Dear SOG,

Tony Abbott has done nothing to establish his
or his party's economic credentials. He seems
content to coast on the public perception that
the Coalition is more competent at economic
management than Labor. Which is simply not true
as economists tell us that:

"The Coalition has had the fortune to hold office
in good economic times, especially from 1996 to 2007
when the Howard government enjoyed the dividends of the
Hawke-Keating economic reforms and when the world
economy was enjoying a long speculative-driven boom.
Good Luck, perhaps, but not good management.
The Howard government neglected our surface transport -
our interstate roads, railroads and urban public
transport. It starved our tertiary education sector of
funds. It neglected investments which could help us
cope with the challenges of water shortages, climate
change, and fossil fuel depletion. In short, it let
fiscal impression management displace sound economic
management and directed political attention to only
one side of the public balance sheet, the debt side,
while ignoring the asset side."

As economists point out: "If the Howard cabinet had been
the board of a publicly listed company, the shareholders
would have thrown them out for weakening the company's
asset base."

I think it's only fair for voters to want to debate
about real issues and real plans. Australians deserve
answers - from the man who wants to lead the
nation. Afterall as one commentator pointed out:

"The up-coming election will be held against a back-drop
of a fast-changing world. The central challenge for
political leaders and aspirants is to ensure Australia's
continued economic resilience in this time of change."

as economists tell us that:
Lexi,
Again you're referring to Academics, not business people or producers. No, it's always academics. Once & for all, these people don't know anything relating to reality so why rely on them ? No wonder you can't accept what's going on when you insist these people are more qualified than those who are actually in the business of producing.

Lexi>> The Coalition has had the fortune to hold office
in good economic times, especially from 1996 to 2007<<

Lexi have a peek at our GDP during the "hard" years that you allude to giving the impression that Labor copped a serve economically, and it is the big bad GFC that has pout the Labor government and us into new record debt territory.

<iframe src='http://www.tradingeconomics.com/iframe/chart.aspx?url=/australia/gdp' height='350' width='700' frameborder='0' scrolling='no'></iframe><br />Source: <a href='http://www.tradingeconomics.com/australia/gdp' target='_blank'>tradingeconomics.com</a><br />

Sorry lexi, the link is rubbish, so I will longhand the numbers.

Australian GDP in Billions:
2004/ 455 Billion
2005/ 598 Billion
2006/ 674 Billion
2007/ 749 Billion
2008/ 865 Billion
2009/ 1039 Billion
2010/ 924 Billion
2011/ 1131 Billion
2012/ 1371 Billion

No hard revenue times for Labor Lexi, just an abysmal failure to manage our money...or the 170 Billion they have borrowed....Where’s the money? Anyone seen an Obeid near the Commonwealth treasury office?

Dear SOG,

Voters have to decide which party will ensure Australia's
continued economic resilience against a back-drop pf a
fast-changing world.

All we hear from the Opposition is that they will release
their policies "in due course," along with a growing
list of excuses to avoid scrutiny. This is simply
not good enough.

As economists tell us:

"The Labor government has offset all new spending
since mid 2009, and, with revenues over 5 years
declining by more than $160 billion,
the government will have to continue to
do the same post-September. Mr Abbott needs to be upfront
with voters about what he would cut to pay for his $4 billion
infrastructure promise, his $770 million tax rebate
commitment and his "article of faith" to remove means testing of
the private health insurance rebate, among others."

As you're well aware, and as many have pointed out:

"Last year, we endured a political debate mired in the
personal, the trivial, and so often, the downright nasty.
Yet beyond the grounds of Parliament House, the desire
is for a debate about real issues and real plans..."

"Labor has set out its plan - a plan to ensure a
strong economy and support jobs, education, health, aged
care, and a national desability insurance scheme, and
boost skills and innovation so we can succeed in the
Asian Century."

What concerns many voters is - "Does anyone know what
Tony Abbott's plans are for Australia?

As a political commentator stated:

"The Libs spruik a supposedly "ready to go" set of
policies, yet we have no idea what they are, no details
have been provided of substance, how much they'll cost
or how they'll be paid for. Their strategy for electoral
success is to make policies a policy-free zone.."

Scrutiny now needs to be applied so that voters can make
informed choices prior to the election.

Lexi>> Their strategy for electoral
success is to make policies a policy-free zone.."<<

Lexi, Abbott will not release until election time, it is as simple as that, they all do it.