What has Kevin Rudd done this year?

John A Neve says:

04:59am | 15/12/09

Bronwyn,

Please tell, just what in your view is a “working family”?  As far as I’m concerned unless retired, we are all “working families”.

Why must pollies always use divisive language? 

I ‘m sorry to say, I see little difference between the actions of Labor and Liberal in government.  The quality of life in this country has declined in the last twenty years. We have debt at all levels, Federal, State and personal and it’s increasing.

Our education and health systems are failling to keep pace with demand, rail and roads, don’t lets go there.

But all we do is debate whether the photo of John and Robert is fake or was John’s hair really grey at that time!! More importantly who was the best dead Prime Minister?  Oh, woe is us.

With eyes wide open... says:

05:06am | 15/12/09

Careful there Bronwyn, you know you are just setting yourself up for an attack by the many labor faithful who frequent this site. Please don’t bring to the attention of the multitudes that Krudd has really done nothing since taking office but spend spend spend and if anyone can show me any different then please do so here!. The buck stops with me I think he said didn’t he? Oh well what’s another year to wait for another report on our failing hospital system. I am unfortunately stuck in the hospital roundabout with a terminally ill wife. Our QLD system under Bligh is stuffed and I had faith that Krudd would take over when he said he would. Lies lies and more lies. Why is there always a reason that a polly can lie and get away with it. How can Krudd look into a camera at the Australian people with a straight look on his face? I am sorry to say but I now suffer “terminal hatred” of our lying PM and his robotic party. There you go Krudd! You suckered me at the last election!  You got my vote but you will never get it again I can assure you of that. You have done a disservice to the people of this country and to see your arse end at the next election would be just too much to ask for. Break a leg in Copenhagen Kev or better still make it your neck.

Sam of Sydney says:

06:10am | 15/12/09

This is why Bronwyn was promoted to the front bench, she has the guts to tell it as it is.
This is what we should have been hearing all year, and now we should hopefully hear a lot more of it.
Good Work.

persephone says:

06:18am | 15/12/09

Interesting - you say Rudd has done nothing and then made a list of things he’s done. It’s not that he’s done nothing, it’s that you don’t agree with what’s been done. Don’t be twee about it.
Secondly, in your anti ETS rant, you conveniently forget for those earning less than $100 000 will get back more in compensation than they pay in higher prices.
And, btw, the ets will raise less money than the GST - the tax YOU helped introduce, which is also irreversible.

Jonathan says:

06:29am | 15/12/09

Please, Please, PLEASE stop publishing Bronnie’s rants.  I get it: she’s Liberal, the government’s Labor, she opposes their policies.

NEXT.

paul says:

06:59am | 15/12/09

Considering Howard (and you) gutlessly looked the other way while the food and fuel cartels continued building their empires, why pathetically play blame wars and pass it onto Rudd?  Whine about unions or the ETS but the huge elephant in the room is we are already paying up to 10% extra (CTS - Cartel Trading System) on products because of a lack of true market competition that you had a hand in! Why impose weekly corporate greed-gouging on working families, single parents, pensioners, small businesses- then pretend like you care about us ordinary taxpayers? You didn’t care when you were in government, and you don’t care now - all you care about is yourself and being in power.  What would you do if re-elected Bronwyn, offer us more (non-core) promises and copycat Labors do nothing approach? Apparently hypocrisy, unfree market competion, massive corporate welfare and lack of responsibility works for both political parties. Fact. Your Punch piece is probably longer than your policies on cartels and other economic parasites. So what is it: Are you pimped by the political donations Bronwyn?

matt says:

07:00am | 15/12/09

I agree with Jonathan.
I mean the opening line says it all: “Can you ever believe this man Rudd – the Labor man, elected to be Prime Minister of Australia.”
Bronnie just can’t understand why the unwashed electorate would ever elect someone from (sniff) Labor!!!
First Sophie Mirabella and now Bronnie within a week? I can uderstand one as comic relief, but two is stretching the friendship.

Mr. Peabody says:

07:15am | 15/12/09

Bronwyn, all the problems Rudd is trying to fix are the result of your government.

Fuel prices more than doubled under your watch. The Woolworth/Coles monopoly happened under watch. The result, a blow out in grocery prices. Your government cut federal funding to Australia’s hospitals by 20%. Utility prices were taxed for the very first time by you to the tune of 10%.

Bronwyn, at lest someone is trying to clean up your mess.

Shane From Melbourne says:

07:16am | 15/12/09

By making the people rich and the government poor, I presume Bronwyn means making their business mates rich through flogging off government assets and not the other way of giving a wink to obscene executive bonuses and payouts. I’m still waiting for the “competition dividend” from Telstra, Commonwealth Bank, State Electricity Commission etc. But at least I don’t have to hear the Liberals rant about the deficit since Bronwyn says it’s okay for governments to be poor.
I do agree with Bronwyn that Kevin Rudd hasn’t done anything particularly noteworthy in the nation building area.

Joel B1 says:

07:23am | 15/12/09

“Mr Rudd needs to remember that he was elected as Prime Minister of Australia – not the world.”

No Labor supporters ready to refute that one then? Here’s a hint, why not talk about how John Howard really, really sucked up to Bush?

(But obviously, ignore Kev sucking up far harder to Obama, including changing dates so Kev gets the COP photo-op with Obama and gets yet another box ticked on his UN job Application)

Blaise says:

07:35am | 15/12/09

Great article Bronwyn! You really showed up Kevin Rudd for what he is: all talk and no action!

Pete from Sydney says:

07:39am | 15/12/09

Bronnie the Australian people didn’t just elect the man, Kevvy bolted in, and you know what, they’re going to re-elect him as well!  The notes above have laid out what he did this year, I don’t need to cover old ground…just to remind you that you personally will not be in government again…your time has past….

And to “with eyes Wide Open”...you’re saying Labour supporters shouldn’t comment? Why don’t you put the silver spoon back in your mouth and pull you head in…this is an open forum…the word open is the crucial one

T.Chong says:

07:51am | 15/12/09

Matt 8:00 Bronny still cant accept no one wanted her as PM.
I still have the old “Bronny for PM ” sticker, used as a dart board for many years.
Bronny, do you think you can borrow some footy boots and an old jumper
(parramatta wasnt it?) and pretend you have a connection with average people. LOL that was funny.
Yes Bronny many lefties will mock you, but you do provide the material.
Bronny Bishop = SideShow Bronny

Darren says:

08:01am | 15/12/09

Hi Bronny - now that you are shadow for seniors - does that mean that nice Jim Longley will have to wait longer to take over your seat?

With eyes wide open... says:

08:06am | 15/12/09

Yeah Pete, that’s what I said mate, read it again you fool! I said she was setting herself up for an attack not that labor people shouldn’t have a say. The silver spoon you speak of is a man on a carers pension looking after a terminally ill wife with not enough money to make ends meet and knowing full well that boat people are on a better deal than us tax paying Australians. Silver spoon enough for you! If only I knew they wouldn’t sensor me I would have much more to say to you Pete from the hole known as Sydney. Walk a day in my shoes you #^&%^%#$%$^&

Liz says:

08:09am | 15/12/09

Time to begin being real politicians then and become an effective Opposition which doesn’t involve itself in email scandals, ineffectual gibberish and stops wasting time.
You might better ask what have Garrett and Wong done?
Missed you Bronwyn, welcome bnack!

