Politics Super Thread - keep it all in here

[stryker]

I'm sorry MT, I'm still not on board even though you present a reasonable case….

The government has the money, start using it!

**These selfish idiots are saving the money for a third tilt..**..

Same as EVERY Govt before them mate!

As I previously stated - that is an inherent flaw of 4-year term democracy!

Yeah thats true but the fair minded public isnt going to blame them if the surplus takes longer to establish especially if these disasters keep piling up. Its out of their control.

Just get in and get the job done. If they handle things like this properly than re-election will look after itself.

 

[system]

If only the voting electorate were like that stryker.

Within months it will be about why isn't the government helping me and making my life easier from the unwashed mob

 

[redemption]

I'm sorry MT, I'm still not on board even though you present a reasonable case….

The government has the money, start using it!

**These selfish idiots are saving the money for a third tilt..**..

Same as EVERY Govt before them mate!

As I previously stated - that is an inherent flaw of 4-year term democracy!

Yeah thats true but the fair minded public isnt going to blame them if the surplus takes longer to establish especially if these disasters keep piling up. Its out of their control.

Just get in and get the job done. If they handle things like this properly than re-election will look after itself.

The cost of Defence deployments to these disaster zones is much more than you or the public would realise stryker!

AVGAS alone would be a budget-buster!

 

[stryker]

Me or the public? and obviously you are in the circle?

I am aware that it'll cost more than the 5.8 billion being branded about and therefore budget cuts are the only way to do it. Redirect the funds….

 

[redemption]

Me or the public? and obviously you are in the circle?

I am aware that it'll cost more than the 5.8 billion being branded about and therefore budget cuts are the only way to do it. Redirect the funds….

Not currently - but I spent 15 years in Defence budgetting, finance & procurement mate (until 2010)!

Do you propose to cut the Defence budget when we have major **pre-existing** international deployments in East Timor, Iraq, Afghanistan etc (+ our own border-protection obligations)???

Simple answers only satisfy simple people (2GB listeners etc)!!!

Goodnight!

 

[stryker]

Red I have never mentioned word one about cutting the Defense budget…I'm not sure why you went on that tangent.

I want the funds re-allocated from the BER and NBN budgets.

 

[hammertime]

Red I have never mentioned word one about cutting the Defense budget…I'm not sure why you went on that tangent.

I want the funds re-allocated from the BER and NBN budgets.

x2\. I especially can't understand the continued BER spending. The only thing it's doing is putting more pressure on inflation and limiting the amount of tradies to help with QLD. Don't even get me started on the cost & commercial limitations of FTTP.

To be honest, I would be for cutting both programs AND introducing a levy.

The quicker we pay down our debt. The more solid footing we will be on when the next shock hits. Do we really want to keep spending and severely weaken our ability to respond to further shocks? We really live in fragile times at the moment. The EU could collapse, the US and the UK will go under when the baby boomers hit (pension liabilities), North Korea could start firing Nukes, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. Egypt could go nuts and the Suez could become nonoperational, sending oil prices sky high.

I'm usually a positive guy, but geez, we have to be careful with our money at the moment. There are no reasons to spend on the unnecessary until we get into a better position.

 

[alien]

The EU could collapse, the US and the UK will go under when the baby boomers hit (pension liabilities), North Korea could start firing Nukes, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. Egypt could go nuts and the Suez could become nonoperational, sending oil prices sky high.

\

I'm usually a positive guy

:laughing: are you sure?

 

[hammertime]

The EU could collapse, the US and the UK will go under when the baby boomers hit (pension liabilities), North Korea could start firing Nukes, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. Egypt could go nuts and the Suez could become nonoperational, sending oil prices sky high.

\

I'm usually a positive guy

:laughing: are you sure?

haha, well I like to think I am mate. But don't you think with how precarious the world is right now that we are better to not spend on things that are not needed? Just one example - China are now trying to slow their economy down. Labors over optimistic revenue forecasts will be show up next budget. There is SO much that should be concerning us. Now that we have recovered, it should be time for prudent economic management, not a 'debt is good' mantra.

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

Ah, you are right MT. I see that the trial sites have started construction on the mainland. From what I understood, they were reliant on the telstra deal going through?! Because thats what abbott was tryimg to block. The legislation passed the senate only recently but I heard it hadn't been agreed at a telstra board level yet.

So, if they already locked in $1.6 billion of outgoings, that seems pretty idiotic to me???

Red - which costs mate? Most figures would have been budget estimates. I think labor have actually made the NBN exempt from FOI laws so we may not see to many actual figures until they've wasted the lot.

Telstra deal has limited bearing on the construction of the NBN it has more effect on the timeline than anything else and the package is more one of compensation mixed with construction. NBN is its own company & will build the network with or without the help of other access providers

 

[hammertime]

Ah, you are right MT. I see that the trial sites have started construction on the mainland. From what I understood, they were reliant on the telstra deal going through?! Because thats what abbott was tryimg to block. The legislation passed the senate only recently but I heard it hadn't been agreed at a telstra board level yet.

So, if they already locked in $1.6 billion of outgoings, that seems pretty idiotic to me???

Red - which costs mate? Most figures would have been budget estimates. I think labor have actually made the NBN exempt from FOI laws so we may not see to many actual figures until they've wasted the lot.

