Re: Changing your government
 

He was covering 20 in the early part of the pandemic. Then the premiers took over in which many of them did crazy things.

Re: Changing your government
 

Yea it's similar to Labour in New Zealand and the UK. I don't support the main opposition party In either of those countries either but like much of the left all across the west today they are ideologically insane and it's really starting to backfire big time. Popular media usually raises up these left wing leaders as being competent and caring like Jacinda Adhern but looking at her approval rating which is now extremely low and the opposition party now leading in the polls it just shows how dressing yourself up in a personal of being nice and caring doesn't mean you should run the country or know how and most people now see that, her harsh mandate stances aswell as economic incompetence have left New Zealand fractured and in despair. The government there is one of the reasons we left. Too wrapped up in the hysteria on trying to fix global issues such as climate change that they completely goosestepped their way into one of the worst cost of living crisis in decades.

Whats worse is that mere months ago Jacinda was saying how people can and should be paying more money for more efficient vehicles to help bring harmful emissions down even setting in a date when new petrol and diesel cars can no longer be brought into the country. Anyone with ANY common sense that we were headed towards economic pain driven by restricting the movement of goods and services throughout the world during the lockdown. How did she not see this when it was so obvious to everyone? Obviously wrapped up in their own world. Funny because while they said it was to save lives the WHO came out not long after this and criticized the constant lock-downs and that destroying the economy was not the asnwer. Did the governments listen? Of course not. Meanwhile it was one rule for them and another for the elite. Australia especially western Australia was a perfect example

As for Labor in Australia, economically they are toothless but I do worry if they concede too much ground to the greens they will destroy the economy. It's a shame because the left used to about the working class and helping secure better conditions for the worker. What do they stand for now? Identity politics?

Re: Changing your government
 

I haven't a clue what they stand for.

Virtue Signalling.

https://fb.watch/e_1PqtM-9A/

Re: Changing your government
 

I'm quite happy to use my words but it seems that others are just parroting Trump, Daily Mail/Express and so on.
It's a tad quiet down here. Why don't you venture into TIO and have some proper debate?

Re: Changing your government
 

No thanks, I'll stay in here - but you party on over there if you want

Always happy to debate, discuss and disagree - especially with those who are just parroting Biden, The Guardian/CNN and so on

Re: Changing your government
 

Just what case may that be? The Right have failed the people miserably, placing business and their mates above the common good. At least there is a chance that right wing popularism may have had its day. One can but hope. The wake up call of recent eventualities have brought this home in UK from the disastrous 80's. Twelve years of mis rule have highlighted the need to break away from failed ideology. It does look Britain at least is moving ground to The Left.

Re: Changing your government
 

This one gets peddled out all the time by those bitter about the management they have had to work for in large organisations. Ring any bells?

Can you provide us some examples of 'looking after mates'?

Re: Changing your government
 

The Right have no answer but to repeat the truism. I do hope you are not going to attempt to defend the CEO's and their massive bonus's in the millions for doing botched up jobs? In fact some should most likely face charges for the present environmental disaster being experienced in the height of summer on 53 UK beaches. Not forgetting the rivers. Instead of rewarding selves and share holders, money should have been spent on renewal of pipes etc. Those running electricity the same. Self serving management lead to outcomes beeing witnessed. Time to drop your 80's baggage and admit failure.

The mates are taking are of in tax cuts obviously. Only the richest benefit. Rest have to put up with a crumbling system.

Re: Changing your government
 

Having been “brought up” in the staunchly city of Manchester and from a working class family leaving school in 1979 and going straight into work (at that time I was lucky to do so)I look back at my political voting and except for a vote for the short lived SDP (well I was young) I have voted conservative as they suit my thoughts (alas this is currently no longer the case) I have never voted labour…. my older brother was a Union man up until the 80’s and now cannot even mentioned anything socialist or Labour without blowing a fuse lol My best friend (a German) always voted for the socialist party in Germany but now no longer does my family in Canada cannot stand Trudeau. We are all “normal” everyday people as are most people and we vote these MP’s to work for you but that’s sooo far from the truth when they get elected. Kemi Badenoch here in the UK was very popular with local people who voted conservatives but was not voted by the party …..madness Truss is okay (ish) but no answers on illegal refugees, left wing ideals, law, infrastructure ….not a thing the press (mainly left wing) has pushed too many buttons the BBC is a joke ….I nearly cried when I heard Labour had won in Australia but my DH said “don’t worry love they never last long in Australia” 🙏