Sherlock says:

08:24am | 15/12/09

Kevin Rudd makes all the grandiose statements and other noise for just as long as the media writes about it. Once the media moves on so does Rudd.

The end result is just like the NSW Labor government. Announcement after announcement but nothing is actually done.

Barb says:

08:29am | 15/12/09

Let’s not forget Rudd has dramatically increased Asian immigration and multiculturalism. So not only is Rudd Labor trying to kill off our heritage, but because immigration maintains high demand for housing - Labor have made it impossible for young Australian’s to build a family.

I guess the people who run the ALP don’t see the Australian way of life as valid.

T.Chong says:

08:48am | 15/12/09

With Eyes Wide Open: sincere best wishes for the trials you and your beloved face, but denying “boat people” rights we have wont help you, your wife or the refugees/asylum seekers.
Govt spending is relied upon every where to keep the economy moving.
Have you made contact with all the availble community services avilble thru major hospitals and local councils?
Hope things get better for yous.

Kevin Rennie says:

08:48am | 15/12/09

What have you done in the last 8 years?

AFR says:

08:50am | 15/12/09

Barb, perhaps you and Bronnie should join hands and skip back to the 1950’s. I’ll have to tell my Asian immigrant wife that she is evil and has diminished our “way of life”.

Back on topic. Bronnie, you’re a has been that never was. Whether you like it or not, you’re in opposition,and unless you lift your game, you will be there for a long time yet.

T.Chong says:

08:54am | 15/12/09

Barb 9:29 you still door knocking for One Nation?

Micka says:

08:55am | 15/12/09

Well here’s one thing that he certaintly has not done: committ the greatest strategic error in recent Australian history by invading a Middle Eastern country on totally faulty intelligence, thereby aiding the forces of Islamic radicalism throughout the world, killing and maiming hundreds of thousands Iraqi civilians and coalition troops, and greatly diminishing Australia’s (and our American and British allies) moral authority in global politics. What a terrible, terrible leader he is. Oh how I wish for the return of those strategic geniuses in the Liberal party.
And a note to Barb - Asian immigration first rose to its record levels under Howard due to the epic skills shoratge that exists in this country. Perhaps you don’t like having enough doctors in our hospitals or engineers to build our roads but I think that most of us do. Your argument that he is “killing off our heritage” is ridiculous.

Nick says:

08:57am | 15/12/09

I don’t know why you publish these sorts of articles. They’re not constructive, it’s boring partisan hackery.

Oh yeah, it’s News Limited. Sorry, forgot where I was.

Super D says:

09:00am | 15/12/09

Well said Bronnie.  All Kevin has done is emitted massive amounts of CO2.  Lets hope he’s a one term wonder!

@ jonathon, post 1

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but he hasn’t actually delivered any action on climate change.

As for the low interest rates they were delivered by the Reserve Bank who is now raising them again as a result of the overcooked stimulus.

The ETS has the same impact as a tax though the tax rate will be set by young punk neo liberal derivative traders driving V12 ferrarris rather than the government.  The government of blamed the GFC on neo liberal free markets yest thinks this is the answer to CO2….

The man is a fraud.  His party is a fraud.  His supporters are fools.  Please refer Chris Gardiners post on being a progressive wanker for further details.

Louis McLennan says:

09:02am | 15/12/09

She ain’t wrong. He’s not called Kevin Dudd for no reason. We can only blame Kevin so much. Lots of smart people voted him in. Like the smart ones posting here. Perhaps they can pay a higher tax than everyone else? I’m of sick of covering for dummies.

If you don’t like freedom, get out! China is probably more suitable for you!

The lib’s are not that good. However, the alp is set-up so it attracts dodgy.

Carl Palmer says:

09:04am | 15/12/09

To suggest that Swan and the PM averted a recession is nonsense. What did they do? Spend money as did the US and the UK. If that strategy was so brilliant why didn’t it avoid a recession in the US and the UK + others. The answer? Credit must be given to PM Hawke, PM Keating and to a lesser extent PM Howard. Australia was and is in a healthy position because these three PM restructured this country and together with China’s assistance placed us in the position the envy of the world. Sure interest rates are low, due to the GFC but to have government continue to spend whilst the RBA increases rates just doesn’t make any sense. 

As for the insulation – well I just received an e-mail yesterday advising that the insulation mob that was used has “disappeared” and that some properties didn’t even have the bats installed even though they submitted their inv to the government. Extract from the e-mail

“We are hoping that someone in the Federal department will attend to this situation as a matter of urgency.  Unfortunately, this is not the only installer who has taken advantage of the rebate scheme and we understand that most of the installers have been of the same standard”. 

My own experience confirms the same that it’s a waste and a rort.

Whilst the previous government should be held responsible for increase in food prices and the like, the PM made a commitment, that is a promise to have these issues addressed – but has failed. Petrol watch failed, water failed, hospitals failed. Lots of review, investigations, inspections and talk fests – 20 - 20 and a few Sorry days thrown in for good measure. Can’t wait for the Tax review that will be scary As for the ETS – thank god it died.

Billy Whizz says:

09:06am | 15/12/09

@Steve First Comment
I’m sorry but your love of your leader and defense of Mr Rudd needs some response, even from a floating voter like myself:

A) Been the only developed country to avoid recession (which wouldn’t have happened if the Stimulus was opposed)

The stimulus did not save AUstralia - Australia had more prudent lending controls than the US and UK basket cases, our spectacularly profitable holes in the ground have cushioned us more than the Plasma grants.

B) Implemented action to combat climate-change that even 63% of Liberal voters according to Newspoll agreed with

So a government department to save the world and some ETS forms will solve our over population problems?  very bizarre.  Everyone is against pollution but the ETS not about reducing pollution it is a bourse.

C) Released more funds at COAG to reduce waiting-lists

The waiting lists have not been reduced.

D) Produced interest rates that are lower than when Harold Holt went for a dip

The government does not set the interest rates.

E) Increased training and university places

Why is the take up of university places down?

Next you’ll be telling us all that Mr Rudd made the sun come up this morning,  i can only think that you work for Mr Rudd.  As a floating voter I am disappointed in the non delivery of election promises and a complete lack of progress for the benefit of ordinary working families.

Bruce says:

09:11am | 15/12/09

Kevin Rudd has implemented initiatives, no doubt with the best intentions but most appear to be without any real measureable outcomes. All I know is that I am poorer than I was 26 months ago. Have you checked the balance of your superannuation lately? It does worry me that in some way we will pay big time for our increasing national deficit. As we go into the future with increasing costs in electricty, particularly in NSW where the cost of electricity increased 21%, water, petrol, cost of basic groceries, rising interest rates etc, and possible increase in tax through an ETS. Whats going to happen to our standard of living. It certainly does not appear to me that wages are, or are going to increasing proportionately. It would be interesting to see what suggestion or initiatives the ACTU is preparing to combat this problem.

Andrew says:

09:19am | 15/12/09

Built up a shit load of stamps in his passport!!!

