Australian Politics thread [merged]

[1965]

God help us.

And if you don't understand Economics a rough translation would be "Tony Abbott has always been a fool"

 

Tony Abbott wrote 20 years ago floating dollar didn't make sense
December 7, 2013
Gareth Hutchens
 
 In 1994, a young Tony Abbott wrote a review of a book by an economist and a political scientist, Hugh Stretton and Lionel Orchard.

It was the year in which Abbott was first elected to the Australian House of Representatives.

It was also a decade since the float of the dollar.

The review was well written. It dipped into economic and political theory, and took a swing at the idea we are all rational self-interested economic agents.

But Abbott was not convinced the decision to switch to a floating exchange rate had been a wise one.

''The floating of the dollar remains an article of faith with the leadership of both main parties, notwithstanding its exceedingly dubious outcome for Australia,'' he wrote.

''Changing the price of the dollar moment by moment in response to each transaction makes no more sense than altering the price of cornflakes every time a buyer takes a packet off the supermarket shelves.''

The times were not broadly optimistic. Deputy governor of the Reserve Bank Ian Macfarlane gave a speech that year called ''Pessimism and Optimism about Australia's Future''. Prime minister Paul Keating's comment about the recession ''we had to have'' was still haunting the homes of the unemployed.

Abbott noted in his review that a 1990 edition of The Economist magazine had already proclaimed the experiment of floating exchange rates a failure.

But by the time that Economist edition was published Australia's dollar had already begun to settle around 75˘.

As it turns out, 75˘ became its long-term average, and that long-term average has served Australia well.

A few weeks ago, Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens observed that floating the exchange rate had pretty much done the job that it was supposed to do.

It has helped the central bank to contain inflation.

It has helped Australia's economy record more than 20 years of uninterrupted growth.

It is interesting to read what Abbott thought of the floating dollar when it was already 10 years old. Could it help to explain, even a little, why Abbott has opted for ''direct action'' to deal with the problem of carbon pollution, rather than a market mechanism?

The majority of economists believe the best way to deal with carbon pollution is to use a market mechanism of some kind.

But in July this year, Abbott described the idea of an emissions trading scheme as a ''so-called market in the non-delivery of an invisible substance to no one''.

One wonders what that comment will look like in 20 years.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/tony-abbott-wrote-20-years-ago-floating-dollar-didnt-make-sense-20131206-2ywpm.html#ixzz2mjZZE654

[1965]

More on Peta Credlin.

Accusations of meddling by Prime Minister Tony Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin

December 8, 2013
Heath Aston and Chris Johnson

Peta Credlin is upsetting Tony Abbott's troops, but is the criticism justified?

Scott Morrison has copped a tirade of criticism lately over his tough-man performance on asylum seekers. But it turns out the Immigration Minister has also been ticked-off from within the government's ranks.

Fairfax Media has established the minister, who has been running the Coalition's tightly controlled Operation Sovereign Borders briefings, was chided by Prime Minister Tony Abbott's chief of staff Peta Credlin as they left a Cabinet meeting last month.

In the exchange, Ms Credlin spoke about Mr Morrison's poor performance during a media conference. According to cabinet sources, Mr Morrison did not take the criticism well and expressed frustration that he was not allowed to say much. One source who witnessed the exchange said Ms Credlin shot back: ''We will tell you what you can say and what you can't say.'' (Mr Morrison's spokesman describes this as ''complete rubbish'').

Mr Morrison is among those bridling at Ms Credlin's tight control. Revelations about the exchange follow criticism from Coalition Senator Ian Macdonald of ''obsessive centralised control'' exercised by the PM's office.

Advertisement Other Coalition MPs have privately expressed similar concerns after Senator Macdonald's accusations that ''unelected advisers in the Prime Minister's office'' were meddling too much in the minutiae of day-to-day proceedings.

