' I guess that was a massive indictment of the Asutralian people and
their judgement of character.'

Yep and I suppose you will agree that the coming election will be a 'massive indictment of the Asutralian people and their judgement of character.' we will see what the people think of the sisterhood after a few short years of lies, incompetence and spin.

Dear runner,

I suspect you must belong to some sort of "brotherhood."

As you seem to continually assume that women belong to
some sort of "sisterhood," to which you keep on referring.

Most of us don't. So kindly do not judge others by
your own club memberships, or gender conspiracy theories.

Allow for individual differences.

Besides it's not logical or well reasoned, or polite.

Sisterhood or no sisterhood between the gays and the lesbians in the Labor government and the Greenhood they certainly managed to stuff this country up especially when you include boat arrivals social security spending and handouts like the insulation and solar largesse.
Will the NDIS be means tested. I know plenty on disability with their own homes and six figure bank accounts. Sure there are plenty that need help but why does obesity and alcoholism qualify as a disability?

cont'd ...

I forgot to add that if -
the Libs win the next election it won't be
an indictment on the Australian people.

What it
will show is the power of big media, big business,
and big money. However, things will change very
quickly as they're doing in Queensland, Victoria, and
NSW, once people have a taste of what they're in for.
Especially for the vulnerable in our society. After all
welfare is bad for business and people either sink
or swim. And if they sink, well then that's just too
bad according to the politics of money and power.

Lexi,
I totally underestimated you. I thought you had fairly thick skin but judging by your replies you have an even thicker skull & mind.

Chris Lewis,
Sorry but I didn't notice your comment earlier. I have been on one of my other retirement projects all day.

A sovereign government can finance worthwhile projects that put unemployed people and other otherwise unutilised resources to work. When has a bank ever refused to honour the cheque of a sovereign currency issuer?

A budget surplus should only be an outcome when it is necessary to slow down an overheated economy; never when 12-14% of the available workforce is underemployed as is the situation in Australia at present. The rate of growth of the accumulated government deficit can always safely match the rate of growth of the economy.

Whenever there is a surplus the private sector loses financial wealth to the government provided the balance of trade remains about the same. Surplus government income over and above expenditure is useless as it accomplishes nothing.

Instead of a debt truck, or clock, we need something showing forgone wellbeing.

When the situation was even worse than it is now (during the worst years of the GFC) the school improvement program and the insulation programs were worthwhile. In some states the state administrations were less than competent in applying the money made available although the work was urgently needed to support demand so planning time was limited. Also those governments were incompetent at supervising the companies undertaking the work. Too many are blaming the Rudd and Gillard Labor Federal Governments when all they basically did was allocate the funds.

I suggest that at the moment this country needs 100,000 units or more of affordable housing probably best provided as semi-detached units on older 500+ sq m. sites. The funding could easily be provided by the Federal Government at less than 4% interest, they borrow it for less than 3.5% and could even avoid paying that.

Do you read New Economic Perspectives?