CSallen says:

09:20am | 15/12/09

Wow Pete from Sydney, you’ll probably vote for Kristina as well!
For someone nicknamed 24/7 Kevin internally in the party he doesn’t get much done, apart from using clever alliteration in his speaches and boring the world to tears.
I’m glad they didn’t have the ETS to take to Copenhagen. If the Liberals are “climate change extremists and deniars” then Krudd should just take the “quick and decisive action” he and Julia keep trouting about and go top a double dissolusionment election. Or he is afraid of the Mad Monk?

Barb says:

09:24am | 15/12/09

@ MIcka 09:55am | 15/12/09

The only reason we need more foreign doctors, engineers, etc is because of the high immigration in the first place.

And it’s Rudd’s Labor Party that wants all our school children to learn to speak Chinese and adopt Chinese values (equality, atheism), while it’s people like Barnaby Joyce that seem to want Aussie kids to be proud of our their history and Christian values - and to build a stronger and more confident Australia.

Frank says:

09:29am | 15/12/09

“We have,  until the election of the WA Liberal/National State Government, wall to wall Labor at the state level”
Haven’t you worked out why yet Bronwyn? 
It’s because the majority of Australians voted for Labor. 
You lost, as hard as that is for you to understand, it’s true.  What’s more you will lose next year as well, because you stand for nothing. 
Labor might not be perfect, but at least they are trying to make a difference.
You simply hate and spoil and the majority of us don’t support that attitude.

Diamantina Dick says:

09:37am | 15/12/09

They can’t handle the truth Bronwyn, you need to sugar coat the bad news and break it to them gentle so they have time to get on some other
“progressive” caravan that passes by.

If you want to see what 13 years of the Hawker Britten model of Government currently resident in Canberra gets you then look at N.S.W.

Anyone that votes for a Government so mired in spin deserves everything they get, and they are.

Virtually every comment posted above that is critical contains material errors of fact or irrational distortion, pure and simple.

John A Neve says:

09:38am | 15/12/09

Bruce @ 1011hrs,

Why would the “ACTU” do any thing Bruce?  Less than 20% of Australians belong to a union. The bulk of people are too tight to pay the unions dues.

Don’t worry too much about the “national deficit” neither this or the former government cared about it.  You should worry more about your own debt.

It’s no good just changing the faces, it the system that is rotten

Paul Prentice says:

09:40am | 15/12/09

To the loony left,Howard’s Gov had to try and do business with all ineffective Labor states, Federal labor,and the Unions ,HELLO the Federal Labor politicians are married to state politicians,especially here in NSW,Yet Rudd’s done nothing other than get the Nation into debt,and jet set around the world trying ,to be the worlds leading watermelon.(global green on the outside,Communist red in the middle)

Brad Price says:

09:40am | 15/12/09

Thankyou Bronwyn. This government was one man at the election, he got them accross the line. The main thing that Krudd is focussed on now is how will he leave the Prime Ministership and become the Secretary General of the UN without Labor nose diving into the bowels of a carbon wasteland. This is merely a publicity tour for his efforts to become the most powerful bureucrat the world can muster. He has no plans of sticking around because he can not achieve or deliver in a democratic process.

Nicki of Santa says:

09:43am | 15/12/09

Hi Bronwyn.
Have you finished your bath yet?
You were smart not to smoke in it.

He has done plenty to keep you away from governing this country for at least next 12 years.

What have you and Liberal party done this year.
Let me remind you if you already show an early memory loss.
Lot of back stubbing,treachery,lies, no policy,twisting the truth and stilling ideas of how to govern from the museum.
I think you have done enough.
Wish you more luck next year/

Bill H says:

09:46am | 15/12/09

Good on you Brony! Stick it it to them girl. As soon as I saw you were the author of this articcle, I knew there would be the usual 2 or 3 Rudd lovers (using a dozen or so different names) ready to pounce on you. They hate the way you attack their beloved Kevin. Keep it up, and Tony for PM.

D'oh says:

09:47am | 15/12/09

@ persephone

[face palm]

“Secondly, in your anti ETS rant, you conveniently forget for those earning less than $100 000 will get back more in compensation than they pay in higher prices.”
Yep, that money comes from taxes earned from those who earn over $100,000.  So, not only do those earning over $100k not get compensated, but they also subsidize the compensation for those that pay less tax.  AND, they pay the full cost increase caused by the ETS.

Carl Palmer says:

09:48am | 15/12/09

Micka says: 09:55am | 15/12/09
Micka, I agree – the Iraqi invasion was one big mistake and an invasion that I did not agree with. However, that been the case, why hasn’t the government withdrawn our forces from that country – wasn’t that another election promise he made?? Two years down the track and we are still there

MarK says:

09:51am | 15/12/09

@Bronnie

Um okay your opening…
Lets see
Fuel Prices…
Grocery Prices….
Hospitals…
Yes in 2 years Rudd has not solved these “problems”.. you could in fact say on these issues he has achieved nothing. But Nothing would be better than the record of your government on these issues over the 11 years prior
GST on petrol with the tax on tax bonus!
Grocery Prices is a tie, but the price watch was a good but difficult to implement idea, I use and like fuelwatch here in WA.
Big Cuts to health funiding and number of doctors, nursue graetly contributing to current health shortfalls

Micka says:

09:59am | 15/12/09

Barb - That is utter rubbish. The reason we have a large skills shortage in Australia is due to a chronic lack of vocational training, not immigration. Blaiming immigrants for our problems is weak, uninformed and dishonest. Tell me, what did Howard do to address this problem? Not a great deal. He started the specialist vocational training colleges, one of the greatest education policy failures in Australian history. Gee and what a bad idea it would be to emphasise the learning of Asian languages in Australian schools given the relative shift in economic power to the Asia-Pacific region that will occur in coming years and our geographic location in Asia (not to mention the fact that a growing share of our trading partners will be Asian nations). That just sounds like common sense to me. You should not let your own petty prejudices cloud what is in our national interest. And Rudd has never suggested that we adopt Chinese values, you are just making things up now.
And Barnaby Joyce? give me a break, the guy is a whack job. Yeah what a great idea it would be to ban foreign investment in our resource sector when it has been a linch pin in our recent economic success. What a brilliant idea that would be, the Liberal government in W.A sure dont think so. Lets just see how far old Barnaby’s career goes as shadow finance minister while he keeps spouting Lyndon Larouche’s crazy conspiracy theories and maintains his attack on economic rationality. Why not just bring back Pauline? Like Barnaby she might not have had any idea of sensible economic policy, but at least she could satisfy your own bigodted cravings.

Brad Coward says:

10:01am | 15/12/09

What has Rudd done this year ?  Sat in airports and bugger all in large lumps !  But he does it so convincingly !  But if you count spin as an achievement, the PM has spun and spun.  In fact he has spun with such aplomb that he could almost single handedly save the Australian textile industry !

Diamantina Dick says:

10:05am | 15/12/09

With the adoption of the Hawker-Brittem model, Labor has truly mastered the art of gaining and retaining power, and in equal measure what not to do with it.

Sussan says:

10:11am | 15/12/09

Bronwin! the petrol head.
So good to have you back.
Ask not what Kevin has done this year but tell as what YOU are going to to the next year.

