Following the success of his Iraq trip, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced that he would prefer it if the press no longer reported on anything he was doing.
“It’s just really convenient,” explained the Prime Minister in what he claimed would be his final press conference. “You see, what’s been happening lately is that I do something and then the press reports on it and everyone gets really mad at me. It just seems like if there was no reporting then everything would be much easier.

“Look at Operation Sovereign Borders. We refused to let the press in on what was happening there and the hideous things we were able to get away with there, ah, I would laugh if I could ever stop screaming.”

He went on to deny that the lack of independent press coverage removed transparency and accountability.

“The world is confusing enough already. Every day we get these conflicting reports of what I say has happened and what the people who were there watching say has happened. Who can keep up? It’s just easier for me to tell you what’s going on and for you to shut up and believe me."

Newman promises to provide jobs, but can traditional industries deliver?

Posted about an hour ago Thu 8 Jan 2015, 7:31am

The Newman Government is promising to lift Queensland out of its current jobs hole if it's re-elected. The Premier Campbell Newman has flagged economic growth and job creation as a top priority, especially in sectors such as resources and construction. It's raised questions about whether those industries can provide the jobs needed.

Newman went to the last election with debt reduction and 4 % unemployment.

Abbott is happy to let business and public confidence go down the gurgler. With no words from our PM, and no suggestions of improving economic activities, business is left to flounder.

Australia is on autopilot while drifting off course, and no one to correct it's direction. Our govt; is a disgrace, nationally and internationally.

In 2014-15, NSW will receive 97 cents for every dollar of GST it pays, Victoria will receive 88 cents and WA will receive just 37 cents. All other states and territories receive more revenue back from the Commonwealth than they pay into the federal pot.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten warned Australians would face new or increased taxes - and funding cuts to schools and hospitals – under the reforms Mr Abbott had flagged.

"When Tony Abbott talks about 'adjusting states' revenues up', that means increasing taxes," he said.

"When Tony Abbott talks about he'll 'work with states on a range of tax reforms that could permanently improve the states' tax base', that means increasing taxes.

"Australians won't be fooled by Tony Abbott's egging on the states to ask for an increase in the GST – this is Tony Abbott calling for an increase in GST and other taxes."

Federal Labor says it's in for a tough fight to ensure millions of Australian workers keep weekend and public holiday penalty rates as business launches a push for industrial relations reform across the country.

"Work Choices is not dead," Labor senator Doug Cameron said on Saturday, following Fairfax Media reports that industry groups were campaigning to wind back and cut weekend and public holiday penalty rates, particularly in the hospitality sector.
"The Abbott government ... is behind this push by business to try to cut the penalty rates of ordinary Australian workers," Senator Cameron added.

He said around 4.5 million workers across the country depended on penalty rates to "actually put food on the table, take the family out to get a meal and go for a holiday once a year"