Politics Super Thread - keep it all in here

[Newtown]

Tony Abbott is promising a sweet new ride-on mower without revealing how he plans to pay for it. All he'll say is his mower will be better than Labor's but he won't be bullied into telling us why it is better.

It better be a good mower because he will have a lot of very long grass to cut.

 

[Yossarian]

Tony Abbott is promising a sweet new ride-on mower without revealing how he plans to pay for it. All he'll say is his mower will be better than Labor's but he won't be bullied into telling us why it is better.

It better be a good mower because he will have a lot of very long grass to cut.

Tony knows all about cutting people's grass. As for it being long refer to Winnipeg's post above.

 

[happy_tiger]

Watching Gillard v Abbott is like watching one of the undercards at Geales and Mundine's fight
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The battle I want to see is Rudd v Turnbull , thats the true heavyweight battle

At least you would have at least 1 person you could vote for with some conviction

Maybe now Mundine's career in boxing is over he could become a MP

Can you imagine if he lost "It was rigged ,I want a recount , you white fellas screwed me over " :laughing:

 

[Gary_Bakerloo]

Tony Abbott is promising a sweet new ride-on mower without revealing how he plans to pay for it. All he'll say is his mower will be better than Labor's but he won't be bullied into telling us why it is better.

It will be a slow burn, but it will have to come out or it will be political suicide.

For this entire term Abbott tried to break up the ALP/Greens/Independents by opposing everything and suggesting nothing. Unfortunately, his plan did not work and this government has been able to function. Now he needs policies.

Whilst many are claiming the early announcement is linked to Rudd, I actually think Gillard believes she has the better policies and is focusing on this element as her strength. The weakness of Gillard (and from memory someone mentioned it many pages back) is that she is hopeless as selling policies, the mining tax being a classic example. The "extended" election campaign should take away the need to "sell" - this extended period provides sufficient time for policies from both sides to be explored thoroughly.

Not saying Abbott needs to come out today with his policies, but the longer Abbott holds off releasing, trust in the electorate will erode and as he claims, "this election is about trust."

 

[Yossarian]

That's a pretty good assessment Gary

 

[AndTheKungFoSing]

A couple of things. I manage a shopping complex and **retail is getting smashed from pillar to post.** We have a **record number of retailers asking for rent relief to avoid closing down.** Not one of my retailers blame the government, in fact the general consensus is that Australia has avoided the worst of the GFC compared to other developed nations. I was speaking to a colleague in Europe who said it is bleak there and that Australia is seen as untouched by Europeans through this time.

Secondly, relating to the mining tax (resource tax) where the govt is looking to tax on resources, I have often wondered why there is not a bank tax ? Every quarter banks produce record profits, yet lay off staff and charge for ATMs etc … Tax the bastages. Give them the same tax rate at the mining giants pay and ensure the regulators do not allow them to pass this cost on to their customers.

Here is the real world.
Online shopping from overseas has a miniscule effect on our economy.
Australia may be seen as 'untouched ' by Europe but ask your retailers and the staff they have laid off if they have a similar view

HAHA I notice you failed to bold the line preceding the one that backs your argument. I'll extract it for you.

Not one of my retailers blame the government, in fact the general consensus is that Australia has avoided the worst of the GFC compared to other developed nations.

It shouldn't be the governments place to support incompetent or poorly administered industry or business.

On a side note… 75% of online purchases were made to offshore sites and 45% of this was _lost_ overseas. Most Australian retailers have been sluggish in adopting online and those who haven't have thrived.

 

[cktiger]

A couple of things. I manage a shopping complex and **retail is getting smashed from pillar to post.** We have a **record number of retailers asking for rent relief to avoid closing down.** Not one of my retailers blame the government, in fact the general consensus is that Australia has avoided the worst of the GFC compared to other developed nations. I was speaking to a colleague in Europe who said it is bleak there and that Australia is seen as untouched by Europeans through this time.

Secondly, relating to the mining tax (resource tax) where the govt is looking to tax on resources, I have often wondered why there is not a bank tax ? Every quarter banks produce record profits, yet lay off staff and charge for ATMs etc … Tax the bastages. Give them the same tax rate at the mining giants pay and ensure the regulators do not allow them to pass this cost on to their customers.

Here is the real world.
Online shopping from overseas has a miniscule effect on our economy.
Australia may be seen as 'untouched ' by Europe but ask your retailers and the staff they have laid off if they have a similar view

HAHA I notice you failed to bold the line preceding the one that backs your argument. I'll extract it for you.

Not one of my retailers blame the government, in fact the general consensus is that Australia has avoided the worst of the GFC compared to other developed nations.

It shouldn't be the governments place to support incompetent or poorly administered industry or business.

On a side note… 75% of online purchases were made to offshore sites and 45% of this was _lost_ overseas. Most Australian retailers have been sluggish in adopting online and those who haven't have thrived.

Talk about being in denial and contradicting yourself…
If , as you say , your retailers aren't blaming the government for them needing to ask for rent relief to avoid closure then who are they blaming?
Do they blame themselves for being incompetent , poorly run businesses who don't deserve the governments support while they are 'being smashed from pillar to post' ?
Do they blame online shopping?
I am aware of plenty of businesses with modern ecommerce sites that aren't thriving.
Every retailer I know can hardly wait for a change of government.

 

[Yossarian]

Seriously, if any retailer thinks a Coalition win will change global financial systems they should get out of business now… The article produced clearly says the retailers quoted aren't blaming the government. That they are asking for rent relief is no don't reflective of sluggish trading conditions caused by a number of factors including the strength of $AUD and the ongoing weak performance of the global economy.