Micka says:

10:12am | 15/12/09

Mark - I think that you will find that our combat troops were removed from Iraq sometime ago. We left a small number of troops there to guard our embassy and help train the Iraqi national army, which kinda makes sense. So no, he has not broken that election promise.

Harris says:

10:27am | 15/12/09

Thank God for Brony.  I’m glad you can get out there and have a go at “Saint Rudd”, because the Journo’s and media seem to be afraid to do it. Keep showing this phoney for what he is. Oppsosition and scrutiny at last.

Terry Coltman says:

10:34am | 15/12/09

Everbody thought Paul Keating was an arrogant person but Kevin Rudd leaves him for dead. Unfortunately for all average Australians the only person that matters to Kevin Rudd is Kevin Rudd.He is only interested in promoting Kevin Rudd, bugger Australia.If he cannot get his own way he throws a tantrum and abuses all and sundry in earshot and acts like a spoilt little boy. Kevin Rudd thinks he can ride roughshod over those he was elected to represent. We can only hope Tony Abbott will turn out to be his worst nightmare. Incidently, the last election was the first time in in forty years that I elected not to vote labour. I am glad to see my fears have been vindicated.

Barb says:

10:41am | 15/12/09

@ Micka says:10:59am | 15/12/09

What’s the point of being economically well off in a country/ society/ culture you no longer enjoy or feel connected to?

We can let China and India buy up our resources and we’ll be wealthy but we’ll also be sacrificing our culture.

We all know that being rich doesn’t make you happy - but maintaining ones culture and heritage and passing it down to the next generation does make people satisfied with life. This is the choice at next years election - go for the money or go for what will actually make people feel their life has had some meaning.

Micka says:

11:05am | 15/12/09

Barb - please explain to me in what way the current government is trying to dissassociate itself with our cultural heritage? Please provide me with one simple example. You and I obviously have very different ideas about what Australian identy is and what it means to be Australian. I fell perfectly connected to my country and I am both happy and proud to live in a multicultural society, as are the great majority of Australians. And can you please explain to me how selling our resources to China and India is sacrificing our culture? That is a truly bizarre and utterly irrational cliam to make. You are an indication of what a government full of the Baranby Joyce’s of the world would do to our country, the total destruction of our economy and quality of life. You should really think things out a bit more before you post such idiotic comments.

AFR says:

11:13am | 15/12/09

Barb, you have to accept that many Aussies are no longer interested in your monarcist, christian, boiled meat and 3 veg way of life, and embrace that other cultures exist here and we are better for it.

No amount of justification is masking your xenophobia and anti-Asian racism. What next, you’re going to being up the Anzacs?

persephone says:

11:23am | 15/12/09

D’oh
face palm! (don’t know why that’s a convincing argument, but you seem to think it is).
The money used to compensate the ordinary taxpayer for the higher prices incurred will come from the money raised from the carbon permits - it won’t raise your taxes or anyone else’s.
And those over $100 000 will still get compensation.

Amber says:

11:25am | 15/12/09

We all heard it from KRudd himself….the Pixie will tax energy companies and give ALL those taxes to the poor working families out there. How marvellous   -  for anyone without a brain that is!  How do you think the energy companies will re-coup their money? Any ideas?

persephone says:

11:53am | 15/12/09

Yes, Amber. They will put up electricity prices. That’s the whole idea.
Even though people will be compensated, they will still see a big electricity bill and they’ll want to reduce this. This will mean that they will seek out cheaper electricity suppliers, be more likely to put in their own solar/wind etc solutions and look at ways of reducing their electricity use.
The same sort of behaviour will happen in energy dependent industries; more expensive electricity will drive them to seek cheaper supplies.
It’s called ‘market forces’ - strangely enough, the same principles that drive capitalism. It’s amusing to see conservatives and right wing ideaologues now suggesting that market forces should be replaced by government regulations (which would mean higher taxes with no compensation, and higher energy bills with no compensation), when they’re supposed to be the free marketeers who are against government control.

GeeJay says:

11:56am | 15/12/09

Micka…You explained perfectly to Barb how it is ... I blogged rece ntly that Barb was having a nightmare. I believe she or he is permanently in one!!!

D'oh says:

12:13pm | 15/12/09

“Even though people will be compensated, they will still see a big electricity bill and they’ll want to reduce this. This will mean that they will seek out cheaper electricity suppliers, be more likely to put in their own solar/wind etc solutions and look at ways of reducing their electricity use.”

Not likely, imagine the scene:  “Wow, what a big bill, but don’t worry, uncle Kev will fix up the tab….”

Persephone, you are a big fan of compensation aren’t you.  Where is the incentive for people to use less electricity if they are just going to be compensated for the increase in price.

As for switching to wind/solar that is great!!  Only thing is the inconvenient fact that wind is currently 4-5 times more expensive than coal, and solar 8-9 times more expensive.  Sure, let’s use rebates and compensation, just look how great it is working in Spain…...

Bob M says:

12:20pm | 15/12/09

From SMH today - Electricity prices set to rise by 62% by BRIAN ROBINS
December 15, 2009 - 11:08AM
“NSW households will need to brace themselves for the first impact of the Federal Government’s proposal to cut emissions, with electricity prices expected to rise steeply over the next few years. The state’s pricing regulator, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has today recommended that electricity prices rise by up to 62 per cent, including inflation, over three years. ** ” Well persephone et al, this is just the start of what Kev and his pathetic State labor cohorts HAVE DONE.

Amber says:

12:26pm | 15/12/09

And carbon trading will produce the nwxt wave of Lehmann bros etc that will bring down the world again in 20 years’time - or sooner perhaps/

Paul of Berwick says:

12:27pm | 15/12/09

Hey Bronnie,

Rather than the pot calling the kettle….

Could you tell us what you have achieved in your time in Government?

persephone says:

12:27pm | 15/12/09

D’oh…you obviously don’t know people. Doesn’t matter how many bucks you get, you still look at ways to save. As I said, it’s one of the tenets of capitalism.

And the whole point of taxing carbon is to make other forms of energy more competitive in price.

I’d suggest your figures are drawn out of a hat (or some other round dark place) as electricity companies are happily investing in these more expensive technologies. When they have more incentive to do so, they will obviously increase these investments.

I feel a bit strange here, explaining capitalism to someone from the right, but it appears you haven’t grasped the concept.

Steve says:

12:28pm | 15/12/09

Lets have a look at what Rudd has done since elected.

