Australian Politics--The Abbott years

[Wildy]

And yet he seems so unprepared . But I do get your point.

On his past record and apparent vacuousness, in the Australian political system, do you reckon he can hold his regime together for two whole years?

It's possible that he'll fall on his sword and call a double-dissolution if he fails to get the Carbon tax repealed which is what he's said he'd do. The thing is that based on the current Senate results that is pretty much shooting himself in the foot since far more minor parties would enter the Senate, actually exacerbating the problem he's got now.

Coalitions of all sorts are notoriously frangible after victory.

The Liberal-National coalition has existed since 1949 and remained like that pretty much continuously since then. I'd say it's more likely for Abbott to come out on National TV, put his pants on his head and run around singing "I'm a Little Teapot" than the Coalition collapsing.

 

[The Fool]

And yet he seems so unprepared . But I do get your point.

On his past record and apparent vacuousness, in the Australian political system, do you reckon he can hold his regime together for two whole years? Coalitions of all sorts are notoriously frangible after victory.

The Lib/Nat coalition is not really a coalition, The two are rusted together and essentially inseparable. Think of the Nationals as a faction of the liberal party that is guaranteed the Deputy PM position.

Nationals are fun. They wear great hats....

 

[The Fool]

I doubt if he will go the distance, but then I thought that the Labor Government would not go the distance, and I was wrong. I will make a wild guess (and that is all it is) that Downer will be the PM within 2 years.

Downer? You could get good odds on that. I'd give you 5000 to 1.

The next Lib PM in waiting (in my humble opinion) would be Turnbull..

 

[CapelDodger]

The Liberal-National coalition has existed since 1949 and remained like that pretty much continuously since then.

Thanks (and same to Fool). Much like the UK's Conservative and Unionist Party then.

I'd say it's more likely for Abbott to come out on National TV, put his pants on his head and run around singing "I'm a Little Teapot"...

Not impossible, though? Let's cling to that hope.

... than the Coalition collapsing.

Understood. But Abbott might get shafted (or shaft himself), as Norm speculates. Popcorn time.

 

[arthwollipot]

Clive Palmer won by 7 votes. A recount has been announced.

Statement from the Australian Electoral Commission: Recount to proceed in the Division of Fairfax

 

[fromdownunder]

Downer? You could get good odds on that. I'd give you 5000 to 1.

The next Lib PM in waiting (in my humble opinion) would be Turnbull..

That is an "oops" on my part I meant Turnbull. They all look the same to me...

Norm

 

[The Fool]

That is an "oops" on my part I meant Turnbull. They all look the same to me...

Norm

I know what you mean.

My greatest disappointment in Australian politics is that because of a few years difference we missed out on a PM/Treasurer of Abbott and Costello.

 

[wombatwal]

What has Abbott given up in his Soverign Borders to appease the Indonesians?
This is a very opaque government.
It is obvious that Abbott is ******** in his pants in Government.
Has he been promoted to a level of incompetence?
Worst PM ever? Time will tell.

 

[Puppycow]

It's possible that he'll fall on his sword and call a double-dissolution if he fails to get the Carbon tax repealed which is what he's said he'd do.

What is happening with the carbon tax anyway?

I think it's a shame that he intends to repeal it, but is there any reason to think he might not be able to?

Even if the objection is that "taxes are too high already", I would prefer if they lowered some other tax first. Surely there are better taxes to reduce or get rid of.

The carbon tax is a Pigovian tax. Some others are not.

A Pigouvian tax (also spelled Pigovian tax) is a tax applied to a market activity that is generating negative externalities. The tax is intended to correct an inefficient market outcome, and does so by being set equal to the negative externalities. In the presence of negative externalities, the social cost of a market activity is not covered by the private cost of the activity. In such a case, the market outcome is not efficient and may lead to over-consumption of the product.[1] An oft-cited example of such an externality is for environmental pollution.[2]

In the presence of positive externalities, i.e., public benefits from a market activity, those who receive the benefit do not pay for it and the market may under-supply the product. Similar logic suggests the creation of a Pigouvian subsidy to make the users pay for the extra benefit and spur more production.[3] An example sometimes cited is a subsidy for provision of flu vaccine.[4]

 

[fromdownunder]

What has Abbott given up in his Soverign Borders to appease the Indonesians?
This is a very opaque government.
It is obvious that Abbott is ******** in his pants in Government.
Has he been promoted to a level of incompetence?
Worst PM ever? Time will tell.

He seems to have backed away from his pre election rhetoric very quickly on the "turn the boats back" policy. It is also interesting that he is censoring news on Boats and limiting any discussion to a weekly Press Conference (or whatever)

He is discovering after only a couple of weeks that being totally negative in opposition does not actually work when you are the one with the power and the one making the decisions.

