Turnbull rolls over "again" to the ultra right

floyd's picture
floyd started the topic in Monday, 10 Feb 2014 at 7:21pm

No-one got anything to say about the loss of the car industry under a government and high viz Tony that promised to create 1,000,000 jobs?

Slumber away ........

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014 at 8:15am

Mr Vic wrote:

Must Say I never followed politics very closely until Abbott got into power last year

You know Mr Vic, I think what you're experiencing isn't an isolated feeling. I've spoken to a few people who are normally ambivalent about the events in Canberra who've become politicised by the carry on from this government.

To you and anyone else who is feeling the same...maintain the rage!

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014 at 11:07am

Mr Vic.... Politics is the best "reality" show going..... It actually affect YOUR life....... Cheers, Mr Vic....

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014 at 11:27am

Libs Eric Abetz on the new senators - "They're all god's children"....... http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/theyre-all-gods...

I don't like it.........

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014 at 3:22pm

Was in Tasmania earlier in the year.

Stayed in the way over-priced lodge at Cradle Mountain for 2 nights and was surprised to realise that at least 1/2 the staff we had dealings with were from overseas (English was clearly a second language). When I queried this with management I was advised the staff were "overseas interns".

Eric Abetz is a Tasmanian senator and he is the Minister for Employment.

Youth unemployment in Tasmania is expected to peak at 33.2% in 2016 (http://www.bsl.org.au/Media-centre/Media-Releases?id=1033) in the region Cradle Mountain is located.

So can some-one please explain to me why Tasmanian businesses are able to employ either backpackers or others (457 visas??) from overseas when youth unemployment is so high and secondly why Eric Abetz isn't fighting for the jobs of Australians, in general, and for the youth in his home state.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014 at 3:28pm

Floyd, I'm definitely on your side on this one. But what can you do if the entire community just refuses to work ?

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014 at 6:28pm

Really? ..... "the entire community just refuses to work".

I accept there would be some examples of families where unemployment spans 2 or 3 generations right around the country and probably more so in rural and remote areas, but I don't believe people choose poverty and unemployment as a lifestyle.

So to answer your question you start by not turning your back on these people, saying its too hard and allow overseas workers to fill Australian jobs.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Tuesday, 1 Jul 2014 at 8:01pm

Floyd, sorry mate , I was baiting you there and was going to go somewhere else with it but I totally agree with you about the overseas workers. It's quite a sensitive subject to me after seeing the entire system being abused repeatedly to the detriment of domestic workers.
Too mellow to get into it in detail now though.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Wednesday, 2 Jul 2014 at 12:35pm

Shame on you Cormann... Shame on you, Bushby... Abbott's rabbits scurrying like vermin.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-01/asic-commbank-royal-commission-rec...

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Wednesday, 2 Jul 2014 at 1:22pm

Sheepdog, as a writer to The Age said today, if Abbott could pin the ALP on this Con-Bank thing a royal commission would already be in place. Too true.

When you worship the ideology of small government why would you want to protect consumers from the ravages of greed and commerce by announcing a royal commission?

Kennett went further in Victoria in selling public assets than Thatcher ever did in the UK and perhaps an (unchecked) Abbott will go further than all before him here and elsewhere and rip the social fabric of Australia apart. His government's attack on Australia is truly un-Australian (in the true sense of the word).

We need a strong senate and opposition more than ever.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Wednesday, 2 Jul 2014 at 1:25pm

We do floyd... Is Shorten the man for the job?

Shatner'sBassoon's picture
Shatner'sBassoon's picture
Shatner'sBassoon Wednesday, 2 Jul 2014 at 1:36pm

From the outside looking in, I'd say no. But then, from this vantage point, who? Tony Burke, perhaps?

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Wednesday, 2 Jul 2014 at 1:49pm

On this Con-Bank thing: As it turns out I have an idea on what went on, you might say insider information. My source says the Con-Bank deserves to be sued, what went down was most definitely illegal and the true extent of customer losses is yet to be determined. My source supports a royal commission.

Sheepy, policy over personality everyday but no I'm not sensing Shorten is the man. He needs to get a fire in his guts, more like his budget reply speech. Lets see the real man and not the guided politician you get after media training school. I want to see him and his front bench banging on the dispatch box at question time and getting kicked out of the house every other day for calling Abbott and Hockey liars and un-Australian. Where's the anger? the fire in his guts? What would Keating do? Roast them hard and quick, that's what.

