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Liberal diary: Spin master still in control

Sophie Mirabella

by Sophie Mirabella

06 Aug 05:50am

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Filed under: Election 2010, Julia Gillard, Politics

82 comments

Note: Labor MP Richard Marles and Liberal MP Sophie Mirabella are among our favourite contributors to The Punch, and we have asked them to write a piece every Friday during this five-week election campaign giving their take on events.

An earlier, less real prototype of Julia Gillard, now replaced with the realer version. Photo: Ray Strange

It’s telling that the transition this week from false to “real” Julia Gillard was only discernable because of her embarrassing public declaration that she was “going to take charge”.

Which of course begs the question – just who has been in charge over the last six weeks of her Prime Ministership?

Even this public declaration is evidence that Labor’s campaign is still all about spin over substance.  Julia’s change of direction appears to be based, not on policy or vision, but on her being more accessible to the public and appearing less robotic.

But it’s a confected authenticity that she’s obviously been instructed to convey simply because her campaign has floundered so badly.

Ms Gillard also claims to be throwing out the campaign rule book – but the first thing she did was launch a tirade-bordering-on-personal-attack on Tony Abbott.  Labor is also cynically launching its campaign (and presumably therefore it’s major policies) less than 5 days before the Australian people go to vote.  Not a lot of time for scrutiny.

Labor’s obsession with spin over substance has led many commentators to declare the election a policy-free zone.  But that isn’t the case.

While the Labor campaign has gone from bad to worse, the Coalition has been working hard each day and has announced many significant policies that form part of our plan for the future. 

These include:

Practical funding of $3.1 billion to create 2,800 new hospital beds and reduce waiting lists (that’s 1,500 more beds than Labor is planning)

$1.5 billion for better Mental Health services including 20 new Early Intervention Centres and 60 additional “headspace” Centres to treat young people

An innovative, wage-based Paid Parental leave program that will mean working women have 6 months leave to care for their babies – which will help businesses retain valuable employees

$3.2 billion for a direct-action plan to reduce carbon emissions including a new Green Army and more support for renewable energy

$90 million to boost tourism and build vital tourism infrastructure

Cutting company tax by $2.5 billion to help small businesses grow

Making childcare more affordable for families by indexing the childcare rebate and paying it weekly

Easing the pressure on families by increasing the Education Tax Rebate and expanding eligible expenses to include school excursions, fees, and tutoring

Making communities safer with a Community Crime Prevention Program to help fund CCTV cameras and other local measures to fight crime and graffiti

More funding to improve border security at our airports and ports

Support for Seniors including more access to the health care, employment assistance and better quality aged care.

Of course, the Coalition will also tackle the vital issue of illegal boat entries by restoring both offshore processing and the TPV (Temporary Protection) visa class which acted so effectively as a deterrent to people smuggling.

We are also committed to getting rid of Labor’s tax on our most productive industry, mining – which would cost jobs and add to cost of living pressures that families are facing.

Importantly, we have released a comprehensive economic plan – including $24 billion in recurrent savings to help fund our commitments and also begin to pay back Labor debt. 

Ms Gillard has taken to claiming credit for “getting Australia through the global financial crisis” – the fact it, Labor inherited a $20 billion budget surplus and turned that into a whopping $57 billion deficit in just 2 years.  And a lot of that spending was utterly wasteful and unnecessary.

Any talk of fiscal scrutiny now by Labor is laughable when the Prime Minister won’t even release the Independent Report into rorting of the BER, for which she had responsibility.

The fact is Australia clearly fared better in the GFC because, unlike other nations, we had a very strong economy to start with – thanks to the economic management of the previous Coalition Government.  If stimulus spending was the answer, other nations who also spent up big would have weathered the crisis better. 

But Labor still thinks that spending up big and racking up debt is the way to go.  It’s been the Labor way for so long, it’s become part of their DNA.  And it’s a major point of difference with the Coalition.

There will be more positive policies when the Coalition officially launches our campaign this Sunday.  Check out the full range of policies at www.liberal.org.au

The real and workman-like way Tony Abbott has approached this campaign, coupled with our well-thought-out and costed policies, highlights the differences between the two major parties.

The Labor team is obsessed with hating each other, while the Coalition team is focused on engaging in real policy development.  Labor is racked by division, addicted to spin and can’t escape the policy disasters of the past, while the Coalition is clearly prepared to govern.

The bottom line is that this election isn’t about which face Julia choses to present and it’s not about re-inventions, gaffes or campaign strategy. 

It’s about which party has the right team and the right policies to create a better Australia. Clearly the Coalition is concentrating on substance rather than spin, which is what the Australian people deserve.

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82 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Rosie says:

      07:38am | 06/08/10

      Great article Sophia! However, I think you have missed how these idiots have under estimated the Australian people.

      This election would have been a normal & fair election if we didn’t have the thuggery brought about by the Union Powers which has not only backfired but trivalised the election. It was never a fair contest from the start. ie first female PM, honeymoon period etc.

      I am so bloody angry at the mentally of a bunch of these low-life Australian politicians that would think we were a breed of dumb asses. Julia Gillard & Labor have caused more confusion to the section of our society, poor things that are staunch Labor voters, today’s vulnerable and tomorrow’s dumb asses if they can’t see the mess that Labor have put themselves into. They dug the hole for themselves and are now trying desperately to climb out of it.

      It was etched on their stupid foreheads, attack Tony Abbott on workchoices and economics, the pressure will get to him, he will falter and we will slide back into office. They wanted Australians to believe that as well but deep down as they carried out their plans they knew Tony Abbott would be a formidable apponent.

      My only wish now is forTurnbull to appreciate the fact that it was Tony Abbott for the call and not him.

      Reply

    • Adam Diver says:

      09:09am | 06/08/10

      Rosie I usually agree with you but not this time. Australians are a bunch of dumb-asses just look at the polls, particularly in NSW. How anyone could vote for such incompetent parties is amazing but the fact that almost half the population will defies belief.

    • troy says:

      10:35am | 06/08/10

      Rosie great comments but I think you underestimate the stupidity of some of the Australian voters. NSW is a classic example of a Government that is so incompetent that it beggars belief, but NSW voters continually keep re-electing them. Federal Labor is an absolute disgrace yet they are still polling 35+% of the primary vote which means 35% of Australians don’t give a stuff what happens to this country’s future or are just too dumb and ignorant to care. No Federal Government since Whitlam has had such a disastrous record of failures yet there are people still willing to vote for them. Another example is SA where Rann cheated on his wife and family, then lied about it, yet still managed to hang on to Government with Green preferences. My faith in the Australian voters being intelligent enough to hold any Government accountable for their job they do while in Government has waned.

