Are state taxpayers funding federal re-election ads

Milo says:

12:51pm | 20/04/10

Grow a brain!! whats to be rattled about? The Mad monk is to busy being a geriatric sports super hero to worry about having Policy.  In order for him to win at any election he needs to find Policy fast

Jack Thomas says:

04:22pm | 20/04/10

Milo, in case you have been sleeping for twelve months Rudd’s halo slipped long ago.

The point of this article is the sheer hypocrisy of Labor and its supporters on the issue of paid political advertising. The hue and cry when in opposition has died down when the ultimate spinner takes over. Victorian Labor is no better, going back to Steve Bracks’ ads in the helicopter.

Rudd wavers between smarmy and out of control hysteria abusive. When Abbott is doing normal things like excercise, he’s so worried he gets his entire Labor front bench out to attack Abbott with pre-prepared lines from his spinners. If they’re not rattled, then why do it?

You’ve sucked up the line Rudd’s spinners gave Roxon, etc. ie. “where’s your policy”, but would you care to recount to us what policies Rudd released when in Opposition (and copying Howard’s in the election campaign don’t count). I can’t recall one.

When Labor rolls out a new policy every five minutes to counter the failure of the last one, Abbott is too busy doing his job of keeping the government accountable (for its multitude of failures).

Desperate spending by Rudd is not working, here’s a tally of his failures with our taxes to date in case you missed it:
- BER value rorted $6,000,000,000
- School Halls over budget $1,700,000,000
- School Computers over budget $1,200,000,000
- Medicare overspend $1,400,000,000
- Pharmaceutical overspend $1,800,000,000
- Solar Panel Overspend $850,000,000
- NBN Tender failure $17,000,000
- Insulation $1,400,000,000
- Stimulus Cheques wasted $40,000,000
- TV Station handout $250,000,000
- Grocery Watch $10,000,000
- NT Housing program $45,000,000
- 2020 summit? $10,000,000
- Copenhagen $1,500,000
- Whaling Envoy $1,000,000
- 418 media advisors $50,000,000
- Ambassador to Holy See $10,000,000
- Fuel Watch $8,500,000

About the only ones defending him right now are you and SA Premier Mike Rann. Labor has promised Rann to be the next Ambassador for Rome, what’s your payoff?

Gabriel says:

04:40pm | 20/04/10

I’d say they’re rattled by Abbott too. They are frantically trying to cover their ass’s all over the place because they know Abbott (unlike Turnbull), is out to expose them and put them under scrutiny. And I would say Abbott and the Libs have been working very hard on policy’s behind the scenes ready to be released in the lead up to the election. He’s only been Leader for a few months. I wouldn’t be so quick to write Abbott off.

Noguaranteeofsanity says:

06:18pm | 20/04/10

Did you all read this line of the article that read:
‘The TV advertisement is “Authorised by the NSW Government, Sydney.”’

This was NSW government advertising, although did appear to claim credit for Federal programs.

While I would say it is not a case of the ALP being rattled by Abbot and the Liberals (especially since a state government paid for the ad), but rather the NSW ALP mimicking the federal Liberal Party.  After all, the Howard government wasted 1.8 billion of tax payer’s funds on government advertising, during their time in office.

Steve woy woy says:

