< Both leaders will tell the Australian people how well they can manage the economy within the paradigm currently acceptable to the national narrative of responsible fiscal and debt management. Both leaders will tell the Australian people that they can best secure Australia's borders. Both leaders will tell the Australian people they can best manage aged care, education, and health. The narrative and catch phrases may be different but the semantics are just the same. And this may be why the parliament after the 2010 election was hung, and this time around in 2013, the result may also be very close. >

Yes Indeed, Murray.

We have two parties which are very closely aligned at one end of the political spectrum, and a great gaping hole at the other end, or anywhere else on the other 98% of the spectrum for that matter!

This is insanity! And it certainly isn’t democracy!

What we DESPERATELY need is a strong political entity which takes the view opposed to manic mad continuous expansionism!

This is THE fundamentally vital corestone for the achievement of a healthy future!

Now, if either one of the major parties were to come out and run with Gillard’s ‘sustainable Australia’, with a major reduction in immigration as the first big policy change, they would surely be on a huge winner with the votership!

With this election campaign, we are seeing another excellent opportunity to start steering our society towards a sustainable future slip away before our eyes!

im sic*..of hearing china/howard..miners krudd/costello/abott
SAVING us*..while bleeding us dry via ever new revenue raising
for the feather bedding of their mates/bankers/lobbiests/public service

the aussie people saved us[in the main smokers/pensioners/the criminalised/sick old and insane [but silent] majority..

its all built on..revenue raising
from the poor''while giving ever more tax breaks/grants..'trials'....bailouts/taxcuts

pink batts revisited
[another 3 word slogan]
china saved us*..lol

in my opinion
if you have received the foil/batts/insulation..blah blah blah
if you took the feee;lunch's/grants..its shared guilt all round..noc redit

[if you didnt realise the issue..
BEFORE*..anyone died..!..or we went bust*..its guilt..ALL*ROUND..

have you sen the www.laborwaste.com brochure
its rather pathetic,..mentioning.near all labratter...achievement's
then with a headline under..from in the main murderoch news sheets]7 from the australian alone

this makes the peter beatup'$..nomination of forde..all the more clever[who better to point out howards ruthless cuts to states..that [so the narrative will say]..FORCED him*..to sell of assets..OR borrow..or reduce services

picking peter beatup..may save kev/alp
or it may not..

but even you gotta agree..its a different way

as promised
just as the spin-of the ""20..big wastes..lol..AND cha0s
arnt all that big..indeed some are rather petty
and chaotic is over reach/spin

plus my copy couldnt even..get the printing right
[the inside page is upside down..[or the front..is inverted]

affronted spin?
same old way..as opposed to the neo krudd way

Ludwig - History of Rudd has already show he can't secure the borders he had years and did not do it, only now with the election is he hell bent on succeeding. But the past has also shown he can't be trusted.

Also he wastes money with no regard to the fact taxpayers end up with the bill.

Interesting article, unfortunately not much has changed in regard to the state of our economy and politics since Donald Horne wrote the "Lucky Country" 50 years ago, the term is misunderstood by Australians. Horne's thesis was that, sooner or later, our luck would run out. Australia still has essentially a Third World economy, i.e. for an OECD nation, a very limited range of exports.

(a) "We accept the myth that budget deficits are undesirable, and that balanced budgets are prudent, even if the country must suffer for this." Yes, it's easy for politicians and voters, it was the Coalition that established the myth of surpluses--cynical politics, bad economics.

(b ) "Australians looking at the symptoms of our economic situation rather than looking at the underlying causes and effects." Yes, apart from pandering to sectional interests, neither party seems interested in tackling the economy's structural problems.

Any attempts at long term policies are fatally undermined by (1) our very short electoral cycle and (2) compulsory voting, politicians are required to motivate the apathetic and ignorant. In his book, Horne quoted a European economist--"Australia is an idiot that keeps winning the lottery," we might not always buy the winning ticket.

An interesting article, and I agree with the author - a vision for our economic future is badly needed, but neither of our major parties will be willing to be so bold, at this pivotal juncture, as to put forward anything concrete which might necessitate the electorate having to actually weigh-up the merits of any visionary initiative(s). Much easier to coast along with the samo-samo, in a macabre dance of point and counterpoint, ad nauseam, holding the audience's gaze firmly fixed on the quality of the pirouettes rather than on the fastidiousness of the background 'theme' music.