1. Got rid of petrol watch = Hurts all australians
2. Grocery watch stopped = Because Coles/Woolworths told him so backs down hurts the average australian.
3. Has no policy re illegal boat people = we go from 0 boats to 54 in just this year since Rudd elected.
4. The riot on Xmas island = No one charged, we dont want criiminals here
5. The greta i will take Japan to court over whaling = Wont happen never will, this was to keep greenies on side.
6. I will take over hospitals from state - Another promise changed too hard that one
7. ETS tax, wants to tax every australian for generations, to pay of the debt he has incurred.
8. Sent country into debt, in under 2 years, record set there for sure.
9. Has spent more time out of country then any other first term PM

Not a bad start for Rudd, i hope you labor believers like this man, remember he wants your man to send to murderous thugs who run 3rd world despots, Zimbabwe, Burma, North Korea, so basically he will be funding them, so if you agree with ETS tax, then you must agree to support this, because that where the money goes, there is no climate change it was a hoax and proven, it was wamer during the MWP which never gets mentioned, so yes whilst Rudd takes his 100 plus people to Copenghagen to do nothing, then get more pictures, and weasel his way into the UN, just think, what has he done for AUSTRALIA, he was elected to do, he cant stop illegals, because he dosent have a policy, he sold out on grocery & petrol watch, he flipflopped on hospitals, he did nothing to help australian kidnapped in Somalia, he tried to bring in a bigger tax, he has sent us into debt, he has increased his milegae though and got to see the world, and if you like your PM like that you got what you deserved.

paul says:

12:31pm | 15/12/09

do"h ...if you think the government would give back more tax than anybody paid ....your sadly mistaken ‘people earning less than 100’000 would pay just like anyone else, they would say the increase in prices were due to something else ...thank god the ETS is dead….or is it??

Bill says:

12:32pm | 15/12/09

Well he said sorry to the stolen generation, he has put climate change on the agenda of australian politics, he has delivered the stimulas package, insulation rebate, given money to the states to reduce waiting lists. extra funding for university training, closer ties with China, cutting of ties with USA.

Epic fail is aboriginal housing, assylum seekers, education revelution, better health reform ( the back down of it, whilst throwing money will help I think that has been tried before and the states squander the money. ) , solar rebates, not given the stolen generation any compensation (if you are taking responsibility for them you need to give them the adeqaute compensation). Grocery watch, Fuel watch, plastic bag tax, ETS ( shamblolic in delievery and tried to bluff it way thru the senate). If its is good legislation deliver it properly and defend / explain it.  The continuation of the intervention program which takes away human rights and equal rights. Not recognising gay and same sex couples and given them the right to adopt.

Barb says:

12:35pm | 15/12/09

@ Micka says:12:05pm | 15/12/09
It works like this - China buys a resource and gives us money. We spend the money on mostly Chinese goods. China then has the resource and the money. China ‘offers’ to bulid Chinese Cultural centres in Australia and asks if we can take thousands of Chinese immigrants - we our powerless to say no to any of it. And our way of life is diminished little by little, and all to the joy of the ALP.

@ AFR says:12:13pm | 15/12/09
“No amount of justification is masking your xenophobia and anti-Asian racism”.

Nice try mate, but people have moved on from the anti-white paranoia. Aussie’s aren’t afraid of other cultures, they just love their way of life and want to maintain it (wanting to maintain a culture doesn’t mean you’re afraid of other cultures) - just like Asian Nations do. I don’t like Asians, I love them and their food and culture - doesn’t mean I want to speak Chinese or wear a sarong.

Multiculturalism may have worked but people like you began taking things away from the host culture and thought they’d be cool with it. If you want to see multiple cultures, save your money and travel to China, India, Brazil, etc. and see these cultures in authenticity rather than some watered down multicultural consumer driven version that you seem to support.

I know we disagree on everything, but please don’t run the argument that we lovers of the Australian way are going to give it all up, and embrace all cultures as equal - this idea has never worked and is a joke to everyone except the Western progressive.

Charles Kelly says:

12:36pm | 15/12/09

There are two thing you can count on from Labor supporters. The first is that they always vote on personality and spin, not policy and action. The second is that they’re way too stubborn to ever admit to being gullible enough to have been duped, and will blindly rely on ill-informed conjecture (as is evidenced here) to justify their dubious decisions.

Peter of Adelaide says:

12:50pm | 15/12/09

An excellent expose of Rudd the very devious and dishonest dud. We need many more of these exposes clearly showing that the egomaniac Rudd stands for nothing and has done nothing of substance. He is still brainwashing children who are not yet old enough to see what a fraud he and his large ETS tax is. Rudd should be banned from schools and teaching institutions until he can be honest with what he says.

John A Neve says:

01:14pm | 15/12/09

Barb @ 1335hrs

This is all way off the topic, but on reading your posts, perhaps you could explain someting for me, just what is “our culture”?

Two hundred and fifty years, basically British (there’s three cultures), followed by Chinese, Greeks, Italians, mixed Jews, Arabs and so the list goes on and on. So tell us Barb, what culture are you on about?

We speak American, watch American TV, eat KFC and Maccy’s, culture, you would not know culture from your bum.
.

Micka says:

01:22pm | 15/12/09

No Barb, it works like this - China buys our resources providing the government with massive tax reciepts enabling the government to pay for tax cuts, more spending on infrastructure health, education, defence ect ect, leading to higher national wealth and living standards The simple fact is that no rationally minded government, be it labour or coalition, would pursue the fundamentally anti-capitalist and economically retarded ideas that you and your fruit-loop icon Barnaby are advocating. And where exactly are these Chinese culture centres that you seem to believe are the fifth coloum of the impending Chinese take-over? And since when did China ask us to take immigrants? I think that you will find that successive governments have sought them out themselves to help relieve the skills shortage. You seem to suffer from a high degree of paranoia, xenaphobia, and outright delusions. No one is saying that you have to speak Chinese, but it would surely be to our national benefit if some of our young students spoke the language of the fastest growing power in the world. You might well be happy living in your 1950’s white-Australia policy mind set but I’m affraid that you are way out of kilter with mainstream Australia. The red necks lost the argument against multi-culturalism a long long time ago, so you just better get used to it.

Olga says:

01:25pm | 15/12/09

If Rudd has any brains he will hand of the Leadership of the Labor Party to Julia Gillard before the next election. He won’t stand a chance against Abbott. He will be in the same situation as Howard was when he should have handed the ledership over to Costello, if he had, they would still be in Government.

Diamantina Dick says:

01:53pm | 15/12/09

Stern Hu, the inconvenient David Hicks!

Jade says:

01:55pm | 15/12/09

@ persephone…. Poorer people will see an increased electricity bill and pay it.  Sure they can find another electricity company, but they have to pay cancellation fees with the current provider, as for solar power etc, how are people spose to pay for that when they are struggling to pay the bills and you cant add it to a rental house.  No one wins except the government.

@ Barb, I agree with you on some aspects of the Multiculturalism issue and the refugees.  We are loosing our culture, multiculturalism is not good for this country.  It causes inter-racial wars and they choose not to intergrate into our society.  If they want to stick to there way of life stay in there own country.

It is not fair that illegial immigrants get a welcome wagon into this country, they automaticly get housing, payments, cars etc, which is more help than struggling aussies get.  We need to fix our own problems before we let more and more people into this country.

Krudd has been the worst thing that has happened to this country and the sooner he is out the better.  And hopefully it is soon before we are completly run into the ground!

barb says:

02:05pm | 15/12/09

@ Micka says:02:22pm | 15/12/09

There’s no need to say that someone who disagrees with you is suffering from a mental illness - but thanks for displaying the inclusive, gentle progressive mindset to everyone.

And I thought I already explained that - “massive tax reciepts enabling the government to pay for tax cuts, more spending on infrastructure health, education, defence ect ect, leading to higher national wealth and living standards” doesn’t make people happy, it helps but we need more than that and you know it.

