under which my family was better off.
Lexi,
Well, you're not exactly productively employed in a library are you. You should spare a thought for those who worked & worked & worked & got fleeced even more under the ALP.
Their only revenue is from taxes & fees & permits & licenses increases to keep their backbone which is the public service. Speak with people who really do it tough under ALP Government, people who are called workers & business people who employ workers. How many workers does the Government employ ? None, only bureaucrats.

individual,

A few clarifications.

Under the Liberal government in Victoria (Jeff Kennett)
harsh cuts were made on infrstructure, maintenance and
construction of hospitals, schools, transport, roads,
you name it. Libraries were not only cut back in funding,
but CEOs were appointed to oversee them
at ridiculously huge salary
and benefit packages ("Jobs of the boys") - who had no
experience or training in the field. Mental institutions
were shut down and sold off to developers, setting
thousands of handicapped and mentally impaired people
into the general community with no adequate care.

My husband who worked in the building, construction industry
and was involved with many of the major hospitals in the
state can vouch for what happened under the Liberals during
that period.

The damage caused by the Liberal governments has to be repaired
at double the expense by the susequent Labor governments
to maintain the equilibrium of the nation.
If the Liberals did not cause the damage with their ridiculous
harsh cuts, Labor would not have to spend that much to
repair the harm done.

We already have as examples in recently elected Coalition
government run states (Queensland, NSW, and Victoria) the
direction of cuts that the Liberal governments are taking
and the harm this is causing.

So don't tell me how great the Libs are - when experience
points to the contrary. Bureaucrats exist under all
governments - somebody has to shuffle the paperwork
whether the government is achieving or the government
is destroying. The difference being - under Labor -
jobs are created to keep the economy moving - as we saw
during the global financial crisis.

An interesting example is the Hume Highway - Albury to
Sydney. Under Liberals the work stops. Under Labor the
work progresses. Lets hope they'll finish it one day.

Lexi,

These sort of discussions always take me back to the late seventies in WA when the incoming Liberal government decided ot close the Perth to Fremantle rail line. I wasn't living in Perth at the time, but I remember thinking it was an amazing decision. This rail line had been integral to lives on the Western side of the city.

When Labor came storming back in the next election, they not ony re-opened the line, but set about with a visionary upgrade to rail infrastructure. They electrified the whole rail system, constructed a new line north to Joondalup,,,and then constructed a new line South to Manjurah. It was an immense undertaking, and now in the 21st century, Perth and surrounds has one of the best and most advanced rail systems in the country.

individual, that's the difference between Labor on infrastructure and Liberals.

Of course, that should be "Mandurah"

This line has included sinking the rail line in the city - construction of below ground infrastructure still continuing for junction in the CBD. Now under Liberal auspices, but started by Labor vision.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandurah_railway_line

cont'd ...

individual,

I've just re-read your earlier post and again noted
your attempted insult directed at me about not
being "productively
employed in a library." I am obliged to respond to that
remark.

Libraries form a vital part of the world's system of
education and information storage and retrieval.
They make available - through books, films,
recordings, and other media - knowledge that has been
accumulated through the ages. People in all walks of life
including students, teachers, business executives,
professionals,
government officials, scholars, tradesmen, scientists
and the general public, all use library resources in their
work. Large numbers of people also turn to libraries to
satisfy a desire for knowledge or to obtain material for
some kind of leisure-time activity. In addition, many
people enjoy book discussions, film shows, lectures,
story-time sessions, and other activities that are provided
by their local library.

Libraries also play an important role in preserving a
society's cultural heritage. For example, some libraries
have special collections of such items as rare books,
authors' or composers' original manuscripts, or works
by local artists. In addition, the librarians in many
libraries develop exhibitions and offer programmes
to help people learn about their own community or
about the culture of other civilisations.

All in all, the library ranks as one of society's
most useful service institutions.

Perhaps to broaden your own education - you should
actually visit a library. You may learn
something.

Lexi,
of course you'd say all that, you have no alternative until such time that decency & common sense return. Many projects such as the ones you refer to have halted because union (ALP) demands out-priced & out-sourced the industry. ALP Governments are good at startin g things but alway go broke prematurely due to incompetence.
ALP supporters here constantly demand Abbott to star some policies. Get Rudd to tell Australia how much his Government will have in the coffers for Abbott to start off with & I'm sure Abbott will disclose some policies once it is known they can be funded.
Ask Rudd how much is in the coffers now ! I'm sure you'll dig up one of your links on that.