With government projects being one of the main jobs platforms of recent times, the announcement that cuts will be made, (I would suggest, slashed), has the potential to rock the boat, big time.

All because of labor not wanting to break another pre election commitment.

This is one commitment I think they should break, as a return to surplus, AT ANY COST could be very damaging to our economy.

Toni has promised a surplus in his first year in office, and he doesn't know what the situation is.
Stimulus, so no one goes broke, and all it got was criticism. So no more.
Surplus no matter what, that is what you want.
You can't have it both ways.

Cut the insanely generous Public Service conditions will do a lot towards curbing debt. Tax those immoral CEO pays, severely punish insurance fraud, reduce fuel tax to encourage more small businesses, introduce flat Tax. Ah, and, National Service. Don't waste so much on Border Security when all they do is let them in eventually anyway.

*You can't have it both ways.*

Well you can, 579, but you need some smart brains to do it. Costello
showed how it could be done. Tony's team lack that kind of brains
and him giving away 75 grand to rich pregnant chicks by taxing our
largest companies extra, is not the way to do it.

If a surplus means some unemployment, that can't be helped. Our govt; has a duty to look after our credit rating for the long-term.

Rechtub I must confront you on this.
You have constantly targeted Labor for over spending,with some justification.
Now you take the opposing view.
Tony Abbott,without reserve, is warning he intends to cut the public service, and indeed services.
Howard, in part won his popularity, by cutting and slashing.
I support a budget deficit.
And Labor locked it self in to one, all governments, should stay in the black.
When ever possible.
Lets be honest, is in your view welfare for the needy only?
As a middle income earner I paid more for Medicare, it never troubled me.
Did it concern you.
What action can Labor take that you do not find reason to be concerned about.
And will Abbott's burn and slash cuts get your disapproval?

Belly, you are forgetting one very important fact, that being that labor has created this mess, not you or I, but those fools running the country. Now as for their best action plan, that's simple, call an election so the people can decide.

As for welfare, if we stopped welfare waste, there would in fact be more to go around.

Stopping the cash would go a long way here.

As for Medicare, no, I dont think it's a fair system.

High income earners pay a lot more, yet get little in return.

579, Los jobs is only the beginning,what about those who have invested in plant to fulfill gov contracts?

BTW, for the record, I am not a high I come earner.

I can not avoid this, yes some say budget deficit's are ok.
But I spend less than I earn always.
And Rechtub Abbott intends, well who knows,his spending and cuts promised?
He if he does deliver will turn our currency in to cow dung.

Belly, you have just summed up labor, spend more than they earn, and that's the problem.

Now if we spend more than we earn, we eventually go broke, however, government simply increases taxes and expects us to tighten our belts simply because they were incompetent, and this is why they need to go.

The message out there is loud and clear, labor is on the nose and it won't matter who leads in opposition as they are doomed.

The main problem I have with this situation, is Wayne Swans comment of, we will return to surplus AT ANY COST.

combine that attitude, with the carbon and mining taxes and you have a potential disaster on your hands, all due to labor's proven record of incompetent waste and miss management.

Remember, it is they who have wasted all the money and created this huge black hole and, despite having been in denial, they are finally admitting the true facts of the situation.

Middle class welfare is an unnecessary cost. Mining is driving the cost of living, in rural towns, and it's only fare they pay, their fare share.
Means testing for medical, is certain.
As revenue decreases and so must govt; spending. This is what the people want.
It's no good whining, about cuts if the revenue is not there.

Labor has wedged itself.

After years of spending wildly, the credit card is now well over drawn, and the interest payments alone could pay for the proposed disability scheme.

Reducing the deficit from $40bn this year (budgeted $12bn) to a surplus is estimated to strip 2.5% off growth, mostly in the already troubled retail, manufacturing, and service sectors.

If Swan keeps to the budget, the austerity measures will significantly notch up unemployment, and the cost of living, and the carbon tax will become a focus. If as widely expected Swan posts a "surplus budget" and then ignores it, then by June 2013 Labor will again be painted as liars and fiscally incompetent.

Given the 27% primary polling today, this could reduce labor to a minor party.

Don't call it the public service. They are servants of the government, and most of what they do to the public is a disservice when both costs and benefits are taken into account. Call it cutting the vampire economy, that would be more accurate.

Wayne Swan will bring in a balanced budget purely for political
reasons. However either Labour or Libnats will have to crack down in
the following years because you do not have the money.

The opposition shadow finance has warned of the coming problem and it
sounds like he will be putting the pressure on his party that they are
not going to have a choice. Barnaby Joyce is giving the same warning
that cut backs are inevitable.
They are up against the $250 billion limit and to increase it will
just increase our interest bill.

*RehcTub*

" ... a return to surplus, AT ANY COST could be very damaging to our economy. ... "

What type of potential cuts concerns you specifically?

..

Posted by *579*

" ... Toni has promised a surplus .. , and he doesn't know what the situation is. ... "

and what a damning indictment on the tin pot guvment system that is. Go *Assange*
;-)

..

Posted by *Individual*

" ... Cut the insanely generous Public Service conditions will do a lot towards curbing debt. ... "

YEAH!

..

