy will flow almost directly to the profits of the networks' owners because there are no conditions that it be used for local content.

The decision to slash the licence fees paid by the commercial networks to the government, which was made just weeks after a series of meetings between television bosses and the government, including one with Kevin Rudd just before Christmas, yesterday drew fire from critics who questioned the policy of handouts to powerful TV networks in an election year.

The Australian has learned that equity investors, banks and private equity firms with exposure to networks Seven, Nine and Ten are being told the decision to slash the licence fees will "go straight to the bottom line". These networks have since watched their fortunes rise in the market over the past few days.

The rebates have frustrated other media players who believe that commercial networks already receive assistance in the form of the anti-siphoning sports list - which gives free-to-air networks the first right to bid for sports such as Australian football and cricket - and an undertaking to block a rival fourth commercial television network.

"This appears as just another handout on top of the protections the free-to-air networks already enjoy," Foxtel chief executive Kim Williams said.

"In an act of breathtaking indifference to the announcement, major metropolitan networks are now briefing analysts in the investment community that the full tax handout will drop directly to their bottom line with no deductions, despite the government saying the tax break is needed to protect local Australian production."

Michael Fraser, director of communications law at the University of Technology, Sydney, questioned what was behind the policy announcement. "The Prime Minister has been saying they do evidence-based policy but it doesn't appear the (television) stations are required to do anything," he said.

A spokeswoman for Senator Conroy would not answer direct questions about why there were no conditions attached to the rebates regarding local content production. "This is an important interim measure to protect Australian content while the media landscape is changing, and as we make the switch to digital television," she said.

This decision needs to be scrutinized further.

 

[barbarian]

Surely Conroy has to go. You combine this with the recommendation of a QLD Labor staffer for a $500,000 position running the broadband network and the debarcle over internet censorship and he comes out looking like a complete monkey.

 

[Scotty]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/garrett-bows-to-50m-check-on-homes-installed-with-foil-insulation/story-e6frgczf-1225828781483

Mr Garrett cracks down on possible negative publicity by spending another 50 million.

"In order to ensure this is rolled out as quickly as possible the program for inspections will roll out in two ways. In the first instance a householder will be able to engage a licensed electrician to conduct a safety inspection, and where necessary, rectification work related to the installation of foil insulation under the Home Insulation Program.

"This will ensure that householders will not be out of pocket for any inspection or rectification works. The licensed electrician will be able to seek reimbursement of the costs from the Commonwealth."

So we, the taxpayer now have to pay for the rectification costs of dodgy installers, that only came about because of this governments inability to think policy through properly and not put any controls over their insulation funding. They truly are becoming incompetent.

 

[Scotty]

Lets just recap on the insulation thing:

1. Hastily introduce a insulation rebate for stimulating the economy
2. Don’t both having any training standards or control over quality, and hence no control over who the money goes to
3. Surprise, surprise dodgy people come out of the woodwork with fees that are exactly the amount of the rebate (shock horror)
4. Guidelines come out over 9months after the scheme begins (banning metal fasteners)
5. People start dying
6. Media starts to grab hold of the story
7. Guidelines now changed to ban foil insulation
8. Story escalates after most recent death (about a week ago)
9. Kevvy gets on the blower to Pete and says ‘do something quick, we are losing votes’.
10. Pete gets out the band aid in the form of $50million to go to electricians and replacement insulation

 

[Scarfman]

Are you spinning attention away from the Oppostion Spokesperson on Finance?

 

[Scotty]

I had that comment from a friend today, my response:

Joyce says what he thinks, it is just that sometimes he doesn't think all that well.

He hasn't killed anyone though....yet.

 

[Scotty]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...y-young-audience/story-e6frg6zo-1225828494797

This is a funny article on Rudd's performance (or lack thereof) on the Q&A show monday (audience asking questions ranged from 16-25). Apparently he failed miserably (I wish I saw it). I have seen Turnbull on that show a few times, and he always came across as a very intelligent person.

Actually the one I was most impressed with on that program (and this was just last year) was the old Liberal leader Dr John Hewson.

 

[Cutter]

Scotty unless you start reading the papers with both eyes, we might have to rename this thread "Scotty's Labour Hate Thread".

 

[Scotty]

I'd like to refer to it as 'Scotty's anti government thread'. I don't hate all of Labor, and would be much happier if Gillard was in charge.