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Wednesday, 2 Jul 2014 at 1:47pm

Sheepdog
And as Peter Martin says, Silence over changes speaks volumes.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-opinion/silence-over-ch...

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Wednesday, 2 Jul 2014 at 2:23pm

Wally, I like Martin's quote. Cheers :)... Floyd, Albo is the man for the job.... Pundits know he kept his knife clean during the Labor leaderships fiasco.... He also is a gutsy performer during question time.... But will Shorten stand down? Doubt it.... If he did stand down and hand the leadership to Albo, but in doing so keeping a place on the front bench, The coalition would be left with no avenue to attack ( re' disunity), and the populace would look at Shorten as an honest man who did what was right for the party.....

yorkessurfer's picture
yorkessurfer's picture
yorkessurfer Thursday, 3 Jul 2014 at 8:37am

'Bust the Budget' Rallies are being held this Sunday July 6th across the country. If you care about the millions of Australians who will be adversely affected by the Abbott governments harsh and ill-directed budget cuts get along and show your support.
Let the cross-bench senators who have the power to break this budget know that thousands of Australian's don't share Abbott's vision for our country's future!

Here's where;

Sydney: 1pm Sydney Town Hall

Melbourne. 1pm Queen Victoria Gardens, opposite the Arts Centre

Canberra: 12 noon outside Parliament House

Lismore: 12 noon Heritage Park

Newcastle: 1pm Civic Park

Brisbane: 11am Queen’s Park

Adelaide Victoria Square, July 06, 2014 at 11:30AM

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Thursday, 3 Jul 2014 at 9:20am

No Hobart, Yorko? Too cold lol

yorkessurfer's picture
yorkessurfer's picture
yorkessurfer Thursday, 3 Jul 2014 at 9:54am

Couldn't find any info on Hobart Sheepy. There's a rally down there(and around Australia) for MarchAustralia on the 31st of August so get to that if your so inclined? Here's a link.....
http://www.marchaustralia.com/blog/2014/6/16/bust-the-budget-rallies-sun...

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Thursday, 3 Jul 2014 at 11:04am

Shorten should watch these every morning before going into battle against the Abbott and sewer rat government ........ and act according


&index=8&list=PLn2RjxYNpcazm_8_ZSGH9u_ADXjRKA9Qf

Shatner'sBassoon's picture
Shatner'sBassoon's picture
Shatner'sBassoon Thursday, 3 Jul 2014 at 1:31pm

fucken gold...the bar was set. Shorten up to that? Nup. Who, then? Albo? I think Burke's form in QT has been getting a lot better.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Sunday, 6 Jul 2014 at 10:57am

Kevin Rudd as PM had 7 media advisers (spin doctors). Tony Abbott currently employs 37 media advisers..... Yep. I didn't hit a wrong key.... 37 spin doctors at a cost to the Australian people of nearly 4.5 million dollars p/a...... And he talks about "belt tightening"......
Well, you think that is outrageous? Immigration minister Morrison currently has 95 media advisers..... Yeah........ 95 spin doctors telling him what to say...... Now, considering Morrison doesn't comment on "operational matters",,,, he (we) is paying 95 spin doctors to advise him to say nothing.......

Anyway, get back to your imported weet bix and chinese orange juice..... Maybe book a carbon offset airflight to an Indo palm oil plantation and go surfing on a luxury cruiser ;)

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Sunday, 6 Jul 2014 at 11:22am

95 media advisors ? Awesome. You've got to admit , that's an impressive amount of media advising firepower.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Sunday, 6 Jul 2014 at 1:13pm
Blowin wrote:

95 media advisors ? Awesome. You've got to admit , that's an impressive amount of media advising firepower.

Yeah, especially when he says nothing.......

uplift's picture
uplift's picture
uplift Sunday, 6 Jul 2014 at 1:56pm

37 media advisors? Still not going to be anywhere near enough. You can't panel beat rust.

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/tony-abbotts-comme...

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Sunday, 6 Jul 2014 at 2:05pm

Hey stairdodger... I'll post a question in the "muscle" thread......

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Sunday, 6 Jul 2014 at 2:10pm

Whether I voted for him or not , whether I believe in his vision for Australia or even his world view is not even a factor when I say a person such as this should not be representing Australia on the world stage or be the highest ranking public servant in the country.