10:50am | 21/04/10

Rattled by a egocentric bully boy!! Your having a laugh!! Listening to sound byte Tony is like the ad campaign they keep drilling into your head. All looks so nice seem to have a sense of rhythm even some purpose but, lacks credibility. It just seems like the other entire ad campaigns it format, same presentation, same false premises. Which really is the party political machine at work and it applies to both sides. The local member may well not be a local member at all just flown in for the day as it were.. Your next up!! This is a safe seat there you go!!! Politics of fear are not new George W had it for breakfast there’s a sleeper cell here, there a sleeper cell their.. Weapons of mass confusion!! Seem to me to be very still these days. Political history will show us that ever time there is some big moves or ideas in Australia the party machines get thrown into action and no different this time either. Chifley big idea link 16 dams with seven power stations through 145km of tunnels Snowy Mountain scheme. Menzies said it would be the biggest expensive white elephant Australia would have!! The machine went to work and boycotted the schemes inauguration. Employed over 100,000 people then Menzies lived off it for years and years. Fear politics again! Whitlam committing to a universal health insurance scheme for those who needed it and those who didn’t, but understood what if offered for those worse off. Fraser and Howard set about dismantling it as soon has possible and to this day the machine still continues after all the platitudes of promise to keep it. The reforms of the Hawke/Keating years- floating the currency, overhauling tariffs, liberalising the financial system, managing industrial relations through the Accord and enterprise bargaining – were massive economic changes that transformed our economy. Medicare was safe once more for a while. Howard must have thanked them everyday for his good fortune and the machine that played one of the most racists slights of hand in Australian politics powered by Hanson. Claims by Howard and treasurer Peter Costello that their economic management skills were superior are misleading. Howard and Costello did a really good job of educating the Australian public; at a cost also about $3mil per week to think that the kinds of things they’ve pushed through had been responsible for the boom. They’ve argued that the surpluses they’ve presided over generated the boom. They’ve argued that paying down Australia’s public debt is very important for the boom. But the budget surplus is a consequence of a strong economy, not the cause of it- all the reforms of their predecessors. What we were left with due to deregulation was huge national debt; debt soared from a mere $700 billion in 1997 up to $3.2 trillion by the close of their term. An increase of 387%.  Interestingly Labor’s stimulus package comes in at about 1% of the total. Deregulation brought growth all right. They may well brag that it left office with zero debt - zero government debt that is - as the upshot of policy was to lump it onto the consumer. As for substance and policy from sound byte Tony I think they would be of no use there is little to show from his own record being it in political life or public that would indicate anything other. The party machine seems to govern, critical of any plan that will forward the benefits of all. Yet for the past decade in this climate of unabated wealth the captains of egonomic genius have very little to show if anything of substance at all. So again were at the same place in history… yes I’m listening to the machine and whoever they place up front but no substance yet.!! A record of filling the bath tub for ten years to only pull out the plug at the end and wonder where did it all go? No building no policy and still no substance!!!!!

Beagle says:

12:48pm | 20/04/10

Rule of thumb for you Talon - When in doubt, vote labor

Talon says:

12:58pm | 20/04/10

Beagle - True for us workers.  I just wish they had competent leaders / party members.  All actions lately point to not.

Dingo says:

01:53pm | 20/04/10

Beagle, at least your rule explains why the NSW Labor Government keeps getting elected. Although given the consequences of 14 years of incompetence and rorting,  I think you should switch to an informal vote and the leave the election to those who have no doubt about their vote.

Chris L says:

02:04pm | 20/04/10

Might I suggest the Liberal Democratic Party? Have a look at their websight and see if you like the look of them.

Scotty W says:

02:10pm | 20/04/10

+1 for the LDP

Jeff says:

02:42pm | 20/04/10

+1 more for the LDP

S says:

12:57pm | 20/04/10

So employer association advertising is ok?

Talon says:

01:25pm | 20/04/10

You could always ignore them.  It took me weeks to realise an add was about the extension of the first home owners grant.  I could not care less about their obviouse election adds hidden by so called public notifications.

It is a rort and a unneccesary expense to the public (we are all tax payers).  Their actions have spoken for them already.  All the gloss in the world can not hide it.

Noguaranteeofsanity says:

05:06pm | 20/04/10

I assume you include the Liberals in that ban on advertising, because it isn’t only Labor who advertises their so-called ‘accomplishments’ whilst in government.

The Howard government wasted even more tax payer’s money on various advertising campaigns than the ALP has, including the gst, the private health insurance rebate, work choices, domestic violence, the national security hotline and even this annoying pre-recorded telephone message i received from Howard on election day.  In fact, it is estimated the Howard government spent 1.8 billion dollars on advertising, during their time in office, with half of that spent between 2003 and 2007.  The ALP are simply copying what the Liberals have done, whilst they were in government.

Perhaps the only real issue here, apart from tax payers funding government advertising, which I agree is a waste in most cases, is that the NSW government, seems to be taking credit for the Federal ‘Building the Education Revolution’ scheme.

persephone says:

12:17pm | 20/04/10

Mark

I don’t have anything to do with NSW Labor, so I won’t.

\

Mark says:

12:53pm | 20/04/10

Awww come on.

/poke persesphone with a stick.

Matt says:

02:08pm | 20/04/10

I had a look at your link Macca. I think the Advertising Standards Board should prosecute the ACTU for false and misleading advertising. They are blatant lies and those responsible should be held to account.

