From the carbon tax to Gangnam, that was 2012

Dr B Goh Australian in Asia says:

06:29am | 31/12/12

As a hard headed quantitative scientist the carbon tax makes no sense at all to me.

The carbon tax in Australia has no measurable impact on global warming simply because what is happening in the the naughty countries of China and India. These countries are steaming ahead with more coal powered stations so that by 2035 the no of coal powered stations in the world will increase by 50%.

I must congratulate the PM and the Hon Ferguson on their brave decision to sell uranium to India. This decision can have a greater impact in the fight against global warming.

Nick says:

07:07am | 31/12/12

You could say that about virtually the whole list.  I still can’t work out what Gangnam style is and most of the rest barely registered on my radar either.  I must be hermit.

Highlights for my year - started with a fantastic month in Tassie with my wife and kids, both kids riding without trainer wheels & both can swim, the older one had a great first year at school, we knocked our mortgage on the head, I droppped the 10kg of fat I picked up over the last few years, my mum got her health back after a horror period…over here in my little bubble it has been a genuinely happy year in so many ways.

craig2 says:

07:17am | 31/12/12

The carbon tax is one of the most outrageous gimmicks to impose on a naturally occurring event, climate change. With an election very soon, a lot of people will not forget this government and its trashed election promises. Bring on Gonski and the NDIS, another couple of policies that will never see the daylight, anybody have any idea where the money is coming from…...no…....join the club, neither do I.

We says:

07:20am | 31/12/12

No ‘we’ won’t.

Gregg says:

07:25am | 31/12/12

The Gangnam style most likely Super D but what most people including the media and especially Labor politicians are not telling us that be it a Cobra or a Python, a strike or a squeeze, just like a lot of us humans and animals, snakes also have babies, maybe not as cute even though they will wriggle about too and get into places you might never dream of.

Yep, consider the Carbon Tax as a lead weight that can be added to.

Already, there is lost businesses and opportunities and more and more people will do life a bit tougher.
Even hospitals and local councils have added costs and you know what the result is.

OzTrucker says:

07:45am | 31/12/12

We will probably still be paying off the labor credit card then too.

As for shaking the head in bemusement, I do that daily. This country we live in now is not the same country I grew up in. The stupid politicians of all persuasions, the PC brigade and the cotton wool society have seen to that.

nihonin says:

08:19am | 31/12/12

OzTrucker, your last paragraph.

+1

mick says:

10:52am | 31/12/12

we will NEVER forget what labor have done in the last five years.Us loyal Australians will never forget and never forgive.some of you may have you eyes and ears painted on but we see the mess thats in front of our eyes.i just hope that the four or so police investigations into labor ministers and their associates leads us to a royal commission into the labor party and all its dealings.

PJ says:

11:14am | 31/12/12

The carbon tax is on everything, all we eat, all we drink, everything we buy.

Australians pay 65% more for the same basket of goods on sale in the US, according to the International Price Parity Index.

This is due to the high dollar, driven up by colossal borrowings that give us interest payments of $20 Million a day. And the Carbon tax, which is just another GST.

Great achievements delivered in only 4 years. Imagine what can be achieved in another 4.

Achmed says:

12:52pm | 31/12/12

PJ what a crock of propaganda you spout.  The Aussie dollar is at such a high level because investors overseas see Australia as a safe strong place to invest their money and get a good return.
That one reason why the Reserve lowered interest rates.  Invest in Aust and get 3%+ from banks, invest elsewhere get a lot less.
Read the OECD Report 2012 for Australia and stop relying on right wing news sheets for your rantings

rotor says:

02:01pm | 31/12/12

The Punch and other news.com sites: the refuge of climate denialists.

nihonin says:

03:38pm | 31/12/12

rotor, go to where your god is appeased.

ZSRenn says:

09:16am | 31/12/12

I think your motivating cause is to distract us from the failings of the Gillard Government in 2012 by talking about Abbott.