Is there really no people of substance with a class oratorial ability worthy of the positions in parliament that we are lumbered with clowns such as this ? Just goes to show how rewarding of moral connivance politics is that we have someone like this in charge of government as opposed to a true leader .

trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet Monday, 7 Jul 2014 at 6:57pm

Abbott & Co. - This is what Australia gets when it's political leader and his front bench are consumed with Manifest Destiny.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Monday, 7 Jul 2014 at 8:07pm

Ideology masked as necessity.....

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Tuesday, 15 Jul 2014 at 6:40pm

Apparently voter polling suggests that if an election were held today Christopher Pyne would lose his seat with a swing against him of 15%.

Made me think what other Abbott government ministers are now amongst the walking dead (in political terms) .....

Hockey
Brandis
Sinodinos
Corman

I would also add Hunt, Morrison and the Bishops but some red necks would vote for these people regardless.

Do they really think they will be re-elected in just 2.5 years time?

tonka's picture
tonka's picture
tonka Thursday, 17 Jul 2014 at 9:57am

Can't be sure but you can bet their hubris will be their downfall.

Fishlegs's picture
Fishlegs's picture
Fishlegs Friday, 18 Jul 2014 at 12:49am

Well done Oz, we haven't won the world cup in soccer! but we have managed to be the first nation in the world to repeal a major initiative toward dealing with carbon emissions. Well done Mr Abbott, your the champ, cough, cough.

Had a convo with the oldies this arvo and they were saying they don't like Palmer but at least he is making the Gov work on the detail of passing the CT legislation with amendment through the senate so that the savings will go onto consumer. My oldies are Liberals through and through. Now they like (privately) PUP........That's F'ed up. Qantas has stated they won't pass on the savings due to remission of Carbon Tax to the ticket price to the public.

Haven't heard yet. what. PUP amendments have gone through on this legislation??

The instability of all the Oz politic is pissing me off.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 18 Jul 2014 at 6:29am

"Australia is open for business...and business knows best."

Better than you, me, the government, public servants, and scientists of all stripes.

shaun's picture
shaun's picture
shaun Friday, 18 Jul 2014 at 6:35am

Who cares, just go surfin.

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Friday, 18 Jul 2014 at 8:38am

Stu, are you quoting Murdoch from yesterday or Abbott? Either way they are singing from the same song sheet.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Friday, 18 Jul 2014 at 8:53am

Nah, just filling in the rest of Abbott's quote, though it could've been said by any free market ideologist. Never mind that the free market has no way of factoring in externalities such as pollution or other deleterious effects of industry. It's the leftover quotient in the supposedly perfect equation of free market economics.

Doesn't have to be dealt with, just carry on believing business will somehow right the problem. All it takes is faith.

mitchvg's picture
mitchvg's picture
mitchvg Sunday, 20 Jul 2014 at 10:23am

It's good that bolt tries to force his guests to answer questions directly, problem is that he really struggles to accept anything other than the opinions in his loaded questions. The exception being people he knows will parrot his sentiments

davetherave's picture
davetherave's picture
davetherave Sunday, 20 Jul 2014 at 1:34pm

yeah mitch, u r spot on about bolt, his appraisal on the abc story regarding the antarctic ice shelf showed just how uninformed he really is. problem is these type of people do not realise that the planet is a living entity that will apply processes to get itself back into a state of functional sustainability and whatever part is causing the dysfunction will be asked to pull itself back into accord and humanity might have some quality of life issues to deal with in this regard.

davetherave's picture
davetherave's picture
davetherave Sunday, 20 Jul 2014 at 1:34pm

yeah mitch, u r spot on about bolt, his appraisal on the abc story regarding the antarctic ice shelf showed just how uninformed he really is. problem is these type of people do not realise that the planet is a living entity that will apply processes to get itself back into a state of functional sustainability and whatever part is causing the dysfunction will be asked to pull itself back into accord and humanity might have some quality of life issues to deal with in this regard.

mitchvg's picture
mitchvg's picture
mitchvg Sunday, 20 Jul 2014 at 3:44pm

haha read this AFTER I saw your comment and replied elsewhere. Maybe there is something to the quantum physics(?) and connections stuff you were telling me about!

