The tax is really to fund tax cuts to big banks and other corporations so the question really is do we risk a capital strike just so bankers can get richer. The argument that miners are greedy and the average Australian ripped off is a total lie because there is nothing about this policy that redistributes the revenue to all Australians. that is a lie, I cannot even call it spin on Rudd's behalf..total outright lie. Already WA is getting vote buying promises.

I thank you Yabby for your accurate remarks about Keating.

Costello inherited a rock solid economy from Keating with very low inflation and unemployment figures and very manageable International Debt as described by Rache.

Interestingly , and ironically, Keating himself (as Australia's youngest ever Treasurer) had inherited high double digit inflation, raging unemployment and high International debt levels from the previous Howard Treasury.

Costello didn't cause as much destruction to the modern Australian economy created by Keating as he could have, and this is to his credit.

But I think it was needless and harmful to sell profit making assets like Telstra to foreign interests. (The mum and dad investor thing is a red herring). Inflation generated by these private interests controlling essential services is creating a problem for today's Australia. Their pricing ( increasing massively beyond the inflation rate ) is reducing the standard of living of Australians whose wages are not rising to compensate.

When it came to economics John Howard wasn't competent,
I sympathise with Peter Costello's plight and genuinely feel for him
and think he would have made a better Prime Minister the Howard.

I also think Turnbull would make a better Prime Minister than Abbott

Yabby
You seem to forget that I have run a business. Why do you remember all my comments except the ones that would hinder your argument. :)

Not trying to wriggle out of the Venezuela comment - why would I?

A silver star for you in your quest to distract from the issue at hand and misconstrue any comment out of context for your own purposes.

*You seem to forget that I have run a business.*

Yup you did and you gave up. Now you talk of doing courses, when
I suggest another business. Your above experience does not mean
that you understand the business world. I've been in it for over
30 years and I learn something new, nearly every day.

*Not trying to wriggle out of the Venezuela comment - why would I?*

Its a human foible dear, we do try and defend ourselves. Fair enough.
If I didn't think you were intelligent, I would take no notice of
your comments, or remember them, so take it as a compliment :)

Thinker 2, I think if you bothered to do your homework, you would
find that you are distorting history. Fact is that under Costello,
unemployment, interest rates and inflation figures all improved and
real average weekly wages grew by 24% in real terms.

It was under Keating that I paid 18% interest on my bank loans,
during "the recession we had to have".

But I don't blame Keating for that, for he was correct, Australia
had to reform. The last real backward PM was in fact Frazer.
He was from the old protectionist school and when Howard was
treasurer, he very nearly resigned because of all this.

But it was eventually Keating who did the hard stuff, it took
years to digest and pain in the process. Costello improved things
further, for idealogically they are remarkably similar.

Australia is all the better for it, both men deserve the credit.
This present mob however, really don't know what they are doing.

In all sincerity Yabby, I haven't really looked into why Howard was such a bad treasurer.
Otherwise there may be truth in what you say.

But it's also ( I think ), fair to say, that we haven't really had time to determine,
whether or not this mob (as you say) is economically fit or not.
Nor are the advertised opinions of vested interests relevant to this.

It's true the Govt has not faired well administratively in it's first term,
but it's heart has been in the right place and this is important to me.
One term is just not enough time for any Govt to implement it's program,
especially when be obstructed by opposition in the upper house.

And if the Govt sticks to it's guns on the Mining Tax (I agree with Gerry Harvey),
then I don't except that Australia would be damaged by giving the Govt another term.

Perhaps the true Australian ideal is an amalgam of both sides of politics.
What do think Yabby?.

Thinker2

no time to see if this mob is lousy ?

This morning Anthony Albanesi called for:

-NO to a carbon tax
-YES to a commercial based carbon trading arrangment.

WHY? :)

This might help you answer that.. look who the CHAIRMAN is

http://www.envex.com.au/

You can see what they do....right ?

See any possible connection ?

LOOK at this one too.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/blighs-husband-to-head-new-department/2007/10/19/1192301036894.html

If you look closely the level of *connection* between a Left wing/Labor Politics the legislative and commercial aspects of the 'climate change' industry...it's almost scary..no..it IS scary.. they have so much to lose of cap and trade laws are not implemented.