Politics Super Thread - keep it all in here

[Yossarian]

Don't get me wrong Hammer, I do actually like clubs but they are also magnets for waste and greed. To say money doesn't go into private hands is just not true. Plenty of the money you and I give the club ends up in the pockets of non-community people through waste, mismanagement, or outright corruption.

Sure, maybe some mate. But really, you are talking small percentages and implying boards in clubs are easily corrupted, more so than private enterprise. That's just not true.

God knows how many junkets and free dinners I've been to in banking - now that is waste.

Sure, some may not be as efficient as business. But they have the right focus and the money comes back to us. Anything else is semantics.

As I said above, I don't support the pre-commitment cards but I do think they can reduce the upper betting limits. $1 a push should be more than enough for anyone. Letting people bet $5 or $10 a spin is reprehensible.

I agree with that, but the people we are probably talking about are on the lower end of income earners. Even a $1 a push might be trouble. In my mind, you would have to reduce it below that to have any impact and that would really stifle revenue.

I'm not saying a large % are corrupt I'm saying a large % waste money or are woefully inefficient due to poor management. They're selling booze to Australians AND they have poker machines and some of them still find a way to lose money. It's a valid concern if they want to run around spruiking how much of a community asset they are. You'd expect the same out of any NFP organisation. Besides banks are accountable to shareholders, some of whom might actually read and understand the reporting. Who reads let alone comprehends the financial reports clubs put out? Yes I know some auditing takes place but 1) you never know the relationship of the auditor to the directors (it's ususally a surburban outfit/person doing them) and 2) they probably just add up the amounts and don't dig too deep into what "miscellaneous" expenses might be.

I agree $1 is still a worry but it's a start. I'm just suggesting they could easily make some changes that would have positive effects. Even if reducing bet limits and slowing the reel speed led to a 10% reduction, that's a result and at little or no cost to the clubs. I just get tired of the club industry blanket opposing any reforms - to suggest people being able to gamble $10 a go each 5 seconds is beneficial to the community is simply an outrage.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Good to see Swan cutting back on the baby bonus. I wish he had the balls to cut it altogether…

Education suffering once again as well with delaying reward payments to schools and performance bonuses to teachers.

How about next budget we see all perks and pensions for former PM's and MP's abolished and reduce MP superannuation to 9%? Willing to bet that would save a fortune.

 

[happy_tiger]

Good to see Swan cutting back on the baby bonus. I wish he had the balls to cut it altogether…

Education suffering once again as well with delaying reward payments to schools and performance bonuses to teachers.

How about next budget we see all perks and pensions for former PM's and MP's abolished and reduce MP superannuation to 9%? Willing to bet that would save a fortune.

Is everyone concerned as I am that the govt is still hell bent on getting us back into surplus by 2013

Can some one please explain to Mr Swan that it will be absolutely no use of having us in surplus if we are in another Global Recession

Hell countries like Spain with 20% plus percent unemployment are almost in depression

I will be quite happy economically we maintain our debt as is (reducing slowly) and take some of the perks from the MP as CB said

Lets not hurt the low income earners and the pensioners again

 

[hammertime]

Good to see Swan cutting back on the baby bonus. I wish he had the balls to cut it altogether…

Education suffering once again as well with delaying reward payments to schools and performance bonuses to teachers.

How about next budget we see all perks and pensions for former PM's and MP's abolished and reduce MP superannuation to 9%? Willing to bet that would save a fortune.

Is everyone concerned as I am that the govt is still hell bent on getting us back into surplus by 2013

Can some one please explain to Mr Swan that it will be absolutely no use of having us in surplus if we are in another Global Recession

Hell countries like Spain with 20% plus percent unemployment are almost in depression

I will be quite happy economically we maintain our debt as is (reducing slowly) and take some of the perks from the MP as CB said

Lets not hurt the low income earners and the pensioners again

Happy, I usually agree with you mate, but the budget is going to be in a massive deficit when the boomers hit retirement. We need to start paying back debt, and we need to do it FAST. We only have around 10 years to pay it all off and build up a surplus before we will start seeing some major impacts to the budget expenses. It will probably take 10 years to pay back the debt, let alone building up the necessary surplus.

There is a lot of fat we can trim, we just need to bring on the pain slowly and it's good to see swan starting to make some tough calls. Even if it's because he had ridiculous growth assumptions in the first place.

Most other countries are going to be in for a world of hurt. Lets not make ours one of them just because we can say 'well, at least we aren't as bad as those guys'.

… and low income earners/pensions certainly weren't hurt mate in comparison to everyone else. Nor do they pay tax in the first place. They had some great stimulus payments, pension bonus's, set top boxes, insulation, ETS over compensation. Everything means tested at $150k p.a. None of it they will have to pay back. It was middle Australia and the top end that bore ALL the brunt.

 

[Centaur]

The labor government are nuffies.
\
\
That it is really all I have to say on the matter.
\
\
:laughing:

 

[Centaur]

$90k payrise for Julia - the timing is impeccable…

 

[hammertime]

$90k payrise for Julia - the timing is impeccable…

At least with a higher pay packet, it might encourage a better PM to step up in the future.

 

[Tiger_Watto]

$90k payrise for Julia - the timing is impeccable…

At least with a higher pay packet, it might encourage a better PM to step up in the future.

Exactly… No smart operator is gona take on a role in politics on the salaries they get.

 

[Centaur]

$90k payrise for Julia - the timing is impeccable…

At least with a higher pay packet, it might encourage a better PM to step up in the future.

Exactly… No smart operator is gona take on a role in politics on the salaries they get.