    • Joan says:

      10:35am | 06/08/10

      Gillard and Co have turned the 2010 election into a Monty Python farce,
      Labor is an embarrasment for Australia, anyone watching from outside Australia must be wondering what happened to the confident, sure footed Australia of the Howard era . In just 3 years Labor has turned an Australian government into a laughing stock on the world stage, and in Australia. Howard government left Australia set up in good financial position to weather the GFC storm. Labor has put Australia into billions of dollars of debt and accumulating and now presents a totally dysfunctional party to the people for election.

    • Budz says:

      10:36am | 06/08/10

      I agree partially with each of you. The problem with compulsory voting is that all the idiots that have no idea also vote, and therefore they will believe the rubbish that is spun.

    • Rosie says:

      11:47am | 06/08/10

      Oh dear what have I said in the heat of the moment?

      Perhaps we should have faith in the fact we have more smart thinking people than dumb asses in this wonderful country of ours.

      I think I have said just about everything there is to say about why this Rudd/Gillard Labor Govt doesn’t deserve to be re elected but will not give up hope and now desperately relying on the “sleeping gaints to awaken” 

      Graham Richardson, a Labor man, in his book ” Whatever It Takes” I think we are allowed to hope that because Tony Abbott is a Catholic and Julia Gillard an athesist it will make a difference.

      Last night in Sydney the non-believer Julia Gillard seemed to be doing whatever it takes to win votes. She has now accepted an invitation to address the Australian Christian Lobby after last night attending a Mary MacKillop fundraiser.

      I quote from the Courier Mail; “The Australian Christian Lobby says it has access to thousands of churches nationwide and has sent pamphlets to many churches outlining the policies of the major parties.

      That is democracy for you!

    • Joan says:

      12:52pm | 06/08/10

      Atheist Gillard meets Cardinal Pell at MacKillop fund raiser both demonstrate the height of hypocrisy , both power hungry, both willing to cross lines of belief , to do and say anything to gain and to maintain power.  Truely nauseating that people in power are so unprincipled in their belief. Anything to do with MacKillop is no place for an atheist and Pell should not have invited Gillard, but asked for a believer standin for Gillard -a Catholic. Pell showed a lack of judgement and consideration for his flock.

    • Brian Taylor says:

      02:42pm | 06/08/10

      what’s with all the asses?  thats a usa term, over here it’s arse’s, but besides that, good post

    • Reg says:

      04:43pm | 07/08/10

      What an extraordinary Liberal disclosure of hate for the electors and the electorate. Naturally we have come to expect such condescension, but to write it on the proverbial wall indicates how unworthy are the writers to participate in the electoral process. You are all defacto suggesting that Australia needs to be governed by autocratic pricks like you and that anyone who disagrees should be punished. Thank you Adam, Troy, Joan, Budz and of course the inimitable DD.  Set up a business party, but don’t expect to get elected, you’d just be stripping away the only things that humanize the current Liberal countenance and making it easier to target.  This is the problem that arises when you become incestuous.

    • Reg says:

      07:58pm | 07/08/10

      Hey Joan, why does Mary MacKillop need funds. She’s dead. Raising funds for a dead person is the height of hypocrisy. “Truely nauseating that people in power are so unprincipled in their belief.” You can say that again Joan. Oh but wait, you’re criticising Catholics or is it Cardinal Pell. Perhaps you’re part of the Australian Christian Lobby who despise Catholics and do not include them in the LOBBY because they are not considered Christians.  Then again perhaps you are not aware that the ACL does not include Catholics because they wanted to keep it quiet. Do you have anything further to add?

    • Denny Crane says:

      08:10am | 06/08/10

      Excellent article.

      Didnt Julia say, that the party lost its way, that why she took over, and its time to move forward.

      The the polls drop, and who come back from the dead after having the knife removed from his back, Kevin Rudd, who was the leader who lost his way.

      She is no leader, this was seen from the start, place in by the faction, and now everyone can see that Julia cannot make her own mid up, cant make a decision.

      Julia how is the East Timor debacle going, remember the one where you contacted oyr equivalant of the GG, who has no power thats it

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      09:22am | 07/08/10

      Kevin Rudd being disgruntled is propbably no more than a Lib fantasy.  He must have known that bringing in the mining tax proposal just before the election was an error of judgement, and the backbench revolt was predictable.  This morning we’ve again had Andrew Robb on radio telling us about the consequences of disunity within the government, in a most depressing voice.  He should start taking his medication again, and the Liberal Party should take more care who it uses as spokesperson.  Their delusion and wishful thinking is becoming their reality

    • Golfman says:

      06:17am | 09/08/10

      @acotel: You said “He (Kevin Rudd) must have known that bringing in the mining tax proposal just before the election was an error of judgement, and the backbench revolt was predictable.”
      Not at all - he was ‘moving backwards’, playing predictable, boring, traditional, divisive, ALP socialist/classist politics - i.e. tax the rich and the poor will *think* you’re actually on their side and vote for you. (Haha Rudd’s and his wife are worth $125million - yeah, just working class battlers like the people whose votes they want to steal). The good thing is that most people are not mugs these days and realize that you can’t tax the rich without affecting the people they employ nor the cost of the goods they sell… Abraham Lincoln said as much many years ago. That’s how capitalism works. If you don’t like it then go and live in North Korea where there are no companies.

    • Tony of Poorakistan says:

      08:17am | 06/08/10

      Well, that is a more positive article than the one from the ALP yob. Still, I would have mentioned some of Labor’s more obvious backflips (the Moreton Bay railway in Queensland, stormwater harvesting in Adelaide - both of which were Liberal ideas in the last State elections and roundly derided by federal and state Labor).

      They are totally schizophrenic - even down to Joolya ANNOUNCING she is changing her personality.

      Reply

    • Carter says:

      08:32am | 06/08/10

      “It’s telling that the transition this week from false to “real” Julia Gillard was only discernable because of her embarrassing public declaration that she was “going to take charge”. Which of course begs the question – just who has been in charge over the last six weeks of her Prime Ministership?”
      - Context please Sophie, Gillard was talking about taking charge of teh campaign, a role that is traditionally run - IN BOTH MAJOR PARTIES - by a campaign director and the party executive.

