Gillard vs. Abbott

[Bundy]

A few things:

1. The jobless rate has surprisingly fallen to below 5% with 15,000 employed in the last month.

www.theaustralian.com.au/business/economics/australian-dollar-spikes-as-abs-unemployment-data-surprises-market/story-e6frg926-1226352030159

2. Just about the budget, I agree with some of the analysts out there that it is one that is self-serving to the Labor party. It appeals to its core supporters by providing them with higher welfare payments at the expense of the higher class. Or, in other words, a 'Robin Hood' budget.

As for running a surplus, it is meaningless if the Government debt is so high and the figures are having to be fudged to such a degree this financial year (in the sense of bringing forward expenditure) to get the surplus for the next period.

And its not the time to run a surplus either with so much volatility in Europe...

www.theaustralian.com.au/business/economics/australian-dollar-spikes-as-abs-unemployment-data-surprises-market/story-e6frg926-1226352030159

3. Abbott has his reply tonight. He is just going to go back to the Liberal party's strength which is to portray the party as tight, fiscally conservative managers...smart move if you consider that whilst Labor's budget may appear to have the same credentials, if you look at their actual spending, they are not being as frugal...

[Big Trev]

I just watch Abbott 'rabbit'ing on, a bit dreary, I didn't watch all of it, mind you I didn't watch any of Swan's mainly coz I was working.

Old Tony actually made a bit of sense, he must have got someone else to write his stuff for him - LOL

I sill wouldn't for the idiot though.

[Bundy]

Think he just stuck to the obvious Trev - attacking Labor for starting a class warfare with what it intends to deliver in its budget.

You can attack Howard all you like but you can never say that he didn't treat all classes of citizens equally with how welfare payments were disbursed or how tax cuts were given...Labor seem hell bent on robbing the 'rich' (including the middle class) to pay the poor. And that isn't going to put us in any good shape to respond to the productivity needs of the country...

[Bundy]

My question is why doesn't Labor have the balls to follow things through? I say this because the reason why labor failed to continue with its company tax cut is that it wouldn't have got the support of either the Liberals or the Greens, so they thought why bother? While for example you had Howard attitude of not backing down and trying to push things through in the face of adversity with needing the support of the Democrats (not to mention a mandate from the people)...it just shows the lack of spine this government has...

[Bundy]

So Thomson's appearance on Today with Laurie Oakes to somehow 'clear the air' over the allegations that he is facing looks like it was a useless exercise. Not only is his defence fanciful but it was considered in the Fairwork Australia report but dismissed as baseless as they lacked evidence. I simply see that defence as one which buys him and the Labor party more time so they can somehow limp towards the election date...but the interesting thing is whether, in time, if this statement that he does make to Parliament on the 21st using this defence will be made the basis of a charge of contempt if it is considered that he lied or misled the parliament.

[Bundy]

So Thompson stood up yesterday and gave a speech. And he decided to use the same unbelievable defence that he gave to the Fair Work Australia Inquiry (which wasn't substantiated then) to argue that there is some sort of conspiracy and he was stitched up. I also enjoyed him getting stuck into Abbott for no real reason while the Labor party who exiled him escaped any such criticism, seems if he still has silent support from the PM. Anyway I cant wait till misleading the parliament proceedings are brought against him.

[senator]

I bet Gillard is right behind this whole affair. Tony Abbott is not to blame, and should be the man leading the country. The mere fact that this degenerate Thompson got caught out is merely an indication of how **** the current government, and all their supporters are.

[djrford]

If Thomson was set up like he says, why did he not say so ages ago? I don't believe a word of what he's saying.

[Bundy]

May 22, 2012 17:50:41 GMT 10 djrford said:

If Thomson was set up like he says, why did he not say so ages ago? I don't believe a word of what he's saying.

Well he did as a defence to the FWA Inquiry that looked into it but it was rejected as he could produce no evidence to substantiate it and it was riddled with mis-truths. But in saying that, he has come up with a few more furphies for us to try to digest.

-----------------------------------

In other news, it seems Wilkie has back downed on his staunch criticism of Gillard in light of her breaking the agreement she had with him to roll out greater reforms to pokies.

www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/reluctant-wilkie-backs-pokies-reforms/story-fn59niix-1226363384441

[djrford]

I just can't wait for the election, if this term runs its full course, I'll get to vote!

[Bundy]

Let's hope you don't get to vote

I see that Thompson had a cry about the media (Channel 9) giving him too much of a hard time with their incessant coverage of the scandal. I guess someone needs to remind him that being a politician and having everything publicly scrutinised is the career path that he has chosen to do

[djrford]

Haha I must be the only 17 year old that watches the election coverage on the night of an election. While most people think its boring I think it's pretty exciting to watch!

[Bundy]

May 24, 2012 21:14:27 GMT 10 djrford said:

Haha I must be the only 17 year old that watches the election coverage on the night of an election. While most people think its boring I think it's pretty exciting to watch!

Don't be ashamed in that...I was doing it too when I was way younger than that...but politics is huge in my household so it wasn't something that I could really avoid.

[djrford]

I only have one friend who I talk to on a regular basis that likes politics, so naturally everyone else gets bored when we start talking about it!

[HDT05]

I like politics, lol

[donk]

May 25, 2012 1:55:23 GMT 10 HDT05 said:

I like politics, lol

1.55am mate, you need to sleep!

[Bundy]

This topic may need to change to Abbott v Rudd soon as I see his vultures hovering above the dead carcus of Gillard. But I can't see much use in the Labor party changing to Rudd if they are going to keep the carbon tax as they are doomed to losr if it is still in place come the next election...

[djrford]

Throwing in someone else won't fix Labor, especially when it's someone who was very unpopular when he lost the job!

[crikey]

Regardless of which government you want in power, There is absolutely Zero chance of Labor getting back in at the next Election, So why dont they get rid of Juliar and put in someone else to build for the future, The longer she is there the further they will fall.

Start building for there future and give this clown the boot.

[Bundy]

May 27, 2012 20:25:35 GMT 10 crikey said:

So why dont they get rid of Juliar and put in someone else to build for the future

Because one of them in Rudd can't work with the partyroom while the other front runner in Shorten was a noted back-stabber of Rudd, so I can't see the public taking too fondly to him!!