Am I the only one who thinks that the crisis of 2007-08 is far from over, and spending on much needed infrastructure about would make perfect sense. Instead we have seen this government squander money in a series on inane decisions: installing and removing pink batts, totally wrong school refurbishment, building an already technically out-dated National Broadbent Network, plus handouts to all and sundry, both in Australia and overseas.

People in Sydney, particularly the Western Suburbs are feeling increasingly insecure. Unemployment is supposedly 5.2 %, but the Roy Morgan poll, which uses more accurate definitions, says a more realistic number is 10 %. Job vacancies down by 30 % from the peak, and people dropping out of the workplace like flies. Rising mining investment has been boosting growth, but the mining investment cycle is now expected to peak in mid-2013 at a much lower level than this Labor government has been proclaiming. Investment in the non-mining sectors is woeful.

I have had several senior business people tell me they are forecasting this Christmas to be one of the worst on record. If Clinton is right and it is the economy, stupid then I think 2012 will soon be forgotten. What will be remembered was that when Labor was elected in 2007 the fiscal position of the government was in a fantastica position and it has been squandered by a group on inept politicians.

'Gillard will take the ALP to the polls next year with economic policy and industrial relations as her strengths'.

Is that a joke. Australia has few economic credentials beyong spending more to prop up slowing eco activoty following GFC, and a whole lot of luck from having a lot of stuff in ground.

It is sad i have to listen to foreign journalists to highlight this reality.

Australia is simply one of the luckiest Western nations in world pretending to know what it is doing while the West generally plods on and prints more money

Jo I have to ask just what level of math you did. Did you do any past junior high?

"Gillard will take the ALP to the polls next year with economic policy and industrial relations as her strengths". As with the previous posters this took my breath away. It is without doubt the most outrageous statement I have seen on OLO.

Even the most one eyed supporter of labor could not but question this statement. Miners are running for the hills, [of Africa & South America], after the rank stupidity of the mining tax. This leaves only general industry & agriculture, both in their death throws inflicted by the carbon tax.

Then you suggest industrial relations as her claim to fame. In fact it is pretty easy to see this is totally wrong. Yes her rabid policies may have won many votes, & Howards were a huge leap too far, but for those who are interested in the nations, & their kids future, her industrial relations policies are a disaster.

Any little area of business still surviving after her mining & carbon taxes, then gets destroyed by her industrial relations catastrophe.

Is it really true you teach politics. I find it hard to believe, given this article. I suppose all this looks OK from the great height of a huge ivory tower, but watch out love, those towers are built on the foundation of industry. With these policies you admire, you are likely to be down at our level very soon, when your foundations crumble.

See you in the veggie patch, growing your own, some time soon.

Hasbeen, you truly are hysterical. YOu never offer any evidence for your wildly out of touch comments.

Our economy is in good shape, it's just that we have reverted back to a racist, backward looking country of bullies and thugs.

The letter in response to David Marr’s article on Tony Abbott that <i>Quarterly Essay</i> would not print (because it did not have space because it had given that space to reprints of two authors already published elsewhere) can be found at:
http://www.thesydneyinstitute.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Real-Chris-Curtis.pdf

Hi Marilyn, nice to see the sisterhood sticking together.

I suppose I should have expected you to agree with Jo's math. After all you're the one who thinks bringing a hundred thousand bludgers in here would be good for us.

Merry Xmas.

Hasbeen,

"Any little area of business still surviving after her mining & carbon taxes, then gets destroyed by her industrial relations catastrophe".

So which little business areas have been destroyed so far by these taxes?

Any towns "wiped off the map" yet?

And which industrial relations "catastrophe" are you talking about?

'Liberal policy will always advocate an individual-based industrial relations framework, as opposed to Labor policy that will always advocate a collective arbitration framework. On this point both parties have clear historical and ideological positions that will not shift. It is in the detail however that the Abbott-led Liberal Party has lost their way.'

'Abbott's policy on industrial relations is to maintain the 2009 Fair Work Act although with changes. To date those changes have not been announced.'

Priceless Jo and in the same paragraph too.

How do you know the Liberal Party detail when in your own words you know they haven't been anounced?

Is there to be another 'Your Rights at Work' campaign.

Can you see the Liberal response to that.

Pictures of Williamson, Thompson, Obeid, McDonald, Wilson and all the other union crooks.

Your rights at work ... indeed. lol.

Jo you've missed the elephants,

1. Electricity Prices are rising and are a real issue in the community. Why did you miss that? Do you not see it as an issue with voters ... particularly those on fixed incomes or those unable to afford solar panels and sales to the Grid?

Why isn't that on your radar? It is justifiable community concern.

2. Gillard's reputation.

Today the latest primary vote figues were back to where they were before the recent massive Labor encumbents efforts.

Abbott's ascendent again. He's weathered the storm and through Bishop and his detailling in Parliament specific allegations has utterly destroyed Gillard's reputation.

How are voters going to responed to Gillard's promises in the next election?
What will be the Liberal's response? Guess how many times 'There will be no carbon tax under the government I lead' will be played?

Why isn't that on your radar? Polls are telling that story.

Jo, finally, what are Labor going to say when Abbott releases his election platform of detailled positive policy.

"There's no money left?"
Lol

The simple fact is that despite the Government's ability to mislead the electorate as to the economic state of the country, there are people suffering economically, despite the figures showing employment and GDP improving. Interest rates are low, but those out of work or whose business is failing cannot pay their mortgage.

Gillard wastes cash in handouts to buy votes, because the recipients are already Labor voters.

She has alienated people who want a fair go, just a reasonable opportunity to participate in a decent society.

They know that it cannot happen under Labor. The tricky spin merchants employed at great expense to the taxpayer, will pull off a flicker in the polls now and then, but the real poll comes next year.

People will continue to be in less of a position to forget the incompetence which has brought the country to its present situation, and who hey must oust at the election.

Things will be worse by that time. Gillard has no idea how to improve them. Her ability is in perverting democracy, and gaining power to which she had no entitlement.

Gillard's ability is in corruption, which is no help to a country which needs a leader with economic ability.

Jo’s article demonstrates tht her thinking is fact deficient and fuzzy. It is comforting that she is on Gillard's side.