      “Ms Gillard also claims to be throwing out the campaign rule book – but the first thing she did was launch a tirade-bordering-on-personal-attack on Tony Abbott.  Labor is also cynically launching its campaign (and presumably therefore it’s major policies) less than 5 days before the Australian people go to vote.  Not a lot of time for scrutiny.”
      - Personal attacks have been coming from both sides, and in terms of scrutiny, why haven’t the coalition being submitting their policies for financial scrutiny by Treasury?

      (the coalition policies mentioned)
      - As above. Also noteworthy that many of the coalitions current policy ideas either mimic Labor’s (paid parental leave - and would the coalition have this policy if it weren’t for Labor?) or rely on the groundwork set down by Labor (health plan hinges on this)

      “Ms Gillard has taken to claiming credit for “getting Australia through the global financial crisis” – the fact it, Labor inherited a $20 billion budget surplus and turned that into a whopping $57 billion deficit in just 2 years.  And a lot of that spending was utterly wasteful and unnecessary.”
      - Treasury estimate that is it weren’t for the two stimulus packages, Australia would be $20billion more in debt (based on the cost to the State of mass unemployed and the parallel loss of revenue through income tax). Stimulus packages teh coalition voteed against. Twice.

      “The fact is Australia clearly fared better in the GFC because, unlike other nations, we had a very strong economy to start with – thanks to the economic management of the previous Coalition Government.  If stimulus spending was the answer, other nations who also spent up big would have weathered the crisis better. “
      - Nobel prize winning economists have commented, on teh record, that Australia’s stimulus was the best designed package in the world and did exectly what it intended. If Sophie thinks that all stimulus spending nations are the same, it shows the dangerous lack of knowledge in the coalition. Sophie, it’s not so much that money was spent, it’s where it was spent - areas that propped up the economy.

      BOTH parties engage in spin, but the coalition is still not convincing. Until their policies are submitted for PROPER scrutiny, they will not be credible to anyone who actually puts some thought into this election.

      Better the devil we know.

      Reply

    • MarK says:

      09:00am | 06/08/10

      “Better the devil we know. “

      No. Oh by the way is this the real Julia or the fake one? What do we know about her apart from the fact she is incompetent.

    • Hamish says:

      09:42am | 06/08/10

      Carter, you have analysed these issues as favourably as possible for the Labor Party. Re your first point, sure both parties have campaign directors, but it’s only the extremely naive who would suggest Julia Gillard was talking abou wresting control back from the campaign director. Everyone knows she was talking about wresting it back from the snakemen lurking in the shadows of the ALP backroom who placed her in power.

      Re the stimulus, I’m happy to accept it provided some impetus for surviving the GFC, but the fact remains that Australia’s economy was (and still is) the envy of the developed world. The fact Kevin had such a lot of money and such good terms for borrowing was all about the Coalition. The Nobel Prize winning economists you speak of have been roundly discredited, for amongst other things, promoting the expansion of government debt to unmanageable levels. One of these economists was the primary economic advisor to the Greek government.

      What do you mean about the Coalition’s policies being put up to scrutiny? They are being put up to scrutiny. It’s called an election.

    • Faul Kinell says:

      10:38am | 06/08/10

      No one seems to be asking Tony to explain his slogans:
      “We’ll pay off the debt” code for we’ll cut infrastucture building, services and jobs and impose higher taxes!
      “We’ll stop the boats” send them to Naru, then let them into Australia via the back door!
      “We’ll stop the tax” big miners can go on making bloated profits and sending those profits overseas!
      Time to explain the slogans Tony, without too much umm, ah,ah,ah,er!

    • troy says:

      11:03am | 06/08/10

      Please Carter, we do know how the Liberals will run a Government, there track record of budget surpluses speaks for itself, on the otherhand Labors also speaks for itself and the fact they are still borrowing 100mill a day also is fact. Please tell me how well you know Gillard, as she doesnt even know who she is at the moment, and she admitted she has been lying to the Australian public since the start of the campaign who she really is.

    • Carter says:

      12:20pm | 06/08/10

      @MarK - are you talking about ‘genuine” Tony, or “in the heat of the moment” Tony?

      @Hamish - Absolutely the current Government inherited a good economy. Rudd and Swan acknowledged that at the time. But to say (I’m not suggesting you are) that the stimulus was just gross waste and unnecessary is naive at best. Also, electorate scrutiny is different to Treasury scrutiny - unless you thikn that every Australian is capable of wading through a miriad of policy proposals and working out the varying economic ramifications. I certainly can’t. Ah, and the ‘snakemen’. That’s laughable. The campaign and media advisors in the Labor Party are no different to the Liberal Party. Nor are the factional chiefs (yes, the Liberals have those too). And besides, using your logic, if she had wrestled control off the ‘snakemen’, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

      @Faul Kinell - good point.

      @troy - we don’t know how the Liberal Party will run a government. This isn’t the same party, leader or senior leadership team. And I’m sick of people assuming that a surplus is always good. ANYONE can deliver a surplus - just don’t spend anything. I’d rather a Government that went into debt when it had to to save jobs and a good economy than one who protected a surplus at the expense of vital services. Also, how well do you know Abbott? Is he ‘genuine’ Abbott or ‘in the heat of the moment’ Abbott?

    • Hamish says:

      01:36pm | 06/08/10

      Carter, you’re simply wrong about Liberal factions. In the Liberal Party there are parliamentary party factions (basically two) based on beliefs on certain issues. There are not multiple organised factions in each state and unelected Union members of caucus who have a 50-50 say with elected representatives on policy. In the Liberal Party you do not get a hack senator, an ex-Union boy most likely and a current Union king-pin who isn’t even in parliament knifing a popularly elected sitting PM. You just don’t. To say otherwise is factually wrong. And no one belives Gillard has wrested control from anyone. Who do you think came up with ‘real’ line?

      Based on Treasury’s analysis of the original mining tax proposal I would say you’re clearly over-estimating Treasury and under-estimating the average voter. And just on waste:
      http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/states-schools-blowout-exposed/story-fn59niix-1225901860057

    • Brian Taylor says:

      02:48pm | 06/08/10

      Better the devil we know???
      why in god’s name would you vote for someone you know full well will lead you astray, just because of Better the devil we know?
      whatever happened to using your own brain to decide things?
      and labor won’t put all their policies out until 5 days before the election?
      think its about time YOU actually put some damn thought into this election mate, or are you one of those labor trolls I’ve been hearing about? have a great day hear lol

    • AdamC says:

      02:55pm | 06/08/10

      Can we please set one of the most pernicious, mendacious fallacies that the ALP brains trust (must be down to one or two sad nerds since Rudd, Faulkner and Tanner left the inner circle) puts about. I am talking about the benefits of the recent ‘stimulus’. The fact is that some stimulus measures, like the cash-splashes, were arguably timely and well-designed. Others, like Gillard’s disastrous benefiting the education rorters (BER) programme were poorly-designed and, given that spending is still ongoing on that one, self-evidently not timely. And the pink batts fiasco will go down in policy development history as one of the most idiotic schemes ever contemplated (let alone implemented)!