Re: Changing your government
 

Truss has no answers on anything apart from tax cuts, something the country cannot afford without greater pain on the majority. She is attempting to ape Thatcher without the conviction. What she says today to win over the old guard Tory brigade in order to win their vote, will be caste aside tomorrow to win the election.
I do find it amazing anyone would blame Labour after twelve year of Tory misrule on every front. Not sure about the socialist comment. It's been a long time since Britain experienced anything akin to one. Blair was not one. Surely you don't blame the state of modern Britain on socialism ? The lack of any government functioning taking any decisions on how to tackle the state Britain finds itself today is extraordinary. Britain has the highest inflation of the top 7 economic powers. Immigration has increased since Brexit. Plans to bring in many thousands from further away than EU to work in care sector. Energy costs rising at the highest rate in Europe, while CEO's pocket millions in undeserved bonus's.
Do you not think a more left of right government in France has been more successful in taking control of their energy company and capping at 4% increase in costs ?

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Blair was not really socialist but Brown most certainly was - and a lot of his ridiculous economic ideas still ail the UK today. Certainly, the immigation policy that Brown/Blair introduced is still hurting the UK in 2022. The UK was deeply socialist until 1979, ruinously so in fact. It broke the UK. Fortunately, the British electorate sensibly voted for the great Margaret Thatcher, who went on to save her nation from economic oblivion and 2nd world status. Luckily for the UK, the basic reforms that she introduced are still in place - and will enable the UK to grow again when they get a genuine hard-right conservative leader sometime in the future

I have confidence that Britain can fix itself but it's going to take time and until then, they have a lot of pain to go through

Re: Changing your government
 

And then, that he couldn't remember, after the fact, whether he'd actually done it or not. :-:

All kidding aside, it's truly awful to see the ongoing mental health damage inflicted by participation in cabinet. Who knew, that cabinet members could suffer such abject memory losses...?

Re: Changing your government
 

Brown being the one making a lot of sense at the moment. But no Thatcher's legacy is in large part the reasons thing are unfolding in UK now. The selling of public assets to foreigners. Share holders before stake holders (those being the general public) The selling of council houses , most now in the hands of property owners and rented out at substantial rents, leaving many in insecure tenancy or/and technically homeless.
In fact a touch of socialism is what is badly needed in UK , French style, but would come at too high a cost to nationalise. At least the French placed a cap on price rises of 4%. Unless a change of course takes place in UK, and the country becomes far more inclusive, not just for the well off , Britain will have a very rocky road indeed ahead. Hard Right Conservatives have shown to be a complete and utter failure. Truss will most certainly fall in a heap in attempting to ape Thatcher . Yet to hear a single thing outside of tax cuts that she stands for. But wait, like her EU policy, she will change her mind to suit the occasion overnight. Rather gloomy times ahead for Britain at the moment.

Re: Changing your government
 

Share holders. You mean you. In your superannuation fund?

Re: Changing your government
 

Actually mean non cultists that can think beyond the box.

Re: Changing your government
 

You mean a self managed super fund? So if being a shareholder is off the menu, and we all know about your issues with buying property (you can't afford it), then what's left? Maybe some of those environmental killing WA resources?

Given your self destroying opinions on just about everything all that's left would be a nicely appreciating wine collection. At least you can have a nice drink on the government pension.

Re: Changing your government
 

Britain will not fix itself, as you term it, until a government is elected , that governs for all and not a tiny minority. The mess that was created back in the eighties is clear for all to see today. Firstly, the need is to stop rewarding the richest 1% . But don't fear. The rot created is or has been increasingly exposed and ever more people are pushing for a substantial government that actually represents the people.

Re: Changing your government
 

Here you go again. Still burdened with the inability, I'm afraid to debate. As I wrote, rather too typical features of the cultist. You could consider an exorcism of sorts to assist in rejecting cult indoctrination? It must be hard living in the wrong era. But the eighties are long gone. People are waking up to the reality of what has been created. Not before time, but better later than never.
What's 'killing ' WA another word of choice of yours is the rampant abuse of drugs, namely Ice, which is everywhere. Perth number one city in Australia in usage, with Australia number one in the world. No politician of either colour appears to want to touch the issue.

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Not many are waking up to your socialist values. Least of ll the Labor party who are trying to move in the other direction but grapling with their number 1 task. Managing an economy.

Yes you went off topic in another thread about meth.

Re: Changing your government
 

Afraid you are being left behind. Anyone wanting accountability and a government that functions with the general population in mind, is Marxist or Socialist how odd. But to suggest the Libs are better economic managers is entering fantasy land. Same or worse can be seen in UK. Yes ( a major issue not being remotely tackled) meth is a considerable component to the economy and a reason I would be disinclined to vote WA ALP again. Australia is only a few steps behind UK in poor management.

