Punch on: Open thread 18/01/2012

Tatty_Anne says:

07:22am | 18/01/12

I have trouble accepting that a practice viewed as totally abhorrent when performed on girls is couched in dubious medical acceptance when done to boys.  If it’s wrong for one, then it’s wrong for the other.

To quote a poster I’ve conversed with in other forums - ““my tribal scarring is more civilized than yours”

acotrel says:

07:35am | 18/01/12

‘the practice persists among a shrinking minority of parents’

I get a shrinking feeling just thinking about it !

neo says:

12:57pm | 18/01/12

I hear sex doesn’t feel as good if you’re circumcised cause the skin on your head is all hardened and stuff. The upside is that you’re less likely to get infections and stuff, but I haven’t ever had one in my life, so it’s not really a good argument for me.

I reckon unless it’s for religious reasons, you should avoid putting your kids through that.

Knemon says:

01:10pm | 18/01/12

Great caption Erick. +1

AFR - Circumcised for the record says:

03:08pm | 18/01/12

Sorry Tatty, there is simply no comparison between the two.

Fezzbo says:

04:08pm | 18/01/12

Just wondering about the increase in male circs in Australia over the past decade?

Do you think it’s because:
a) It’s not actually that bad
b) Health benifits
c) People are getting sick of being preached to by others who claim to be the font of all knowledge or
d) All of the above

You’ve enjoyed your life with a foreskin. I’ve enjoyed my life without one.

Your son will have a foreskin. My son won’t have a foreskin.

LJ Dots says:

05:06pm | 18/01/12

Just started reading the captions. Comment 1 and Erick leaps away into an early lead and clear favourite, he’s going to be hard to catch from here.

nossy says:

06:08am | 18/01/12

@Martin S have to agree wih you there Martin - amazingly with all the problems facing Australians today Wilkie picked the Pokie issue to pursue along with a solution anyone with two brain cells would see would cause electoral trouble. Hes now been gazumped by Gillard. As Abbott himself has said Gillard is one tough competitor and Tones should know - she gazumped him to post election with the Independents coming on boarrd her ship and not Tones - and with the Slipper deal too. Way too smart and ruthless for naive young Tony - maybe he should stick to truck driving in the future huh?  “Breaker , breaker 10 4 good buddy”

jay-ded says:

07:47am | 18/01/12

@nossy.  The way I look at it nossy, is that Gillard is a damn good liar rather than a tough competitor.  Lied to the independents and greens to get them on board and lied to the Australian people. 

She’s such an upstanding honest person, someone our young people can model themselves after.

ZSRenn says:

07:48am | 18/01/12

@ nossy what you see as an attribute is what the 70% supporting Tones see as a fault in Gillard.

While you see it ok for Gillard to patronise Wilkie on pokie reform and call her a political master. With the “There will be no Carbon Tax under a government I lead” lie Gillard also patronised the Australian people. To quote Bob Brown; Australians are smarter than this and they don’t like to be patronised!”

You and the 30% may be able to handle this but the rest of us are pissed off and this is not the work of a political master.

acotrel says:

07:57am | 18/01/12

@nossy
But you have to admit that Tony takes it very well ?

old fart says:

08:13am | 18/01/12

actually, this made me very angry.  I was watching this last night and they (the feds) said they might have a trial in the ACT.  Now I’m not sure if this is based on ignorance and / or arrogance.  Twelve years ago as a cost shifting exercise after a referendum(s) in the ACT The territiry was given self government.  Mind you it was rejected three times in the referendum, but we got it anyway.
This is the part that makes me cranky, After giving the ACT self government, the federal government decides it’s going to have a trial of pokie limitations in the ACT.  This is after all sort of argument about states rights were thrown at Wilkie, (apparently territories, self governed or not dont count).  When do these arrogant bastards get off.  Dont get me wrong, I think problem gambling is terrible and we should have something in place, but it would be nice if the territory government was asked.

nossy says:

08:31am | 18/01/12

@acotrel politics is like a horse race acotrel - the early stages of a race any horse can look the goods - coming into the straight the field starts to bunch up then in the last 200 metres the wheat is sorted from the chaff - and good old Tones sure is top class chaff!  hahahhaha I see in this years 1st poll out Gillard AGAIN leads Dr NO as Preferred PM!