      There are positives and negatives to Swansong, Rudd and Gillard’s response to the GFC. What everyone agrees on is that Australia has avoided the second, sovereign risk phase, of the GFC thanks to over a decade of careful, Coalition fiscal rectitude and prudence, usuallly against heated opposition from Labor.

      On the risible notion of Julia Gillard ‘taking charge’ of the campaign: there only one thing more fake than fake Julia - real Julia.

    • Wayne says:

      03:09pm | 06/08/10

      @Faul - Then how about explaining what Gillard means by a ‘Sustainable Australia’ or the inane ‘Moving Forward’ (since we have been going backwards), or her own version of ‘Stopping The Boats’.  Don’t ask for answers when you can’t begin to answer these yourself.

    • MarK says:

      03:43pm | 06/08/10

      @carter - errr where did I mention Tony?

      Weren’t we talking about Julia - or was that Kevvie? I am getting confused I admit it. Real Julia, fake Julia, sacked Kevvie, assassinated Kevvie, reconstituted and praised Kevvie.

      Err who is in charge over there. It is really all about Kevvie though isn’t it.

    • Gregg says:

      06:00pm | 06/08/10

      Faul, re
      No one seems to be asking Tony to explain his slogans:
      “We’ll pay off the debt” code for we’ll cut infrastucture building, services and jobs and impose higher taxes!
      Would you not like a review of existing programs where there could still be high waste?
      . Are any further school buildings really needed
      . And then of course there’s a mere $40B in an NBN that has no business plan and not even a feasibility study.

      “We’ll stop the boats” send them to Naru, then let them into Australia via the back door!
      Also the small matter of re-instating the TPVs to send the right message, Nauru coming up merely because Julia was going to take over East Timor

      “We’ll stop the tax” big miners can go on making bloated profits and sending those profits overseas!
      Would you not rather see Taxes on our prime industry properly assessed and negotiated rather than with just three companies for the former at least will allow mining companies to put their case re taxing that will enhance operation being maintained in less buoyant times.

      Time to explain the slogans Tony, without too much umm, ah,ah,ah,er!
      Time to ah ah ah ah give it some thought and maybe you’ll consider your future and that for any descendants.

    • golfman says:

      06:29am | 09/08/10

      @Faul You said ” “We’ll stop the tax” big miners can go on making bloated profits and sending those profits overseas!”
      Hypocracy Meter Overload: Julia’s deal was done with the big 3 miners…. with major overseas ownership: BHP Billiton, Xtrata, Reotinto - and favoured them over the smaller miners who have much greater Australian ownership. i.e. the little Aussie battlers whose directors pay tax here and build their houses here and so pump their money back into Australia. So Julia’s mining tax “deal” that made life harder for these smaller miners, in fact, meant Australia 0, rest of the world 10.

    • golfman says:

      06:34am | 09/08/10

      @ carter said “BOTH parties engage in spin, but the coalition is still not convincing. Until their policies are submitted for PROPER scrutiny, they will not be credible to anyone who actually puts some thought into this election.”
      Are you for real? The coalition have laid out all their policies clearly and concisely. Labor hold the electorate in such contempt that they are delaying their campaign launch until 5 days before the election!! How much scrutiny are they open to with that attitude? Seriously, you must have been joking man.
      You also said “Better the devil we know. ” Is that devil the real Julia or the fake Julia?

    • Adam Diver says:

      09:06am | 06/08/10

      Wow, look at all those policies, in the midst of an opinion piece. Whatever will labor supportes say, you know the ones “Stop being so negative and show us some policy” and we would retort “they are waiting till closer to the election so that labor does not steal them all again”.

      And look where we are now. Comparing this piece with Richards piece is just embarrassing for Labor.

      Reply

    • Annie says:

      09:47am | 06/08/10

      Proffessor McKibben (RBA Board Member & Australian National University) was on Lateline last week & he spoke out about the stimulus package what he said was very enlightening he was rather scathing of the Labor Govt & it’s handling of the stimulus. What I would love to know every time I hear how badly other countries have come through the GFC is
      1:  Did these countries have a Surplus/Deficit B4 the GFC
      2: What interest rates these countries had B4 the GFC (seeing the RBA slashed interest rates here by 4 basis points during the GFC)
      3: what percentage of unemployment did these countries have B4 the GFC
      4: Is it true all the stated comments that the GFC was mainly a Northern Hemisphere problem
      5: Did all these countries have the same Banking Regulations that Australia has
      6: With all the massive stimulus packages these other countries employed why are they not in the same shape as Australia??

      And is there ever any VALID reason to waste Millions/Billions of dollars when there are so many important areas this money could have been spent on??
      Any answers would be genuinely appreciated thanks

      Reply

    • Mark says:

      10:58am | 06/08/10

      To answer your queries is very difficult as you are asking specific questions about a myriad of countries and systems.

      In general though

      1. Most were in deficit. if you are referring to a budgetary deficit. Size varies greatly country to country. Bottom line we were in good shape before the *drum roll* “GFC.

      2. Again to hard to answer. Interest rates around the world all moved down to compensate for a slow down in economic activity. “Basically” rates move in concert around the world other things being equal (currency values and specific internal influences/restrictions can effect particular rates enormously).

      3. Unemployment is a horses for courses thing. Too hard to answer you need to look at specific economies/countries and see for yourself.

      4. Evidence suggests that is was. Glen Stevens of the RBA believes it was.

      5. Not even close. Hence the US sub prime mess….thank you Mr Clinton. Our banking system is very well regulated. Big congrats to both sides of politics there.

      6. Weeeeeellll again horses for courses but they started off from a different economic start point than us. Ok succinctly and basically Australia had a truckload in the kitty, strong banking sector and healthy economy. Assets were fairly priced to loans and loan repayments by everyone in the system were affordable.

      We therefore had a solid foundation were borrowing and spending didn’t hurt us as much.

      Analogy (poor one) time.

      2 people need to pay off a gambling debt or they get kneecapped.

      Person 1 (lets call him Greece) has a pile of credit card debts, a low paying casual job and no cash. Greece has to beg for a loan off a different loan shark pay a premium rate and defer the problem out to another date.

