The Sensible Australian Election Thread
Aug 11th 2010, 2:05 am
#406
You call that a moustache
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Aug 11th 2010, 3:24 am
#408
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
Don't have to be able to see the future to know that Swan is extremely ambitious and has aspirations for the 'top job'. He has already had a hand in sticking the knife in one PM. What's one more stabbing when there is an even bigger incentive in it for him than becoming the Deputy PM?
Aug 11th 2010, 3:42 am
#409
has lost The Game
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
Disagree. Abbott's quite stable in the leadership role as he has succeeded in doing what Turnbull and the other Lib leaders have failed to do i.e. give the Libs a rel chance of winning the election. Joe Hockey may be affable but he is no leader. He is too light weight (not literally!). I can't see him contesting the leadership at all. I actually think that he believes that he is not leadership material and that is why he didn't contest it last time.
I don't think I can agree with this. Abbott may be a reasonably stable Liberal leader, but the people simply don't trust him to be a competent PM. He is tarnished with too many bad things - Workchoices, poor attitudes to women, conservative religious views, anti abortion etc.
And rolling Howard out last week was a stellar mistake. He really needed to distance himself from JH in order to look credible and look like an individual leader with individual ideas. Now he just looks like he's retreating to Howard era rhetoric.
I think the Labour government is deeply unpopular - it hasn't really achieved much, and the backroom deals that promoted Julia smell distinctly of NSW Labour, who Kevin distinctly failed to endorse. But there is no credible alternative. The main reason that the Liberals aren't streaking ahead in the polls is Tony abbot. People just don't trust him.
S
Aug 11th 2010, 3:56 am
#410
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
I don't think I can agree with this. Abbott may be a reasonably stable Liberal leader, but the people simply don't trust him to be a competent PM. He is tarnished with too many bad things - Workchoices, poor attitudes to women, conservative religious views, anti abortion etc.
And rolling Howard out last week was a stellar mistake. He really needed to distance himself from JH in order to look credible and look like an individual leader with individual ideas. Now he just looks like he's retreating to Howard era rhetoric.
I think the Labour government is deeply unpopular - it hasn't really achieved much, and the backroom deals that promoted Julia smell distinctly of NSW Labour, who Kevin distinctly failed to endorse. But there is no credible alternative. The main reason that the Liberals aren't streaking ahead in the polls is Tony abbot. People just don't trust him.
S
And rolling Howard out last week was a stellar mistake. He really needed to distance himself from JH in order to look credible and look like an individual leader with individual ideas. Now he just looks like he's retreating to Howard era rhetoric.
I think the Labour government is deeply unpopular - it hasn't really achieved much, and the backroom deals that promoted Julia smell distinctly of NSW Labour, who Kevin distinctly failed to endorse. But there is no credible alternative. The main reason that the Liberals aren't streaking ahead in the polls is Tony abbot. People just don't trust him.
S
As for rolling out John Howard. It's a bit like Gillard rolling out Hawke. What's even worse though is Gillard rolling out Rudd to campaign for Labor outside of his electorate. That just makes Gillard look weak.
Aug 11th 2010, 4:10 am
#411
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
I'm not so sure. Not you perhaps, but I think a lot of people vote for the individual. Why else would Gillard be so popular with the female vote?
Aug 11th 2010, 4:14 am
#412
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
No, but a good quality figurehead goes a long way to gathering the votes for the party...
S
Aug 11th 2010, 6:30 am
#413
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
People don't vote for a person though, they vote for a party and the Libs, right now, are doing far better than they ever did under Turnbull.
As for rolling out John Howard. It's a bit like Gillard rolling out Hawke. What's even worse though is Gillard rolling out Rudd to campaign for Labor outside of his electorate. That just makes Gillard look weak.
As for rolling out John Howard. It's a bit like Gillard rolling out Hawke. What's even worse though is Gillard rolling out Rudd to campaign for Labor outside of his electorate. That just makes Gillard look weak.
On the other hand I've been through my senate options and ranked them 1 through 60. Steve Fielding is currently in 60th place just behind all of his mates.
Aug 11th 2010, 6:54 am
#414
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
As no one has voted as yet I'm not sure how you work that one ou. What someone says to an opinion poll rarely means much. I don't know any women who think Gillard is popular.
Aug 11th 2010, 7:18 am
#415
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
If you don't think they mean anything then fair enough. I'm sure a survey of your mates is much more valid
Aug 11th 2010, 7:18 am
#416
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
You and your friends probably work during the day when the pollsters trawl the shopping malls looking for people with time on their hands and awash with taxpayers dollars.
Aug 11th 2010, 8:57 am
#417
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
If the tax was truly a super profits tax then a double dip would see those receipts to the ATO drop. It would have to be setup to fund some kind of sovereign wealth fund that pays up in the bad times. The other part of the tax should be to ensure that non mining industries are not hampered by the high dollar and the strain on human resources. This is not wealth distribution. I would describe as it maintaining the economy so that when resources dip again (like they have repeatedly through history) the rest of the economy is not left hung out to dry. My experience of the the resources industry through the GFC was one that was very quick to lay off workers.
Aug 11th 2010, 9:13 am
#418
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
If the tax was truly a super profits tax then a double dip would see those receipts to the ATO drop. It would have to be setup to fund some kind of sovereign wealth fund that pays up in the bad times. The other part of the tax should be to ensure that non mining industries are not hampered by the high dollar and the strain on human resources. This is not wealth distribution. I would describe as it maintaining the economy so that when resources dip again (like they have repeatedly through history) the rest of the economy is not left hung out to dry. My experience of the the resources industry through the GFC was one that was very quick to lay off workers.
Aug 11th 2010, 12:04 pm
#420
ah-beng
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Re: The Sensible Australian Election Thread
I watched with some amusement the labor adverts this evening saying that "Tony's" 1.5% tax on small business would come back in your pocket , cue shots of "working families" in coles with sad faces and price rises in their shopping basket.
Unlike a mining super tax which merely destroys a government, tony's tax only puts up the price of lettuce. (Allegedly).
Unlike a mining super tax which merely destroys a government, tony's tax only puts up the price of lettuce. (Allegedly).