Belly:>> We are in debt, like it or not the GFC saw to that, our response to it stopped much pain.<<

No Belly we are not in debt due to the GFC we are in debt because of the waste that comes with being inept as displayed by the past and present Labor Government. If the pain felt in the western hemisphere was a ten, we suffered a three. This brief appraisal is succinct and factual.

The economic vitality report: the impact of the GFC on Australians
Robert Tanton National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling

"15 March 2010. The global financial crisis proved to be more of a slowdown than a recession in Australia and that the economy improved throughout 2009 reflects our lack of direct exposure, this report finds that more people felt their personal circumstances had declined, but this was driven through media driven perception."

Belly it is devious of you to blame the turnaround from a $20 billion surplus to a $60 billion government deficit in one term on the GFC.

Have a look at this link, fifty ways the GFC affected Aussies, it is tighten the belt stuff rather than sell of the farm.

http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/50-ways-the-gfc-has-changed-australia/

Such is the federal opposition, include too some who support it, a blindness to our position in the rest of the world hides truth.
And do not give me that lie/false bit about Howard and Costello being financial giants.
They skidded along on minings back and tax's, yes see how much some taxes went up under them.
I am to be convinced that a coalition government would have done as good, leave alone better than Rudd and his red headed mate did.
I share a strong view Tony Abbott says one thing but does another he can not be trusted, may well have used the ALP way to handle the GFC.
Runner sorry but you have,time and again ,seen people from both sides question your posts,and support them if it agrees with their thoughts.
I stand by my thought you are not my idea of a Christian.

Obviously, not too many of the 28 thousand personally affected by the Brisbane floods commenting in these posts! Should I conclude that the Banks and Insurance companies are safe to continue the rorts: I fear so! Ho Hum..back to sleep. ZZZZ

The problem is Lexi, that many Australians in lower income brackets within many cities, have not been given the choice to purchase or rent in upper areas - middle class to elitist suburban areas ie on 'higher ground'.

I have many friends and colleagues who earn anywhere between $35,000 - $200,000, some with spouses not earning, others earning a similar income; between them have earned in excess of $300,000K over 25 years.

I believe incomes should be closely looked at initially ie those people who have enjoyed a middle class to elitist lifestyle, say on either public service wages with their super and long service leave awaiting them, should pay the levy or tax.

For the people struggling on one wage or a wage less than $49,000 these people should not be required to pay a levy or tax.

In summary, a suggestion is to base the levy or taxes on incomes, particularly people supporting children and dependants with disabilities on lower incomes.

Some people in life were trodden over in the workforce by career high climbers, or sustained injuries, cancer, have disabilities, that have never enjoyed the excellent careers and income that many public servants or business people have enjoyed, some who took their luxuries for granted.

The other suggestion is for Labor to address the following temporary measures to assist with the Infrastructure in all flood affected zones;

(i) Review all departments and positions within the public service to ensure that all positions are necessary, investigate the possibility of wage reductions, some unnecessary positions at higher levels dissolved via the encouragement of earlier retirements, packages etc.

After all, Labor took this approach well over ten years ago with little warning to staff in a couple of states. Why not now when faced with the revenue dilemma caused by some shifty misleading insurance companies [Australian owned or Internationally owned]?

(ii) Scrap all public service advertising programs, publications and unnecessary public service costs until major infrastructure is finalised and assistance given to lower income earners that are flood victims.

(iii) Recall public servants from overseas spots where the work/objectives are able to be placed on hold while the costs of infrastructure within flood affected states are carried out.

(iv) Encourage each State to adopt similar measures and encourage other States to assist with the infrastructure of major flood affected Towns and Cities.

sonofgloin,
The Future Fund was established to fund the future superannuation committments of Commonwealth Public Servants - the very committments that were left unfunded for the first half of the Howard government era but also, according to Costello, as a source of revenue "for a rainy day".

How much more rainy does it have to get?