      Person 2 (lets call them Aussie) has very little debt, a solid well paying job and access to credit at reasonable rates. Aussie can borrow the cash and not feel as much pain as Greece.

      And at the end? Aussie has a debt, Greece has a bigger one and a different kneecapper chasing them.

      Hope that helps a bit. Very hard to generalise the world economy as each nation is specific.

    • Andy W says:

      11:42am | 06/08/10

      The other countries were already in recession before they stimulated their economies, most of the praise from the international community for the Labor government is for early economic intervention.
      The main reasons Australia avoided recession are:
      1: Luck, our banks at the time had low exposure to the dodgy derivatives (there is no regulation that prevents our banks from owning them)
      2: The chinese government introduced a massive economic stimulus program (the biggest in the world)
      3: The Chinese government continued to stock pile our resources.
      4: Microeconomic stimulus to keep people in employment.

      There is no doubt that unemployment would have been much higher without economic stimulus. the question is would you rather higher unemployment and slower growth.
      I for one think it is the job of the government to keep the economy ticking over and in good shape.
      There was no way of avoiding running budget deficits during the GFC.

    • E says:

      10:04pm | 06/08/10

      Good questions Annie, I would add:
      Assets didnt fall in price, causing a snowball of default which in the USA led to the bailouts, because loans kept being serviced. This is due to employment remaining relatively strong, thus businesses (who depend on employed people for revenue) and householders (who depend on employment for revenue)  were able to maintain their loan payments, staving off the type of forced liquidations which collapsed the USA money/asset/derivative pyramid.
      Australian business leaders kept staff on, it was a conscious choice, they took a risk, they cut some hours and some shifts but by and large they didnt panic and fire their staff. This is a major reason we didnt have a recession, our business leaders kept their nerve and backed Australia and the Australian people.

    • Mel says:

      09:49am | 06/08/10

      I was quite on the fence not knowing who to vote for until I saw today’s punch, Coalition talking about their policies and the ALP as a sledge campaign against Abbott….....hmmm…....decisions, decisions…....I may not like Tony Abbott’s stand on certain things like abortion and no sex before marriage but I can respect them as they follow his religious views. I will be voting for Abbott this election.

      What I would love to see is housing to become affordable so I can own my own home and not be in debt for 50 years or so and can actually have quality of life rather than struggle and despair

      Reply

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      11:02am | 06/08/10

      Those are Abbott’s personal views, taken out of context by media searching for something to hang a story on.  At one stage they had the cheek to ask him what advice he’d give his daughters and then reported it as if it was party policy.

      I told my daughter that I didn’t approve of her getting a tattoo, but it doesn’t mean I think the Australian people can’t make up their own minds on whether they want them or not.

    • Mel says:

      12:54pm | 06/08/10

      Oh I am aware that they are his personal views and not policy I was just saying I don’t agree but respect them.

    • Reg says:

      10:44am | 08/08/10

      Mel that is one of the problems, we all pay lip service to unsustainable religious views out of a wish to remain inoffensive. That does not prevent the religious ones imposing their values on everyone else. Why should we remain silent yet be labeled “sledgers” if we exclaim our opposition? I took on a housing loan in 1964 and finalized it in 1997 when I retired. Nothing has changed, it’s just one of those things that Liberals like to encourage as a method of taming the reactionaries.

    • Sophie,Mira and Bella says:

      09:53am | 06/08/10

      Last night I worried that my TV was broken ,it was in black and white for a while ,then I realised it was because Howard and Abbott were in Chinese restaurant.
      Remember Muriel’s Wedding moment when they had diner in chinese restaurant was as funny and last night Abbott and Howard.
      They are running scare again and trying to scare more Australian people.
      ha ha ha.

      Reply

    • BobM says:

      01:55pm | 06/08/10

      You can laugh, but questioned on the billion dollar BER today, Gillard :-

      “I made a judgement about saving the country from recession by investing in schools”.

      Well boys and girls, there you have it.

      During 2008, Julia Gillard, Deputy Prime Minister was “saving Australia” from recession - national expenditure decisions were not being managed by Treasurer Swan, or Prime Minister Rudd - the person who was controlling the levers was GILLARD. Swan and Rudd you silly little boys she has today furthered her goal of publicly humiliating both.

      Another Gillard slap in the face for Kevin Rudd. So Kevin, can you tell us it wasn’t her saving the country from recession, that it was actually you making the judgements about our tax money? Or would you be too ashamed to admit that it wasn’t the former PM in charge back then, it was already the trusted deputy who dismissed you.

      The Australian people should be scared of this pair of incompetents, masquerading as saviours.

    • Mouse says:

      11:46pm | 06/08/10

      And I love the line about her letting buddy Ruddy have a position in HER government.  Classic..!  I also love the fact that she did this BER thing to save Australia from recession, stop the employment rate from rising and keep Australian businesses working at a time before the GFC had even really been heard of!  And the fact that back then she wasn’t even the real Julia either. She is a clever girl isn’t she!

    • Andy W says:

      09:55am | 06/08/10

      I would be taking control of the Labor campaign too if I were Julia Gillard after such a shocking start.
      The control the Liberal management has over Tony Abbott was shown last week when Abbott asked his minder if he was allowed to answer a question during a door stop.
      The Question is, can the mad monk go a full five weeks without offending some large section of the community, which I’m sure would be a record.

      Reply

    • Ben81 says:

      11:39am | 06/08/10

      Go a link for your claim that Abbott asked a minder if he was allowed to answer a question?

      “can the mad monk go a full five weeks without offending some large section of the community, which I’m sure would be a record. “
      Like when he said the words “no means no” and we were meant to be offended because that means he was trying to belittle women or something, or when he answered a question in a womens magazine about advice he would give his daughters and everyone was screaming about big bad Tony making sex before marriage illegal etc etc?  “Large sections of the community” are morons.  You still call him ‘mad monk’ so i guess you’re among them.

    • Andy W says:

      12:13pm | 06/08/10

      @Ben81
      The nickname “mad monk” was originally coined by his Liberal party colleges.
      And yes those things you point out are along the lines of what I was referring to.
      Its nice you see yourself as part of the small sections of the community that are non-morons.

    • rick says:

      10:08am | 06/08/10

      What a difference: An elegant article by Sophie, based on facts and self-centered, as opposed to a pathetic criticism of the opposition by Richard Marles. IOW - Sophie doesn’t need to rely on fallacy about the opponent to make her point.