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 11:25am

So, in the shadow of MH17, Abbott decides this is the time to kick the unemployed.... He has 37 paid advisers, and this is what they come up with? The mh17 disaster has only boosted the libs by 1 measly % in the polls, yet they think they can use this time as a launching pad for more "draconian hard right whip the downtrodden policies" to further their ideology, and to appease an upper class bible bashing share holding minority......
As I wrote in Andrew Bolt today (and I expect the rightards to retaliate) the pro russian rebels are not Al Qaeda, Putin is not Bin Laden, Mh17 is not the twin towers, and if Bolt, Abbott, Hockey and co' think they are going to get a 10% poll turnaround because of a shot down plane in a war zone, the are beyond delusional.....
I live in a country of ostrich people.....

trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 11:33am

I knew as soon as the MH17 saga went down there'd be a play of some kind from Abbott...an opportune tragedy waiting to be taken advantage of.

Work for the Dole - another way to lambaste the bludger.
http://theconversation.com/work-for-the-dole-doesnt-work-so-why-is-it-coalition-policy-784

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 11:46am

In theory, I don't have much of a problem with a properly run and funded work for the dole system. Isolated Aboriginal communities have done so for the best part of 3 decades with success.

Note I said properly run and funded ..... these schemes cost way more because of the administration and the work needs to be real and meaningful ..... does anyone seriously trust Abbott and his ideologue henchmen to properly fund / run / resource this program in the face of savage cuts across the budget?

Operation Lets Flog The Poor

trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet's picture
trippergreenfeet Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 11:51am
floyd wrote:

In theory, I don't have much of a problem with a properly run and funded work for the dole system. Isolated Aboriginal communities have done so for the best part of 3 decades with success.

Note I said properly run and funded ..... these schemes cost way more because of the administration and the work needs to be real and meaningful ..... does anyone seriously trust Abbott and his ideologue henchmen to properly fund / run / resource this program in the face of savage cuts across the budget?

Operation Lets Flog The Poor

In the link I posted above, read the article comment by Barry Calderbank and the reply by Jeff Borland - sums up your sentiments nicely.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 12:06pm

I do have a problem with work for the dole, floyd... Back when Howard brought this in, a certain council on the sunshine coast sacked all it's garden labourers (the yandina region in particular).... They then replaced these good hard working people with work for the doleys.... So, just to save costs, real jobs were cut and basically replaced with a form of slave labour.... Now, the current basic proposition is 25 hours per week.... The current basic dole is $255 pw..... If a council, or a company wants cheap labour at $10 per hour, just call Tony...... It's insidious... All it does is make the "Tracy Grimshaw watchers" feel good about kicking someone below them...... It's a blight on our society....
TAFE and training is the go... Oh hang on.... That's right... Howard decimated TAFE.....
So, if you are young, first you get no help....nothing.... zilch... for 6 months..... Then you have to put in 25hrs per week work for the dole AND find 40 job interviews per month... Otherwise bang! No dole....
Imagine being 21 in Zeehan, or Strahan, or Burnie, or Huonville......
It's insane, floyd.....

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 12:28pm

Barry's comments about Tasmania are interesting ..... I was down there earlier this year and while staying at an isolated hotel I was surprised to note that about 1/2 the staff working in the resort were clearly born overseas given they were struggling with basic verbal communication with guests (very poor English language skills). When I raised this with management they confirmed the staff were "overseas interns" i.e. 457 visa holders.

This in a part of Tasmania that has 33% youth unemployment.

So if the government was serious about youth unemployment while introducing a work for the dole system you would expect them to strengthen the rules around 457 visa holders and not loosen them as this government has done since being elected.

So I reckon Barry is right it can work in isolated communities / areas but in the main population centres I have grave concerns.

Operation kick the poor and lower wages

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 1:14pm

Floyd, there are currently 1.3 million unemployed or under employed.....
There are currently 150 000 jobs being advertised..... Do the maths..... Even if those 150 000 jobs are filled today, that will leave 1.15 million people on a full or part dole.... Is that there fault? Should they be belittled by the likes of Grimshaw/Bolt/Jones etc? So 1.15 million "free workers" for the LNP's mates, councils...... Wow, the libs doing a great impersonation of the USSR...... Work camps filled with the poor... What a paradox....

floyd's picture
floyd's picture
floyd Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 1:46pm

Hey sheepdog don't come flying out of the kennel at me, not trying to rattle your chain. I'm with you but I reckon there are places where a work for the dole scheme can help individuals and communities gain skill and self esteem in the process. These places would typically be very isolated communities where there are no jobs or very few but families where unemployment may span 2 or 3 generations. Why not get a scheme into these places where work could be gone for the betterment of the community e.g. public works?