Norm

 

[The Fool]

He seems to have backed away from his pre election rhetoric very quickly on the "turn the boats back" policy.

Yes, that was a real vote catcher sound byte aimed at simple people.

It is also interesting that he is censoring news on Boats and limiting any discussion to a weekly Press Conference (or whatever)

Well, I heard this is the work of the General....and I can see the point. The TV films of smiling waving asylum seekers getting off boats is just promotional videos for the people smugglers. As long as the figures are not fudged and are given out at reasonable intervals I don't have a problem.

He is discovering after only a couple of weeks that being totally negative in opposition does not actually work when you are the one with the power and the one making the decisions.

Norm

seriously, I really don't see why Pollies are all so keen on getting into power. Opposition is sooooo cruisie. Its almost impossible to be wrong.

 

[Damien Evans]

And yet he seems so unprepared . But I do get your point.

On his past record and apparent vacuousness, in the Australian political system, do you reckon he can hold his regime together for two whole years? Coalitions of all sorts are notoriously frangible after victory.

Not this Coalition. This one has been together for over 60 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coalition

I wouldn't be overly surprised if he was dumped by the party before the next election though.

 

[Wildy]

What is happening with the carbon tax anyway?

Well the government's plan is to repeal the tax part of it but keep the tax breaks for the people that got them under the tax.

Some people think that by repealing the tax the small price increases will just go away, but I think those people are nuts.

I think it's a shame that he intends to repeal it, but is there any reason to think he might not be able to?

Well from now until July he can't because Labor and the Greens control the Senate. When the new Senate sits it will depend on how well he can negotiate through the slew of minor parties that'll control the balance of power in the Senate.

Even if the objection is that "taxes are too high already", I would prefer if they lowered some other tax first. Surely there are better taxes to reduce or get rid of.

The carbon tax has been one of those things that was used by Abbott to attack Labor during his time as opposition leader. Also his views on climate change are more aligned with the deniers than with actual science.

His partisanship and beliefs are a reason why he wants to get rid of the CEFC.

 

[uvar]

He seems to have backed away from his pre election rhetoric very quickly on the "turn the boats back" policy. It is also interesting that he is censoring news on Boats and limiting any discussion to a weekly Press Conference (or whatever)

He is discovering after only a couple of weeks that being totally negative in opposition does not actually work when you are the one with the power and the one making the decisions.

Norm

If you're talking about pre-election rhetoric, don't forget the "budget emergency"! (Because it sure seems like they have...)

Also, in news: Scott Ludlam is out and PUP is in over in the WA senate, but with only 14 votes difference in the end it's likely there'll be a recount - and considering the Greens' primary vote was about twice that of the PUP candidate(s?) initially, Scott's not too happy. Also, in tragic news for WA sports fans,

It was predicted early in the counting that the Australian Sports Party's Wayne Dropulich would pick up a seat due to preference deals, but he has missed out.

 

[wombatwal]

Abbott broke law with media shutout, say Indonesian journalists

Dear oh dear. Here is our fantastic P.M. going the gag on Indonesian journalists.
Abbott is ******** himself with the thought of a transparent press and particularly a transparent parliamentary press.
How much longer can this lack of transparency be tolerated by Australians?

 

[a_unique_person]

Abbott broke law with media shutout, say Indonesian journalists

Dear oh dear. Here is our fantastic P.M. going the gag on Indonesian journalists.
Abbott is ******** himself with the thought of a transparent press and particularly a transparent parliamentary press.
How much longer can this lack of transparency be tolerated by Australians?

Abbott the coward.

 

[sonofgloin]

Before I start I make the claim that there is no party in Australia that represents my core views.

Wombatwal>> He also promised that if the Coalition wins the election he’ll spend his first week as prime minister with the Yolngu people in north-east Arnhem Land.<<
Kev promised aboriginal housing....it didn’t happen.

Wombatwal >> What a load of hypocritical bastards Brandis and Joyce are.
I hope they are dragged through the parliament and courts by the balls like Slipper was.<<
Forget about Slipper, I would like to see them receiving what Abbott dished out to Hanson, some time in goal.

Wombatwal >> Murdoch has Abbott by the balls.
Yes

Wombatwal >>Thanks very much Abbott and Turnbull for setting us back decades in our communications, bloody Neanderthals.<<
Investing billions in cable, in a country our size, with wireless technology flying our planes and currently running the net just fine is waste. Cancer patients are on frigging waiting lists for christs sake.