Re: Changing your government
 

I agree with your views …..

Re: Changing your government
 

Anything that was state owned in the 70’s was mainly ruined by the unions, my Dad who worked for Manchester City Council as an area Managers (he worked he way up from a joiner) despaired at “getting the work done” he would come home from work and tell stories of his day and even though I was a teenager I was shocked at some of the stories and there was really nothing he could do, tell a guy off and the unions made a fuss, chase workers out of the pub after they had been in well over their 1 hour lunch break a union rep always had an answer asking someone to do a simple task and they wanted extra help when not required, my dad started at MCC at an apprentice he was into “health and safety” well before it became a proper job description. He was a good, fair, hardworking man and that job nearly broke him, the same for my dads cousin he worked as a manager for British Rail and it’s a mirror image of my dads story, my friend (who now lives in WA) husband worked for British Rail until he left just after virgin rail took over the said wow Branson did not have a clue about how poor the shape of the rail system was in and how hard they had to work when he took over and loads left as spins as they could. Unions can be a good thing when utilised properly but too much power and it’s a nightmare for everyone. I do not think it was a good idea to sell sections of British Rail to different companies and certainly not to overseas companies who have tax accounts in say the Cayman Islands and pay less tax to the British Government but hindsight would be wonderful but at that time it was the best option.

Re: Changing your government
 

We see eye to eye on that one. And thats where a government that gives the general population an opportunity rather than a handout. This is what the ALP have been so traditionally poor at doing, always looking after worker while making it tough for those providing for the worker. However to the ALP's credit they are moving away from this ideal. They have seen the light. But they have a long way to go.

Re: Changing your government
 

Here is The Thing … The current political system is broken.

And they are ALL in the back pocket of corporate/big tech vested interests and what people are voting for is just a front for variations on the same old corrupt jazz.

I never thought I’d say this but Russell Brand’s current analysis is spot on.

Yeh, sure, you can “change your government” but all you are doing is affirming a different window dressing.

I hope a growing section of the population have woken up to this and are preparing accordingly, that’s where my energies have been concentrated for the last couple of years for sure.

Re: Changing your government
 

Any form of power can, and most likely is in certain forms corruptive. You should not forget the lot of the British working mam pre unions. The standard of living obtained was a result of their actions, and not some sudden benevolent sense of justice by the employers. I worked on some of the privatisations at the time. There was ample warnings with regards to most likely outcomes at the time . We reap what we sew and all very evident with the outcomes today.
Profit was always going to rule over good management , meaning investment and share holders would gain over stake holders, being the general public. Public utilities, quite simply should have remained in public hands. I can't think of another European country that privitised water. The result today of sewage laden beaches and rivers due to lack of investment clearly obvious.
I'd suggest the ire should be at the CEO's being paid over a million in bonus's even after heading companies that have performed against the publics interest. It should be against twelve years of Tory mismanagement , lies and corruption. Britain is in a considerable mess . One wonders how things will go in winter ? I expect Truss, as it appears will be the next PM, will perform yet another U turn, offering help to the many millions impacted by insane energy costs and threatening stability.

Re: Changing your government
 

But hand outs are fine for business and well off which is what tax cuts are for. The rest of us, have to put up with declining services, It is termed austerity. Of course the well off are not touched by it, but the majority will be increasing hard pushed to pay for health care, aged care, dental , legal services and so on.
Simply put it promotes ever greater inequality , which in turn escalates mental health issues (already rampant in Australia) not to mention addiction issues and crime and homelessness.
The solution is not to run down society to such a degree that what you term as 'hand outs' are not needed in the first place. A more equal society will ensure that.

Re: Changing your government
 

It is broken and on life support. Quite simply put it doesn't meet the needs of society today and they are floundering as a result attempting to find solutions.
We need not economic managers, but politicians who are able to govern a nation. It's all lies, manipulation , greed and self serving interest for the most part.
We deserve better , but we must demand better and not be coerced by false prophets along the way.

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Yes I don't particularly like it a pay way more tax than you. I haven't got much of a grievance with the way the tax structure works. I just don't like paying for people who want a bigger handout than they already get. That's greed and it promotes laziness

Re: Changing your government
 

We actually need our politicians to be paid like they are running massive sectors of a massive corporation. Paying a politician a few hundred grand a year to be a treasurer of an economy is just nuts. No wonder talent at this level end up in the private sector.

Re: Changing your government
 

You should earn more then and go into the tax free bracket by semi legal means. Or too little to worry about paying any. Your choice. Only the poor pay tax so I feel your pain. If you don't like people getting bigger hand outs then quit big party politics. The greed among the self entitled not to say corruption is mind boggling.