My provisos would also include that the scheme be well funded, resourced and administered and that costs lots so it will not happen and that is why I don't trust Abbott at all.

A work for the dole scheme in large population centres will not work for reasons you and that article above have already discussed.

If Abbott was serious about this problem he would be returning to TAFE what was stripped out and he would be toughening up the rules around 457 visas and also throwing more not less money at encouraging trade apprenticeships. He would also be supporting not hindering manufacturing and be encouraging the new green energy technologies / industries where thousands of jobs will be established in the future .... but alas he isn't going any of that.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 3:49pm

Keep ya knickers on, Floyd, don't take it personal.. I'm not attacking you.. I'm attacking the policy... I just simply and wholeheartedly disagree. Full stop.. Whereas you can find some merit with a caveat attached.... We can debate an issue without it being an attack on one's character, and at no time have I done that...
To have "work for the dole" in "isolated" communities" opens the door.... It's a political wedge.... Just like the racist food stamps - started in aboriginal communities, but now being considered in mainstream Australia... One can't have a set of rules for eg -aboriginals, and another for unemployed white folk in Manly.... "Weginald your wedges are weady"..... ;)
And the amount of unemployment in isolated communities pales into insignificance when compared to Western Sydney, or Salisbury, or Logan, or Frankston.... It's a wedge..... If work needs to be done in isolated communities, then give people real work with a real minimum wage instead of this turning the unemployed into another trading commodity.... It doesn't work... All it does is privatise unemployment...
I'd rather see a community training workshop than a dead end 6 month litter clean....
On the same side floyd, just disagree with one idea, mate... That's all...

happyasS's picture
happyasS's picture
happyasS Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 4:57pm

but what does one do with the permanently unemployed? private industry is not going to track em down and offer handouts. work for the dole needs focus on those that either clearly aren't interested, or who are just unable to score consistent work for whatever reason. widespread policies are never going to work, its gotta be targeted locally - almost case worker style - that costs bucks. I don't see the federal govt managing this effectively.

indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming's picture
indo-dreaming Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 5:35pm

40 Jobs wow thats getting hardcore.

I was on the dole for a fair while on and off through the late 90,s, early 00,s it was so easy back then down in coastal Vic, two jobs to write down straight out of the yellow pages, then we could even just send it in.

Then it went up to four jobs and we had to personally drop it off and we thought that really sucked, then latter down the track when i was living on the Goldie i even had to do work for the dole, for a morning one day a week, building boats sucked at the time because id miss the morning session.

People winge about it not being enough money, but i even saved up for boards on the dole or when i wasn't saving up for a new board, i partied hard.

I even traveled the east coast for six months on the dole...kind of feel lucky now, good times, good experience, I got a lot out of my system.

The way i see it, by the time I'm old i doubt there will be much of a pension, so i got my government loan then, now I'm paying it back in Tax.

Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog's picture
Sheepdog Monday, 28 Jul 2014 at 5:44pm

Neither do I happyasS... But privatised "employment agencies" can hear the "cha ching"..... Big bucks....
Was just looking at treasury....
https://www.treasury.tas.gov.au/domino/dtf/dtf.nsf/LookupFiles/Long-Term...$file/Long-Term-Unemployment.pdf

In Australia, one can see that there are currently 72 thousand "permanently unemployed" people ( as in unemployed for longer than a year)...... That equates to 0.6% of the workforce.... It's a fart in a football stadium..... It's all "hoo haa" to appease the hard nosed bigots who scream "MY TAXES"..... Dont hear these people complaining about 36 advisers for abbott, or nearly 100 advisers for Morrison, or $100 000 000 fighter planes that will prove to be useless, or government grants given to billion dollar mining companies.... or billion dollar maternity schemes for millionaires....
A workforce of 12000000 people, and we as a society want to whip 0.6% ( 72000) to make us "feel better"... Alot of these "bludgers" have mental issues, but not quite enough to qualify for sickness benefits...... I suppose if we were racehorses, the government could just take the lame ones that don't run fast down the back of the paddock and put a .22 between the eyes..... But we're not.....
The total cost to the taxpayer for these 72000 folk on the dole is $936 000 000 per year (936 million)... To put that into context, Tony Abbott's paid parental leave scheme (for those that have a job mind you), will be........... $5 500 000 000 per year!!! That's right.... 5.5 BILLION!!! Or 5 1/2 thousand million!!!!