Sitting Bull says:

09:52am | 31/12/12

Can’t wait for the Ashby charges to eventuate during the coming months.
Pyne, Brough and Bishop will be a major distraction during an election year for the conservatives.
In other news, Abbott today tells us he has plans for Australia and will give us detail over the coming months.
Don’t hold your breath.

PJ says:

11:22am | 31/12/12

In 4 years we have record debt at $300 Billion. First it was only going to be $75 Billion, then it was just a little more at $100 Billion, then $250 and now $300 Billion. Each time a promise that was it. And each time a promise broken.

Lets talk Budgets. We’ve had 4 Budgets from this Government and they have got all 4 wrong. Each has been blown out of the water, producing record deficits. They have never yet been able to show they understand their running costs.

The failure to produce the tiniest of Surplus should have communicated to everyone, in conjunction with the above, that the Gillard Government has no control over the economy and it is just free floating under the China run Mining boom.

So far economists are predicting Australia needs 130 plus years to pay back this spending. What a legacy for our kids.

More Gillard Government?  No thanks.

Geronimo says:

11:53am | 31/12/12

As your Wacky Abbott repeatedly demonstrates ZSRenn, those who continually use the oxymoron “I think” are always in grave danger of being misinterpreted.

Gregg says:

12:56pm | 31/12/12

Sitting Bull, Geronimo!
Crikey, it looks as though the reservation has been left or always is that maybe and just that it’s time to circle the wagons again.

That’s if there’s any money to grease the axles and get some feed for the horses.

Christian Real says:

01:37pm | 31/12/12

PJ
If there are Fiscal and Monetary changes occuring in overseas Countries then it would have been more irresponsible for the current ALP government to continue to persue a surplus.
Even the Federal Opposition revealed the day following Swan’s announcement that they also could no longer guarantee a surplus should they win win Government in 2013.
“Joe Hockey says Opposition can’t promise a Budget surplus either”, written by Phillip hudson for The Sun Herald on December 21,2012 @ 11.00PM
“The federal Coalition has abandoned its guarantee to deliver a Budget surplus a day after Labor confessed it could not keep the nation’s finances in the black.”
PJ
It is better to have a deficit than a surplus given the current fiscal and monetary outlook overseas even the Coalition appears to have realised this now.
It is better to have jobs and stability instead of plunginging this Country into a recession just for the sake of delivering a surplus.
Another fact,not fiction like you and other Liberals are happy to continue to spin on a day to day basis is that Three Credit Rating Agengies have given Australia a Triple AAA Rating
“Fitch gives Australian economy a big tick.”, from AAP on October 27,2012 @ 12.16PM
“Ratings agency Fitch has reaffirmed Australia’s AAA credit agency rating, in a decission Treasurer Wayne Swan describes as strong endorsement of the government’s fiscal policy.”
“The tick of approval comes just days after the government handed down its mid-year economic and fiscal outlook (MYEFO)”
“Australia now sits with just six other countries with the top credit rating and a stable outlook from the “big three” major credit ratings agencies - Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch”
PJ
If you want to talk about budgets then you should at least know something about them before you comment from Liberal Party Headquarters, they obviously must be paying you well.

HC says:

08:50am | 31/12/12

Haha people having their say, that’s a very funny joke.  Elections are as trivial and as insignificant as the people who vote for any of the major parties.

vox says:

09:39am | 31/12/12

Goodness gracious me!  This reads like a verbatim copy of one of the Runaway Rabbit’s ‘unscripted’ replies to a question. Is there a school they attend that teaches this type of communication skill? Is it contagious, perhaps?
Reading, or attempting to read RBarron’s rambling rant made me aware of the fact, (again), that the Libs are the Party of Parrots, blindly repeating the garbage put up by those so desperate for power that reason goes out the window and gibberish becomes the order of the day. And as we know from history, when some despot abandons reason for repetitive, (and by some,accepted), propaganda, chaos ensues.
Picture an Abbott Prime Minister addressing the U.N. General Assembly. Fist smashing into the podium, body shaking with apoplectic rage, eyes glazed with uncontrollable anger, with his mouth, unable to vent his violent spleen, opening and shutting like some landed flathead. Then storming off, out of sight, because none of the members can understand this new phenomena Australia has foisted upon them.
Ah yes!  This bloke is Prime Ministerial gold!  Fool’s gold!