A Unique Person>>They can't conduct foreign affairs the same way you run a wrecking ball opposition. Australia is going to rapidly become a pariah in our region.<<

Alexander Downer asked a very senior official from Singapore why people smugglers didn't try to send people from nearby Indonesian islands to "rich and happy Singapore".His answer was simple.
"'If they come to Singapore we just send them straight back to Indonesia'."
Pariah you say AUP.....doormat more like it sport.

A Unique Person>>Abbott the coward.<<
Cowards, liars, if you think any of them above branch level are on your side, you are mistaken tiger.

Lionking>> Not only is Abbott bringing us the communications system of the 20th century, but the education system of the 1960s<<

LK did you know that in December 2012 the UN published their findings on world literacy levels in primary age students.....and Australian kids came last in the English speaking world......dead last. Our kid’s literacy was on par with second world nations like bloody Bulgaria.

One more about the pre Fabian indoctrination of our universities. Today our population is 30% greater than in the 1970’s. But in 1970 we had twice the number of uni students doing subjects that involved higher math than we do now.
LK you don’t know who your enemy is.

Fromdownunder>> But I am really looking forward in seeing what our surrogate PM - Clive Palmer - comes up with in the coming months.<<
Whatever it is it will be made in China if Clive controls it.

Fromdownunder>> That is an "oops" on my part I meant Turnbull. They all look the same to me...<<
Turnbull....they are all opprtunists, but Turnbull can go either way...friend to those who need no friends...enemy to those who have none...class act the Mosman Manchurian Candidate.

Puppycow>> I think it's a shame that he intends to repeal it (carbon tax), but is there any reason to think he might not be able to?<<
PC, who do we pay first, the European Banking Cartel or the European bureaucrats that distribute our Carbon taxes?

Fool>> Yes, that was a real vote catcher sound byte aimed at simple people.<<
Yes, the electorate.

Wildy>> Also his views on climate change are more aligned with the deniers than with actual science.<<
Yes it changes.... it is the weather for christs sake, the cycles in accordance with the suns activity. But the crap about floods and droughts hasn’t come about. The tide at Sydney’s Fort Dennison has been trending below average for the past decade, it’s coming back to “average” now. Is that an incontinent truth to clown professor Tim Flannery given he told pensioners at Gosford they would never be able to sell their waterfront homes....but he purchased a waterfront home in the area....the oracle doesn't believe his own bribble.

 

[wombatwal]

Wombatwal >>Thanks very much Abbott and Turnbull for setting us back decades in our communications, bloody Neanderthals.<<
Investing billions in cable, in a country our size, with wireless technology flying our planes and currently running the net just fine is waste. Cancer patients are on frigging waiting lists for christs sake.

A number of things on this.
Wireless will not replace a fixed cable particularly fibre optics. Wireless gets very congested quickly as more and more people use it. This wireless internet Tom Foolery is just that Tom Foolery.
The Labor's NBN was not, and I repeat was not taking money from the budget on cancer patients, roads, rail etc. This is also a big furphy from the anti NBN crowd. The Labor NBN was being funded by bonds that would be payed back by money received on using the NBN. The NBN was assured of success because Telstra and Optus were paid to migrate their customers to the NBN and close down their own services, not mobile phone of course.
Telstra and Optus would then become one of the many ISPs that would be vying for customers on the NBN.
I stick by my quote on this and ask you sonofgloin to do some research on this.

 

[arthwollipot]

Speaking as someone who has been using the exact wireless technology that Turnbull is proposing for the last few years, let me assure you that it's crap.

For a start, there is absolutely zero affordable unlimited download plan. I get to pay for every Mb I use. This means I have to be very careful about what I do download, and basically eliminates any streaming services from consideration. If Netflix were available in Australia, I wouldn't be able to use it.

Second, it is true that download speeds are sufficient to watch a high-quality YouTube video without buffering. The problem is that if I want to do that, I have to make sure no-one else in the house is downloading anything. A scenario where Dad's watching a streaming movie, mum is shopping online, son is playing Call of Duty and daughter is chatting with Grandma over Skype absolutely could not happen over wireless. Not unless you have four separate wireless accounts.

Third, we lose our internet during thunderstorms. That's right - it just completely vanishes. Our router just sits there flashing "no signal". It also completely vanishes at random other times too. If I were trying to run a business over this kind of connection, I would be completely screwed on a semi-regular basis.

The Coalition's NBN plan in my area is that by 2019 we will have... exactly what we have now. Which is already obsolete.

 

[wombatwal]

The Coalition's NBN plan in my area is that by 2019 we will have... exactly what we have now. Which is already obsolete.

But don't tell the Murdoch fanboys and Alan Jones lovers, they would not believe you.