But, regardless of the 'cardboard-cutout' performance of the players, how do we address the deficiencies in the 'plot'? Should there be a focus on developing the north, or on channeling northern flood waters to the arid centre, and there housing myriads of needy refugees already acclimatised to 'tough going' and willing and able to break their backs to scrounge a modest living from the fragile soils under an unrelenting climate?
Or, should we take a step back from the troubled 'global village', and institute some essential 'barriers' to 'free' trade, in order to develop and revitalise our already damaged and struggling industrial sector? But, what industries?

The Greens suggest high-speed rail, Sydney-Canberra-Melbourne. But, why? To ferry ever-increasing numbers of bureaucrats back and forth?
Others favour expressways linking outer suburbs to central work hubs. So, what happened to decentralisation and satellite-centre development? And, linking to what jobs exactly?

The largesse is extraordinary - more for childcare or more for parental leave, and more for health, education, aged-care, low-cost housing, disability-care, superannuation and super-fast broadband - but wherein lies the 'golden goose' to be plucked into destruction to fund such 'initiatives'? (And to fund ever-increasing numbers of needy refugees?)

'Work Choices' may have been a little harsh, or 'Fair Work' a little extravagant, but how willing will the 'workers' be to some 'tough love' to steady the leaky boat?

As usual, 'vision' may arrive just before this boat 'founders'.

new*visions
of our future..AUSTERiTY*

Strawmen..of FINANCE
&..Why only BANK FRAUDSTERS..have a pet Central Bank

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwRmbrAFE6s&feature=player_embedded

The bailout..Wall Street
is blocking..from Main Street
August 9, 2013
http://www.blacklistednews.com/The_bailout_Wall_Street_is_blocking_from_Main_Street/27967/0/38/38/Y/M.html

FORTUNE --The working-class California suburb..of Richmond is taking matters into its own hands..with a bold plan..to rescue homeownersfrom foreclosure..*where banks and lenders have been slow or.,.unwilling to step in...

http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/31/eminent-domain-mortgage/

...This is essentially..the bailout Main Street never got,
and Wall Street..is now moving..*to block it.

The problem is even worse..when you realize
that the actual US Government debt..is around $74 trillion
and even (according to NPR)..may be as high as $200 trillion.

but such is the greed..of the money changer$$

next time
bailout the poor..first
[by turning...their impoverished..poverty pennies..into pounds]
http://www.yourstrawman.com/

there will be..a next time
from bottom up..not top down

List of sovereign states..by current account/balance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_current_account_balance

This Table..shows the biggest Net Exporter..and Net Importer in Nominal US Dollar..based on WTO Trade Balance Data

This graphic shows the truth
about US versus Russia's economy and productivity.
http://intellihub.com/2013/08/08/the-rise-of-the-bear-18-signs-that-russia-is-rapidly-catching-up-to-the-united-states/

And it stands..in stark contrast to the claims..being made in the corporate media "Russia-bashing" articles.

Looks like taking control
of their central bank..is working out!
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/during-the-best-period-of-economic-growth-in-u-s-history-there-was-no-income-tax-and-no-federal-reserve/53388

unlike 'others'
http://www.sovereignman.com/trends/presenting-the-latest-in-government-oppression-12542/

Mr King Had 300 Tons Of Gold.
After Selling 1,350 Tons, He Still Had 300 Tons Of Gold.
http://www.fromthetrenchesworldreport.com/mr-king-had-300-tons-of-gold-after-selling-1350-tons-he-still-had-300-tons-of-gold/53397

The following are a few examples
of the New Math as practiced by the banking elite.
http://rinf.com/alt-news/breaking-news/feds-give-millions-in-contracts-to-firms-owned-by-fictitious-people/57377/

Mervyn King was until just recently the Governor of the Bank of England. In April he sold 1,350 metric tons of gold to drive down the price of gold.

But after selling all of that gold, he still had 300 tons of gold. How was this possible? He sold gold on deposit from foreign countries and from bullion banks.

A bullion bank can lease gold from the Bank of England or the Federal Reserve and sell it 3, 4 or even 5 times. Of course if the price of gold goes up, then they are technically obligated to replace the gold which is why they needed to drive the price down.

http://rinf.com/alt-news/breaking-news/nsa-loophole-allows-warrantless-search-for-us-citizens-emails-and-phone-calls/57431/