Oliver says:

08:44am | 18/01/12

Duping Wilkie to escape the big boys just makes her look weaker

Territorian says:

09:05am | 18/01/12

@nossy and jay-ded.  Yep, agreed.  Gillard is a much, much, much better liar than Tony Abbott.  Her problem now, of course, is that every Australian can see straight through her, and that makes for a shorter career and a hollow reputation.  History will not remember her or her brand of dishonest politics positively.

john says:

09:31am | 18/01/12

@nossy “the early stages of a race any horse can look the goods- hahahhaha I see in this years 1st poll out Gillard AGAIN leads Dr NO as Preferred PM!”

You know the ol sayin’  nossy “you can’t flog a dead horse!”

With what money are they going to con the public into voting for them when the cookie jar is empty?

Loz says:

07:51am | 18/01/12

Spent Christmas/New Years holidays in Cairns/Atherton/Port Douglas. Beautiful country! Mt Isa certainly doesnt look the same either!

fairsfair says:

10:59am | 18/01/12

Yay - glad you had fun Fiddler It really is a pretty relaxed place. I left it for the day for work yesterday and was glad to get home.

Its pretty dreary today, but keeping the heat at bay. Apparently the monsoon trough finally arrives on the weekend - so we are prepping for the rain to set in - its usually here around Christmas - so you were lucky young man!

Fiddler says:

11:08am | 18/01/12

@FF, I was told the skies spilled literally as I left. I remain to be convinced it was not due to my superpowers

LJ Dots says:

05:14pm | 18/01/12

Just recently back from a great holiday in Central Western NSW. I guess tourist goggles really do filter & protect the wearer from the harsh realities. I try to wear them everywhere now.

fairsfair says:

08:53am | 18/01/12

Nossy, I think you might be on to your first winner here.

Your caption is relevant, both in a situational and political sense and the fact is is nasty news being delivered by such a cutesy manner really epitomises the current feel of the Australian political landscape. Though not laugh out loud like Erick’s clubbing comment, there is some humour there.

I like.

Well done Nossy.

nossy says:

09:07am | 18/01/12

@fairsfair one does try to put some fun into ones blogging FF - now to REAL important issues - did you get the new job???????????

fairsfair says:

09:23am | 18/01/12

Keep up the good work!

My interview went wel thanks Nossyl. I felt quite positive afterward, but I am not sure if it really is for me. There is going to be a second round announced next week, so I will see what comes of it and if one is offered to me, I am not sure if I will attend.

So some thinking for me to do in the next few days

Elphaba says:

09:50am | 18/01/12

Go to the interview fairs, even if you don’t want the job.  It’s good practice and you can always knock them back if they pick you.

Anubis says:

10:08am | 18/01/12

On that note Nossy and Fairsfair - My current contract is coming to an end at the end of this month and yesterday I went to an interview for a new contract (different company). Informal interview in the cafe with coffee. Before we were even half way through the coffee I was told I had the contract and the start date is the Monday after my current contract ends. Good stuff - no unpaid days in between.

fairsfair says:

11:17am | 18/01/12

Good stuff Anubis! Happy for you.

I think you are right Elph. Until such time, I am going to continue to apply for roles as they crop up. I am also going to have “the chat” with my current workplace as I see no point in waiting until I give my notice to bring it all up. I will see if it changes anything even though I think I am fairly set on making the break.

Ah - work. It really sux and I am beginning to wonder why when I finally made the decision to go with “permanent employment” over contract and temp,  it hasn’t worked out. Maybe a return to fixed term is the way to go Anubis. There is such a better “feel” to a Project environment. Perhaps my happiness is worth more than longterm job security.

nossy says:

11:42am | 18/01/12

@Anubis   way to go Anubis - setting the pace in 2012 fella.

nihonin says:

04:41pm | 18/01/12

Excellent news Anubis, well done.

acotrel says:

08:02am | 18/01/12

@bec
Wait until you are retired like me.  Then you can wake up every morning and decide what you WANT to do for the day, until the morning you don’t wake up !

nihonin says:

11:15am | 18/01/12

acotrel says:

  09:02am | 18/01/12

  @bec
  Wait until you are retired like me.  Then you can wake up every morning and decide what you WANT to do for the day, until the morning you don’t wake up !

Beating your head against a brick wall, while commenting on The Punch?  But you are good at providing laughs, for those of us at work.

Slothy says:

12:12pm | 18/01/12

Well that comment demands a follow up question.

What was the worst/most embarrassing movie you downloaded?

neo says:

02:19pm | 18/01/12

“Embarrassing” movies huh

Rocksteady says:

02:41pm | 18/01/12

Obviously working hard Nihonin,
How do you feel about Australia’s falling workplace productivity?

Slothy says:

03:30pm | 18/01/12

Neo, I only ask because I’m hoping somebody has one bad enough to wash away the lingering horror of my own personal ‘oh look, my brain, my taste, AND my sense of shame have all gone on holiday’ movie going low-point.

Bec says:

03:58pm | 18/01/12

Probably the fabulous “The Room”. A+++++ ten star shit, a total classic on the cult bad movie scene.

“LISA!!!!! You are tearing me apart!!!”

nihonin says:

04:48pm | 18/01/12

Slothy, I’m thinking Attack of the Rotten Tomatoes (1 & 2)

Slothy says:

05:05pm | 18/01/12

Bec, that is bad… but is it actually seeking out and downloading a Lifetime made-for-tv movie bad?

Asking for a friend.

bec says:

08:15pm | 18/01/12

Slothy, imagine if Erick suffered a massive stroke and was left with 10% of his normal operating intelligence and fifteen dollars.

“The Room” is exactly the movie he would make with those endowments. It is greater than any Lifetime movie because it is so inept. It is more wonderful than “Glitter” and “Swept Away” because it’s so loathsome in its humanity and philosophy. It has deservedly won the adoration of discerning bad film fans for so many reasons. Watch the trailer and you will love it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCj8sPCWfUw

acotrel says:

09:00am | 18/01/12

What I don’t understand is why ATMs are permitted in pokies venues ? If they were not there a gambler would have to access a bank ATM and carry what he is prepared to lose,  to the venue.  That in itself is ‘mandatory precommitment “
While the ATMs are in the venues all the other measures to prevent problem gambling are bullshit ! If you need to pay for meals or drinks, you can always run a tab, and pay on the card machine.

Tim says:

09:40am | 18/01/12

Just make all pokies only accept coins and not notes.
It will make it harder for the addicts to lose massive amounts of money, whilst still allowing everyday punters their fun.

TimB says:

11:05am | 18/01/12

Acotrel, during my hoolidays up the coast I went out to dinner at the local bowling club.

I used the ATM to obtain cash to pay for dinner. I didn’t use it on the pokies.

Is that enough of a reason for you?

Tim says:

11:56am | 18/01/12

TimB,
perhaps instead they could just have eftpos machines at the restaurants and behind the bars?
Maybe patrons would be less likely to take out multiple hundreds of dollars if they had to face up to the bar staff everytime they wanted more money?

TimB says:

12:34pm | 18/01/12

That slows down everything though.

As a rule of good buisness you want to serve your customers quickly and efficiently. Faster turnover of customers means more buisiness in the same given amount of time, means more profit.

If you’ve got to drag out the EFTPOS machine constantly, it clogs up the process.

Somewhere along the line people have *got* to take responsibility for themselves. Blaming the presence of an ATM for ones gambling addiction is ridiculous.

nossy says:

08:22am | 18/01/12

@jg my guess is she has struck a nice deal with him jg to continue getting his support in this tricky hung Parliament. Gillard is about 30 steps ahead of old Tones and wants to keep it that way - way too smart for Dr NO!

jg says:

08:44am | 18/01/12

Wilkie was never going to side with the Tories anyway so there is no need for any great incentive.

jay-ded says:

09:26am | 18/01/12

hahahaha funnee ibast. 

nossy says:

12:08pm | 18/01/12

@ibast good one ibast 10 out of 10.

Elphaba says:

08:41am | 18/01/12

This would make sense if the link I sent about Bingo breeding the next generation of gamblers would get posted *sigh*

jay-ded says:

09:29am | 18/01/12

Here you go Elph.

http://www.news.com.au/national/help-bingos-got-our-babies/story-e6frfkvr-1226246991802

Elphaba says:

09:44am | 18/01/12

@jay-ded, how stupid is that?  I played Bingo all the time at the local bowling club during the school holidays, and gambling bores me to tears.

Nick Xenophon must be great fun at dinner parties…

TimB says:

11:21am | 18/01/12

Wow, that’s dumb. Bingo is bingo. Poker machines are poker machines. It’s far too simplistic to lump them all together and say it’s all gambling and thus the same.

As Elphaba says, just because a child enjoys playing Bingo, it doesn’t mean that they will automatically be attracted to poker machines. Whats next Xenophon? Cracking down on the sale of raffle tickets? That’s gambling too, you big blowhard.

Elphaba says:

11:41am | 18/01/12

@TimB,I think the problem is, people like Xenophon don’t like the notion that certain people do certain things because they can.  There is no reasoning, or catalyst, or Freudian theory - some people just do shit because they can.  And you can’t stop them, because they’ll just find something else bad for them to do.

I don’t get gambling, personally.  Apart from the Melbourne Cup sweeps and an occasional trip to the races, I prefer the money in my pocket, saving for something.

All this story has prompted me to do is look for a Bingo night near my house.  Success - one of the pubs near me does Tranny Bingo Night.  Excellent.

Ben C says:

12:01pm | 18/01/12

@ Elphaba

Tranny Bingo Night - I don’t think I want to know what it is.

Anubis says:

12:02pm | 18/01/12

@ Elphaba - “Tranny Bingo Night”

Is that Bingo Night specifically for Transvestites? never heard of it before. Sounds a bit discriminatory if it is.

Elphaba says:

12:33pm | 18/01/12

*sigh*, no, it’s a Bingo night for everyone, the MC is a transvestite, lol

jay-ded says:

02:26pm | 18/01/12

Tranny Bingo.  That’s hilarious Elphaba. 

I haven’t played Bingo since I was about 13, but I always enjoyed it.  Coming from a small country town, we never played for money, but goods.  I.e.  Frozen chook, box of fruit and vege, a watch from the local jeweller, free car service, that sort of thing.  Bingo was only to raise money for the local charity groups.

neo says:

02:27pm | 18/01/12

Ewwww, tranny bingo.

Onlike poker ftw!

Elphaba says:

02:46pm | 18/01/12

@jay-ded, same here.  Bingo was played for $10 book and CD vouchers, maybe a dinner at the local Chinese restaurant.  Certainly not gambling.

@neo, the whole point of me organising this is a get-together with my friends.  Face to face.

fairsfair says:

08:49am | 18/01/12

LOL!

So jealous iansand. Hope your grand adventure continues to be just that

jay-ded says:

09:32am | 18/01/12

Enjoy iansand.  Sounds like you’re having fun anyway. 

Tim says:

09:41am | 18/01/12

I thought TimB was the 6 inch man around here?