And if you think the majority of Australian’s support multiculturalism why don’t you do a poll? I’ve never seen a poll that has support for multiculturalism higher than 25%. I’m sorry, but I think you may be wrong here, but I don’t think you’re deluded, see we Christians don’t purposefully insult people who disagree with us.

SC says:

02:06pm | 15/12/09

Hi Bronwyn,

I would most certainly not expect Opposition to be a lighter shade of Labour. However when we arrive at knee-jerk reactions to the opposite corner,the situation becomes completely partisan & equally ineffective. The recent split of your party over climate change I believe goes to show just that. I sympathize with Turnbull - not my favorite politican however he was willing to stand with Labour united in favor of policies required to protect the next generations from our excesses in the form of climate change. Now we hear what we’re used to hearing from the Opposition - the polar opposite of what the Government is saying. We could hire robots for this, maybe save taxpayer dollars, because there is no alternative. Tony Abbott isn’t coming forward with anything but some charisma, casual dismissiveness of facts proven with scientific method, and I’m not convinced he believes in climate change at all. Rudd is seriously underperforming, but so far your party is still dominating news cycles with upheavals, crashes, and burns. Maybe that’s what you should be thinking about.

BigBob says:

02:19pm | 15/12/09

I can believe Rudd is Primeminister..we all got sick of you Liberals. We protested workchoices , you had the arrogance not to listen and your party is still bantering workchoices around. You never learn!! Your climate changes sceptics, never mind the poles and glaciers are melting, don’t you worry about the Reef or Islands flooding , not to mention the fires and droughts and floods in Aus. You just stick ya head in that wombat hole you Liberals seem to dwell in and the world can go up in a blaze of glory while you snooze. This website is becoming way to Liberal for me, and I can imagine you will take these views to Foxtel and since I pay for that I will not be watching you again. My money..my choice.

Wayne says:

02:44pm | 15/12/09

By BIGBOB miss ya ...not!

Old Bert says:

02:57pm | 15/12/09

There are many reasons why Government’s of all persuasions don’t act immediately, or more importantly, why they need to consider their options. They need to have certain informal discussions to take place,  involving a full and frank exchange of views, out of which might arise a series of proposals which on examination may prove to indicate several promising lines of inquiry which when pursued lead to the realisation that the alternative courses of action might in fact in certain circumstances be susceptible of discrete modification, leading to a reappraisal of the original areas of difference and pointing a way to encouraging of compromise and co-operation, which if bilaterally implemented with appropriate give and take on both sides might if the climate were right would have a reasonable possibility, at the end of the day of leading rightly or wrongly to a mutually satisfactory resolution, which may or may not lead to a deal. This isn’t always the case, depending on other Government ministers’ right to know, (within their own portfolio), and need for the Prime Minister to make clear dileniation of portfolios. The fact that a ministers’ need to know is not a defence for that which was not known at the time that the now known need to know was known, and therefore those that needed to advise and inform the Prime Minister,  perhaps felt that the information that he needed as to whether to inform him of the known information was not yet known and therefore there was no authority for the authority to be informed because the need to know was not at that time known or needed. Most ministers mean to give serious and urgent considerations, and insist on a thorough and rigorous examination of all the proposals, allied to a detailed feasibility study and budget analysis before producing a consultative document for consideration by all interested bodies and seeking comments and recommendations to be included in a brief for a series of working parties who will produce individual studies which will provide the background for a more wide-ranging document considering whether or not the proposal should be taken forward to the next stage. The are other considerations, about leaking political documents.  The first law of political indiscretion, always have a drink before you leak. And, ministers must never go anywhere without their briefs, in case they get caught with their pants down.

Jack says:

03:07pm | 15/12/09

Bronnie, kind of cute that you slag off Roxon as ‘an abject failure’ of a Health Minister. Last I checked, she hasnt been putting people in kerosene baths.

Diamantina Dick says:

03:11pm | 15/12/09

Well said Old Bert, just remember in promulgationg your cogitations that there is no connection between intelligence and gullibility…

D'oh says:

03:26pm | 15/12/09

@ persephone

Once again, I hate to do research for other people, you just don’t get as much value out of it unless you do it yourself (plus you will be more inclined to look at your own research objectively).
I work in the power industry and here is what electrical generation costs approximately look like (the electricity market varies throughout the day, see the AEMO website):
Black coal: $30 - 40/MWh
Gas: $40 - 50/MWh
Wind: $100 – 170/MWh (depends on availability)
Solar: $200 - $300/MWh (once again, depends on availability)

persephone says:

03:42pm | 15/12/09

Yes, D’oh, and that’s why there’s going to be a price put on carbon, because by doing so investment in other forms of energy becomes more attractive.

I’m interested, though, that you seem to have accepted:
i. that there is compensation for those on lower incomes;
and
ii. that the amount of compensation outweighs the extra costs incurred.

Perhaps next time you won’t be so casual with the truth.

Dalma Smithy says:

03:49pm | 15/12/09

Poor BB - bastards from the bush. No convictions, no integrity, jus flab sprouting on about something she has no idea of ? That Abbott appointed her to the front bench, is proof he is mimicking Howard in vitro. Will he be resurrecting all the phoney follies and failures that JH lost the 2007 Elections on ! A receipe for disaster, but then TA won by default, deceit and debauchery, and grass root Liberals are not stupid enough not to see through his treachery and travesty. His backing is minimal except for his cohorts in crime and duplicity.
BB obviously thinks Rudd is her saviour - she will ensure she keeps sprouting his evalangical spiel - perhaps to gain an after politics seat in the UN, Vatican, OECD, or World Bank ? She will join the coterie of Nelson, Costello, Jebson, and all the moles in the LNP, gone before her.
Who says Politics is shameless !

persephone says:

03:49pm | 15/12/09

Jade
electricity companies are not mortgage brokers. You don’t have to pay a fee to change providers (well, not in my experience!)
You seem to miss the point again: low income earners (and calling those under $100 000 low income is stretching it a bit) get back more than they pay - so something like $1000 for an extra expenditure of $600. However, that compensation comes separately (for example, through parenting allowances, pension payments etc). So although people will be better off, their bills will still go up and they will still want to save money.
I really don’t see how this concept is rocket science: if you get a rise in your pension, it doesn’t mean you stop looking at ways to save money. If your boss gives you a Christmas bonus, you don’t stop buying a bargain if you see it.
Unless, of course, you and d’oh are so well off you don’t know how the average family lives.

Jade says:

04:00pm | 15/12/09

@ Persephone, AGL Charges fees to discontinue there services, not sure about some others. 

In this day and age you need to be on at least $100,000.00 + to be able to survive and you will still be scraping the bottom of the barrel. 