Funnily enough and believe it or not - a large chunk of politicians are genuinely passionate about what they do and the people they represent.

Politics in Australia never has been, and never really should be about the money. Besides a lot of the true value in a politicians remuneration is the benefits they receive during office and after retirement.

 

[Yossarian]

$90k payrise for Julia - the timing is impeccable…

Which was set by the remuneration tribunal. And all MPs got a pay rise not just the PM.

 

[Kul]

$90k payrise for Julia - the timing is impeccable…

At least with a higher pay packet, it might encourage a better PM to step up in the future.

Exactly… No smart operator is gona take on a role in politics on the salaries they get.

Funnily enough and believe it or not - a large chunk of politicians are genuinely passionate about what they do and the people they represent.

Politics in Australia never has been, and never really should be about the money. Besides a lot of the true value in a politicians remuneration is the benefits they receive during office and after retirement.

I'm fairly confident that the Prime Minster (and the cabinet, and the shadow cabinet) do a great deal more of work than other people on the equivalent wages. A minster is on $150,000… it's not much considering that they are working almost 24/7 yet are expected to guide the growth in wealth and prosperity of the nation

 

[Centaur]

$90k payrise for Julia - the timing is impeccable…

Which was set by the remuneration tribunal. And all MPs got a pay rise not just the PM.

I am aware that they all got a payrise - Julia obviously got the biggest one.

They could have knocked back the payrise - no one forced them to take it.

Good luck trying to justify the payrises and the timing.

 

[Centaur]

For the record, I am not suggesting they are overpaid - I firmly believe the opposite.

However the timing is atrocious, and average Joe is not going to understand or care about any attempt at explanation. I also believe various benefits are supposed to be cut, such as the gold travel pass.

 

[Yossarian]

Compared to people like Alan Joyce there are the hugely underpaid. The public can complain about the system but let's hope they are better than New Limited and highlight that the pay rises are across the board. Singling about Gillard is dishonest. Of course her increase was the most; her current salary was the highest - she is the PM.

Attack the system if you will - not Gillard.

 

[Centaur]

Compared to people like Alan Joyce there are the hugely underpaid. The public can complain about the system but let's hope they are better than New Limited and highlight that the pay rises are across the board. Singling about Gillard is dishonest. Of course her increase was the most; her current salary was the highest - she is the PM.

Attack the system if you will - not Gillard.

Come on - this is politics - Gillard is the figurehead. You want the top job, you and your party are going to be held accountable for unpopular decisions.

This will be an unpopular decision, and Gillard and the Labor party will probably be put through the ringer as a result.

I come back to my actual point - its all about the timing.

 

[hammertime]

Funnily enough and believe it or not - a large chunk of politicians are genuinely passionate about what they do and the people they represent.

Politics in Australia never has been, and never really should be about the money. Besides a lot of the true value in a politicians remuneration is the benefits they receive during office and after retirement.

Agree mate, but then some are just ex-union hacks who fraudulently use free credit cards to purchase srt1p shows and their other excesses, then are dragged into parliament with their union pals for a cushy back bench role. Never really doing much for their constituents or union members.

 

[Yossarian]

Compared to people like Alan Joyce there are the hugely underpaid. The public can complain about the system but let's hope they are better than New Limited and highlight that the pay rises are across the board. Singling about Gillard is dishonest. Of course her increase was the most; her current salary was the highest - she is the PM.

Attack the system if you will - not Gillard.

Come on - this is politics - Gillard is the figurehead. You want the top job, you and your party are going to be held accountable for unpopular decisions.

This will be an unpopular decision, and Gillard and the Labor party will probably be put through the ringer as a result.

I come back to my actual point - its all about the timing.

But it's not a "decision" at all and it has zero to do with politics. It has nothing to do with the ALP, Gillard, the government, or the parliament. It is part of an independent process that has bipartisan support. Gillard does not control the timing, amount, process, or anything else to do with these pay increases.

If people put Gillard or the ALP "through the ringer" they are dopes. Like I said, blame the system not the government. Why aren't you having a crack at Abbott, Bishop, and the others? They're getting a pay rise too.

 

[Yossarian]

Funnily enough and believe it or not - a large chunk of politicians are genuinely passionate about what they do and the people they represent.

Politics in Australia never has been, and never really should be about the money. Besides a lot of the true value in a politicians remuneration is the benefits they receive during office and after retirement.

Agree mate, but then some are just ex-union hacks who fraudulently use free credit cards to purchase srt1p shows and their other excesses, then are dragged into parliament with their union pals for a cushy back bench role. Never really doing much for their constituents or union members.

That could be a record for the most uses of the word union in a sentence. Tell me what unions Andrew Laming, Michael Johnson, Don Randall, and Patrick Secker were from?

 

[hammertime]

That could be a record for the most uses of the word union in a sentence. Tell me what unions Andrew Laming, Michael Johnson, Don Randall, and Patrick Secker were from?

Who? I think you might be a bit older than me Yoss..

 

[Yossarian]

That could be a record for the most uses of the word union in a sentence. Tell me what unions Andrew Laming, Michael Johnson, Don Randall, and Patrick Secker were from?

Who? I think you might be a bit older than me Yoss..

Look em up Hammer! There are some union leaders who abuse their position but there are also a lot more who work their backsides off for their members. I have no problem with some unionists getting into parliament (afterall it's their right and some of them have experience in managing large organisations) but I do agree the misuse Senate spots for that purpose. I'd much prefer those positions were used to get technocrats with experience in things like science and economics who might struggle to handle a HOR seat.