Interesting comparison between this government and Whitlam's in 1975.
A message to Joe Hockey and Tony Abbott: I want my money back August 11, 2014
Nicholas Stuart
Tony Abbott will probably receive a brief polling bounce after his return from Europe. Yet his playing consular cop hasn’t advanced our national interest one iota and he’ll soon return to issues that can’t be sorted out with a brief photo-op and anodyne questions. The real problem Abbott faces is the person he’s left behind to sort out the biggest issue he faces: passing the budget.
Tomorrow it will be three months since Joe Hockey strode purposefully into a room packed full of expectant journalists to unveil his budget. Since then he’s alternated between bombast – warning everyone to take their medicine, cajoling – encouraging us that if we have our medicine things will get better, and simply relaxing – wandering off overseas and not worrying about who’s taking their medicine. About the only thing he hasn’t done is anything to ensure his budget will actually pass the Senate.
The last time a government was this incompetent at guiding its financial measures through parliament was 1975; that didn’t end well. Nearly 90 days post-release and the country still doesn’t have a budget. “Sloppy Joe” is living up to his nickname.
At some point the shuffling will have to stop.
Or perhaps not. Maybe Hockey has given up. Perhaps it’s all a bit too hard. His attitude seems to be that he’s decided the dose and, eventually, everyone will have to swallow their medicine, like it or not. If so it seems the Treasurer hasn’t being paying attention.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/stuff-20140811-102nhs.html#ixzz3AhBji5Nf