Fairfax Media has spoken to several disgruntled MPs. ''Credlin is fiercely loyal to Abbott and so he is loyal to her, but I think he will soon learn that his prime ministership is more valuable than to allow what is going on right now to continue for too much longer,'' one MP said. ''She is way too controlling, not just of the PM's diary and who has access to him, but of staffing appointments, their conduct and what MPs and even ministers can do or say.''

But the rumblings against Ms Credlin have left Mr Abbott unmoved. On Saturday he issued a staunch defence of his top staffer, saying ''relentless'' criticism was unfounded. Ms Credlin and his office were largely responsible for winning government, he said. ''Decisions made by my chief of staff and my office have my full backing and authority. Anyone who suggests otherwise is wrong.''

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann also defended Ms Credlin, saying every appointment he recommended had been approved by the staffing panel of which Ms Credlin is a member. Education Minister Christopher Pyne dismissed the criticism of Ms Credlin's style as ''sour grapes'', saying she ''gives more freedom to the cabinet and the ministry than most chief of staffs'' he had seen in his 20 years in politics.''

But it is her vetoing of ministerial staffing appointments that is causing the most anger in government circles. Ms Credlin has quashed or stalled the appointments of people who worked at senior levels in opposition or in high ranking positions during the Howard government.

''If Credlin doesn't like someone, they don't get the job even though they might be abundantly qualified and obviously the right person,'' one minister said.

On September 8, Ms Credlin was the only other person with the newly-elected prime minister during a briefing from senior departmental secretaries.

Business leaders too have their frustrations. ''We are not getting the access we should and what has really annoyed some is there have been times when people thought they were getting in to see Tony when in fact Credlin appears and says the meeting is with her,'' one said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/accusations-of-meddling-by-prime-minister-tony-abbotts-chief-of-staff-peta-credlin-20131207-2yyf1.html#ixzz2mogOTJSk

[Judge Roughneck]

General motors wants another 150 million dole money to not 'luck off

[Judge Roughneck]

Uruguay legalises the production and sale of marijuana
AM By North America correspondent Michael Vincent, wires
Updated 11 hours 25 minutes ago

 A man with a joint holds the leaf of a marijuana plant.
PHOTO: Marijuana will be supplied by the Uruguayan Government under the new bill (
www.sxc.hu: Atroszko)
MAP: Uruguay
Uruguay has become the first country to legalise the production and sale of marijuana.

Under a ground-breaking new law, passed by the country's parliament on Tuesday, Uruguayans are permitted to grow the drug legally, or buy up to 40 grams per month from the government via pharmacies.

Private clubs for marijuana consumption will also be allowed, adding to citizens' existing rights to smoke it legally.

The law goes well beyond the marijuana legalization measures recently approved by the US states of Colorado and Washington, or the similarly liberal laws of the Netherlands and Spain.

Under Uruguay's proposed law, consumers over the age of 18 will be able to grow their own marijuana, though no more than six plants per person.

In every case, users must be registered with the government.

Key Points

Uruguay to become first country to legalise production and sale of marijuana
Marijuana is already legalised for individual use in Uruguay
Under new law, Uruguayans can grow the drug or buy up to 40g/month from the government
Private clubs for marijuana consumption will be allowed
Consumers over 18 can grow up to six plants
Proposed law goes beyond measures approved by US states, or Netherlands and Spain
Users must be registered with the government
The move is part of the government's push to be the nation's sole supplier of the drug - from seed to smoker.

"The war against drugs has failed," said Senator Roberto Conde as he presented the bill on behalf of the ruling leftist Broad Front, calling it an "unavoidable response" to that failure.
National campaigns have been running on television, as the South American country debated the issue for over a year.

Advertisements echo Senator Conde's sentiments, adding that drug use and violence have increased.

But not everyone supports the law, with widespread public scepticism and a September poll indicating that 61 per cent of Uruguayans disapprove.

National Party MP Veronica Alonso has been fighting the changes on the public stage.

