SM,

"The real Abbott will only appear once he assumes the mantle of PM, and once again, I suspect he will surprise everyone."

It would be uplifting to think there is a wise and measured countenance lurking somewhere beneath what appears to be a slightly vacuous exterior. I'm wondering, however, why, if someone in Abbott's position possesses such attributes, they would seek to hide their light under a bushel?

I'm glad his potential is obvious to you, SM, because he does rather a splendid job of concealing it from me.

Haaaa hahaha!

Abbott is doing a superb job at concealing his true nature!

Yeah?

No. He is showing his true nature very clearly.

Perhaps Abbott’s biggest appeal is that he presents a realistic image of himself….unlike Rudd, who increased immigration and talked up a big Australia amongst other things which he hadn’t even mentioned before he was elected.

We need honest up-front leaders, not ones that will change their spots after they get elected.

Crikey SM, if you think Abbott will show his true nature after he is elected, then I’d consider that to be a huge reason NOT to vote for him!

579, what I am saying about wages, is that business can't afford to keep staff, as the mining wages and conditions on offer, are such, that normal businesses, this who don't directly service that industry, simp,y can't compete on wages.

The solution in my view, is to tax the payrolls of mining companies, or staff providers, then use this tax (levy) to prop up those workers wages in non mining employment, therefore meaning non mining business will stand a better chance of retaing staff, without the burden of increased costs.

After all, the miners have created this problem of wage disparity, so it is only fair they fix the problem.

Now I am not suggesting that non mining staff get the same money, but there has to be a happy medium, where family people especially, can choose the away from home, mining career, or, the say at home normal job.

A present example, a deisel mechanic (non mining) earns around $28 per hour, whereas the same mechanic in mining is on more like $80 per hour. The difference is huge.

Remember, in most cases, miners have not trained their staff, they have poached them.

At present, the lure of the mining job is to strong and in some cases is placing preasure on many young relationships.

Now as for rents, it's already the companies that are causing the problem.

If a town, like Miles, has 150 rental properties, then, along comes the miners, who pay massive rents for say 50 of those, up goes the rent on the remaining houses, due to supply V demand.

I say again, these issues have been caused by the miners, simp,y taxing them a 'super Tax' won't make rents cheaper, of the keeping of staff affordable.

A levy would do both.

Poirot,

Pretty much the way Juliar concealed her true nature before the elections?

Butch Prop up non mining by bolging their pockets, will work, to well.
You will have to be prepared to do that for the whole of AU that is not currently in the mining employ.
I would say that is not an option, when mining subsides, through loss of contract or other reasons, you then have to take that money back. In the mean time prices have risen to reflect the new found wealth, of their customers.
The miners are to blame for the labour shortages, and by releasing the brakes, it can only get worse. We have to tighten the brakes to cause the mining to slow down.

...Thompson epitomises the rot and disconnected elitism practiced by mainstream political parties. In the case of Thompson, the arrogant ride to the top was assisted by entrenched elitism, practiced in tandem with ALP practice in the union movement universally. Thompson continues to “Suck” along for personal benefit, now sitting comfortably in the cross benches.

...This move is simply a game of “Musical Chairs” and a total snub to the electorate; another arrogant and shifty manoeuvre by Gillard to save “Herself”; not connected to honesty in any way!