Oz Federal Election 2013 - Discussion and Comments

[markis10]

I really like Julia's work and I really like the outcomes of the current parliament. I like:
The NDIS
The Royal Commisson into Child abuse
The implementation of a Carbon price
The TAX REFORM - simply amazing; most people don't even now need to put in a tax return.
Love NAPLAN
Love MRRT (really wish we could up the income from this)
Really like Super going from 9% to 12%.
Looking forward to the republic.
Don't like either refugee scheme. (Wish the Libs would just propose to remove their signature from the UNHCR treaty..........they really don't want asylum seekers)

Tony seems quite stupid and Malcolm appears more intelligent. If the Libs get their house in order and do the swap, then maybe they are a chance. Tony could still get in but I like Julia as the value bet.

You seem to be confusing recommendations with outcomes, put simply in many cases what the experts have told the Government should be done has not been put into law - tax reform is a clear case in that respect when you look at what has been recommended to WHAT THE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY HAS DONE!

 

[drron]

And my daughter and her daughters, well they can choose to have or not have an abortion and not because No-Abbott'lity says its not allowed. OK I have no kids (at this stage) but this is what's called sh** stirring and No-Abbott'lity is good at this. Rule#1. Stir sh** . His Rule#2. Apply 200% on Rule 1. Rule #3 Never ever debate the policy or topic. That my friends, is how to become PM.

Ps. Sorry to post pad (even tho posts don't count in the playground) but I can't seem to edit with this iPad aff app. Btw, hi from Seoul

Now this is where I just sigh in amazement.Mr Abbott was Health Minister.He did not make abortion illegal.he followed the reccomendations of the expert committee on the abortion drug.And all of this is in the public record.I really get mad when ALP Ministers get up and sprout untruths that they must know are untruths.Surely with their massive staff numbers those Ministers would have someone at least read Hansard.

Now to my experiences with Health ministers.I have written to all starting with Dr. Blewett.I have written to them re Physician rebates and the overimportance put on doing things rather than consultations.In their replies only 3 Health Ministers replied in a fashion that showed they had actually read what I had said and had some understanding of the situation.One was Dr.Blewett.But Tony Abbott was the only one who then did something about it-though not because of my letter.

 

[Skyring]

You seem to be confusing recommendations with outcomes, put simply in many cases what the experts have told the Government should be done has not been put into law - tax reform is a clear case in that respect when you look at what has been recommended to WHAT THE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY HAS DONE!

In fairness to Julia, i reckon she's got a better chance at getting some of these things up than Rudd. He talked a lot but delivered little. I find it hard to believe that when he and the Opposition Leader were both strongly in favour of a republic, and every single State and Territory government were Labor, he did nothing. Opportunities like that are once-in-a-lifetime things, you don't sit on your hands and bask in the warm glow.

Hence our current PM...

 

[markis10]

In fairness to Julia, i reckon she's got a better chance at getting some of these things up than Rudd. He talked a lot but delivered little. I find it hard to believe that when he and the Opposition Leader were both strongly in favour of a republic, and every single State and Territory government were Labor, he did nothing. Opportunities like that are once-in-a-lifetime things, you don't sit on your hands and bask in the warm glow.

Hence our current PM...

I agree by comparison to Rudd she has done some things, the mining tax is a great example , as is restoring the budget to surplus , perhaps we jumped out of the fire back into the frying pan with that change?

 

[dfcatch]

I find it fascinating what motivates peoples' views...... I mean it's obvious that this hung parliament results in everyone being equally unhappy.... but I find it fascinating seeing the rise in blood pressure that ALP supporters have over Abbott, and equally the blood pressure rise that Coalition supporters have over Julia

I mean - I don't have a personal opinion on Abbott as an individual - my opinion of the Coalition and its policies is in no way affected by Abbott as leader. If it were Turnbull or whoever espousing the same policies my opinion would be identical.

And the same in my own opinion goes for the ALP - I like or dislike the party and policies based on themselves - if they changed leaders tomorrow my opinion doesn't change (assuming the policies don't change).

I'm always curious as to why people form the views they do. Outside of the obvious influences of strong family persuasions.

I know my views are formed more by the clarity of what I oppose than what I support. For example - my political views were formed in the era of growing up with Joan Kirner and the Victorian Very Cruel Experiment. As a result I very firmly know what I oppose when it comes to education policy etc. (Interestingly - this actually changed my nominal leanings.)

Outside of those that grow up in a particular household view and never change it - I suspect that many are influenced more by what they oppose than what they ideologically support..??

 

[Hvr]

And to get an understanding of Tony Abbott we really need to remind ourselves of these photos with some horrendous misogynistic comments.

For Tony to say he didn't know they were behind him is totally unbelievable. He is a politician and keeps his minders close to look after him. It would be fair to assume that he supported the placement of these placards and their messages.

 

[amaroo]

senator conroy - 'I can make media organizations put red underwear on their head if I told them' .

I will NOT vote for the labor party while this man is representing them.

This bloke is an embarrassment.....on an international scale! Senator's 'red undie' remarks fall flat in New York

These things happen when you recruit exclusively from the very shallow political advisers/union talent pools.