Anubis says:

10:11am | 18/01/12

Iansand - how’s the curling (using penguins as stones) going ?

jf says:

10:18am | 18/01/12

Where are you iansand?

TimB says:

11:13am | 18/01/12

@ Tim, Goddammit.

Elphaba, I will curse you every day for the birth of this running joke.

Elphaba says:

11:28am | 18/01/12

Oh TimB, cheer up.  Ignore it and it’ll go away.  In the meantime… for you:

http://www.thevine.com.au/entertainment/top10/top-10-most-underrated-simpsons-characters-20110425.aspx

TimB says:

12:41pm | 18/01/12

Appreciate the effort Elphaba, but I can’t see the clips :(

They should teach Simpson’s quotes as a subject at school. Make it compulsory.

iansand says:

01:14pm | 18/01/12

Telluride, Colorado

http://flic.kr/p/beDCEZ The view from my balcony.

jf says:

02:15pm | 18/01/12

iansand says:02:14pm | 18/01/12

“This is a skiers mountain, and a skiers town ya know, and that’s what we’re all about”. Councilman Rasa Stevie

fairsfair says:

03:00pm | 18/01/12

You are a talented photographer iansand. I love that picture of the wall (as random as that sounds )

nossy says:

09:01am | 18/01/12

@Kerryn   sounds lovely - ask that big hunk beside you if he has a spare banana Kerryn.

jay-ded says:

09:35am | 18/01/12

@nossy.  You’re terrible Muriel. 

Kerryn says:

09:40am | 18/01/12

I’m here with my little sister actually lol-no hunks for me ever!

fairsfair says:

03:05pm | 18/01/12

“no hunks for me ever”

Is that Dr Kerryn Phelps?

Anubis says:

12:30pm | 18/01/12

On a quick skim through the comments I saw this one and thought that Old Fart was describing him/her self. Missed the word “caption” right there at the start.

John L says:

01:15pm | 18/01/12

append “Here, see for yourself”

Shenanigans says:

11:09am | 18/01/12

what kind of music sells for $100?

TRBNGR says:

12:50pm | 18/01/12

Good music.

It’s a very rare issue, only pressed once on a Dutch label in 1999 on CD and LP and then never again.

Being a collector can be a rather expensive habit, got a bargain this time around though.

Zeta says:

01:05pm | 18/01/12

Assuming your name is TURBONEGRO with the vowels taken out… was it the Darkness Forever! ?

TRBNGR says:

01:25pm | 18/01/12

@Zeta.

I certainly have taken the name from a certain Scandinavian Death Punk outfit, however as they have reformed (with a new front man *gasp*) I’ve been considering a new punch handle as I was using the name as tribute. Suggestions welcome, I was thinking Fonebone after receiving a Don Martin collection for Xmas.

Anyway, the CD isn’t a Turbonegro one, its the 1st album from The Hydromatics (fronted by the legendary Scot Morgan), here’s a quick sample (won’t be to everyones taste, but I LOOOOOOOVE ‘Detroit’ style rock).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbRlAWP6oAo

Erick says:

02:26pm | 18/01/12

Fonebone would be an awesome handle! In 24 years on the Internet, I can’t recall having seen it used before.

Aidan says:

02:50pm | 18/01/12

@TRBNGR

Plenty of band names out there that would make decent handles:

Bitch McBitch
Titty Bingo
Danger Wank
Fatal Sneeze
Shirley Temple-Ofdoom
Barnyard Slut
Anal Mullet
Gangsta-Bitch-Barbie

.....and many more!!!

Donny says:

09:19am | 18/01/12

Bugger, this was in response to Elphaba at 09.11.  Reply button did not work :-(

Elphaba says:

09:46am | 18/01/12

@Donny, true.  The Party might still be safe because of the Slipper thing, but Wilkie should have stood his ground.  He’s an Independent, his electorate picked him because he wasn’t Labor or Liberal.  Now his electorate sees he’s just another Laborite.