Dreamer says:

11:22am | 31/12/12

What are you worried about then if the election is in the bag? Abbott will win. He will do everything on day one like he said he would, all will be perfect the day after.

Christine says:

11:33am | 31/12/12

@ Vox
Vox it seems like someone else caught the contagious need to rant. The fantasy picture you portrayed is another example of irrelevant nonsense.

Regardless of what party one determines to vote for come election time, it seems to me that very few will have the opportunity to vote for the leader and future PM.  This is not the United States.  We elect the local candidate we believe belongs to the party best suited to provide the best policies for Australia and its citizens.  Our opinions are diverse as are our needs.
It is clear some folk can’t stand the current PM and some can’t stand the Leader of the Opposition.  So What!.  One could ask why certain female politicians are so obsessed with the Opposition Leader they have to keep talking about him..  This is all immaterial nonsense.
It is experience and good policy that will count and this is the year when we make our judgemen call.  In good time, both Labour and the Coalition will release their detailed policies for the ensuing 3 years and how they expect to fund same.  Regardless of who wins, the PM of the future day will represent us overseas in the dignified manner that becomes the office.

Gregg says:

12:59pm | 31/12/12

@Vox
Talk of the pot calling the kettle black!

Michael says:

08:42am | 31/12/12

Again, but not repetative…right?

You couldn’t have just imagined what might happen without having to play your part?

rotor says:

02:05pm | 31/12/12

You’re right, iansand. Rusted-on polifical party hacks are the bores that ruin online opinion sites like this one. Silly thing is, they probably congratulate themselves that they’re making a difference and promoting their party’s cause.

ZSRenn says:

09:35am | 31/12/12

The problem is these other debts were built up over many years even decades. Due to good government, in the past, ours has been built up since 2007 from a then surplus of $20 billion.

China Twit says:

10:34am | 31/12/12

sleepy renn never heard of the GFC.
Not surprising, in China you don’t hear much of anything.

mick says:

10:48am | 31/12/12

the problem might be that we are a country of only 22 million people who live on an island that could sustain every need we have.but what do we have after five years of a labor? a big mess with aaslogan for its headline.

sunny says:

10:51am | 31/12/12

Those other countries were already heavily in debt when the GFC hit and couldn’t stimulate their economies sufficiently to avoid recession. Australia could and did. Going into debt to avoid recession was the right choice. We’re lucky on two counts - one that we were in the position we were thanks to the previous Lib govt, credit where it’s due; and two that the sitting Labor govt knew to open the hand and spend our way out instead of clench the fist around the wad (which would have been the Lib reaction) and watched a shit load more businesses go to the wall.

Another point is that Rudd and Swan took a lot of advice from treasury etc. in navigating us out of the GFC - it’s doubtful that Howard and co. would have done the same.

AT says:

10:51am | 31/12/12

@ZSRenn Yeah, and then a little thing called the GFC happened and we would have lost the surplus even without a change of government according to the budget figures from Treasury. Although I believe they should never have promised a surplus. It is going to be a political noose!

Achmed says:

10:57am | 31/12/12

Abbott wont have the $50+billion of assetts to sell that Howard sold, 

And based on what is being seen in Liberal states,,,, well
WA Liberals have taken to state debt from $4billion under Labor to over $20 billion in less than 4 years.  This is despite record royalties, record income from stamp duty and ever increasing state taxes including a 60% power increase before the CT,
I don’t hold out much hope of things being better if Abbott is elected

Bear says:

11:18am | 31/12/12

Using facts to prove a point is ridiculous, I’d rather listen to mindless drivel.