      And then: “Importantly, we have released a comprehensive economic plan – including $24 billion in recurrent savings to help fund our commitments and also begin to pay back Labor debt.”

      Ouch! Touché!!!

      Well done Sophie

      Reply

    • T.Chong says:

      11:24am | 06/08/10

      yes rick, i was also absolutely spell bound by sophies even handed objectiveness .
      Her impatiality can only be compared to , but most certainly not beaten by Bronny Bishop, Scott Morrison, Ted The National Party Electrician of a couple of weeks ago ( Please dont confused the Nats yokel with Joe The Plumber, Joes dun got book lernin now), Alex Hawke, or even that most impartial ,of all, Mr F. Zumbo.
      Amusing , no, hilarious opening para , there, Rick.
      More intentionally funny Right Punchers humor is definitely needed.

    • Sherekahn says:

      10:23am | 06/08/10

      What an EXCELLENT article!
      It gives us a frightening look at the kind of mentality of LNP voters we would get if we voted for that ‘clucky’ Abbot.
      “$1.5 billion for better Mental Health services including 20 new Early Intervention Centres and 60 additional “headspace” Centres,” for Media spin doctors.
      You Sophia would be number one on Paul Keating’s list of media spin rats!
      Never forget, it was THE MEDIA who sunk Kevin Rudd to the lowest rating ever for an Australian first term Prime Minister.
      As for your article, it is full of lies!
      ” Labor is also cynically launching its campaign (and presumably therefore it’s major policies) less than 5 days before the Australian people go to vote.  Not a lot of time for scrutiny.”
      I don’t believe it!  Thank goodness, for Julia Gillard’s education upgrade for older Australians.  Sophia, you’re gonna need it!  21-5 leaves 16 days left, your mob has not spelled out anything but vague figures reaching two terms ahead!

      Reply

    • TimB says:

      10:45am | 06/08/10

      Good grief, Sherekahn. You can’t refute the policies so you tack on your own additions (“Media spin doctors”) and then ridicule said additions. Are you having fun constructing your strawmen?

      And this! “As for your article, it is full of lies! I don’t believe it! ”
      You don’t believe it so therefore it’s full of lies? What a masterpiece of logical reasoning. How could ANYONE refute such a devastating argument.

      Here’s a tip. If you’re going to accuse people of lying you need to SHOW the lies.

    • troy says:

      11:19am | 06/08/10

      What Lies? If you make an accusation you need to back it up with facts. One day someone close to you may commit suicide and then perhaps your attitude to mental health will change. Your comments regarding mental health are disgraceful and insulting. Perhaps that why I will be voting for Abbott.

    • Wayne says:

      03:26pm | 06/08/10

      @ Sherekahn - I think your the one who needs the adult education.  The Labor party launches its official campaign on the 16th of August.  That’s 5 days short of the 21st which is the election day, just in case you didn’t realise.

    • golfman says:

      06:50am | 09/08/10

      “Never forget, it was THE MEDIA who sunk Kevin Rudd to the lowest rating ever for an Australian first term Prime Minister.”
      Truly delusional if you believe that. The fact is Kevin was the driver in his own train wreck. The union power players and guys like Richo were happy to tell us (though they regret being so open now that we’re in election mode) that ‘Kevin had no mates’. He was despised by most people in the labor party. They said he was arrogant and dictatorial. Are you trying to say that the Australian people didn’t see that also and that his fall from ‘most bestest ever Kevin07 for ever, we all love you’ status was the media’s doing? Labor people seem intent on assuming that the average Australian is an idiot.

    • ted says:

      10:47am | 06/08/10

      Julia Gillard…...people have stopped listening.

      Funny I was watching ABC News (in Asia) and Tony Burke came on and I immediately changed the channel not knowing the subject as I knew it would be dribble. Now being politically interested it dawned on me that if I think these guys are irelevant and full of it, what do Australians think?

      Reply

    • Bobster says:

      12:20pm | 06/08/10

      Not just you, ted. I’m the same. I’ve had little to no interest since both leaders declared their hands at the debate. Rubbish from both sides. It’s a pity we don’t have an legitimate third party options or we could throw them all out.

      Best thing so far has been Hockey’s announcement on the internet filter. But that still doesn’t help because the choice is No NBN and no filter vs NBN and filter. So we’re stuffed both ways again and I’ll have to tune out again.

      No matter what happens we’re going to be stuck with a dud PM. But at least we know if Abbott wins he’ll be rolled by Turnbull within a year or two and then we might have someone with at least a marginally functional brain in charge.

    • The Scarlet Pimpernel says:

      02:37pm | 06/08/10

      @ Bobster

      Even I would vote for a different party if Turnbull were leading the Liberals and kept spouting an Emission Tax Scheme.

      His merchant banking buddies would get filthy rich trading in carbon while we, the mug punters, paid for it all in the form of increased prices for everything.

      Meantime, the Chinese (now the world’s largest energy consumer and polluter) and India (rapidly catching up) would refuse to take any action at all.

    • Brian Taylor says:

      03:08pm | 06/08/10

      @Bobster,Turnbul is yesterday’s news mate, bit like Rudd, only Rudd hasn’t yet realised it lol

    • Bobster says:

      04:12pm | 06/08/10

      @ The Scarlet Pimpernel

      China is already doing more than we are - it’s not hard to top nothing. Actually, most countries are doing more than we are but, again, it’s not hard to top nothing.

      @ Brian Taylor - I’m sure people said the same of John Howard in the late 80s/early 90s. Time will tell.

    • Shane From Melbourne says:

      11:32am | 06/08/10

      Just as a matter of interest what would be the cost to a Coalition government for indexing the means test of Commonwealth Seniors Card? I’m hoping this is one of Abbott’s non core promises, otherwise the government’s pharmaceutical bill is going to go right though the roof and Australia will be bankrupt by the end of the decade. Simple projection of the amount of boomers due to become senior citizens will see to that…....

      Reply

    • EJ says:

      12:04pm | 06/08/10

      Sophie, Rudd & Gillard have made a deal. Rudd will help Gillard get elected & Gillard will appoint Rudd to the United Nations where he can then take over ruling the world!

      Reply

    • Brian Taylor says:

      03:11pm | 06/08/10

      not sure if Rudd would rule the world, long because someone would be bound to stab him in the back…opps already been done
      but can only hope he and gillard both go away somewhere, far, far away

    • Bobster says:

      12:07pm | 06/08/10

      When the real Tony Abbott (RU486 Abbott) comes out then I’ll be swayed by arguments about the real Julia Gillard.