I wonder how this will damage his re-election chances?

Donny says:

10:17am | 18/01/12

@Elphaba - reckon it will affect his re-election chances.  People will have to be questioning his principles as he has now shown he will back down easily on an issue that was supposedly close to his heart.  With his threats of withdrawing support for the PM if his plans were not enacted now shown to be completely hollow, I do not believe they say much about the man.  A lot of people will remember this at the polling booth.

Anubis says:

10:53am | 18/01/12

Did Wilkie (or any of the independents for that matter) have any chance of getting re-elected?

Elphaba says:

11:13am | 18/01/12

@Donny, yep, I agree 100%.

@Anubis, this is true - I would have thought Oakshott and Windsor were toast, but if Wilkie stood up to Labor, it might endear him to his electorate.

But I suppose you’ve got a good point, he might have been stuffed before this.

Dash says:

12:41pm | 18/01/12

@Elphaba - sorry to wade in with irrelevance, but I made a great bunch of scones on the weekend. Good enough to give some away to my Mum. I think I may have finaly unleashed the baker within! Yay.

Elphaba says:

01:19pm | 18/01/12

@Dash, nice work.  A good batch of scones with fresh jam and cream is one of life’s pleasures.

If you want to try your hand at some other morish goodies that your dentist will hate you for:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/macadamia-nut-brittle-recipe/index.html

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/hokey-pokey-36

I made these over Christmas and they were a hit.  The honeycomb is CRAZY good.

Dash says:

01:35pm | 18/01/12

@Elph - Very cool, thanks for that! I was given some American Maple Syrup recently, now I know what to do with it!

nossy says:

09:15am | 18/01/12

@Rohan   - Andrew Wilkies balls?

jay-ded says:

09:37am | 18/01/12

@nossy.  He has balls?

TimB says:

12:39pm | 18/01/12

@ Jay-ded, they’re on a shelf in the PM’s office.

Next to the one’s labeled ‘K.Rudd and ‘T.Matheison’

Dash says:

01:19pm | 18/01/12

@TimB - you forgot to mention the one’s labeled ‘C.Emerson’. Gillard got them before his wife did!

Anubis says:

01:45pm | 18/01/12

@ Dash - Don’t you mean C Thomson?

Ben C says:

02:13pm | 18/01/12

@ Anubis

Thompson’s will be next if charges are laid. But no, Dash is correct with Emerson - Gillard got romantically involved with Emerson early on in her political career.

Dash says:

02:24pm | 18/01/12

Anubis-  Thompson is still off the hook. Google “Gillard and Emerson”. I wonder how the female vote would have gone if they only knew.

Anubis says:

02:33pm | 18/01/12

Thanks Ben C - I had forgotten that little gem

Ben C says:

03:42pm | 18/01/12

@ Dash

Did Gillard get much of the female vote anyway?

john says:

09:53am | 18/01/12

Its 100 years ago since the titanic sunk in 1912, perhaps they decided to re-enact it on Friday the 13th to now become the largest passenger ship ever to sink.

The tear in the hull was about the same size as the titanic.

Its the second time a massive ship has sunk by captains showing off.

Jade says:

11:49am | 18/01/12

Thats what I was going to say John :( poor little things.

jay-ded says:

02:46pm | 18/01/12

Can’t blame the person for doing when he/she has done.  I have a few cats in my area that continually end up in my back yard.  They chase the lizards on my windows.  To do this, they jump onto my fly screens and have completely annihilated 3 of them.  What’s the use of fly screens if they’re ripped and full of holes?  I also have quite a few different variety of birds visiting my gardens - the cats have killed at least 4 of them that I have seen. 

What I didn’t understand about the article was:  “If the person is caught and is proven to have killed cats, they will face animal cruelty charges and possible jail time, police say.”

The letter writer stated that the cats would be humanely destroyed, so how could they have him/her up on cruelty charges?

