Politics Super Thread - keep it all in here

[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.

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.

A politicians pay has nothing to do with politics? Classic.

Gillard and the politicians can most definitely control, in the end, how much payrise they get and when. Who is stopping them from saying - "thank you indepedent persons for the payrise - we will however only take half of what you recommend - after all we just dealt a blow to the public service, stay at home mums and super savers".

As for the timing of the announcement of the increase - something is fishy about it - why would this independant body make the announcement at such a time? Definitely going to do more damage to the Labor party than it will the Coalition.

 

[Yossarian]

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.

A politicians pay has nothing to do with politics? Classic.

Gillard and the politicians can most definitely control, in the end, how much payrise they get and when. Who is stopping them from saying - "thank you indepedent persons for the payrise - we will however only take half of what you recommend - after all we just dealt a blow to the public service, stay at home mums and super savers".

As for the timing of the announcement of the increase - something is fishy about it - why would this independant body make the announcement at such a time? Definitely going to do more damage to the Labor party than it will the Coalition.

Well it's not about politics. It's about politicians. I mean this in the sense it is not a political decision - it's not a policy, not contested.

Your second point relates to the process. Leave the Gillard bit out and you may have something there. But none of them can knock it back - it's not personal salary, it is the salary being paid for those positions. Now if you want to ask Gillard and Abbott and anyone else who is benefiting from these rises to donate the money in some way, that is all well and good.

Why would they make the announcement now? Search me… when is a good time? It's purely coincidence - nothing more. To suggest their is an ulterior motive is simply wrong. Gillard didn't pick the timing, Abbott didn't, the ALP didn't, the parliament didn't. I'm sure it is the usual time line for the review of these type of salaries.

You're looking for a conspiracy that doesn't exist.

 

[Centaur]

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.

A politicians pay has nothing to do with politics? Classic.

Gillard and the politicians can most definitely control, in the end, how much payrise they get and when. Who is stopping them from saying - "thank you indepedent persons for the payrise - we will however only take half of what you recommend - after all we just dealt a blow to the public service, stay at home mums and super savers".

As for the timing of the announcement of the increase - something is fishy about it - why would this independant body make the announcement at such a time? Definitely going to do more damage to the Labor party than it will the Coalition.

Well it's not about politics. It's about politicians. I mean this in the sense it is not a political decision - it's not a policy, not contested.

Your second point relates to the process. Leave the Gillard bit out and you may have something there. But none of them can knock it back - it's not personal salary, it is the salary being paid for those positions. Now if you want to ask Gillard and Abbott and anyone else who is benefiting from these rises to donate the money in some way, that is all well and good.

Why would they make the announcement now? Search me… when is a good time? It's purely coincidence - nothing more. To suggest their is an ulterior motive is simply wrong. Gillard didn't pick the timing, Abbott didn't, the ALP didn't, the parliament didn't. I'm sure it is the usual time line for the review of these type of salaries.

You're looking for a conspiracy that doesn't exist.

I didn't mean to suggest there is a conspiracy - but the timing really is ludicrous. Like come on, days after a mini budget announcing wide spread cuts? The labor party was thrown under the bus!

In six months time for instance, still would have been unpopular - but definitely not as much! I know that the parties didn't arrange the announcement - but I bet they are scrambling to make sure such an epic timing tragedy doesn't occur again!

 

[stryker]

Timing may be off but they do have a seriously stressful job and are completely underpaid for what they do. In the private sector, their worth would start at 10x what they are currently earning.

I dont begrudge them at all. There has to be a financial carrot to get proper candidates into parliament and not the monkeys we have been getting for years now.

 

[AndTheKungFoSing]

Timing may be off but they do have a seriously stressful job and are completely underpaid for what they do. In the private sector, their worth would start at 10x what they are currently earning.

I dont begrudge them at all. There has to be a financial carrot to get proper candidates into parliament and not the monkeys we have been getting for years now.

Stryker… I think we agree on something 😱pen_mouth:

Surely not....

 

[stryker]

Timing may be off but they do have a seriously stressful job and are completely underpaid for what they do. In the private sector, their worth would start at 10x what they are currently earning.