PJ says:

11:36am | 31/12/12

Your forgetting those programs that are ‘Off Budget’ (like they do not have to be paid for? NBN anyone?) and that the debt ceiling is $300 Billion. Moved from $75, to $100, then $250 to $300 Billion in only 4 years, on a 131 years payback scheme.

No money for Gronski, it’s still in ‘research’. No money for NDIS, it’s just a small, tiny pilot scheme, because the Government cannot afford to launch ANY of it’s flagship policies.

The much needed Dental Scheme., still talked about in speeches, has actually been set back to 2014. No money.

Debt is currently at 30% of a declining GDP. But the outstanding bills yet to be cashed will push that up more. Very easily.

You know we’re doing badly because you know if everything was roses, then the flag ship policies would have been delivered ready for bragging rights during the election year.

Gronski cost $6.5 Billion each year. Only a one off $5.8 Million funding available for ‘further research’.
NDIS cost $10.5 million each year, only a one off $1 Billion made available for trial piloting.

If everything was fantastic we’d have a surplus delivered and these programs funded. You know it, I know it, he,she or it knows it.

Yet we have to put up with the Gillard Government talking like they are fully launched programs, fully delivered all up and running.

Come on.

Jaqui says:

11:50am | 31/12/12

Don’t you love the way that the dishonest lefties will just as easily spruik the GFC as being the reason their financially incompetent leaders spend and spend and spend but conveniently leave out the unprecedented mining boom we have just had (and their leaders have put the boot into).

You people as credible as you are trustworthy!

PJ says:

11:53am | 31/12/12

The GFC had little effect in the Asia Pac region. An area of the Globe of unprecedented GDP growth and ‘cashed up’ countries desperate to spend.

Australia sits right in this region, not in Europe.

The Gillard Government discovered this geographical fact recently in it’s Asian Century white paper.

Comparisons to European economies are just the mumblings of a clueless Government trying to divert attention from it’s economic mis management.

We live, work and play in the Asia Pac. And we compete with the Asian economies.

Not only that, Australia has had a Mining boom that was ‘the envy of the world.’ A Mining boom that the Asian economies were falling over themselves to invest in, or be a customer of.

So to claim the colossal debt that will take us 131 years to repay is down to the GFC is crap. We’ve had every advantage to make Australia economically secure.

A scheme to deliver $900.00 Flat Screen TV’s to each home and poisonous Pink Batts did not cost $300 Billion and 4 massive Budget Deficits. Sorry. Not buying that.

The Pink Batts cost us $124 Million in damage control. the Flat screen TV’s passed through the books 5 years ago.

The record debt we have now was created in the past 4 years and it has not been spent on the flag ship policies, NDIS, Gronski or Dental scheme.

Gronski is costed at $6.5 Billion per year, but the cash strapped Government could only raise a one off $5.8 million.
NDIS is costed at $10.5 per year, but only $1 billion has been given.

Gronski is no more than a small research project and NDIS a small pilot scheme.

So why have we $300 Billion in debt and massive budget deficits? where has the money gone? Remember, the Gillard Government has put NBN ‘Off the Books’ like it doesn’t have to be paid for.

sunny says:

01:14pm | 31/12/12

PJ - “The GFC had little effect in the Asia Pac region”

You keep spouting this BS but you’re clearly wrong (and you probably don’t care that you’re wrong).

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-gfc-how-we-got-into-this-terrible-mess/

“Even China started to suffer from a slowdown in its growth, especially in the export centres such as Guangdong province in the south of China. Australia was hit by declining demand for our exports as well as falling prices for these exports. This hit the economies of Queensland and WA especially hard. But banks were struggling, and their unwillingness to lend to businesses slowed down the economy across the board.”

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/50-ways-the-gfc-has-changed-australia/

“when China’s economy showed signs of slowing last year, shares in mining companies like BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto were massacred on the stock market, in anticipation of falling profits. If anyone was in any doubt before, it’s clear now that Australia’s fortunes are linked to the rise of China.”

Can I ask where you were during the GFC, PJ?