"This doesn't solve the problem of drug trafficking because if you want to solve that problem then shortly we will be talking about legalising and regulating cocaine which is the most important market," she said.

However, Uruguay's president Jose Mujica wants to use market forces to undercut traffickers.

He says controlling the supply of marijuana and treating it like any other addiction will stop it becoming a gateway drug.

Drug users 'part of criminal cycle'

In a region where the war on drugs has claimed thousands of lives, the Uruguayan initiative has won the support of former Latin American presidents who served on the Global Commission on Drug Policy, but it is viewed with concern by neighbouring Argentina and Brazil. 

The International Narcotics Control Board, which oversees the implementation of international treaties on drugs, has warned that it violates the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, adopted in 1961 by Uruguay and 185 other countries.

Dr Luis Gallo - who has been in medicine for 40 years - has been a key backer of the bill in the Senate.

"The consumer is currently part of a criminal cycle - be it organised crime or trafficking. That has had very grave social consequences for public security," he said.

Dr Gallo says there will be a national institute for the regulation of cannabis, which will be similar to the regulation of tobacco.

He also warns those who might want to indulge in what has been euphemistically called "ecological tourism".

"Brazilian citizens, Argentineans and any other foreign national, are prohibited from coming to Uruguay to consume," he said.

"Only our citizens will be authorised with proof of identity. No one else."

Marijuana users in Uruguay will ultimately have easier access, but they will also have surveillance, with each of their plants or monthly purchases monitored by authorities.

The bill, which passed the lower house of congress in August, was assured of passage in the senate because the ruling coalition controls both chambers.

silly, silly people

war on drug far better way to go

[🏅Dooks]

Holden gorn.

The flow on effect in job losses will be massive up to 50,000. 10 weeks of unemployment benefits for these people  will cost more than the 150 mill required to prop up Holden for another few years. Unless Abott is planning to scrap that too.

Cant blame Abbot entirely but its happened on his watch and he had a choice to kick in money to prop them up. Right or wrong.

Hmmmmmm......

Alot of negative things happening as a result of their stances, or lack of. Seems to be an exceedingly bad government who is either incompetent or completely out of touch

Diplomacy - fail.
Stop the boats - fail
Jobs - epic fail
Minister spending and rorts - fail
Transparency - fail
accountability - fail
Cutting school funding promises - tried but got smashed
Cutting childcare wage promises - trying but getting smashed
Looking after Murdoch n co - pass
Economy - hmmmmmmm.....

No wonder the polls are so bad for the Libs

[Judge Roughneck]

Short on cash? Stretch the nations credit card to half  trillion dollars?

 Not taxing pollution or mining sterling piece of economic management

[1965]

Liberal suckholes sorry supporters on this site are certainly quiet at the moment.

 

One term Tony must be a massive disappointment for them.

[🏅Dooks]

Liberal suckholes sorry supporters on this site are certainly quiet at the moment.

 

One term Tony must be a massive disappointment for them.

Forgot to add the attempted wind back of school funding and the windback of childcare teacher funding, whilst Murdoch and co have been given greater intervention into the Aus market. Well done Tony for governing for the people 

Always stuns me how staunch Lib working and middle class voters vote in a LIB goverment who ultimately gives less back to them in favour of the big corporations and the top 10%, under the guise of 'let the free capitalist market benefit us all'.

The market gives no poo about those people providing they are consuming and making the captains of industry more wealthy.

Its almost as bad as all the southern idiots who vote conservative in the states.

Just wait til work choices gets back on the agenda under an different name of course

[🏅Dooks]

[Smokey]

Liberal suckholes sorry supporters on this site are certainly quiet at the moment.

 

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. —Proverbs 26:4

[1965]

Liberal suckholes sorry supporters on this site are certainly quiet at the moment.

 

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. —Proverbs 26:4

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. - Proverbs 18:21

 

[dwaino]

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr Seuss

[1965]

At last some talent on the Libs side.