Most people will not cut costs, if you use the electricity, then you use it.  You can’t exactly go well I want to save my self money lets light a fire to cook dinner on light some candles to see cause we do not want to use power.  I do not see why it is justified anyone having to pay, the earth is doing its normal cycle, there is no climate change and the government is just trying to find ways to raise revenue.

susan Colvin says:

04:38pm | 15/12/09

I congratulate Bronwyn Bishop for outing Kevin Rudd, the mans an imbecile.I am reading Professor Ian Plimers book which explains the Science of Climate Change, yes the plants been changing for millions of years and when the globe warms it has unheard of prosperity and when it cools, people and plants die.  I have to laugh when I see Channel l0 for instance last night trying to show that Clmate Change is happening by showing COOLING TOWERS of Atomic Power Stations - thats steam going up in the air you fools, not CO2.  Its an embarrassment the people who believe in all this tripe, and why are the media trying to support this garbage

Old Bert says:

04:42pm | 15/12/09

Indeed, Diamentina Dick, to watch a government in action is to watch the endless subordination of important long-term issues to the demands of urgent trivia. The first rule of politics: never believe anything until it’s been officially denied.
Solved problems aren’t news. Tell the press a story in two halves - the problem first and the solution later. Then they get a disaster story one day and triumph story the next. If a Prime Minister wants cabinet papers circulated earlier, there are grave problems about circulating papers before they are written. ( If people don’t know what you’re doing, they don’t know what you’re doing wrong.)  Minister’s language: ‘We have decided to be more flexible in our application of this principle’ means ‘We are dropping this policy but we don’t want to admit it publicly’. If
‘the matter is under consideration’ means ,we have lost the file. ‘The matter is under active consideration’ means we are trying to find the file. There are several other reasons for Government inactivity, stalling cabinet ministers: the 5-stage formula,
1. The government is in its first term,  and there’s an awful lot to do at once.
2. Something ought to be done but is this the right way to achieve it?
3. The idea is good but the time is not ripe.
4. The proposal has run into technical, logistic and legal difficulties which are being sorted out.
5. Never refer to the matter or reply to the Minister’s notes. By the time he taxes you with it face to face you should be able to say it looks unlikely if anything can be done until after the election. The opposition aren’t really the opposition. They are only the Government in exile. The bureaucury are the opposition in residence, whose advisers might inform the PM, ‘sometimes one is forced to consider the possibility that affairs are being conducted in a manner which, all things being considered and making all possible allowances is, not to put too fine a point on it, are perhaps not entirely straightforward’ Translation: ‘It’s a dud’.

persephone says:

05:03pm | 15/12/09

Jade, come out of the streets of Toorak and into the real world.
My family survives (and does so quite comfortably - we ski and all sorts of extravagant things) on about $40 k a year.
There’s also a lot of other families who survive on even less, those reliant on welfare for example.
And yes, you can save energy and cut down on costs in all sorts of ways - fitting solar panels, using gas for heating/cooking instead of electricity, designing/retrofitting your home to be more energy efficient (one of the reasons my family CAN thrive on $40 k is that we spend virtually nothing on heating/cooling because we designed the place properly), using insulation, double glazing, etc etc.
But darling, you obviously wouldn’ t know much about saving money. You probably leave all your bills to the maid to deal with.

D'oh says:

05:09pm | 15/12/09

@ persephone

“I’m interested, though, that you seem to have accepted:
i. that there is compensation for those on lower incomes;
and
ii. that the amount of compensation outweighs the extra costs incurred.
Perhaps next time you won’t be so casual with the truth.”
Please provide a link to a comment in which I state:
That there is no compensation for lower incomes
That the amount of compensation outweighs the extra costs incurred.
So, who is casual with the truth now?  You won’t even get a face palm for that…..

persephone says:

06:40pm | 15/12/09

No face palm!
D’oh, you can’t be so cruel!!

Apologies, D’oh - it’s a very long thread now, and I lost track of whom had said what. My first post was in response to that kind of comment, so I assumed that I had been responding to you (and I wasn’t). I’ll try and take more care in future.

Glad to know that you acknowledge - so few above do - that these things are so.

Jade says:

07:27pm | 15/12/09

@ persephone you crack me up! boy oh boy i wish i lived in Toorak and had a maid!

Actually I live in Southern Brisbane in a rented property, as I have not yet bought my first home sooo I am not forking out money to do energy saving upgrades to my landlords home. And there are a load of other families that also rent houses that can’t put in solar panels etc. on the roof to save all that electricity!

Good for you living off 40k a year, do you also live off government payments??

persephone says:

09:23pm | 15/12/09

Excellent, Jade, so you know from your own experience that you don’t need $100 k to live.

Mine’s a lifestyle choice. We could earn more, no probs, but it’s also not necessary.

There are other ways of saving power, you know. Switch things off, for example (an awful lot of unnecessary power which you pay for is used up simply by leaving equipment on standby). And there are government rebates available to those in rental homes who want to reduce their energy consumption, so you could explore those.

D'oh says:

09:59pm | 15/12/09

@ persephone, no probs it happens to all of us.

Glen says:

11:09pm | 15/12/09

Well said Bronwyn.  Please give me and the rest of the not rusted on labor unthinkers a faublous Christmas present and “keep the b*astards honest” (Don Chipp - Democrats founder).  Get stuck into them and make next year uncomfotable for labor.

Steve says:

01:01am | 16/12/09

Nuclear is cheapest form of energy, but Rudd wont touch that

persephone says:

06:39am | 16/12/09

Jade
Glad to see you admit - from your own experience - that your ‘$100 k+ is necessary to live’ statement was a load of tosh.

And renters can access government rebates and incentives to cut energy costs, so check ‘em out.

Thanks, d’oh - I do hate getting things wrong.

Aussie'n'proud says:

06:50am | 16/12/09

@Barb…I’m with you Barb, I am in my early 30’s and very worried about the state of this country and indeed feel we are loosing our Aussie identity! Bloody Rudd the Dudd is screwing us over in more ways than we can imagine! Yes he’s allowing boat loads of people into this great nation, anyone who doesn’t agree, why is it that I can feel like a stranger in my own city of Sydney? Multiculalism what a crock! So many of these people don’t believe in that either, they come here and form their own communities, don’t learn English, have no interest in our way of life, except for the benefits we afford them! I dare anyone to challenge that simple fact! And to make things worse we have to adopt to their beliefs, don’t believe me? Why are Christmas messages not displayed like years gone by? Cause the message offends some races! Bloody hell, this is our country, we are a Christian based nation like it or not, but yet at the risk of offending those we let in, we have to pander to thier beliefs!! It’s just absolute rot, Barb you are spot on and unfortunately the blinded who disagree will continue to vote for the Dudds of this world like Rudd and one day it will all be too late, I feel for my children, that they will grow up in a different Australia than so many of us did, those great years are gone…lets just not hope forever.

Jade says:

07:33am | 16/12/09

@persephone, Unfortunatly my partner and I earn to much money to be eligable for any government incentives and rebates, and no I do not think that my 100K + per year is a load of tosh.  if we want to repay a modest mortgage, rates, rising electricity, rising fuel costs (considering we have to move so far out of the metropolitan area to find a reasonably prices house), rising food, rising everything then to be able to live without worring where we will pay our next bill from we have to be on 100k +.

micka says:

09:28am | 16/12/09

Aussie’n'proud says:07:50am | 16/12/09
Good to see that Barb has fellow travellers from the far-right on this page. Sounds like you and Barb suffer from a similar disease of the mind. Everything you have written in your post is a total load of garbage. You may not like mixing with people of other races but I have friends from all over the world here and they mix into the Australian way of life just fine. Your allegation that they simply come here for benefits and attempt to alter our way of life is utter nonsense and far-right propaganda. A mentally retarded 4 year old would have no problem challenging your “facts”. We live in a democracy so if you chosse to believe this crap that is up to you, but what you are really doing is demonstrating to the world your profound lack of knowledge and commonsense. Like Barb you have based your argument on a series of lies and the xenaphobic paranoia that circulates in your simple mind.