If I'd read the papers a year ago, all I would have read was how good Rudd was and how crap the Liberals were. He had a long honeymoon period with the media, but now it is all over.

 

[Scotty]

PS It is our current government that is in charge of running the country and therefore the current government that needs to be held accountable for their lack of performance.

It is difficult for me to be critical of any of the opposition parties when they are not the ones affecting our lives, and there is no point in being critical of previous governments either.

If you honestly think that the likes of Garrett, Conroy and Rudd himself are doing a good job after reading what I have posted here and the information in the papers (now the media has decided to actually interrogate them a bit), then I'm astounded.

 

[Scotty]

Ok, so I'll be positive for a bit.

I think Rudd is very good at foreign diplomacy, and that is where he should concentrate his efforts. I'm happy with his engagement with China and his re-alignment of Australian politics, slightly away from the US, and closer to Europe and China, while keeping ties to the US very strong. I understand the situation with Japan, and not wanting to be too critical of the whaling, as we are currently in FTA negotiations. I'd like to see him continue the FTA stuff with the Americans that the Howard government began.

I think this should be his role, and Australia would be better for it. Let Gillard run the country, let Rudd engage the remainder of the world.

 

[Scarfman]

There are plenty of incompetents in the coalition. Conroy is a dunce, no worries. But if you are in education, then you should know plenty about Nelson and Bishop. Utter, utter, incompetents. The National Party is a joke that no-one is laughing at.

Like Cutter said, you really don't present as "Fair and Balanced."

 

[Scotty]

Probably not. But let me quote myself.

PS It is our current government that is in charge of running the country and therefore the current government that needs to be held accountable for their lack of performance.

It is difficult for me to be critical of any of the opposition parties when they are not the ones affecting our lives, and there is no point in being critical of previous governments either.

 

[Scarfman]

Scotty unless you start reading the papers with both eyes, we might have to rename this thread "Scotty's Labour Hate Thread".

That's the thing about Brisbane. You can read Murdoch's Courier Mail, or Murdoch's Australian. Not having a Fairfax paper to balance it is really noticeable in QLDers' politics, I think.

 

[Scotty]

Yeah, because Queensland is such a Liberal stronghold.

 

[Scarfman]

Well, in the last Fed election, we had:

NSW
Labor 28 (57%)
Coalition 20 (41%)
Other 1 (2%)

QLD
Labor 15 (52%)
Coalition 13 (45%)
Other 1 (3%)

A statistically significant result. And that's with a QLDer running for PM for Labor.

On top of that, you could argue that both Labor and Coalition politicians and voters are further to the right in QLD than NSW. Harder to argue, except by anecdote.

 

[cyclopath]

Scotty unless you start reading the papers with both eyes, we might have to rename this thread "Scotty's Labour Hate Thread".

That's the thing about Brisbane. You can read Murdoch's Courier Mail, or Murdoch's Australian. Not having a Fairfax paper to balance it is really noticeable in QLDers' politics, I think.

Miranda Devine writes for Fairfax, as does Paul Sheehan and they don't sing the Labor praises too much.
Scotty makes a good point - the incumbents should naturally draw most criticism; they are supposed to be running things, and as said earlier they have had a pretty free run for over 2 years. And they are not perfect.
Sure the Coalition have some dunces, but they don't even run the biscuit tin in Parliament House. Neither side would give Mensa membership too much of a nudge, I would think.

 

[Scotty]

Well, in the last Fed election, we had:

NSW
Labor 28 (57%)
Coalition 20 (41%)
Other 1 (2%)

QLD
Labor 15 (52%)
Coalition 13 (45%)
Other 1 (3%)

A statistically significant result. And that's with a QLDer running for PM for Labor.

On top of that, you could argue that both Labor and Coalition politicians and voters are further to the right in QLD than NSW. Harder to argue, except by anecdote.

You can't really compare Qld to NSW. You guys keep voting in a corrupt Labor state government afterall.

 

[Scarfman]

I'm going to guess that WA and QLD are the most politically conservative states, as evidenced by voting patterns.

 

[Lindommer]

You can't really compare Qld to NSW. You guys keep voting in a corrupt Labor state government after all.

And Queenslanders haven't the last four (?) state elections? I dread getting into a pissing competition to see who's state Labor adminstration's more corrupt than yours.