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When the going gets tough, life only gets tougher. That’s the feeling among many voters after last week’s federal Budget.
In trying to spread the burden of cuts in order to return the economy to a fiscal surplus in two years, the Gillard Government’s self-proclaimed “tough” Budget managed to land a blow to almost everyone from the unemployed to double-income households.
But it was the effect on middle-class families that has become one of the main battlegrounds in the aftermath of this Budget, with plans to freeze family payments to families on a combined income of more than $150,000 a year - saving the Government $2 billion.
Continue reading "Tough times in taxpayer land? Only if you’re greedy" »
“GET a job!” It was the response to a protester from Prime Minister Paul Keating during his ill-fated 1996 election campaign that epitomised the “dole bludger” tag.
The nation’s unemployment rate had spiked during his previous term and many school leavers were seen as aimless, finding it easier to rely on government welfare than to look for paid work.
More than a decade on, the jobless figures have done an about-turn. In some areas there are more jobs than willing workers. But it seems the legendary dole bludger is alive and well.
Continue reading "Yep, most people still really hate dole bludgers" »
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Richard says:
Dan Guess what you don’t fund the service pension , it is paid for by the service person out of pre tax salary just like you. The only difference is a serviceperson can’t roll over any monies until retirement. The Govt holds onto it and indexes it at the rate… Read more »
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Jane Thomson says:
For all those who say welfare does not cost much, 161 billion per year, the biggest amount in the budget is spent on welfare. There are too many welfare bludgers in Australia. Workers spend a large portion of their time working for nothing to support welfare bludgers. A nurse said… Read more »
It’s the great Australian amnesia. We sometimes forget who we are and where we came from.
For a nation of immigrants, whose cultural diversity helped shape this adopted homeland, there are those who would like to keep Australia just as it is – or was.
The ongoing debate over who to let into the country and who to keep out found new impetus last week when Immigration Minister Chris Bowen delved into a 1970s timewarp and resurrected the multicultural mantra - the policy that launched a melting pot of ideals on living together in perfect harmony.
Continue reading "Multiculturalism is Australia’s great divide" »
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Hammin says:
I cross ocean, one way trip, pay people smuggler one big tip Green man, his name Bob Brown, he welcomes all of us to town. He big man in Government now I think. He sends us off to Centrelink. Welfare say, “You come no more, we send cash right to… Read more »
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Hunny says:
I am aplpaled that the notion of whether or not we should accept the law of another culture should even come under scrutiny. I doubt I am alone in feeling that people who choose to live in another culture should not attempt to stamp their cultural norms anywhere outside their… Read more »
THE final week of Federal Parliament before winter recess proved to be more intriguing than a plot from the popular board game Cluedo.
And comments to online news forums were closely following the action as each new card was drawn in what many thought was a concocted blame game.
The hunt for the culprit in the Utegate case saw each of the suspects come under scrutiny and ticked off one by one by bloggers (and voters) as they assessed the veracity of the key characters.
Continue reading "No winners in cyberspace over Utegate games" »
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Bob says:
Surely this cannot be over yet. I couldn’t care less if Turnbull goes as long as he stays long enough for this matter to be resolved one way or the other. My concern is that there are people who know what really happened and we the voters are still being… Read more »
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MW says:
There was a time when John Howard was untouchable and he lost his seat. Reports of the death of the Liberal Party are exaggerated. To all the all Ruddies out there - enjoy it. It may last for a while but one day KR will be giving a concession speech… Read more »
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