Re: Changing your government
 

Well no we don't. Politicians go on to make the lucre once away from politics. Politics is where the connections are made and influence flouted. Too few if any, statesmen in the game these days, wanting to do something for the benefit of the nation instead of self interest. Exactly what talent are you referring to?
But to answer the question of the Op, don't look towards Australia for any hope of finding answers in solving the UK political crisis. Australia has had a degree of fortune due to high commodity prices and China's rise. Our only solution it appears is to crank up immigration to ridiculous and unneeded levels and decline living standards at an even greater level of knots.
UK after all remains the fifth richest country in the world. The people there must demand better. Living standards are below comparable EU countries in a host of measurements. But as a nation has so much going for it .

Re: Changing your government
 

Like what exactly?

Re: Changing your government
 

Like what has UK got going for it? It remains the fifth richest country in the world. But like Australia, it requires accountability by those in power. Unlike Australia, it is more skeptical in questioning things , but at times just as innocent and falling for snake oil charmers . Brexit as an example. The working class in the North, voting Tory en masse , as if that party has the interests of the down trodden at heart.
I think there is increasingly little differing Australia and UK these days in living standards, with cost of living in Australia very high and not the clear advantage in economic terms most migrants experienced, back in last century.
What it needs is better governance with out the favouritism of the few. There remains so much going for it in geographic location, landscape, culture, people, diversity, to name but some.

Re: Changing your government
 

Quite some assumptions there. The working class are down trodden? The majority who voted for Brexit were sold by a snake charmer? Wow. Quite offensive to many

Re: Changing your government
 

Eh? Where do you get that from? The UK has the 6th (not 5th) biggest economy in the world, but India's is bigger. So is India wealthier that the UK? lol!! It's nonsense and voodoo economics to believe your kind of shit

A nation's wealth can be measured by per capita GDP (although there are better metrics like HDI). Therefore Australia, for instance, is wealthier than the UK - and Germany for that matter. Australia's peers in Europe are Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland and The Netherlands

Hope this helps

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UK has fifth , probably sixth now NGM in the world. I think it was Italy that surpassed it a few years ago. It matters not that India has a bigger economy having many times the population. Likewise smaller countries like Ireland will score highly in wealth generated over small populations. Reason tax havens do well.
GDP's are not a good judge really as all economic activity good, bad, illegal is measured. Kalamunda, with as you pointed out , Ice capital of the nation, would then be producing more wealth than London's Hampstead.
A bit difficult to fathom for some, but the measurements I gave are generally considered to be the correct ones.
If you and others really think Ireland is the third richest country on the planet, best look at how the reasoning for that comes about.

Re: Changing your government
 

What will prove offensive to many in that class, is just how they were persuaded to vote for a party with no interest in their well being . Tell me just who will be impacted by 800% increase in energy bills? Just who was most impacted by austerity? By working class In refer to those that work for a living. Nurses, Police, Teachers, Firemen, not just the diminishing number of traditional working class obviously. Most certainly were sold a dud . I can't think of a single benefit Brexit has brought to the nation. Immigration? Higher than before and from further afield. Cheaper goods? Most things far more expensive and inflation is hurting many there. Power bills going up the most likely highest in the world by 800%. Only a snake charmer with a venom of some magnitude could sell anything happening as a positive thing.

Re: Changing your government
 

Yet you used to it in some ridiculous attempt to state that the UK is the 5th richest country in the world!

Bizarre

As I've told you many times, HDI is the best metric to measure a nation's health. Check it out, but I know that you won't as you're economically illiterate

Re: Changing your government
 

UK is either fifth or possibly sixth economic power in the world. Don't know why you are attempting to argue against that? (I guess not too unlike you insisting that UK and Australia had the best health systems in the world, some years ago) You could argue on a per capita basis Luxemburg is wealthier than UK. That's not the same.
No health is not the best (although maybe fairer) measurement of a nation's wealth. Then you must agree USA is well down the list , way behind a host a Northern European countries, that deliver far superior health outcomes. Probably best to leave the literacy feelings of superiority where it belongs.

Re: Changing your government
 

lol!! - you've just justified what I wrote!

No question that the UK has the 6th (not 5th) largest economy in the world - and of course Luxembourg is wealthier than the UK - which is what I was saying. Per capita is the only way (in the context of GDP) to measure national wealth

HDI measures the economy AND educational outcomes AND life expectancy (health). So, no, health on it's own is not a good indicator - and I never said that it was. You should have a read about how HDI came about and the Pakistani gentleman who developed it. It's pretty interesting. Well it is for someone like me who's interested in economics and is always trying to understand it - then there's you.......

Do try harder