The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > Lest we forget? The home insulation scheme ... > Comments

Lest we forget? The home insulation scheme ... : Comments

By Chris Lewis, published 16/7/2010

The Labor Government’s home insulation scheme beggars belief in terms of wastage of resources and lack of regard for safety warnings.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. ...
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. All
People are sure funny. I mean, thousands of people availed themselves of the Government's scheme to get free insulation. And, of course, there weren't enough people to do the work.

So capitalism and supply and demand being what it is, encouraged unqualified people to start laying batts much the same as ordinary home owners do. These people, seeing a quick buck, cut corners but home owners didn't care because they were getting something for nothing!

So we have the homeowners trying to get something for nothing, some dodgy tradespeople laying the insulation, and a Government that was doing its best to get money out into the community to stave off a depression.

But according to the pundits on this thread, only the Federal Government is to blame.

Perhaps the blame needs to be apportioned where it belongs!
Posted by David G, Friday, 16 July 2010 1:12:31 PM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
David G displays more of the unfalsifiable belief. As to the past, government was unblameworthy (without sin; a perfect being). It was only trying to make things better (benevolence) by "staving off a depression". A depression just mysteriously materialised out of nowhere. It had nothing to do with the fact that government is the only institution with an interest in every financial transaction - an inflationary interest (innocence of any material motive). The depression has nothing to do government's claims to be able to manage the economy (omniscience, omnipotence). Government is able to make something of out nothing (loaves out of fishes) by taking money from A and giving it to B. The blame is entirely 'out there' (government has no part in it, i.e. is perfect). The blame needs to be "apportioned" (entirely to non-governmental actors).

Two use the expressions of the state-worshippers, a "balanced" view would ask: is it true that government has the competence to manage the economy and manipulate the money supply without negative consequences worse than the original problem? To "open up the other eye" would be to ask: if so, then there wouldn't be a depression, would there?

Instead of asking what regulations should fix this problem, we should be askign
c) as a proposition of fact, is it really true that the government can fine-tune the world's climate at will?
d) as a proposition of ethics, is it really true that the government should be taking money from some people, so as to give other people free pink batts?

Notice there is still no questioning of these underlying assumptions. Government is presumed to be like a god, over and above society, participating in none of its faults or follies, perfect, blameless, all-knowing, all-capable. Only the sin of man keeps fouling things up.

It's the same mentality as in the medieval trial by ordeal. If the accused survives the torture, it proves that it wasn't necessary, tough luck to him. But if he doesn't, it proves that the torture was justified in his, and in future cases.
Posted by Peter Hume, Friday, 16 July 2010 3:17:18 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
The only solace that comes from the repair of the damage is that reputable professionals will get money from the government this time. Money that is going directly into our economy, and we can assume that the recipients will pay tax on it unlike the governments previous partners.
Posted by sonofgloin, Friday, 16 July 2010 3:34:11 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
no wonder Julia's slogan is 'lets move forward'. She is afraid that anyone with half a brain that looks back have a gigantic stuff up staring them in the face from day 1 of her Government. Now she makes a tax plan on the run, a border protection plan on the run and a climate change policy on the run and unfortunately will will have people 'bright' enough to stick their heads in sand and re elect her party. And to think she raves on about the need for more education. Somebody needs to give this party a few lessons on honesty, accounting and truth telling.
Posted by runner, Friday, 16 July 2010 4:45:49 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Peter, I hope you enjoyed your flight of fantasy about perfect governments, etc.

What it had to do with my comment I really do not know. No matter.
Posted by David G, Friday, 16 July 2010 4:57:30 PM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
The short-cutting, shoddy work, poor quality control and poor communication with the client are systemic problems of the home building industry in Australia.

There are no compulsory minimum standards for construction and the Building Standards Authorities are set up to be reactive not proactive. Their inspectors are diplomats. It is reprehensible that the same serious faults in construction continue to be reported, year after year. It is tragic that Australian builders are so far behind their European counterparts in design and quality of construction.

Of course home owners who took up the offer of subsidised insulation encountered problems and there was no effective resolution, what else is new? Similarly, of course building in schools is subject to rorting and is often sub-standard. Again, that is par for the course.

Both sides of government have known about these problems for decades. However, because the thousands of home owners affected are represented individually while the builders have their large 'unions' to stand up for their interests, no change is possible. That is unfortunate because the better builders and tradesmen have no incentive and are penalised through having to compete with sly entrepreneurs who are here today but gone tomorrow.
Posted by Cornflower, Friday, 16 July 2010 5:26:48 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. ...
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy