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The Forum > Article Comments > For budgets only smaller is tougher > Comments

For budgets only smaller is tougher : Comments

By Mikayla Novak, published 10/5/2011

Wayne Swan has dragged the coat of 'hard but kind' over the budget trail; can it put the blood hounds off the scent?

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"(c) in the case of social security, where cuts will foster greater individual responsibility, self‑reliance and the redevelopment of a strong non‑governmental charitable and benevolent services sector".

- What you fail to realise, Julie, is that a large proportion of the so-called 'non-governmental charitable and benevolent services sector" relies upon federal government funding. Should we wind back government funding of these social programs too, on the mere basis that they are funded by taxpayers $$?
To be sure, we do need to make the delivery of government welfare programs more efficient. But the crux of the issue lay more with the inefficiencies inherent within welfare policy implementation (read: Centrelink's cumbersome and top-heavy bureaucracy) than individuals trying to dodge work opportunities/community participation. Moreover, your argument conveniently sidesteps the social implications of government cutbacks to welfare by fixating the focus on the assumed economic benefits of said cutbacks, presuming, with utter certainty, that welfare cutbacks will have prosperous economic outcomes. This ideologically ( econ-libertarian)-driven assumption blindly glosses over the complexities of the issue (such as the wide range of differences in terms of the opportunities available across regional labour markets)and encourages a one-size fits all approach to policy, that tends to have unintended consequences. Overall, a rather unoriginal and generic piece of libertarian advocacy Julie.
Posted by The Bulkman, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 10:06:36 AM
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This was an insipid budget. With the greatest revenue stream in Australian history, we are still looking at a deficit, and this does not include the "off balance sheet" expenditure of $50bn on the NBN.

This government has all the toughness and resilience of boiled asparagus.
Posted by Shadow Minister, Wednesday, 11 May 2011 5:56:29 AM
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Further to your comment SM, the majority of the jobs they say they 'have created' are paid for by the tax payer.

As for small business and the $5,000 instant 'write off' for a 'new car'. SB does not want a new car, they need help paying rents, increasing running costs and wage blow outs.

When times are tough, the last thing one wants to do is buy a new car.

Now given that 80% or so of new cars are foriegn made, up goes our imports yet again.

As I say, they rewards us for buying imported good, while punishing us for employing staff.

I know some small businesses who will not employ anymore for fear of being sued all because complience is far to hard now.
Posted by rehctub, Wednesday, 11 May 2011 7:31:23 AM
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