Steve Putnam says:

01:36pm | 31/12/12

@PJ “The GFC had little effect in the Asia Pa region.”
Half the value of the Australian stock exchange was wiped out in the wake of the GFC. Why tell lies?

Christian Real says:

01:44pm | 31/12/12

Sunny
PJ was most likely holed up in Liberal Party Headquarters oblivious to the GFC that was happening around the World and affecting our Country as well.

rotor says:

02:11pm | 31/12/12

PJ is clearly a rusted-on political booster for the coalition. Fair enough. PJ is holding Labor to high standards, fair enough too. Are you prepared to hold the next coalition government to high standards such as: all promises funded and delivered, and criticise them if they’re not? I will. I’ll also be scrutinising the budget cuts they make, and watching them for lying about the size of the deficit as the Newman Qld government has done.

Michael says:

03:35pm | 31/12/12

Rotor, good plan. How have the current lot been responding to your inquiries re funding and delivery of ALL policies and no back flips?
I assume you are holding the current team to account like you will the future team.
Do you feel the Gillard government has been an improvement on the Rudd government?

High standards says:

03:55pm | 31/12/12

It’s posters like PJ we should be holding to account. What he posts isn’t “fair enough” .

PJ is a prolific poster. Just not of “opinion”.

His posts are simply flat out misinformation and disinformation.

He claims everyone spent the $900 tax bonus on a fricken TV for example. It’s a nonsensical made up factoid. No basis in actual fact.

PJ isn’t about informed debate. He’s a one man full-time bullshit factory.

-28 says:

04:20pm | 31/12/12

Nothing like comparing yourself to a bunch of failures to make yourself feel successful.

gary says:

04:37pm | 31/12/12

babble on should go back to England where it’s all rosie under the Tories. NOT
Let’s see where we are with regard to other countries with our debt shall we?
Debt as a percentage of GDP
Australia 29.3
Canada 85.8
France 105.1
Germany 87.6
Ireland 123.2
Japan 214.3
Netherlands 82.5
New Zealand 51.3
Spain 93.8
United Kingdom 105.3
United States 109.8

Oh, sorry PJ / Babble-on you were saying something?

John A says:

04:38pm | 31/12/12

ZSRenn,
Just what does the time period have to do with the debt?
Your logic, if that is what you call it? Fails me, surely debt is debt, all debt has to be repaid and at this point in time, i’d suggest we are in a better position than the other countries mentioned.
I can’t wait for your response.

Bear says:

09:27am | 31/12/12

There’s a lot of ‘I heard from someone about something but bla bla bla’ going on there. Try at least learning facts before forming a view.

AT says:

10:59am | 31/12/12

“firstly there is the PM, a woman who will do and say anything to stay in power even if it means lying to the people once again or accusing someone of something without a shred of evidence.”

Yeah, totally! Like clutching at straws at something someone did 20 years ago and accuse them of breaking the law without a shred of evidence in at attempt to gain power?

nihonin says:

11:04am | 31/12/12

+1

I’m hearing you Bear

sunny says:

11:15am | 31/12/12

“failing technologies”

Wind energy in South Australia is 31% of the state’s grid generation. This grew by 10% this year and South Oz now have the highest wind energy generation per capita in the world.

ramases says:

12:17pm | 31/12/12

Bear, the facts are out there for all to see, except of course those so rusted on that they need permission to think for themselves.
  This Government is by far the worst Australia has ever had to endure and this PM is without doubt the most self centred person who thinks not about what she can do for the country but what she can do for herself. Now if that’s the kind of person that you think makes a good PM then its no wonder that we are slowly going down the tube. You people talk about evidence but I’ll bet my bottom dollar that you endorsed her comments about Abbott 100%, and look no evidence again. As for 20 years ago, lets just say that the evidence is out there but being covered up by those in power to protect the guilty. If you truly believe that at 31 she was young and naive then I’ve got this little bridge in Sydney for sale at a bargain price, just up your alley I would think. You can fool some of the people some of the time but it seems that you can fool a Labor supporter 100% of the time.

craig2 says:

01:02pm | 31/12/12

Sunny: and the base load power required to generate 31%? Using what form of energy? Nice rant about nothing Sunny, nothing changes with you.

