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 > A good start > Comments

A good start : Comments

By Graham Young, published 9/9/2013

Many of the media organisations concentrated on policies and facts this election, but in truth elections are about trust and tendencies.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. Page 4
  6. 5
  7. All
The actual primary vote this year is

About 13% for others.
8.5% Greens
6% donkey
34% AlP.

You do the maths.
Posted by Marilyn Shepherd, Monday, 9 September 2013 3:50:53 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
GY
I don't think either side of politics is innocent when it comes to mean spirited behaviour, although thankfully the worst of it is usually at the fringes as you say.

While I was not a supporter of the misogyny speech (albeit understood the anger) remember it was Tony Abbott who made a nasty reference to JG's father reflecting Alan Jones' 'shame' comment. It was a mean response and was beneath any politician given the former PM's sad personal circumstances.

We could probably go all day providing each other with examples to suit our side of politics but that is pointless. I was merely pointing out that this is not one-sided.

However, I do hope Mr Abbott keeps to his promise of governing for all and his claim to be worthy of the public trust. It already does not look hopeful when Scott Morrison is arguing for the right to keep boat arrival and turn-back statistics private away from public scrutiny. A bad first start but perhaps it is a glitch and will be reviewed. Not a good start to 'trust' politics though if they go ahead with secrecy around refugees.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/number-of-arrivals-may-be-a-secret-20130903-2t3cz.html
Posted by pelican, Monday, 9 September 2013 6:54:28 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
Interesting article. Intriguing range of opinions.

On the economy, however, some things are quantifiable.

As suggested here at OLO recently in several pieces, Australia’s economy was in precarious shape at the time of the change of government in 2007.

From 6th position in the world rankings in 1996 – behind the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Singapore, the USA and Japan – Australia had slipped back to 10th by the next change of administration in 2007.

It was then well behind Iceland, Singapore, China, United Arab Emirates, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Norway, Taiwan and Hong Kong. (As were Japan and the USA which had also gone backwards.)

There seems no argument that Australia is now number one – on variables including income, growth rate, wealth, employment, government debt, inflation, taxation, economic freedom and credit ratings.

Discussion continues, however, as to what caused this rocketing to the top between 2008 and 2010. Was it trade with China, booming iron ore prices, or the best-designed Keynesian stimulus packages in the world in response to the GFC?

The latter is the firm opinion of economists Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman - whose Nobel Prizes are in exactly this area.

So far, it seems, no-one has succeeded in challenging their view.

But whatever the cause, the assertion in the article that “the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd government was one of the worst that Australia has seen ... economically and managerially incompetent” does seem a touch overblown.

Can anyone suggest any economy at any time anywhere with better outcomes on those key variables than Australia on September 7, 2013?

Cheers,

AA
Posted by Alan Austin, Tuesday, 10 September 2013 7:05:32 AM
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
There seems no argument that Australia is now number one – on variables including income, growth rate, wealth, employment, government debt, inflation, taxation, economic freedom and credit ratings.
Alan Austin,
Really ? Well I'll be damned ! Does that then mean Australia is also first in being the brockest Nation with the most money owing ?
I don't know what circles you economists move around in but in my circle (worker) things aren't as rosy. I hear of many selling off their homes due to lack of money. Most now choose to rent rather than own due to the impossible taxes etc.
Posted by individual, Tuesday, 10 September 2013 7:37:51 AM
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
So let's get this right Alan. The economy was a basket case in 2007 because of John Howard, yet by 2013 it is the leading economy in the world because of Labor. But all Labor has done is spend $300 B more than we earned and has touched nothing else?

Exactly how is this supposed to work? And how do we keep warm when you have burnt all the furniture? Does the economy go back to being precarious? And whose fault then?

And if spending more than you earn is such a good idea, why were the USA, Japan, the UK, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc. hit so heavily by the GFC, and little old Australia, who had run a decade of surpluses wasn't?

It takes more than knowing the names of a few Nobel Prize winners to convince me. You can show me your Paul Krugman, but I'll raise you a Milton Friedman - ultimately appeals to authority lead nowhere.
Posted by GrahamY, Wednesday, 11 September 2013 10:39:28 AM
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
Graham.
unemployment lowest in world. inflation comparable with rest of world. Interest rates at record lows. Govt debt at less than 10% GDP. Govt spending less than Howard govt as % of GDP.
Oh and there was this thing called the GFC. Remember that? Cause you do you were sniping from the sidelines all through it about debt. Then again 10 - 15% unemployment would have been acceptable to you i gather. Funny how those on the right can be so cavalier with other people's lives. Ah but look at the balance sheet. that's all that matters.
Every reputable economist in the country agrees that the handling of the GFC was exemplary.
But what would they know? they're not Milton Friedman.
Posted by Shalmaneser, Wednesday, 11 September 2013 10:53:35 AM
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. 2
  4. 3
  5. Page 4
  6. 5
  7. All

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