http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/budget/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/welfare-for-breeders-is-a-bonus-for-everyone/ The worship of ‘working families’ is a bipartisan affair – all sides of politics fall over themselves to appeal to this valuable voting pool.  It’s enough to make the childless feel like drones, labouring to feed the reproducing queens. First there was Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s cash splash for parents of schoolkids. Then, in his Budget reply speech, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said: “My values are the product of an Australian life, a real life much like yours with Margie, raising three daughters in suburban Sydney, paying a mortgage, worrying about bills.” Sorry, Mr Abbott, but that’s not a real life much like mine. Never mind living in suburban Sydney or having three daughters, even if I fell in love with a Margie I couldn’t marry her. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/welfare-for-breeders-is-a-bonus-for-everyone/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/welfare-for-breeders-is-a-bonus-for-everyone/#item8495 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/saints-and-sinners-whores-and-lost-souls/ When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/saints-and-sinners-whores-and-lost-souls/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/saints-and-sinners-whores-and-lost-souls/#item8479 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/they-just-are-dumb-politics/ Wayne Swan’s 2012-13 blueprint was well crafted and immediately drew errors from the Opposition. Tony Abbott’s one-speed approach to political combat apparently blinded him to the knuckle-headedness of standing between voters and a wedge of cash. By invoking the arbitrary principle that cash hand-outs are bad policy, Mr Abbott again showed how bluntly oppositional he is prepared to be. But it was dumb politics. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/they-just-are-dumb-politics/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/they-just-are-dumb-politics/#item8472 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/my-names-tony-from-the-burbs-and-im-here-to-help/ Tony Abbott delivered a speech in which he portrayed himself - one of the most radical MPs of his era - as a mainstream kind of bloke. The Budget in Reply speech last night wasn’t so much about Tuesday’s Budget and there was no demand on Abbott to produce a detailed counter to Wayne Swan’s economic statement. It was a bid to soften the edges of his public image in contrast to the “class war” stridency of Julia Gillard. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/my-names-tony-from-the-burbs-and-im-here-to-help/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/my-names-tony-from-the-burbs-and-im-here-to-help/#item8473 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/uh-oh-time-for-another-round-of-working-families/ Do you remember what Wayne Swan said in his 2007-08 Budget speech? I bet you do. And in intricate detail. It went something like this: “Working families, working families, working-families—working-families—working-families—working-families! Working-families, working-families-working-families—working-families—working-families—working-families, Mr Speaker.” penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/uh-oh-time-for-another-round-of-working-families/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/uh-oh-time-for-another-round-of-working-families/#item8456 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-governments-education-cred-is-going-going-gonski/ Instead of fixing a struggling education system, Gillard and Swan have ignored Australian schools and decided to hand out cash to parents, proving that votes are more important than a school system that is out-dated and falling behind in relation to world standards. Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Treasurer Wayne Swan have announced that one million Australian families will receive a cash bonus for each school-aged child that they have. This bonus is set to replace the existing education tax refund. Families will receive $820 for child that they have attending secondary school and $410 for each child in primary school. The government will also issue back payments for the past financial year in a one-off bonus. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-governments-education-cred-is-going-going-gonski/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-governments-education-cred-is-going-going-gonski/#item8458 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/finding-the-cancer-at-the-bottom-of-the-pile/ Big winners from last night’s budget include Australians aged 50 and over at risk of bowel cancer – who until now have been among the nation’s most marginalised. The $50 million in new bowel cancer screening funds announced by Wayne Swan and health minister Tanya Plibersek on Saturday may end years of discrimination against a cancer that has been at the bottom of the pile when it comes to understanding and reducing the nation’s overall cancer burden. The pun was intended. I usually refrain from double entendres when discussing bowel cancer, because it is no laughing matter. We should not make light of a human tragedy – and one that’s all the more tragic because of its preventability. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/finding-the-cancer-at-the-bottom-of-the-pile/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/finding-the-cancer-at-the-bottom-of-the-pile/#item8455 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-swan-almost-took-a-dive-on-the-budget-speech/ Trapped in a political death roll, Treasurer Wayne Swan prepared a Budget speech that would see him go down in history as the most desperately honest politician the world has ever seen. Then, in the wee small hours, a spin doctor talked him down from the ledge. Here’s how it went down. Wayne Swan (hand on heart): Madam Deputy Speaker, this Government will be a Robin Hood taking from fat cats like Clive Palmer and giving to working families. We have an ever so slightly personal dislike for these magnates messing around in politics, and think we look pretty tough giving them these little smackdowns. Labor also feels that the next Government will reap all the benefits of the mining boom so we must redistribute that money before we lose power, and be remembered for slipping the dosh straight into the pockets of Australians whom we will refer to repeatedly as working families.  penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-swan-almost-took-a-dive-on-the-budget-speech/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-swan-almost-took-a-dive-on-the-budget-speech/#item8452 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-safe-is-the-surplus/ Very, according to Julia Gillard. The PM has been at pains this morning to convince everyone the $1.5 billion buffer will not be blown out of the water at the first sign of trouble. It’s a hard sell. This time last year Wayne Swan predicted the 2011-12 deficit would be $22.6 billion. In November’s MYEFO it was revised to $37.1 billion, and last night it was confirmed to be $44 billion. According to Swan, the GFC wiped $150 billion off Australia’s tax take in the five years to 2012-13. A short time ago on Sky News Gillard pointed to this drop in revenue as proof of how hard she and Swan would fight to maintain the promised surplus. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-safe-is-the-surplus/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/how-safe-is-the-surplus/#item8451 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/this-federal-budget-is-all-about-the-next-election/ How long would the Government have lingered over this question: Do we try and probably fail to give companies $4.7 billion or do we back the sure thing of offering the cash to grateful families? In a Budget devoted to suburban street politics more than high road economic management, the answer would be: Not much. Given that a large chunk of that money, around $1.5 billion in 2012-13 and 2013-14, would be handed out as voters approached an election, it’s no surprise that the families won. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/this-federal-budget-is-all-about-the-next-election/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/this-federal-budget-is-all-about-the-next-election/#item8447 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 When Wayne Swan is at his desk he likes to work to music. He told journalists during the week that his Budget song this year had been Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams”. Perhaps it was two lines in the opening verse that struck a chord with the Treasurer: You don’t know where you’re goin’ But you know you won’t be back