Posted by *Yabby*

" ... giving away 75 grand to rich pregnant chicks by taxing our
largest companies extra, is NOT the way to do it. ... "

Quite a pork belly barrel that one, and also a misreading of the feminists too I think. Please do elaborate on the economics *Master KooNak*

..

Posted by *Pork Belly*

" ... is in your view welfare for the needy only? ... "

Given that $AU30 a day is inadequate for the base, yes, so called middle class welfare should be abolished in favour of correcting entrenched disadvantage.

..

*RehcTub*

" ... High income earners pay a lot more, yet get little in return. ... "

Come now, their medicare card works just as well at the parasitic specialists office.

..

Posted by *Shadow Minister*

" ... After years of spending wildly, the credit card is now well over drawn, and the interest payments alone could pay for the proposed disability scheme. ... "

Yes, and China slows and the tax takings are down, with Europe unstable and the N.Americans only showing limited regrowth.

" ... Given the 27% primary polling today, this could reduce labor to a minor party? ... "

A fitting penalty for child abusers, notwithstanding their claims to improve the detention system. The *Greens* are going to have start differentiating themselves with some more "obstructive behaviour" i.m.o.

Posted by *Peter Hume*

" ... Call it cutting the vampire economy, ... "

I'm going to have some extra garlic on my prawns tonight in relish of that thought.

Dream on, you are welcome to keep dreamin on as much as you like.

As for cuts, this were Wayne Swans words, not mine, so perhaps you could ask him.

However, if I were a truck owner, having secured a gov contract, borrowed for my rig, I would be quite worried about now.

As for Medicare, HI earners have to pay a gap. No free lunch for them, regardless of how much they have comtbuted to the system.

This is why the whole system is flawed, as the mor you earn, the more you pay, ye the less you get, works right through to retirement and beyond.

A reward system would be much better, along with a fairer tax system.

*RehcTub*

" ... a return to surplus, AT ANY COST could be very damaging to our economy. ... "

What type of potential cuts concerns you specifically?

..

You made a statement without clarification, and being curious as to what exactly you had in mind, as I cannot read your thoughts, I simply asked for further and better particulars. As you have declined to respond with detail, you leave us all none the wiser.

I think that is a shame.

..

As for me "dreamin(g)" as you put it, again it is difficult to comment as you have not linked this with any particulars.

Having read numerous valuable (i.m.o.) comments, I compiled as many of them as the 350 word limit would allow, and made additional comment.

..

I know that the likes of *Belly* feel it inappropriate to refer to the mainstream as "Child Abusers" however, based on media reports, clearly it is not only I that thinks this.

It is easy to say "mental illness" and scarcely give the matter further consideration. In my "compassionate" moments I consider that perhaps the responsible parties clearly do not truly understand what they are doing, and at these times I hope that they never do.

In my darker moments however, I consider that it is their business to know, and in knowing, they continue to act with "flagrant disregard."

Thus, if misfortune were to fall upon them, and they were to be criminally deprived of their liberty, sensorially deprived and pumped full of ketamine or some other psychosis inducing substance, then it would be less than they deserve and most amusing to me.

If you were to take a look at the medical profile of all those who enter the draconian detention system (though they hide it), and considering 90% of them we are led to believe end up being found to be genuine, and then see their medical profile in the aftermath, you would come to understand that more than a few of them are shattered, mentally destroyed, and destined for permanent D.S.P.

As for MediCare, unless you are extremely fortunate or have a specialist doctor mate, everyone has to pay a gap. Neither are they covered by private insurance.

For example, a BrainDoper (psychiatrist)gets about $AU200 an hour from MediCare but with very few exceptions, usually charge out at about $AU350 per hour.

Consequently, the people who most need them, are refused treatment on the grounds of cost.

If you vote for either of the mainstream parties, what you are voting for is rarely any justice unless you are extremely well off, and rarely any best practice medicine, again, unless you are both well off financially and also time rich.

Of course, in the case of the law, you are also voting for the ongoing ruination of a system which in theory, has a judiciary as one of 3 branches to act as a check and balance on the executive and the legislature. Thus, in reality, what you are voting for is a system whereby the guvment is rarely ever held to account and in fact, often practice policies knowingly in contempt of the law.

A classic example was the so called "Malaysian Solution", as I'd wager the legal advice which they received and hid would have alerted them to the requirement of "Human Rights" guarantees in the law, but still, they have the temerity to stand before the public, and crap on about how lovely the Malaysians are, all the while knowing of the rampant abuses.

As in the case of *Tim Fisher* who was jibbed by the High Court for comments contrary to "good governance," constitutionally speaking, post Wik, *Juliar Geelar* should have copt the same and then some.

But, alas, far too many cases of law are determined in advance based on economic rationalism, as even for the likes of *Big Clive Palmer* there are no guarantees in advance of judgements, and the "remorseless mercantilisation" of the legal community knows no bounds.

Dream on, the whole point of my thread is in reaction to the comment made by WS being, ......at any cost.

As far as what cuts, who knows, because until recently, the smartest treasurer in the world has been in total denial, even worse, telling us that we are in great shape, which is simply a lie.

So perhaps we will just have to wait, in limbo, to see what the meaning of, at any cost actually means.

Now considering some three out of every four people out there have no faith in federal labor, I doubt what ever he decides will be very popular.