 

[gazroc]

People seem to forget that the policies of the labour government are why the GFC was not as bad has it could have been. Sure we had a surplus of 20 billion or so left by the libs but that my friends came from cuts to spending on health, welfare support, investment infrastructure not through good economic management. If labour had not delivered the spending programs during the GFC then some of us may not be able to afford the broadband for these forums. My only gripe is that we as a nation of taxpayers did not get enough of the super profits being made by the mining companies, the labour government should have stood fast on the mining tax but unfortunately they did not and that my friends will be their downfall in nine months time. As for the retail sector, well you can't compete when you have a duopoly with Woolworths & Coles controlling every corner of retail industry, the gaming industry, the petroleum industry and trasport industry there is not much a government can do. If you don't believe me, the next time you visit your local pub or club won't you ask them who owns it, you may get a surprise to find that it's one the two biggest cancers this country has ever seen Woolworths and Coles.

 

[Newtown]

Let the people decide.

 

[hammertime]

Not a 'strategy' … unfortunately for Labor it is a simple truth.

On what objective basis do you base that on?

Industrial Relation laws are one.

 

[hammertime]

Tony Abbott is promising a sweet new ride-on mower without revealing how he plans to pay for it. All he'll say is his mower will be better than Labor's but he won't be bullied into telling us why it is better.

It will be a slow burn, but it will have to come out or it will be political suicide.

For this entire term Abbott tried to break up the ALP/Greens/Independents by opposing everything and suggesting nothing. Unfortunately, his plan did not work and this government has been able to function. Now he needs policies.

Whilst many are claiming the early announcement is linked to Rudd, I actually think Gillard believes she has the better policies and is focusing on this element as her strength. The weakness of Gillard (and from memory someone mentioned it many pages back) is that she is hopeless as selling policies, the mining tax being a classic example. The "extended" election campaign should take away the need to "sell" - this extended period provides sufficient time for policies from both sides to be explored thoroughly.

Not saying Abbott needs to come out today with his policies, but the longer Abbott holds off releasing, trust in the electorate will erode and as he claims, "this election is about trust."

You need to be able to cost your policies before you can pick and chose. $'s saved or spent is pretty much the main decision factor (Well, for liberals anyway). Remember what happened last time the Liberals went outside DOFA to a 3rd party to cost a proposal?

I don't think much will be announced until a month beforehand when govt is in caretaker mode.

 

[hammertime]

People seem to forget that the policies of the labour government are why the GFC was not as bad has it could have been. Sure we had a surplus of 20 billion or so left by the libs but that my friends came from cuts to spending on health, welfare support, investment infrastructure not through good economic management. If labour had not delivered the spending programs during the GFC then some of us may not be able to afford the broadband for these forums. My only gripe is that we as a nation of taxpayers did not get enough of the super profits being made by the mining companies, the labour government should have stood fast on the mining tax but unfortunately they did not and that my friends will be their downfall in nine months time. As for the retail sector, well you can't compete when you have a duopoly with Woolworths & Coles controlling every corner of retail industry, the gaming industry, the petroleum industry and trasport industry there is not much a government can do. If you don't believe me, the next time you visit your local pub or club won't you ask them who owns it, you may get a surprise to find that it's one the two biggest cancers this country has ever seen Woolworths and Coles.

Any govt can spend money gazroc. It's easy.

Spending it effectively and managing the programs to deliver the best social/cost outcome and avoid waste is the true challenge and the sign of a good govt.

All Labor did was spend the money correctly with short, medium and long term cash - wow, pats on the back on all round!

 

[Yossarian]

Not a 'strategy' … unfortunately for Labor it is a simple truth.

On what objective basis do you base that on?

Industrial Relation laws are one.

That's you opinion of the laws. The IR laws themselves are not an objective measurement.

 

[Winnipeg]

Industrial Relation laws are one.

If Tony Abbott wants to change industrial relations he should put some details on the table now.

If he doesn't and then tries it on after the election I would hope the 'SHE LIED' chorus would come out in full voice again

 

[stryker]

Industrial Relation laws are one.

If Tony Abbott wants to change industrial relations he should put some details on the table now.

If he doesn't and then tries it on after the election I would hope the 'SHE LIED' chorus would come out in full voice again

Yes I will mate. If you are elected on a certain platform and then change it 180 degrees once in power then you deserve all ridicule that comes your way.

 

[happy_tiger]

Industrial Relation laws are one.

If Tony Abbott wants to change industrial relations he should put some details on the table now.

If he doesn't and then tries it on after the election I would hope the 'SHE LIED' chorus would come out in full voice again

Yes I will mate. If you are elected on a certain platform and then change it 180 degrees once in power then you deserve all ridicule that comes your way.

Depends how you go about it Stryker , if he says he got it wrong and wants to change it I don't have a problem with that and would be the same if it was a ALP leader also

 

[Tiger_Watto]

yep… Bring back work choices and abolish minimum wage & employer funded super.

I'm trying to fund my own retirement, not everyone else's!

 

[hammertime]

Not a 'strategy' … unfortunately for Labor it is a simple truth.

On what objective basis do you base that on?

Industrial Relation laws are one.

That's you opinion of the laws. The IR laws themselves are not an objective measurement.

Gold!! I really think you should be in politics Yoss.

There is no doubt that Liberal IR Laws are always focused towards helping small business. Labors towards the employees/unions.

 

[Newtown]

Without small business there would be fewer employees and therefore more people out of work.