Anticitizen1 says:

01:47pm | 31/12/12

I pretty much agree with everything you have said, particularly in regards to asinine safety regulations in the workplace and alternative energy schemes (scams).

As a mining engineer I worked at 2 BHPBIO sites and I have seen first hand the “Safety Gone Nuts” phenomenon. You literally had to do a Take 5 (risk analysis) to move a box of A4 paper 10 meters (I wish I was exaggerating).

In terms of alternative energy, solar will never provide base load and wind is a straight up scam. Not only are the windy conditions not always guaranteed but wind farms come with a steep maintenance cost. Other alternate energy sources are niche and can only be a small part of the energy generation. The only way to generate clean power reliably and efficiently is, get ready for a naughty word, nuclear!

Charles says:

05:31pm | 31/12/12

@Sunny, your comment regarding SA wind generation is rubbish.  The fact is the electricity bought 31 per cent, while an equivalent 31 percent of fossil fuelled generation was dumped.

They had to buy it because they had a mandatory contract with the wind farms negotiated by the extremely dumb ALP government.  That is why SA has the highest electricity costs in the world.  Oh, and another thing, it hasn’t reduced The CO2 emissions of SA by one oz.  Another own goal by the ALP/Green government.

ramases says:

06:50pm | 31/12/12

Anticitizen1, I live on 100% Solar and know its limitations. Want to do a job of work, forget about using it, fire up the generator to get it done and our system is not a cheap system by any means.
  Its really interesting to read some of the comments from people who applaud Solar/Wind but who have never had to rely on it for their power. Give them 6 months of living on Solar/Wind with the related costs of installation added and then see if they still think its a great idea, I think not. The only reason we have Solar is that it was $15,000 cheaper than having the Grid connected.

Achmed says:

10:09am | 31/12/12

Keating removed negative gearing.  The amount of investment in housing dropped, less housing - rents increased, no ability to negative gear rents went up to cover the true cost of an investment property

PJ says:

11:58am | 31/12/12

Rents in Australia have risen by 59% over the past 5 years.

The Governments policy to allow none residents to purchase Australian homes has helped create housing issues that have driven these rents through the roof.

Achmed says:

01:05pm | 31/12/12

From an article in the Australian Conservative
1995 to 2005 was a decade in which the traditional relativity between average household incomes and median house prices was shattered, putting home ownership beyond the reach of a vast number of Australian families.
Who was running the country?  Oh thats right some bloke named Howard!!!

sunny says:

11:27am | 31/12/12

Many Happy ‘Returns’

nihonin says:

01:31pm | 31/12/12

My ‘returns’ sunny, thanks to the ATO this financial year, should be legend…....wait for it….dary.  Thank you, other Aussie taxpayers, bout time you gave me some back hahaha. 

sunny says:

01:30pm | 31/12/12

If Abbott and his Lib/Nat mates get into government, with their shoddy record on the environment and their expensive yet ineffective climate change ‘direct action’ plan (assuming they ever implement it, which I doubt) then the Greens’ popularity will double in Abbott’s first term. They’ll get 20% of the vote in the following election.

Labor actually does the environmental hard yards like the ocean reserves, national parks and reserves, forrestry/conservation balance, Murray Darling Basin resolution and effective climate change action. The Greens get less popular under Labor because there is not so much need for them.

Abbott in government is a dream come true for Green political strategists.

Anticitizen1 says:

03:42pm | 31/12/12

The real tragedy is the fact that the Greens did that well in the previous election. It is actually a worrying sign of the complete lack of critical faculties of the minority that voted for them. I wonder if any of them actually read the policies on the Green’s website or were just swayed by a few catch phrases they heard on the TV from the likes of Milne and Hanson-Young.

Knemon says:

12:52pm | 31/12/12

Come on PJ…it’s new years eve…lighten up, my eyes are bleeding

Have a happy new year PJ.