I agree with you iMitchy, nowhere in the letter did the writer state that they were male.  This is just an assumption of the journalist in question I guess.

Note to all cat owners.  Keep your cats in your own yard.  Dogs aren’t allowed to roam around without their owners.  The same rule should apply to cats.

Anubis says:

03:20pm | 18/01/12

I own three cats and the only time they are outside is in a specially built “cat run’ Cage tunnel running from one window, along the side of the house then through an overhead bridge to a specially built cat enclosure. Get no complaints from the neighbours.

Moby says:

12:34pm | 18/01/12

@Ian1 - look at the local recruitment agencies, its fairly rare now to get taken on directly by the company

ibast says:

12:56pm | 18/01/12

There’s been enough of a turndown that mining companies can now be fussy with regards experience.

fairsfair says:

01:12pm | 18/01/12

You need to go via an agency that does not advertise themselves as a mining recruitment agency. This seems to be one of the strategies I think - obtain staff through industry reputable agencies that don’t spruik. I guess they are sick of really green people wasting their time.

I can suggest Workpac and depending on your skills companies like Swick. You generally have to be skilled to pick up international mine work as unskilled labour is usually offered in country as it is much MUCH cheaper.

Rio Tinto in Weipa are always looking for people if you want to relocate (they recruit direct). Nobody ever wants to live in Weipa so it generally pays well, and they work with you on trial basis to see if you like it. I have never been there, so I can’t comment - but it can’t be that bad. Also, places like Groote Eyelandt are regularly looking for drivers/operators. They do FIFO out of Cairns/Townsville/Brisbane.

The QLD govt also has a website dedicated to the Coal Seam Gas industry.

Good luck though Ian. It is not as easy as people would have you believe, that is what I love about the criticism of all the “cashed up bogans” the people seem to so despise. You have to have a head on your shoulders to crack the industry, let alone hack the workload and the lifestyle. I rarely falls into your lap - you have to go after it, so I wish you all the best.

TheRealDave says:

06:07pm | 18/01/12

Yet we hear every day from Mining Companies that they are ‘screaming out for more workers’ and since they can’t ge them they’ll just HAVE to go overseas and bring in 3rd world workers…..because apparently Aussies don’t want the jobs…..

Its all a friggen giant Con! I know 3 people who have been bending ove rbackwards to try and get jobs in the Industry, they have a slew of qualifications and experience and can’t land squat (1 engineer and 2 with heavy vehicle licenses and other quals). And just yesterday, or maybe the day before, Greg Carey on 4BC had ‘Yet another Mining Company HR exec’ on his show saying how they are going to have to ‘reluctantly’ fly in overseas workers because ‘they just can’t get local people to do the jobs’.

What a bloody crock of shit!

Tim says:

12:13pm | 18/01/12

Yes, it’s obviously the government’s fault that people are spending less money in uncertain global conditions forcing some small businesses to close, even though the government had been giving them concessions to try and keep them afloat.

Why don’t the government just hand over more cash to these unprofitable businesses to keep them going.

I’m sure you wouldn’t complain about that RyaN, would you?

RyaN says:

12:35pm | 18/01/12

@Tim: Wasn’t happening under the previous government. Plus the previous government didn’t run up the most massive debt this country has ever seen with sweet FA to show for it.

Incompetent bunch of lying dropkicks, this is why the best and most logical financial advice I ever received was “When Labor is in power, put your Super into cash”. I took that advice and it saved my Super some serious losses.

Anubis says:

12:58pm | 18/01/12

@ Tim - The Government could do something about easing the pressures on household budgets though. With never ending increases in prices for water, gas, electricity, profiteering by banks, gouging by fuel companies, GST added on top of excise for some goods, increasing taxes (including flood levy, Carbon Tax soon to kick in, etc) Annual CPI increases (well above cpi) on all Government charges, public transport (9+% in Victoria, 20% in Queensland).

