Unfortunately Mr. Abbott, the impact of every policy implemented by any Government has a flow down effect on the whole population. The Liberal Government has only one agenda and that is to make a handfull of the very rich and powerful people even more richer and powerful. The flow down effect for the rest of the population is more debt and insecurity especially since the introduction of "Workchoices" which will further add to the insecurity of the working class of Australia. I'll admit that on the face of it, families seem to have done very well for themselves in the latest budget, whilst those who are single or on social security assistance schemes have missed out badly, but let me ask you Mr. Abbott, just how is it that only a couple of decades ago, a working person (generally a man) could afford to pay off a home loan on a single income and still have money for the little necessities in life, yet today that situation is very rare indeed. Even with a duel income, housing is becoming less and less affordable for the average working family. In pushing growth at all cost, the Howard led Government is slowly eroding the fabric that binds Auatralian society together and all for the good of the wealthy. The pittance handed to famlies in the latest budget won't help them when their ability to keep a roof over their heads has gone. Add to this the prospect of ever increasing fuel costs and the associated rise in everything as a result and you'll soon have exactly what your Government and the rich wants. A population of slaves working full time for a wage equal to the dole.

I move that the grub be no longer heard.

Seconded...

I think that this budget is the most wonderful that I have seen in my lifetime, and comes close to ranking with the British budget of 1816. (In the 1816 budget, the British Prime Minister, the Earl of Liverpool, announced the abolition of the income tax, to the loudest and most sustained cheering in the House of Commons in living memory).

One of the greatest non-military risks that Australia faces over the next few years is that its enormous private foreign debt will be called in (as has happened twice before in our history). The Federal Government has done all it can, and we are now one of the very few countries in the world with no government foreign debt. For those on the left, who seem to believe in the economic doctrine of borrow and spend with no thought for tomorrow, this possibility is not even considered, despite the fact that no government can print foreign exchange. The Keating policy of forcing people to make super payments that did not really pay has not suceeded in raising the level of national savings; I am sure that the new policy of encouraging people to save will be far more successful. In addition, the budget accomplishes two goals with the one rock; it not only encourages savings, but also encourages people aged 55 to stay in the workforce for a few more years.

Quite apart from its magnificent effort in reforming Industrial Relations, I consider that the Federal Government deserves to be re-elected on the basis of these super reforms alone. People who claim that these benefits only favour the better-off should remember that if our debt were to called in, it is the poor and disadvantaged that would suffer most.

plerdsus

Your so funny, I thought you were serious there for a second.

Why has this budget resulted in labor being 1% behind on primary vote?

Sorry guys it was stinking grub. I respect our parliament and the author of this piece is out of order.

Grub Steve, your defaming a grub, poor grub.

plerdsus, I can see your reasoning, the federal government has done all it can to enslave the people for the benefit of their masters. I've said this before, but I still find it amazing that anyone would vote for those who sell off their assets, to their friends, so they can make money out of what we created and payed for.

Of course, they support the people they represent, corporate monopolies. Thats why they've given so many subsides to major corporations and not small business.

Plerdsus, “People who claim that these benefits only favour the better-off should remember that if our debt were to called in, it is the poor and disadvantaged that would suffer most.”

Of course it will be the poor, we don';t expect those companies that created the debt to pay for it. Nor the government for its in ability to manage anything except their own billions of dollars of un-financed super (debt), their free travel for life and their huge perks.

After all the fools of this country voted for political parties, and like lemmings they will file down and vote for them again. Why, because they prefer to have morons destroying us, than take a gamble on real people, not lawyers, doctors accountants and union deadheads.

As for Tony abbot, what more can you expect from a politician believer in god, but lies.

Hows life in the fast lane Steve, always ready to debate.

Thirded...

A slimey grub.

Still forgetting your meetings with Archbishop Pell? What about your ironclad guarantees?

Really now, you must see a doctor.

Can I be a fourth on this grub vote? Even self flagellation for the splendour and rapture whilst reading it would not match the ego of this little toad, oops, Sir Grubalot. ...wake up Australia.

With hospitals in disarray, the medicare system being slowly dismantled, only the very rich will afford to get sick, but then the workers post IR reforms, and those who survive with no medical aid, will be lined up in tents accepting susso packages. Who will care?

Shame they built Docklands, it was a beaut spot to live during the Depression. Many should start picking out their little allotment now. I bags the third tree on he left in the Treasury Gardens next to the gnome...oh hang on is that John Howards spot already marked?

Of course you can be a fourth vote tinkerbell1952.

I cirtainly hope the selfish howard voters are putting away all their savings on interest rates for the whopping medical bills they'll need when their vote eventually abolishes Medicare.

Irrespective of what I might think about the rest of Mr Abbott's article, this economist draws solace from the fact that he thinks that "economists' nagging is important because even the best governments can never rest on their laurels". Alan Stockdale, Treasurer in the Kennett Government, used to say much the same.

Mr Abbott would be doing his Government, and this nation, a service if he could persuade some of his Cabinet colleagues to the same enlightened viewpoint.

Unfortunately, some of Mr Abbott's colleagues instead appear, judging by their words and deeds, to regard "economists' nagging" as tantamount to a breach of the Government's new sedition laws, and cause for all sorts of underhand pressure on their employers to get them to cease their "nagging".

The result is that there is less "nagging" of the Government's performance by economists than perhaps there should be.

I fifth that motion...

C’mon Abbot, how about you join this forum and tell us why it’s alright to create a class of working poor at the same time as having ambitions to destroy our public heath system?

Not good enough to live are we? Only the rich have the right to live do they?

Anyone who knows anything about the Liberal party knows that it’s been John Howard’s dream to abolish Medicare ever since it was introduced. We’re not stupid you know - actually, it appears most of us are.

Ahhh, that's right, the interest rates…derrr.

So plerdsus, no Government can print foreign exchange?? Well, the US has been doing something damned close for decades. Follow this link to Hon. Ron Paul to see what our US allies have been up to. It certainly opened my eyes. http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2006/cr021506.htm

Well it seems to me that the States got their extra GST dollars and just grew the bureauracy.According to Janet Albrechsten of the Australian we have a ratio of 1:17 public servants per head of pop compared to New Zealand which has a ratio of 1:58 We have three times the number of PS per head of pop compared to NZ.

There would be plenty of money for pensions,health and infrastucture if our Govts maintained the discipline.Your future fund exists solely for the benefit of Public servant's superannuation.We the tax payer have to find $140 billion in the next fifteen years to fund their super which should have been funded on and annual basis.

The collective Govt waste of our Federal and State Govts is mind boggling.

Morris Iemma laments the loss of a few billion because the Snowy Mts Scheme won't be flogged off in a fire sale.Well if they had the discipline and not grow the PS ,there would have been billions for health and infrastructure.They have 380 000 in the PS and just 50,000 fewer would save them at least $3 billion per yr in wages not to mention their generous super entitlements.

It is about time that all levels of Govt looked at their waste,uncontrolled and unsustainable expansion.

I think we are living in fools paradise of a resources boom and all levels of Govt need to rein in their excesses.

Motion carried! (The "grub" is Tony "Capitalism is a fancy word for freedom" Abbott, right?).
MOTION CARRIED! The grub is ordered to crawl away and die alone.

Should Tony like the other Howard Government Ministers on The Forum be known as Hit and Run?

They came in hit us with BS and then run.