Now all they have to do is find another 60 or so to join him.

 

Christian Porter: Meet Australia's future Prime Minister
 
December 12, 2013
Paul Sheehan
 
First Speech: Hon Christian Porter MP

"On 23 November 1956, a painfully angular 19-year-old Brisbane boy, with a physique the cross between a praying mantis and a wire coat hanger, jumped for his country on the first day of the Melbourne Olympic Games. That boy was my father. His sole possessions totalled an ill-fitting Australian team tracksuit and a pair of Buddy Holly-style horn-rimmed glasses. He competed in what was then and what remains to this day the longest and most engrossing field event in Olympic history.''

That is a strong way to open your first speech in Federal Parliament. These words were spoken at 3.28pm on Monday by the standout of the generation of politicians which has just come into Federal Parliament. I will be surprised if he does not become prime minister one day.

His name is Christian Porter. In 2010, having just turned 40, he was both the treasurer and attorney-general of Western Australia and heir-apparent to Colin Barnett as Premier. Last year, Porter turned away from state stardom and sought Liberal Party pre-selection for the federal seat of Pearce. It was a contest whose outcome was far from certain. But he brought a formidable resume, is a former national debating champion, and is extremely funny. It's a rare gift in politics.

As Porter delivered his maiden speech the press gallery was empty apart from myself and the duty AAP reporter. In 2009, I had attended the Perth Writers Festival and been impressed by the young attorney-general who opened the festival and had the audience laughing. I'd never heard of him. We have stayed in touch ever since.

Anyone who reads his maiden speech will find the quality of the opening never flags as it moves from the personal - ''unfortunately, I inherited little of the athletic ability of my father and 100 per cent of the chicken legs'' - to the political: ''The Asian convergence … is the single greatest economic event since the industrial revolution … That 60 per cent of the world's population will in our lifetime converge rapidly towards our own standard of living will have deep implications for the entire world … Australia faces the economic opportunity of its life …

''As with all times of opportunity … too many poor decisions and our opportunities will be lost, and Australia will face a not-too-gradual decline. The one certainty will be that some gentle, happy equilibrium of our national prospects will not be the order of the day …''

He is alarmed by the drift towards structural debt and deficit: ''The swift return to robust surplus is an absolutely critical, but not sufficient, condition to growing our economy … If we are to exist and thrive with Asian tigers, we would be well advised to remain a formidable economic creature in our own right.

''One area ripe for economic reform is the federal system … The federal government is the complicated child of five state parents; it is not the product of immaculate conception, although sometimes it has thought itself infallible … It now accounts for just over half of all government expenditure, with 80 per cent of the revenue base. The states roughly account for the rest, but with only 15 per cent of the direct revenue base. These figures reveal great fiscal imbalance, a major problem that is in dire need of reform … the [GST] system is too extreme, highly inequitable and propagates enormous inefficiency.''

By now his allotted time was coming to an end. He looked up to the public gallery, to his wife, and his voice quavered: ''Jennifer, if I were told that it were within my power to go back to the 1970s to watch Dennis Lillee bowl again at the WACA, that I could take all my friends, that Sir Isaiah Berlin and Han Solo would be special guests, and that James Reyne would do an acoustic set during the lunch break, but that … you could not attend with me, then I would not bother … Jennifer, all the good things are nothing special without you.''

With that Porter ended his speech. His wife was crying. Later, at dinner, she presented him with an inscribed compass, to help steer him home, now that he has arrived on the big stage, far from the west.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/christian-porter-meet-australias-future-prime-minister-20131211-2z6bx.html#ixzz2nDwweD3o

[🏅Dooks]

Liberal suckholes sorry supporters on this site are certainly quiet at the moment.

 

Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. —Proverbs 26:4

Food goes in here - Simpson 24:7

[Diocletian]

To be is to do
                       -Socrates


To do is to be
                      -Sartre



Do Be Do Be Do
                        -Sinatra