Re: Share the pain
 

This is a bad idea

I pay enough tax and don't need to pay any more. The government raises enough money for our needs but chooses to spend it poorly. Cut welfare (the real budget killer) and civil servants before raising taxes. Spend the money they do have better. Unfortunately, like the UK, government is not prepared to make the hard choices

Ultimately the destructive, irresponsible socialist governments of Rudd and Gillard got us into this situation and now a conservative government has to sort their mess out. Aka the normal situation - this is as certain as day follows night

If you want to avoid clusterf**ks like we are in now, avoid socialist assholes - they break everything that they touch. Guaranteed

Re: Share the pain
 

Tsk, tsk - how right wing of you to have those assumptions.

I, of course, propose that the mines should be nationalised and ALL the profit of selling off bits of australia should go to the benefit of the people of australia. eg state company control.

Like those trotskish Norwegians ....

Re: Share the pain
 

Although he is a nutter, Palmer may turn out to be a blessing in disguise. He is going to allow the repeal of the mining and carbon taxes and oppose the coalitions direct action plan. Australia could end up doing nothing about carbon - and as MMGW is socialist/anti-western mumbo jumbo and is not happening, this is the correct way to go

Soon we can do the dance of joy

He is also going to oppose the PPL scheme in its present form - even better

Re: Share the pain
 

I never really understood this sentiment. A lot of people complain about the UK and other countries saying 'oh it's changed so much', whilst thinking that somehow Australia is immune to change. Oz is and alway was changing all the time, same as most countries, and very rarely for the better, same as most countries. You just have to pick where you want to live, either permanently or temporarily and go with it.

Moving from a 1st world country to another 1st world country for financial gain is a zero sum game IMO.

As for the original story, everything old is new again, I remember being in at work in Sydney when Keating gave his 'read my lips' speech. Nobody believed that either!

Re: Share the pain
 

Funnily enough, when I posted the original line, I did imply I was disappointed with the government for being so anal about this debt, and I'm even more pissed off that they've chosen the wealthy to hit, rather than the welfare, the negative gearing, etc. Not a very liberal thing to do. So surprised that you and Knockoff aren't all over this, singing praise and admiration. :)

Re: Share the pain
 

Just because you are scrabbling to hang on at the extreme far right of the political spectrum (screw the poor, protect the rich) doesn't mean any of the only far right policies are in any way acceptable.

Step back and you need to take a big picture view - and that is that welfare spend is low, but tax on resources is also low - and the balance is not found by making that worse.

Re: Share the pain
 

How right you are. I regularly speak to my brother in NSW and he is amazed just how exapensive it has become in recent times. A decade or so ago there is no way in the world I would have said that Australia wouldnt be a more expensive place to live than the UK. Australia haschanged a tremendous amount in recent times, as you would expect, the problemis most of the change has been for the worst.

Re: Share the pain
 

I dont think anyone outside of Australia takes the claims very seriously, just more back slapping and tub thumping.

Re: Share the pain
 

Don't divert. Surely the good far left must be all over this screw the rich tactic? If it were a Julia Gillard initiative (not that she would have had the foresight to think beyond a week) you'd be loving it.

Re: Share the pain
 

How exactly does this screw the rich?

Re: Share the pain
 

:rofl: His goose step is a dead give away :D

Re: Share the pain
 

But it's not screwing the rich (or making the rich pay their fair share, which is more the question). If you are rich enough you have enough avenues to avoiding paying tax that your marginal rate is lower - or did you seriously think Gina paid her fair share?

Actually, if we were being honest for a moment, I'd personally see taxes by government limited to a maximum of 33% of GDP - it's just I would apportion it differently.

I'd also be seriously looking at how we could implement a mincome - which would really shake things up.

Re: Share the pain
 

Oh, and it looks like the Tone Tax is unlikely to go ahead anyway - it seems he's unlikely to have the numbers and even his own party thinks getting caught is such a massive lie, so early on, is a bad move.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...broken-promise

Re: Share the pain
 

So you're not being honest? Tut tut. Just like you good pal Tone hey?

You and knockoff are just out to attack anything the Liberals do. You don't even answer the questions but instead put new questions in place.

Do you actually think the debt needs sorting or not? If so do you think their current plan is a good idea (forget raising Gina again). If not, what should be the grand plan? (No need of a Tone mention)

Re: Share the pain
 

The debt, as it stands, does not need to be 'sorted out'. It's low compared to every other western country. And in any case, you don't 'sort it out' by austerity measures - that only makes it worse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...by_public_debt

Rather you get the taxation back where it needs to be, make the parasites pay their fair share, and focus on growth.

Which is, of course, why anyone with a brain sees the liberals are part of the problem, not part of the solution. The current 'plan' which involves destroying, attacking, and reducing (whilst gifting the Ginas with even more) is thus an incredibly bad idea - but then again, you already knew that in reality.

Since you want to demand answers to questions you never asked, here's a question to you that I do ask - what do you think the purpose of government is?