 

[Hvr]

senator conroy - 'I can make media organizations put red underwear on their head if I told them' .

I will NOT vote for the labor party while this man is representing them.

Given the millions of dollars the television stations receive from the government maybe he should ask them to do this. Funny how they remain very quiet about their corporate welfare.

 

[Skyring]

View attachment 13153View attachment 13154

I like the clever positioning of the first shot to make it appear that he's standing in front of a huge "Ditch the Witch" placard. ABC photograph, was it?

 

[amaroo]

And to get an understanding of Tony Abbott we really need to remind ourselves of these photos with some horrendous misogynistic comments.

For Tony to say he didn't know they were behind him is totally unbelievable. He is a politician and keeps his minders close to look after him. It would be fair to assume that he supported the placement of these placards and their messages.

Are they photos of the 2012 Australia day riots

 

[Hvr]

Are they photos of the 2012 Australia day riots

The PM did sack the Labor person responsible for inflaming the crowd. The Opposition Leader tacitly supported the signs above and denied responsibility.

 

[Hvr]

I like the clever positioning of the first shot to make it appear that he's standing in front of a huge "Ditch the Witch" placard. ABC photograph, was it?

Actually the Victorian Liberal party tabloid and cheer squad, aka The Herald-Sun is responsible for the second photo. Both found on google.

 

[Pushka]

You seem to be confusing recommendations with outcomes, put simply in many cases what the experts have told the Government should be done has not been put into law - tax reform is a clear case in that respect when you look at what has been recommended to WHAT THE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY HAS DONE!

Or committees to look into those things.

Craig Thomson's arrest. Interesting timings for sure.

One thing that I detest and it happens with every incumbent govt, not just the current Labor Govt but Liberal Govts in the past too. Is their speeches which say "we will improve the <insert issue> ". Well, they've been in Government, in Julia's case, for six years and did nothing about it then, so why promise something now when it has been ignored for so long.

Sadly, what ignited this rant from me was her statement last night about Education. Given that most states have been Labor dominated Governments until the recent 12 months, and the Federal Govt has been Labor for the last six years, it was on their watch that our standards rapidly deteriorated. In SA, our education system has been dumbed down. You can't give a child a poor mark as it will hurt their self esteem. Far better to let them fall through the cracks it seems.

 

[Katie]

Outside of those that grow up in a particular household view and never change it - I suspect that many are influenced more by what they oppose than what they ideologically support..??

I would say that's correct for me. A bit like a quote from a new voter (18 or 19yo) in the Courier Mail about last year's Qld election - something along the lines of "it seems like we're not choosing the best party, we're choosing the lesser of two evils". I feel that way generally, and will be inclined to vote down a party due to my opposition to their policies/claims/promises rather than voting up the other mob because I love their policies/claims/promises.
[I number every box, even on the Senate papers!!]
It's not so much about the leader for me, as I know with our system the leader can be changed by the party.

 

[Hvr]

You seem to be confusing recommendations with outcomes, put simply in many cases what the experts have told the Government should be done has not been put into law - tax reform is a clear case in that respect when you look at what has been recommended to WHAT THE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY HAS DONE!

Have a look here for what each government has done during its period in office.

 

[markis10]

Have a look here for what each government has done during its period in office.

Very small list compared to what should have been done based on reports by various experts, cest la vie!

 

[amaroo]

The PM did sack the Labor person responsible for inflaming the crowd. The Opposition Leader tacitly supported the signs above and denied responsibility.

I thought she was allowed to keep her job with Unions ACT ? Union chief Kim Sattler allowed to keep her job | News.com.au

 

[Pushka]

And lets counter that with:

Deaths of people through the poorly implemented Insulation scheme
The Carbon Tax that was not going to be introduced on Julia's watch
The fall in Education standards throughout Australia compared with the world
The Mining Tax that doesn't deliver any
The Building scheme during the GFC where schools that were about to be closed had multi million dollar buildings that are now defunct
The failed Asylum seeker plans - Timor, Malaysia and the like

Just for starters

 

[drron]

And of course he wasn't just the sacrificial lamb?And then there were the several different versions of what the advisor said.Unfortunately the video evidence showed the Union official who tipped off the tent Embassy saying that TA wanted it torn down.The next day she and the advisor agreed they only said TA said it should move on.And everyone believes the story despite the evidence.
Same campaign tactics are being used today-misrepresent TAs words and inflame public opinion.I therefore dont believe the real culprit was made to resign.
Point of difference-can you point to any member of Tony Abbotts staff holding those signs.So whom was Mr Abbott to sack?

 

[Skyring]

..."it seems like we're not choosing the best party, we're choosing the lesser of two evils". I feel that way generally, and will be inclined to vote down a party due to my opposition to their policies/claims/promises rather than voting up the other mob because I love their policies/claims/promises.
[I number every box, even on the Senate papers!!]

I tried to vote electronically in an ACT election. Had to ask for a paper ballot as the system would only let me number each option starting at 1.

I don't work that way. I start with the politician I like least, giving them the lowest number, and then work back. Often I'll zig-zag through party lists along the way. My ballot must flummox the scrutes. I really detest "above the line" voting - you might as well just hand your vote over to a political party.