Glen says:

10:51am | 16/12/09

Aussie’n'proud: I agree totally with you,multiculturalism is a crck and we are being sold down the drain.  Soon we will be like the English, disenfranchised in our own country.  We should treasure the country that we have built and onlyallow people in that are of benefit to us.  We do not owe the rest of the world and are no here to save it at the cost of our country.  Bugger the bleeding hearts, they can get up off their fat latte fed asses and go and earn a crust doing a real job out of their sad air conditioned push button artificial life.

Charles Kelly says:

10:54am | 16/12/09

Micka, you’ve stated that Aussie’n'proud suffers from a “disease of the mind” and that “everything” written by Aussie’n’proud is “a total load of garbage”.

Referring to immigrants, Aussie’n’proud wrote that “many” of them “come here and form their own communities, don’t learn English, have no interest in our way of life, except for the benefits we afford them!” Aussie’n’proud then said “I dare anyone to challenge that simple fact!”

As you referred to this statement as “a total load of garbage”, I’d like to know if you honestly believe that there are “no” immigrants who behave in this manner, or is it simply that in your esteemed opinion there are not “many”? If it’s the latter, what is your personal definition of “many”?

You claim that “a mentally retarded 4 year old would have no problem challenging” Aussie’n’proud’s “facts”, and yet all we saw from you by way of a “challenge” was personal abuse and empty rhetoric. Is that really the best you can do?

persephone says:

11:57am | 16/12/09

On the contrary, stats show that migrants are more likely to get off government benefits and stay off them.

The families who live lives of inter generational welfare are Australian.

Yes, migrants tend to cluster in communities when they first come here. That’s just common sense (and it saves us all a lot of money as well! we can similarly cluster the services they need). Once established, however, they integrate into the wider community.

The UK has always been multicultural: the Union Jack is a multicultural flag, an ‘Anglo Saxon’ is someone who descends from the German Angles and Saxons, the English language combines Celtic, German, French, Gaelic, Latin, Greek and other tongues (it is the most culturally diverse language we have).

All migrant problems appear to be first generational ones: the second generation are simply Aussies.

Mark S says:

03:34am | 20/12/09

All i know is under ‘Workchoices’ I was forced to trade away working conditions and in the last agreement, longer working hours for non CPI pay rises. Yep, under the wonderful Libs I ended up with a longer working week with reduced working conditions for less money. Nice one Bronnie. I suspect the spate of strikes that your lot are bewailing are due to simple and well overdue catchup pay rise demands, delayed and cut during your long years of cosying up to the big end of town.

That said Ruddy has done NOTHING to reverse this situation or in a lot of areas actually and as a now ex ‘rusted on’ Labor voter this govt has been the most disappointing and non ‘Labor’ Labor Govt I can remember. We now have Liberal Lite and the Lib/National Coalition. Whilst I don’t agree with Liberal policies, at least with the switch to Abbott you have returned to your roots and are clear on where you stand. I suspect Labor has lost it’s core supporters in much the same way the Libs were in danger of doing and the next election… well let’s just say it is going to be a close run thing.

Joe Rossi from RPData says:

02:29pm | 17/02/10

KRudd has promised much and delivered nothing expect a massive debt. Even though I voted for him I am just so sick of his constant spin, I think he is spinning so much now that he is out of control.

Robert says:

03:50pm | 17/02/10

I started to read the article but then I got distracted by the writer’s avatar.

Dang.  Bronnie’s one hot looking mature age chick.

Now, what was the article about again?

Joe Rossi of RPData says:

01:59pm | 06/05/10

Rudd has been so busy with spin that he has failed to deliver anything except for a huge deficit. Now that Copenhagen has been a dismal failure the party is over for Rudd. It is time to do some real work and deliver on the many promises. I am so suprised that there hasn’t even been an attempt to deal with a clear cut minor issue like Japanese whaling. This makes the Australian govt appear so weak. C’mon Rudd It’s Time! Instead of trying to talk like a yobbo and impress some people with Mandarin, get down to “tin tacks” and produce some real results. If you were in corporate world you would be failing on your KPIs

Joe Rossi
Director
RP Data Ltd

Joe Rossi of RPData says:

06:50pm | 24/06/10

Now we have Julia Gillard. What will this bring, more spin, desperation to win at all costs, a gigantic ego and most of all a nauseating drone voice!

More broken promises to follow! Hopefully voted out of office.

masealake says:

01:10pm | 25/09/10

What democratic societies should learn lessen from Australia election 2010:
1.  What productive action for Kevin Rudd’s $7b UN wrangle face lifting?
Voter’s pains being indirectly forced $7 billion converted $330 from each man, woman and child every year, because it’s not the pain of high income Politician and Bureaucracy. 
The Australia historical hung parliament demonstrated the big gap of inequality society between the small educated elite groups who get highest pay by talk feast used mouth work controlling live essential resources of the country in every social platforms against the biggest less educated groups who get lowest pay by hands work squeezed by discriminative policies that sucking live blood from individual poor/less wealth off?

Voters’ voices do not hear?
Voters’ pains do not ease?
Voters’ cries do not care?

1.  Poverty will not be phase out if no fairer resources to share;
2.  Illness will not be reducing if no preventive measurement in real action;
3.  Agriculture will not be revitalize if urbanization continuing its path;
4.  Housing affordability will not be reach for young generation if government continues cashing from young generation debt by eating out the whole cake of education export revenue without plough back;
5.  Manufacture industry will shrink smaller and smaller if no new elements there to power up to survive;
6.  Employability will not in the sustainable mode for so long as manufacture and agriculture not going to boost.

Ma kee wai
(Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)

masealake says:

02:27pm | 27/09/10

What democratic societies should learn lessen from Australia election 2010:
1.  What voters crying for reforms not just parliament, but for all department?
Voter’s pains did not link to high income Politicians and Bureaucracy. 
The Australia historical hung parliament demonstrated the big gap of inequality society between the small educated elite groups who get highest pay by talk feast used mouth work controlling live essential resources of the country in every social platforms against the biggest less educated groups who get lowest pay by hands work squeezed by discriminative policies that sucking live blood from individual poor/less wealth off?

Voters’ voices do not hear?
Voters’ pains do not ease?
Voters’ cries do not care?

Voter is crying for department reforms over 70 years that resulting a 2010 Hung Parliament?
An iceberg example of voter’s crying:
“……it seem to me there was an unfair to treat me when the merit of “Claim for Disability Support Pension or Sickness Allowance” form in detail clearly defy 15 hours classify the cut off point for acceptance, when comparing to my early assessment completed in June this year that it has the merit less than 8 hours (0-7) work capacity due to my long term medical impairment since an injury occurred in 2005”…….
It was disappointing where the push of Parliament reform that mainly to brink good news to all MPs by the individual MPs during this year historical hung parliament in 70 years, and the reform did not including all Government Departments where it would directly brink good actions to all voters/or people?

Ma kee wai
(Member of Inventor Association Queensland since 1993)