If the Government started to take control instead of bowing to special interest groups they could rapidly start to free up some cash in the economy in order to stimulate retail a bit. Instead they are single-mindedly trying to fudge a totally meaningless surplus in order to score political brownie points. Seems to be the ONLY election promise that Julia and her mob are hell bent on trying to honour. Why is that?

Knemon says:

01:06pm | 18/01/12

@ Tim - “Why don’t the government just hand over more cash to these unprofitable businesses to keep them going”

Because they’re not involved in the motor vehicle industry!

Tim says:

02:11pm | 18/01/12

Anubis,
because people like RyaN (and the Liberal party) seem hell bent on talking up government debt.

RyaN,
have you heard of the GFC? That didn’t happen under the previous government either.
If you’re going to argue the government wastes money, then be specific on which policy you’d drop and how much it would save the budget.

Also don’t forget to mention how you would cover for the $130B drop in government revenue since the GFC. Even the Liberals have admitted that they would have gone into significant deficit to protect our economy.

Knemon,
good point. I think RyaN is further drifting to becoming a rabid lefty after his posts yesterday and today, calling for protectionism and tariffs.

RyaN says:

04:19pm | 18/01/12

@Tim: “have you heard of the GFC? That didn’t happen under the previous government either.”
Have you ever heard of the Asian crisis, that did!

“Even the Liberals have admitted that they would have gone into significant deficit to protect our economy.” when ?

RyaN says:

04:21pm | 18/01/12

@Tim: Just two questions:
So what is the largest debt this country has ever shouldered?
Has any Labor government in history actually paid off its debt? I know Liberal governments have paid off LABOR debts.

Tim says:

05:02pm | 18/01/12

Ryan,
Are you serious? Joe Hockey has said the Liberals would have run deficits and used stimulus multiple times. Anyone who suggest they wouldn’t have is deluded. Google “Joe Hockey deficit” and read what he has had to say on the matter.
Government revenue has been reduced by $130B. Let me know where you want to make the cuts?

RyaN says:

08:36am | 19/01/12

@Tim: That is easy, reduce the bloated number of bureaucrats this country currently supports. Secondly foreign aid, cut cut cut. Thirdly STOP THE BOATS.
Looks like I will be bringing in a fat ole surplus.

RyaN says:

09:43am | 19/01/12

@Tim: I answered your questions, now hopefully you will answer mine.
“So what is the largest debt this country has ever shouldered?”
“Has any Labor government in history actually paid off its debt? ”

Tim says:

12:19pm | 19/01/12

Ryan,
cost/benefits on those cuts?

and OK I’ll answer your questions in the same manner:
1.Lots
2.If you want to have a look at government debt then read this:
http://treasury.gov.au/documents/1496/PDF/01_Debt.pdf

Very few government’s have been completely debt free. John Howard achieved it through making budget cuts and selling assets.
What assets do you think Tony Abbott is going to be able to sell?

RyaN says:

01:02pm | 19/01/12

@Tim: How about I ask the questions in a way you can answer them then.
“Has Australia ever had a larger dollar debt than this current incompetent, big spending, lying government has run up?”

As for question two, from your reply what you meant to say was that No, no dropkick, scumbag Labor government in history has ever paid off its own debts, let alone the previous governments. Yes I thought as much.

Tim says:

01:28pm | 19/01/12

Ryan,
and from your answers to my questions, No you have no idea where you would cut the budget, how you would get it back into surplus and how you would cover for the $130B reduction in revenue?

Yes I thought as much.

Dash says:

03:37pm | 18/01/12

It’s Climate Change now remember!

nihonin says:

06:32pm | 18/01/12

Vivian ,she is a far better liar than TA, but not if you’re a Labor sycophant//rustie.

jay-ded says:

03:21pm | 18/01/12

What a cack!  Genesis, dreaming and science and technology should not be combined in the same sentence.