Telstra deal has limited bearing on the construction of the NBN it has more effect on the timeline than anything else and the package is more one of compensation mixed with construction. NBN is its own company & will build the network with or without the help of other access providers

$9billion of it is to access their existing infrastructure, including their pitts and ducts. Pretty sure that's relevant to whole design and construction of the project?

 

[alien]

The EU could collapse, the US and the UK will go under when the baby boomers hit (pension liabilities), North Korea could start firing Nukes, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. Egypt could go nuts and the Suez could become nonoperational, sending oil prices sky high.

\

I'm usually a positive guy

:laughing: are you sure?

haha, well I like to think I am mate. But don't you think with how precarious the world is right now that we are better to not spend on things that are not needed?

Yes and the government always wastes money no matter which party is in power. I don't like either of them! :laughing:

 

[alien]

And I just wanted to add that the only reason we are having the levy is because the government have wasted so much money in the first place. Things like giving Indonesia millions of $$$ to build islamic schools. Stupid.

 

[system]

The money given to Indonesia was for infrastructure Alien. Some of it has been spent building Islamic schools but much more has been spent elsewhere.

I would be willing to bet that we have given more in government grants to Kings, Knox Grammar and Trinity Grammar in the last calender year than we have spent in Indonesia.

I agree that all governments waste funds in some way or another, but wat I see is waste is different to what others see as waste so you can't please everyone. I don't really appreciate the throwing in of religious issues into foreign aid appropriations. (Not having a go at you specifically but it is often a way for the ignorant to throw hate and vitriol onto the discussion table and achieve nothing constructive)

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

$9billion of it is to access their existing infrastructure, including their pitts and ducts. Pretty sure that's relevant to whole design and construction of the project?

I guess should of made it clearer

The point I was trying to make is that their is a massive portion of the NBN network that isn't reliant on the Telstra deal, anything aerial & greenfields for instance. The Telstra deal is only a matter of time which would only delay the progress plan and not stop it. If asset takeover didn't occur then it would be a lease agreement worse case, but we know that's not an issue now, Telstra are jumping for joy for someone to assist in bailing out their ever degrading copper network and reducing the amount of access infrastructure points required for their network to operate (they only need to focus on each POI created now).

NBN are building their own network, they are digging their own trenches and putting their own infrastructure around the place where possible, if not they deal with the relevant utility companies and go from their (Ergon in QLD & Country Energy in NSW for example) at this stage of the construction pipeline. NBN are now apart of the DBYD process however is separated from the Telstra operated function to give you an idea of how much scope and work outside of Telstra is involved.

 

[stryker]

Noticed reports being released that Queensland government is without disaster insurance….This is unforgivable if true.

 

[stryker]

What do you guys think of the reporting of Abbots comment re; Lance corporal MacKinneys death in Afghanistan?

I think it's the biggest piece of hack journalism I've seen in a long while.

It was obviously taken out of context and was in no way portrayed in the right way. Abbot didnt seem to me to be trying to gain a political edge over his rival, in fact he seemed to be backing up the government who was under scrutiny for not supplying enough support for our troops on the ground. I dont think the comment was inconsiderate at all especially after hearing the comments from John Cantwell to whom he was talking with.

Jared MacKinney is an Australian hero who was on his third deployment to the middle east, was a trained combat fighter and sniper and unfortunately his time was up. These people have an extremely dangerous job, something 99% of the population cant fully relate to. They are at war with a deadly opposition, in their own backyard and at the end of the day lives are lost.

Abbots comment came during a conversation about the possibility that our diggers aren't being fully supported whilst in fire fights. His summation is accurate in my opinion as it doesn't matter how well trained you are, how much gear, support and money you have at your disposal, sometimes things don't go to plan….sometimes sh!t happens.

In NO WAY was his comment directed towards the death of Jared.

This was absolute bottom feeding, gutter journalism from Mark Riley and he should be ashamed of himself. I really hope he cops the backlash that I believe is coming his way.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I agree Stryker, it's muck raking of the highest order.

That said, he obviously needs to be more careful about what is said so that it can't be spun into anything other than what it is.

Did anyone else hear about the following this morning? Apparently Kiama Downs (one of the five trial NBN towns in mainland Australia,) will have NBN cables slung off power poles (I note that this will be the case for approximately 20% of towns, not the whole network,) and not buried? $40 odd billion dollar network and once again, taxpayers are paying top dollar for half a job. :unamused:

 

[system]

It is called being in politics plain and simple.

If Abbott wasn't such a shoot from the hip imbo he may have had a chance at the last election. All polling from both sides indicate with any leader but Abbott or Joyce and the coalition sweeps to power last year. If you cant handle yourself and think on your toes without gaffe after gaffe than you are in the wrong game

 

[hammertime]

Yeah, the media blew it up, but it was stupid of Abbott. I think the comment was trying to really say to the guys involved 'there was nothing that you could have done. But really, what is he thinking? I really don't think he should be leader of the liberals. I can't ever see him being PM.

Speaking about being PM worthy though. Anyone see Gillards tears in parliament? 6 years of being in the spotlight and showing no emotion and suddenly after the media puts the spotlight on that fact, on come the waterworks. Questionable considering how much coaching goes into the Labor party.

It is something I admire about the Liberals. At least people Johnny, Costello, Abbott, Hockey, Turnbull and Joyce show themselves for who they are.