Abbott would fare much better in a promise-tracker tally if it took into account his promises to the IPA and its owners, not just his promises to the people.

…Oh phoowey, OTB!
Ludwig ?
You'd better have a rethink about that. otb does have a quite valid point there, from a realistic perspective that is.
It doesn't matter what you say, you can't escape the fact that you're supporting a far more incompetent political party than us conservatives. The proof is there for all the world to see.
How you can still support them is beyond all logic & reason. Without exception every Labor supporter I know is a selfish, greedy & conniving piece of whatever bad you can think of.
They're the ones walking over decent people to get what they want. Are you like that too ?

@Ludwig, Tuesday, 29 July 2014 10:09:17 PM

What you need to do is take the meaning of the whole of my post.

Do you disagree that even if they wanted to do it, it is the rare circumstance where politicians are able to promise, in the dictionary sense and that politician and commentator alike should adopt the common understanding of the political parties 'promises' as policies, which are goals for attainment and so often stretch goals?

It makes good media theatre for fools, the malicious and political opponents to use the term 'promise' as though it was intended as a binding contract not as an intent and goal.

However it is not inappropriate for critics to constructively criticise, eg where ethics are suspect.

Almost all a government can do depends on money and the fact is that the bucket of taxpayers' $$ is already committed to the social contract between government, any government, and the people.

I have fulfilled senior management roles in the past and also in consultancy - private not government. Let me assure you that even with all of his (presumed) freedom of decision, the CEO of a large company would be very reticent to make any promise because it is a complex world out there. Imagine how complicated it is for political parties who are obliged in all sorts of ways and to different constituencies even within a single electorate.

The ABC, which should know better, is just setting up another sure-fire way of making stories in the studio, as seems to be the way of 'journalism' these days. Interesting that its own Media Watch isn't criticising the suspect ethics of that, or of 'fact checking'.

Let the ABC return to news gathering. That is what we the taxpayers pay them to do. There are many opportunities for investigative journalism, for example, why wasn't Rolf Harris ever brought to heel in Australian and what other notables are doing the same?

Does anyone realize that most of these promises & the Budget changes don't come into effect until after the next election? WTF.

<< …you can't escape the fact that you're supporting a far more incompetent political party than us conservatives. >>

What are you saying Indi??

I certainly don’t support Labor. As I have said a million times on OLO; the two dinosaur parties are barely any different. They are the Liblabs! Two peas in a pod. Two parties in bed with vested-interest big-business. Two rampantly antisustainability parties!

I certainly don’t support Labor.
Ludwig,
This is one of those rare moments when it feels good to realise one has been wrong.
cheers for that