This thread is like reading the letters column on the "Australian"website.
The right wingers come on posting anti Labor and we Love Tony "Jesus Christ surfer star!" postings.
Yet they are talking to themselves, because they have never needed or wanted in there lives; because they where lucky as, it all came so easily; by heritance or good luck.
Please do not use the excuse "By hard work", As near everyday in Australia, a person goes to work who also works hard,and is killed in their work place, and never returns home to their family and love ones.

Runner, did you know that "Jesus" was a socialist, that he put people before monetary gain?
Though you being a member of a religious cult of sorts, would be indifferent to from where the money came from.
There again when it comes to money who cares were it comes from, as long as your cult gets a slice of it!!

The only thing I can surmise from all this is that we are bound to lurch from one uncertainty to another for some time to come. Whether it is uncertainty regarding the efficacy of Labor's bold rush to implement grand, albeit perhaps overdue, social improvement programs (NDIS, Gonski, NBN, Renewable Energy..) but without sufficient concern for the adequacy of the relevant costings and/or projected revenue base; or in the ability of an Abbott Coalition to reign in expenditure to more reasonable and sustainable levels without sacrificing the entirety of any worthwhile gains made by Labor towards the implementation of those programs.

On the one hand I am fearful of a continued Labor (hung-parliament) government, post September, rushing forward with increasingly unsustainable expenditures in quest of fulfilling overly grandiose aspirations to 'make its mark'; and on the other hand a Coalition (hung-parliament) government slashing funds unnecessarily from worthwhile programs to fund what I consider to be unjustifiably generous increases in maternity leave or to fund unnecessary and unjustifiable reductions in personal income tax or company tax.

Either way, I see nothing in either Party's platform offering real growth in 'exportable' production or services, and the future long-term jobs-growth that this could produce. Instead we seem to be offered only an internal 'inward-looking' focus - on roads, infrastructure, enhanced health and education services, and improved internet services - and all still riding on the back of mining exports. This 'golden goose' cannot last, and is already in decline; but instead of any long term plan for future growth and sustainability we appear set on a path for a 'Dutch Disease' crunch, with only the potential of future gas exports fore-staying this apparent inevitability.

Where to from here?

Greetings,

@Saltpetre, re: “The only thing I can surmise is that we are bound to lurch from one uncertainty to another for some time”

Not at all, Peter. Australia’s economy is sound, improving and completely transparent. You have accurate data on the past and remarkably reliable forward estimates for the next four years, then reasonably sound 10-year projections.

Some countries are lurching from one uncertainty to another. Australia is not among them.

Re: “without sufficient [government] concern for the adequacy of the relevant costings and/or projected revenue base or in the ability of an Abbott Coalition to reign in expenditure”

We have accurate past data, Peter. The Fraser years shifted wealth and income to the rich, largely through optional tax for non-wage earners. The economy slipped down the OECD rankings to the low 20s.

The Hawke-Keating period saw profound restructuring of tariffs, taxes, trade, industrial relations, privatisation, government spending, productivity and infrastructure funding. You zoomed up to 6th-ranked by 1996.

The Howard years then saw considerable waste, mismanagement and several quite costly blunders. Most of this was masked by rises in commodity prices and export volumes. The economy slipped back to 12th-ranked by 2007.

Now, as the world has seen with amazement, you are number one. By an impressive margin.

All this is easily demonstrated by the data. So it’s not difficult to assess your probable future.

Re: “Either way, I see nothing in either Party's platform offering real growth in 'exportable' production or services, and the future long-term jobs-growth that this could produce.”

Have you looked at the ABS jobs, production and productivity data, Peter? Australia is currently doing extremely well. Probably only Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Germany are as impressive. But only Australia and Norway have positive outlooks.

Re: “This 'golden goose' cannot last, and is already in decline”

Based on what, Peter? China’s gradual urbanisation is driving its demand. That’s likely to continue for another 50, perhaps 100 years. No?

You do not need to be so pessimistic! A good start might be to stop reading/listening to the nonsense Australia’s media serves up to you daily.

Cheers,

What a bias piece of rubbish.

I only read the first page, and that was enough.

The arts and film industry.

Put a levy on the Hugh Jackman, Russel Crow and Kieth Urbans of the world, as these mega multi millionaire are making a killing, and, chances are they were subsidized by the tax payer to start with, yet once they reach stardom, they move off shore to avaid taxes.

Many professional sports stars are the same.

By all means provide funding, but not hand outs, with no chance of a return on investment.

Now as far as households being better off.

May I suggest you get out of your office and spend a little time with a mum, dad and four kids, and see just how tough they are doing it.

Especially if they were one of those who Rudd sucked in with the increase to first home hand outs.

Income tax, well, that only the portion that is removed before you start spending.

My suggestion to the author is, that rather than draw your info from abroad, simply spend a little time in 'real people's world' as you may well change your view.

runner - It is tax payers money they are squandaring, not monopoly money.

How many sheeple have noticed the red-headed witch, the dying duck and the wong wun have managed to siphon off a half billion of taxpayers money to fund a vain re-election attempt ?? (see new thread on this) Furthermore, the deafening silence from the RAbbott re this is also telling.