I dont begrudge them at all. There has to be a financial carrot to get proper candidates into parliament and not the monkeys we have been getting for years now.

Stryker… I think we agree on something 😱pen_mouth:

Surely not....

haha probably the first non-football related thing. Massive over reaction by the media today…I was a bit gobsmacked to be honest.

 

[happy_tiger]

Time to get rid of states and have Federal control the states

How many Billions will that save ???

 

[hammertime]

Time to get rid of states and have Federal control the states

How many Billions will that save ???

You have my vote happy. I actually said the same thing in the paper when I did people's parliament last year.

Having our 3 tiers must waste so much money.

 

[Flippedy]

Timing may be off but they do have a seriously stressful job and are completely underpaid for what they do. In the private sector, their worth would start at 10x what they are currently earning.

I dont begrudge them at all. There has to be a financial carrot to get proper candidates into parliament and not the monkeys we have been getting for years now.

Stryker… I think we agree on something 😱pen_mouth:

Surely not....

haha probably the first non-football related thing. **Massive over reaction by the media today…I was a bit gobsmacked to be honest**.

Why surprised? The media have over-reacted to **_everything_** this government has done! Clearly, they want them out of power and the negative media hysteria will not stop until they're gone.

By the way, they finally voted in support of gay marriage at the ALP Conference today - wait til that one hits the fan! :astonished:

 

[happy_tiger]

Change of subject guys and gals but was wondering what peoples thoughts on the continuing of reduction of the speeds especially on highways . I can't speak for south of the border (well south of of Byron Bay anyway)

I understand they are concerned that people make mistakes the faster they go and the mistakes they make are more consequental at higher speeds , but on the same page the slower you are going the longer you will spend on the roads which also increases the chances of accidents

Personally I think we need to increase the speeds back to the way they were and make us recieve more training more often . Many other things we do we need to be retrained ie First Aid ,fire fighting etc and driving a car is just if not more important Make the fines for speeding far harsher as well including points

What are others opinions

 

[Yossarian]

Happy I agree with most of that. I just went to Port Macquarie and back and apart from the need for more divided dual carriageway, the other thing that struck me was the sheer stupidity and impatience of some drivers. I had people flashing their lights at me when I was in the right lane doing around 115 (I was passing a truck doing 100) even though the same guy then left on an exit some 200m later.

 

[happy_tiger]

Happy I agree with most of that. I just went to Port Macquarie and back and apart from the need for more divided dual carriageway, the other thing that struck me was the sheer stupidity and impatience of some drivers. I had people flashing their lights at me when I was in the right lane doing around 115 (I was passing a truck doing 100) even though the same guy then left on an exit some 200m later.

Yoss you guys are lucky . Apart from the outskirts from Brisbane to Cooroy (distance app 130kms) it is 110km . After that it is mostly 90-100 k's and one area 80 for the next 400 kms . Add in the ridiculous amount of roadworks (due to the floods mainly granted) and a app 6 hour trip to Brisbane takes easily 7.25 hours (best case without roadworks)
The other thing is the road toll is increasing in Qld so the idea of slowing people down is not working

 

[happy_tiger]

Interesting to see what happens with interest rates tomorrow

Supposedly there has been a huge plunge on betting for the RBA to drop rates

Lets just hope all the Banks pass it on

 

[cunno]

Interesting to see what happens with interest rates tomorrow

Supposedly there has been a huge plunge on betting for the RBA to drop rates

Lets just hope all the Banks pass it on

Fingers crossed Happy that the banks pass on any rate decrease in full, perhaps there is a santa amongst them.

 

[hammertime]

Happy I agree with most of that. I just went to Port Macquarie and back and apart from the need for more divided dual carriageway, the other thing that struck me was the sheer stupidity and impatience of some drivers. I had people flashing their lights at me when I was in the right lane doing around 115 (I was passing a truck doing 100) even though the same guy then left on an exit some 200m later.

