Alan,
You at least supply adequate evidence to support you views.

Your detractors ignore the loss of assets that occurred under Howard, losses to the public good that are still occurring under the neo-liberal state governments.

Sovereign government debt for goods for sale for the domestic currency is not a real problem if the debt has been incurred to build or improve 'common good' assets.

Elsewhere today I have commented on an item by J D Alt at New Economic Perspectives. Alt makes the point that the USA went from being in deep depression in 1937 to having the most powerful economy ever known by the end of WW2. One thing they didn't do was worry about debt. To keep inflation at bay during the period when production was devoted to war goods (One Liberator bomber per hour from a Ford factory) they sold war bonds. At the end of the war the government bought back the war bonds and the people had the money to buy the vast production of non war goods that by then were becoming available.

I wish those commenting would learn something about the reality of economics. They might learn to understand updated Keynesian Theory. The information is readily available as is the supporting empirical evidence.

In a drastic situation the Australian "Gang of Four", Rudd, Swan and Gillard and Tanner, with some help form other competent cabinet members did an excellent job. A vote for Abbott is a vote for Murdoch and for others who deliberately mislead.

EQ quotes what he/she read in the Murdoch press. The BER was about more than just 'school halls'. In fact schools received what they asked for. EQ, find an actual source.

SpinDoc doesn't seem to have an argument at all.

In answer to the question about WHY Murdoch is doing this, one need only go to Tom Watson - that it's about business. How does Labor affect M's business plan? People have suggested it may be that the NBN (the real one) threatens his business structure, viz-a-viz Fox. Personally, I look to his history with public broadcasters - I recall the Murdochs thought the BBC was theirs by right, and I think there was a similar stoush with Mark Scott re the ABC. Certainly, Sky would have been handed the ABC's regional arm had the LNP been in government. And the IPA, the LNP's ultimate source of 'policy', wants the ABC broken up and sold off. Murdoch stands ready.

And of course, with Murdoch already trying to drag Labor down over several years - while Tony Abbott gnashed his teeth because Julia G wouldn't just 'lay down and die' - Labor then added to Murdoch's list of reasons to kill any Labor govt by attempting to inject some accountability into the media mix. Very unfortunately, it didn't happen.

M must know that this can't go on. Well, I suppose it can and would under the LNP. But under any responsible govt, media ownership of 70% of all outlets is clearly a case of power corrupting and absolute power corrupting absolutely. This, on top of the obvious fact that the media landscape is changing and ought to be looked at for all the implications of this, really does call for a serious overhaul of legislation and, in the end, a serious look at ownership rights.

No sane and reasonable person could doubt this. And of course, this is the last thing Murdoch wants.

Incidentally, if the information people receive is the opposite of the truth, and they base their vote on this, how would you say our democracy is going?

maybe Newscorp is still in loathing over backing Rudd in 07. They probably feel very silly after backing the worst Government in Australia's history. They are probably over compensating making sure they make up just a little for their neglicence to the Australian public. At least they have faced up to their mistake unlike Alan.

Good morning.

Intriguing discussion, as always. Thank you.

@Ludwig. Agree with this. (And thank you.)

Re, “So it begs the question: just exactly what is Murdoch’s motive for presenting such a strong bias against Labor?”

Consensus seems to be that Labor’s NBN and communications policy generally serve the interests of the Australian people ahead of the interests of Rupert Murdoch. Coalition policy is the other way around.

Analysis here: http://nofibs.com.au/2013/02/27/why-are-pay-tv-providers-and-news-limited-so-afraid-of-the-nbn-final-words-for-a-dying-beast/

@EQ.

Re, “The figures below are staggering.”

Really, EQ?

Context is vital. That is probably the central failure of the economists who work for Australia’s mainstream media. Point two in the article.

Here's another set of IMF figures showing (30 June) Gross Debt (national currency billions) for 2012:

UK 1,390
Sweden 1,355
Canada 1,557
Iceland 1,693
France 1,831
Germany 2,167
China 11,866
USA 16,708
Japan 1,132,174
Vietnam 1,528,147
Indonesia 1,978,358

Australia 404

No-one in any of these countries thinks their debt is “staggering”. No-one in Australia should either. The only ones who do are readers of the Murdoch press. Not the writers – they know they are writing nonsense.

Re: “The Labor Government has injected nearly $200 billion into Australian economy for what? A lot of school halls used rarely and a broadband network that after six years connects 33,000 homes.”

This relates to point six in the article: where is the accurate appraisal of the phenomenal increase in Australia’s productive infrastructure over the last six years?

Some of it is at the Bureau of Statistics. Some is here:

http://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/

The fact that Australia alone in the world spent so much money so rapidly on valuable infrastructure is the main reason economists and commentators abroad regard the Rudd Government as the world’s best economic managers.

From around 10th-ranked economy in 2007, Australia rocketed to the top through the global financial crisis, didn't it, EQ?

Figures from the IMF, the World Bank, the OECD, the CIA, Heritage Foundation and elsewhere all show Australia's economy to be not just the strongest globally now - but the strongest the world has ever seen.

Don't believe the liars, EQ.

Cheers,

Alan A

jcro,

Rubbish. Murdock does not have “media ownership of 70% of all outlets”. In Australia News Corp owns only 22% of media publications and has circulation of 53%. You need to stop listening to KRudd and do your own research. That way you won’t sound so bloody stupid.

That said your gaff on Murdoch was the high point of your post. The rest was struggling to be juvenile, ill informed, ideological claptrap. Well done, Mummy must be proud.

Foyle, you have reached rock bottom and started digging. What are you doing on September 8th? Oh I forgot, giving another lecture on New Economic Perspectives.

David G.
13. Attack Independent Thought - Critical thinking is discouraged as prideful and sinful, blind acceptance encouraged.
14. Absolutism - They insist on total, unquestioning obedience and submission to the group, both actions AND thoughts
23. Exhibits a dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humor.
I have this sneaky feeling that you thought your post was original, humorous, creative and intelligent, when it was in fact drawn from the script of the Simpsons.

Doh!

At least LABOR, though they lack management skills, has a heart!
David G,
I suppose you believe in Santa Claus as well !