      Until then, they’re both full of it.

      Tony’s full of it, Julia’s full of it, Sophie Mirrabella’s full of it, Richard Marles is full of it and the media is full of it.

      Every major player in this election is out of touch with the public and, with any luck, this ridiculously unrepresentative mess will bring about some real change in our political system. (I’m not holding my breath though).

      Labor vs Liberal - what’s the difference? Who really cares this time around because it doesn’t matter who wins, we’re going to wind up with some right-wing clown in office, with no real power behind them and the PR industry, business/union/church lobbies pulling the strings.

      The first party to say something honest (even Howard-era style honesty) gets my vote and I’m usually a one-eyed Labor voter.

      The NSW Labor model of dealing with the electorate that has been adopted by both sides of politics is toxic.

      You are all pathetic and none of you deserve to be in Canberra.

      R.I.P Peter Andren - you have no idea how much this country needed people like you.

      Reply

    • Ben81 says:

      12:23pm | 06/08/10

      RU486 Abbott?  He’s not suddenly hiding from the fact that his personal view is that doesn’t like abortions is he?  Not sure what you want from him there.
      He never proposed to ban abortions or anything like that and isn’t now,  he just refused to grant a special exemption to that already illegal type of drug when he was Health Minister, with the full suppurt of the PM at the time.

    • Bobster says:

      01:28pm | 06/08/10

      The point is we know exactly what his stance is on abortion is and we know full well that as health minister he stood against a cancer vaccine because, in his mind, it was going to increase the likelihood of underage and pre-marital sex.

      We have also had years of watching him operate.

      Are you seriously telling me that the Tony Abbott we’ve seen over the last few months has the same persona as the former Howard Government head kicker?

      The bloke has been a disingenuous worm since taking over the leadership because he has become conspicuously silent on the moral issues he used to be so happy to force down our throats.

      Ditto Gillard, ditto Rudd with private education funding, hospitals, ETS, etc (Don’t want to seem one sided here, they’re all as bad as each other but you raised the Abbott example).

      If you think anyone involved in this election is showing their true colours then I would like to be the first to welcome you to Australia and wish you the best of luck getting to know our political players.

      P.S, I know politicians have been lying since the days of Solon, but this election has been the worst I’ve seen. Not because their words are rife with dishonesty but because of the lengths all of the protagonists have gone to to hide their real personalities.

    • Mel says:

      02:40pm | 06/08/10

      @Bobster - this is politics, everyone’s full of it, what’s your point?

    • Bobster says:

      03:10pm | 06/08/10

      @ Mel,

      I thought I’d made that clear. They are all full of it but more so than usual this time. This time it’s gone to a ridiculous extent.

      At least when Howard, Keating or Hawke lied they put some effort into it. This is just insulting our intelligence.

    • WayneT says:

      03:58pm | 06/08/10

      The root of the problem is the media, particularly the Canberra press gallery.  And doesn’t Julia know it.  She’s had them around for drinks earlier in the campaign, ridden in their press bus smooching up to them.  Makes it a little hard for them to be objective when you’d feel like you’re a bit of a heel for putting her on the spot with some tough questions.  I think these so called journalists need to be rotated out every 3 – 6 months so that they don’t have an opportunity of getting into bed with the countries leaders.  They are supposed to be our voice, asking the tough questions and dissecting the inane policies of both parties.  They don’t have to back up their comments with fact anymore, instead editorialising everything.  And instead of reporting the news they have got in the habit of creating it, making up stories where they don’t exist to sell advertising space.  The way they manipulate interviews and create little sound bites so that the whole context of a statement is lost is appalling.  But unfortunately there is no one to hold them accountable because they are doing it in an environment of self regulation.  Just as there is suppose to be truth in advertising there should be truth in news media.  When will we ever get a truly free press in this country?

    • Bobster says:

      05:16pm | 06/08/10

      @ WayneT

      I agree totally. And if anyone needs anymore evidence of it, look at the number of news stories during this campaign which have simply reported on other news stories (the trashing of Laurie Oakes’ legacy for example.)

    • Against the Man says:

      12:08pm | 06/08/10

      Gillard is laughing herself silly wondering how come so many Australians are still supporting her after the last 3 years of screw ups, wastage, back stabbing and constant spin. The great country which seems to reward incompetence may be setting itself up for disaster by voting for Gillard but sometimes people only learn the hard way. More tax, more waste, more debt, more lies and more manipulation by the faceless union guys.

      Reply

    • Sherekahn says:

      09:48am | 07/08/10

      Against the Man, from your title you could be voting for Julia Gillard.
      She was not “Captain” during the last three years and many commentators have emphasized that Kevin was not an inclusive leader.
      She cannot be blamed.
      As for “screw ups,” if Rudd had gone ‘to the people’ for feedback, I for one could have provided a double whammy of a tip on roof insulation.
      Use only Australian/New Zealand WOOL.
      Now when Julia Gillard is ‘going to the people’ on Climate Change and ETS, most idiots are bad mouthing her!
      And note this!
      The rorting of the schemes to get employment going, such as the pink-bats and schools upgrade just shows the crappiness of Australian
      Worker’s morals.  They ripped off the Government.

    • TimB says:

      11:23am | 07/08/10

      @Sherekahn
      “She cannot be blamed”

      AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You can’t possibly be serious. She was the freaking Deputy Prime Minister! You really believeeveryone sat around in cabinet reading the paper whilst Rudd did EVERYTHING? Ridiculous. Gillard shares equal blame for the last 3 years.

      And she isn’t “going to the people” on the ETS. If you believe that you’ll believe anything.

      What will happen will be something along these lines:

      Take 150 randomers, and lock them in a room to be force-fed powerpoint presentations of fudged figures & exaggerated facts.

      In amongst that, they will be subjected to repeated screenings of Al Gores Oscar winning brainfart.

      Then at the end they will be asked if they support an ETS. If the answer is no, they stay locked up untill they say yes. (Just ask Penny Wong)

      At this point Gillard will claim “the people have spoken”, and then forge ahead with whatever she had planned from the beginning.

      That’s not democracy, that’s brainwashing & coercion.

    • Elaine says:

      12:16pm | 06/08/10

      The only change I noticed in Joolya after she announced she was giving up being a fake & from now on was going to be “real” was that she got her greying, brown roots dyed. But then a dye job is STILL fake isn’t it!

      Reply

    • Jess says:

      06:58pm | 06/08/10

      A fine point of view, apart from the couple of spelling mistakes. These annoyed me so much that I couldn’t look beyond them to think about the policy issues. Credibility? In this close election, things like that may just be enough to be vote changers.

