Another A Bolt?

Who based their claims on twisted evidence or no evidence.

Fankgol is very selective about Labor achievements.What Govt sent Victoria broke in the early nineties that brought about the fire sale of every public asset they possessed?Jeff Kennett did what was necessary.Just firing a few fat cats was necessary to get Victoria back on an even keel.

Gough sent us broke in the early seventies and thus was rightfully sacked.Keating sent us broke with his banana republic interest rates.Now the Iemma Govt is sending NSW broke when the rest of Aust is experiencing an economic boom.

Morris Iemma is only getting by because of his pretty boy looks.I hope that the NSW public have more depth of perception at the next election.

Peter Debnam doesn't have the glitz,however he does have the discipline and guts to do what is right for the hard working constituents.

We are the Hollywood Worshipers of image without substance,and the "Big Brother Mentality" needs to look beyond their immediate basal gonad urges.

Arjay,
Agreed, what Federal Government had double digit inflation and unemployment in 1982? Hint, John Howard was the Treasurer, the tale that Liberal Governments handle economies better than Labor is a furfy. Global influences rule our economy, and always have, Australian Governments can also influence the economy to a small extent, but can never control pressures such as interest rates, unemployment etc.

If this were possible don't you think Howard and his cronies would prevent the interest rate rise which will arrive this week? Governments of both political persuasion like to take credit for good economic figures, however when they turn sour, the politicians try to distance themselves. If anyone is foolish enough to believe we are in this mess because of petrol and bananas they should again vote Liberal next year, and leave a stocking out in December for Santa.

With breathtaking hypocrisy Arjay accuses me of being “very selective” while in the next breath claiming that “Jeff Kennett did what was necessary. Just firing a few fat cats was necessary to get Victoria back on an even keel.”

Just firing a few fat cats eh? The facts are that Kennett sacked thousands of public sector employees; by the time he was finished a workforce of 53,000 has been reduced to approximately 34,000, leaving many workers, half in regional Victoria, unemployed or in casual and part-time jobs. Unemployment in Victoria was to remain above the national average for the entirety of his premiership.

But worse, this slash-and-burn policy savaged valued community services---police, health, education and welfare. He closed 350 government schools and removed 7,000 teaching jobs. He cut and closed rural rail services. He forced amalgamations of local councils, reduced their powers and cut local government services.

The Kennett government privatised in whole or in part: prisons, gas and electricity production and supply, hospitals, ambulance services, trams, trains and buses, water supply and government laboratories.

Some readers will remember when Kennett cut the funding of the Grey Sisters rest home for distressed mothers in Croydon. There was total disbelief because his government saved just $45,000 a year by cutting a service which was almost certainly saving lives.

Meanwhile, the big end of town thrived while bad smells arose from the processes. For example, the Crown Casino tendering process was the subject of serious allegations of corruption in the tendering process.. Scrutiny and accountability was diminished when Kennett reduced the powers of the independent Auditor-General.

By the time the Liberals lost power in 1999, Kennett’s radical program had damaged Victorian social infrastructure particularly in regional areas. When he resigned, his own seat was lost to the Liberals in the by-election. Labor signed a pledge to restore services to rural areas and promising Parliamentary reforms.

And Arjay maintains that “Jeff Kennett did what was necessary. Just firing a few fat cats was necessary to get Victoria back on an even keel.”

FrankGol,
I empathise with your frustration with Arjay, I have learned to not take him seriously, re above post. Kennett was the scurge of Australian politics until he was overtaken by Howard. Kennett was punched in his son's hotel recently, I was not happy about that, I was not there to see it.

For Frankgol and Shonga I have but a simple question.What Labor Govt sent Victoria broke in the early nineties that made it a necessity for Jeff Kennett slash and burn an inefficient Public Service?

Govts exist because of the efficiencies of private enterprise.In 1951 the income tax for a teacher was 11%.Now we have all manner of taxes,both spouses work and we have less service from our public priviledged.Something is seriously amiss when we have far more taxes,work longer and a poorer quality of life.

Perhaps we have too many parisites sucking off the system.