...Very true Yuyutsu, but also oversimplified. Take note that 30 percent of the Australian economy lurks in the dark area of the black market.

...The proponents of this economy are not simply drug runners either; they are your every-day mums and dads that trade favors for cash in the area of trades for example, to avoid paying tax. They are your welfare recipient trading in illicit drugs to supplement meager income, and you name the rest for yourself.But...

...Just like Greece; every day is sunshine...until! So have we arrived at the intersection called "untill" yet?

...Looking at the despicable collection on a Canberra windy hill,and the totally corrupted political system that thrives on exclusion, we must be close!

I think Graham is basically right that truth and lies are not the main drivers of electoral politics.

Labor and Coalition Governments are like marriages. The accumulation of bad times prompts the desire for change, for a divorce (after average 11 year of marriage) or voting in a new party after a two term government totaling 7 years. Labor ran for 6-7 years 2007-2013.

With bad times already under Abbott-Hockey (very unpopular budget decisions, a Hung Palmer Senate on the way, Liberal identities now facing ICAC) the Coalition may only last to 2016-17.

Marginal electorates (feeling neglected) will probably go Labor in 2017.

Graham you missed one bunch of liars, the media.

We expect it from the ABC, but they have all picked up this "tough" budget, gouging the eyes out of innocent little babies etc., & it is nothing like that.

It is still a big spending budget that has not gone any where near hard enough to fix our deficit. Reducing the rate of increase Gillard attempted to lock in is not slashing spending, & only a partial return to sanity.

If the media were telling the truth it would be seen as a very mild attempt to back away from the stupidity of the last 6 years, & would be being attacked for not going hard enough.

As the media is increasingly full of pretty ladies, who probably dropped math at the end of primary school, we now find a growing financial illiteracy in the commentary. Most of them would need a calculator to make change from $50 for a $10 train ticket, & it certainly shows. Some of them may actually be dumb to believe the garbage they are pushing, but many, surely must know it is just a pile of lefty propaganda.

With these incompetents informing a populous with little more understanding, we get this huge outpouring of woe at what is really a very minor start to the belt tightening we will need. Hell compared to some of Keating's, this is all sugar & cream.

Abbott prior to the election had made a huge issue of Julia Gillard lying about the carbon tax; and presented himself as being truthful.
Abbott made some very particularly promises prior to the election. They began to dismantled those promises very soon after the election. The result being that Abbott didn't have any honeymoon period.
People are noting that the budget is not fair; it being class driven.
There is no comprehension about how some people were struggling prior to the budget being drafted.
The budget is going down like a lead balloon; and so, now the lying by politicians is being down played.
In my 40 years + of voting I have never seen so many lies in such a short time from a Liberal or Labor government.

Abbott should call an election to see if the people disregard his lies.
I bet he is too gutless. Too bent on clinging to power no matter what. Too scared of being judged by the Australian people.
Too scared they him as nothing more than another LIAR!
You cant hide forever rabbott and we wont forget the pain you are causing us for a long time.

It is disingenuous to say that the voters punish truth-telling because of what happened to Hewson.
Hewson got what he deserved because his policies were nearly as crap as this governments.
It is pure cowardice that they use his defeat to justify their refusal to be open with the Australian public before an election.

Democracy needs voters to be informed truthfully. Otherwise it is just a farce. If voters decide their choice on the basis of lies then they are justified in feeling betrayed and wanting to destroy the government that lied to gain their vote. I dont see what all the debate is about. No one likes being had for a sucker and they will turn on those that treat them as one.

Abbott and his minions have no clothes and it is obvious for all to see.

ELECTION NOW!

This govt; has forfeited any form of behavior. How can you have a lie that is not a lie.
After the ruckus of the last parliament pointing to liars as the biggest concern, and then completely throwing out any regard for truth to prevail, means the election was built on a fraud.
When the liberals recognise there were lies told, only then can we move forward. This will only come under a new leadership.
MR Abbott has lost all credibility in what he says. It's best not to listen.
Before the last election, the populous had had enough of Gillard and Rudd. So a change was offered. So what happened. It is not what we voted for. We got an impostor, we were warned, we saw abbott's unlikely character, but it was worth a go on what we were told.
But no one seen the devil in the detail. Australians will take some time to get over this one.