Fed Up says:

08:09pm | 22/04/10

It is his lack of policies that has him reaching back for workchoices.
Has all and sundry forgotten what Abbott said??? Abbott said it will be a workchoices by another name. That from the man himself.
Excerpt The Australian 19/12/2009
While new Liberal leader Tony Abbott has maintained “the phrase Work Choices” was dead, he also believed aspects of the old legislation should be reinstated.
Excerpt Hansard 13/8/2009 HORS
Mr ABBOTT (Warringah) (11.09 am)—Let me
begin my contribution to this debate by reminding
members that workplace reform was one of the greatest
achievements of the Howard government.
Members opposite in the course of this debate have
alluded to the former government’s Work Choices
industrial legislation. Work Choices did not cost the
former government the election; it was the temporary
abolition of the no disadvantage test which, more than
anything else, cost the former government the election
—and Work Choices was far more than just that.
Excerpt
JOURNALIST: “Just recently, when your book came out, you were flirting with, not flirting, but you weren’t ruling out re-embracing WorkChoices. Is that still part of your manifesto now?”

ABBOTT: “Well, the phrase WorkChoices is dead. No-one will ever mention it again, but look, we have to have a free and flexible economy.”

SOURCE: PRESS CONFERENCE, 1 DECEMBER 2009; ALSO REPORTED IN SMH, 2 DECEMBER 2009
Excerpt Battlelines
Abbott claimed to be the principal draftsman of John Hewson’s Fightback policy in 1993 which also proposed individual work contracts and cutting the Youth Wage to just $3 per hour.

“He [John Hewson] asked me to be the principal draftsman of the main Fightback document.”

SOURCE: BATTLELINES, 2009, PAGE 18
The unions are not scaremongering they are reiterating a fact alluded to by Abbott himself.

Thelma says:

01:17pm | 20/04/10

Its overweight people like you Joe who need to have a food awareness course then you would not get diabetes to start with. Control your eating habits and the disease will probably go

Talon says:

01:44pm | 20/04/10

Thelma - Not all diabetics are overweight.  It is also a genetic impurity as a result of economic downfall.  Our grandparents ate lard as a sandwich spread and had little for healthy food.  Additionally, the following generations have been fast food kids.  This has giving rise to cholesterol and diabetes problems geneticly passed on to our young.

Joe has a point.  The government should not be promoting itself falsely at this stage (its handleing of the education revolution has been poor at best) but using the funds for more productive exploits.

The so called health care reform, increase in GST and having banks hold more funds for them to borrow against immediately by offering tax incentives to savers are not helping their re-election.

Gavin says:

01:36pm | 20/04/10

Well it took all the Howard-battlers fools about 11 years to wake up to the same thing, so don’t hold your breath.

Amber says:

12:14pm | 21/04/10

Labour always depends on stupid people for their vote (ducking) - shows the mental calibre of Australians of late - not to mention shortness of memories.

Talon says:

02:31pm | 20/04/10

You are right.  No one I know voted KRudd in.  The party did this.  When you do not have an approval rating, it can only go up.  As for cunning?  What?  Savy advisers make the politition.

Shane From Melbourne says:

06:38pm | 20/04/10

Worst. Poltical. Ad. Ever. I still have nightmares about that one. And I’m bummed out that I didn’t get my anti terrorist fridge magnet. But I agree both Liberal and Labor rort the system on political advertising when in power. It’s one of the advantages of being the incumbent government. For the Liberals and Liberal supporters to jump up and down about it is pretty hypocritical…..

andyourpointis? says:

04:41pm | 20/04/10

You’re right Jack. Better do something about it then…

Jolanda says:

10:01am | 21/04/10

You have to remember that people keep voting for Labor so there must be some pretty simple people out there.  The Labor party has ensured that by dumbing down our education system.

Education – Keeping them Honest
http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/

Troy says:

08:33pm | 25/04/10

I am sick of hearing on radio how ;
  -  the Trains are running on time ( do train commuters stop and listen to the radio to see if this is the case)
- The ferries can’t run between ryde and parramatta because of a naughty low tide ( not the poor infrastructure)
- the save water campaign blah blah blah
And if they call another website / program - Myschool / MYrta/ Myrfs / MYzone I will go banana’s. I did ask to be invovlved so don’t make me part of the problem