      Reply

    • acotrel says:

      09:25am | 07/08/10

      ‘The real and workman-like way Tony Abbott has approached this campaign, coupled with our well-thought-out and costed policies, highlights the differences between the two major parties. ‘

      Yes, at long last he’s sticking to ‘the script’!

      Reply

    • Dann 2291 says:

      11:31am | 07/08/10

      This is like a episode from “Yes Minister"with labor. they are so very incompetent,so full of spin and con. Now they have the utter Audacity to expect the voters to believe that when we see kevin rudd and Ms Gillard together as the dynamic duo that all is forgiven and labor are a happy,supportive,strong party-give me a bucket pleease! This is such a big insult to the voters a real slap in the face to think we are morons,boofheads etc,when we are not and we ,the voters,Know what isn’t good for this country and that is that female who is behaves like a fishwife and krudd who comes out speaking like a PM-so if they win (heaven forbid) will krudd go for PM again or do we have shorten,swann,or howes. This not the labor party it is the powerbroker party on the road to nowhere.

      Reply

    • DragonMan says:

      02:01pm | 07/08/10

      Ever notice how sweet Comrade Julia can never give a simple yes or now to a question. I fear her more than my concerns about Tony.
      I expect small business under Comrade Julia will become nothing more than a collective group or workers being taxed to death.

      Reply

    • Sherekahn says:

      11:31am | 08/08/10

      Paranoia is ripe in the LNP camp; reds under the bed just like the USA with Republicans branding president Obama a “commie/Socialist.”  McCarthyism is still strong in the USA.
      In Australia Christian right wing fundamentalism is very health too.
      Of course “media spin is not new to the Liberals:  From Google:
        “Without Australian public support the continuance of the atomic tests was in jeopardy. Therefore, the Menzies government actively sought to manipulate public opinion using the media as its channel.”

      This policy of media manipulation used the image of the Australian ‘way of life’ as the focus of its concern. Implying that the fabric of Australian society was under threat from the evils of communism, the government rallied to highlight the need to defend the nation from evils within and without by whatever means, including the testing of atomic devices inside its shores.

    • Michael Darby says:

      03:00pm | 07/08/10

      Gillard PM says she sympathises with the victims of overcrowding in the cities (code for pretending that she understands the serious concerns about influx of colonists rather than immigrants).
      The ALP asserts that it has a sustainable population policy, then asserts that population policy has nothing to do with immigration, but is about where people live.
      So what does the ALP do?  Hammers primary producers with every possible bureaucratic imposition to impede the capacity of farmers to employ others and even to sustain their families.  And then attacks miners with the ALP’s Anti-Mining Tax versions one and two, with the aim of impeding the capacity of miners to employ people.
      So the ALP is all about killing off jobs in rural areas while pushing into urban areas the maximum possible number of individuals who are determined never to assimilate, but who can be relied upon to vote Labor as soon as their citizenship is confirmed.

      Reply

    • James Darby says:

      08:15pm | 07/08/10

      The Post-response from SBEP commenting on Sophie Mirabella’s was written the day before to highlight the manner that PM Gillard romances with the truth about such topics as BER and taking credit for the ‘Unemployment Rate’ (should be changed to ‘Vacant Jobs Rate’). Gillard can take no credit that the genius of Small Business Owners is able to still survive and employ people at all after Gillard’s garrote on the economy.  This post was placed by myself to give support to Mirabella rightly pointing out the inane and inept conduct of Gillard and Rudd/Gillard and their trollie pushing supporters. The only reason non-socialists want to exercise their intelligence in the procedures of Government and Legislation is to remove from office the likes of Wong Rudd and Red Gillard so as to return to economically sound management thereby preserving Australia as an enterprise society where an Employer is not slave to an employee and can dismiss with due notice.
      50.000 joined the Liberal Party to be rid of Whitlam as they could see their help could help.
      There is a socialist gene. Passed on in the societies that believe “What is best for the tribe is best for the individual”. They come from places like Wales, and Greece and Palau. And then there is my genes which originate from those who act out “What is best for the individual is best for the tribe”
      A free man, supporting a wife and family generally does not do political stuff unless their home or family or livelihood are threatened by a Rudd or a Whitlam or a Gillard. Gillard, in particular because Gillard is really green and dangerous for man, wife, family and Nation.
      A big danger for employees is to work for an employer who is not making profits. 
      The best person to negotiate remuneration with an employer is the employee. If the employee cannot do this the employee will never advance to management, or become a sub-contractor or fully independent.  an employee must learn to negotiate with their employer terms of employment. The business is owned by the employer not by society. The boss must benefit from the employment of employees and must be able to be discerning.

      Reply

    • Tempe Harvey says:

      11:56pm | 07/08/10

      It’s also in the Greens’ DNA to tax, borrow and spend.

      Reply

    • Lin says:

      02:33pm | 08/08/10

      “Real’ Julia, ‘fake’ Julia and now the Julia that cannot win the election on her own merit so she must pin the head back on Kevin Rudd and get him to win the election for her.  If the Labor government are re-elected we will have Australia’s first conjoined Prime Ministers.  I feel my vote for Labor at the 2007 election has been thoroughly trashed and abused.  I will not vote for this government again.  I plan to vote Liberal.  God knows they could not do any worse.  Great article Sophie!

      Reply

    • Earth Waratah says:

      02:38pm | 08/08/10

      Julia Gillard as the Destructor of Education, gave reforms which has literally sent children into panic attacks. She has been highly involved in a stimulus that stimulated work for the Firies as they put out house fires and they stimulated the funeral industry as people died. No, murdered by the Labor Government for they ignored and then tried to hide that they knew people would die from this.

      Reply

    • Bill Adams. says:

      06:54pm | 08/08/10

      Never in the history of Australia has a government created such a shambles in every area they touch but none more than throwing open our borders for the people smugglers to bring illegal immigrants to our land earning a fortune in doing so.Our social system is groaning under the weight of a deluge of demand from these illegals.Legal aid can no longer provide assistance to Aussie battlers and Centrelink is in chaos as a result of our government dropping the ball on this matter.In Leonora teachers are aghast to see their school flooded with 80 extra non english speaking pupils and the staff increased with seven extra teachers.Previously a population of 90 students required only 3 teachers and I know of at least one of those teachers resigning at the end of the year.The towns people are mostly very unhappy to have seen their lifestyle shattered.Lucky for Gillard this is only a small population so not much will be heard about this farcical situation.

      Reply
 
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