Yoss you guys are lucky . Apart from the outskirts from Brisbane to Cooroy (distance app 130kms) it is 110km . After that it is mostly 90-100 k's and one area 80 for the next 400 kms . Add in the ridiculous amount of roadworks (due to the floods mainly granted) and a app 6 hour trip to Brisbane takes easily 7.25 hours (best case without roadworks)
The other thing is the road toll is increasing in Qld so the idea of slowing people down is not working

Hey Happy, I certainly agree mate. It's hard in a large country like ours because the cost is just that much higher to create transport between cities, but it should be better that what it is so that we can safely increase speeds.

I really wish the government had spent the NBN money on a fast train on the east coast instead. We have issues with the environment, property prices, future budgetary burdens with pensioners and transport… and it could alleviate these issues. Yet, we want to make something that can only transmit data - faster - when we really have no applications yet that require it or will provide a substantial economic benefit.

The people of Australia are getting carried away on a hope and a prayer, all arguments are purely based on what is the best technology, which is almost inconsequential. It's all big pipe dreams with absolutely no economic rational or benefit. It's the same mentality which caused the tech bubble, where costs, take up, business models and applications are ignored in favor of nothing but unfounded dreaming of what might be.

That's said when I am the owner of 2 websites too.

p.s. check out my new website http://www.avenue24.com.au :slight_smile:

 

[stryker]

Massive over reaction by the media today…I was a bit gobsmacked to be honest.

Why surprised? The media have over-reacted to **_everything_** this government has done! Clearly, they want them out of power and the negative media hysteria will not stop until they're gone.

By the way, they finally voted in support of gay marriage at the ALP Conference today - wait til that one hits the fan! :astonished:

Gobsmacked because it is a non issue. There is HEAPS of ammunition on this government. This is of little importance in contrast to the rest of their hopeless efforts.

 

[happy_tiger]

Interesting story just brought up on the SBS news about Swan possibly bringing in a super profits tax if the Banks don't pass on the interest rates cut in the future

I totally agree that really there is no reason for the banks to withhold the interest cuts ,how Swan goes passing that through parliament would be interesting to see

Even better to see is how the banks react to that news ???

 

[hammertime]

Interesting story just brought up on the SBS news about Swan possibly bringing in a super profits tax if the Banks don't pass on the interest rates cut in the future

I totally agree that really there is no reason for the banks to withhold the interest cuts ,how Swan goes passing that through parliament would be interesting to see

Even better to see is how the banks react to that news ???

Yeah Happy, not a bad move by swan actually. He has a bit more credibility in my eyes now.
I just worry that the banks would compensate with even higher margins on Interest Rates.

 

[happy_tiger]

Interesting story just brought up on the SBS news about Swan possibly bringing in a super profits tax if the Banks don't pass on the interest rates cut in the future

I totally agree that really there is no reason for the banks to withhold the interest cuts ,how Swan goes passing that through parliament would be interesting to see

Even better to see is how the banks react to that news ???

Yeah Happy, not a bad move by swan actually. He has a bit more credibility in my eyes now.
I just worry that the banks would compensate with even higher margins on Interest Rates.

My only issue with it is it just Swan trying to scam a few more votes with anti bank sentiment or is dinky di about it Time will tell I guess

 

[hammertime]

Interesting story just brought up on the SBS news about Swan possibly bringing in a super profits tax if the Banks don't pass on the interest rates cut in the future

I totally agree that really there is no reason for the banks to withhold the interest cuts ,how Swan goes passing that through parliament would be interesting to see

Even better to see is how the banks react to that news ???

Yeah Happy, not a bad move by swan actually. He has a bit more credibility in my eyes now.
I just worry that the banks would compensate with even higher margins on Interest Rates.

My only issue with it is it just Swan trying to scam a few more votes with anti bank sentiment or is dinky di about it Time will tell I guess

Probably pandering to the masses, like you suggest mate.
I wish the liberals would provide some decent economic opposition. It's amazing that they aren't further ahead in the polls with how much this Labor party has messed up. I can't think of any successful policy that they have implemented - and that's while being able to spend truckloads of cash! If you can't win friends doing that, then they have serious issues.