yada, yada...Loudmouth.

You know there was no "emergency" - and that Australia under Labor fared better than almost all developed economies in the wake of the GFC.

What we do in the future is of course up to innovative governance willing to invest in productive infrastructure....not cutting science research and development to the bone and funnelling profits to the already grotesquely wealthy.

We're in the box seat to develop 21st century technology and not just be a resource quarry - if we have the right leadership...not wall to wall austerity.

In any case, this election if anything, has shown us that we're no longer beholden to the likes of Murdoch and his anointed few. Victoria and particularly Queensland, in delivering a catastrophic blow to extreme right-wing government, has shown the way.

Hi Poirot,

".... productive infrastructure", yeah, that might do it. What we need is really productive infrastructure.

Yes, we could be in the box seat, if only ...... yes, we can import all the highly-skilled people we will need, in technology, IT, and the right sorts of engineering, if our universities aren't producing enough. Or we could have an Art-and-Design/Journalism/Cultural Studies-led recovery. Piece of cake.

So what was our deficit in 2007 ? In 2013 ? Now ? Are you suggesting we don't have a deficit, it's all a Lib lie ? No, it's not all Gillard or Rudd's fault, there are all manner of international factors now, but they certainly didn't help with their dopey spending policies.

On-topic, would it have helped Newman if Abbott - crass as it may seem as an obvious vote-grab - had nominated Wally Lewis or Noel Pearson for knighthoods ? It may not have saved Newman but it might have pushed the LNP over the line in a couple of tight seats.

Joe

Loudmouth,

"So what was our deficit in 2007 ? In 2013 ? Now ? Are you suggesting we don't have a deficit, it's all a Lib lie.....?"

Don't pull your vacuous 20 questions rubbish on me.

You do talk some rot at times.

You know why we didn't have a recession?

We surfed the post GFC repercussions extremely well - one of the best performances in that economic climate.

How many developed countries who opted for austerity had a recession?

But as you say, the Abbott govt has added to the deficit for no good reason - great stuff from the party who's sailed into office on a gigantic economic scare campaign.

Loudmouth,

The conservatives claim they are the economic masterminds, miracle workers in fact. You can't have it both ways, if a GFC hits during a Labor administration, then its all down to Labor's incompetent economic management. If there is an economic downturn due to the busting of the resources boom, and the conservatives are in power then its not their faults, its beyond their economic control. As I said, you can't have it both ways.

Paul/Poirot,

The Howard government was tossed out in 2007, leaving a multi-billion dollar surplus, and a mineral-oriented booming economy, thanks to high commodity prices. The GFC hit and the Rudd government, then the Gillard government, spent vast amounts on various schemes to keep the economy stimulated. The surplus vanished. The Abbott government inherited a deficit at a time of falling commodity prices, a vanishing manufacturing sector and a wide range of innovative spending programs.

If Labor is re-elected next year, it too will inherit a huge and growing deficit. I realise that might be an unprecedented situation for them since Labor usually inherits surpluses. But the novelty might present exciting challenges for them.

Sometimes I'm glad to be old.

Joe

Joe,

I agree with your first paragraph, "The Howard government was tossed out in 2007 yuda yuda yuda,,"
All good and well to say "Abbott government inherited a deficit yuda yuda, yuda,," We are in agreement about the history.
Now where we may differ! What did these great economic gurus do, when they came to power? Through some blind philosophical belief they tried to hammer the poor and reward the rich, it did not work. Can you not see, this Abbott mob have no grand economic master plan, in fact they have no economic plan at all, its all smoke and mirrors. Economically, Abbott, Hockey, Cormann etc are clueless, the best they can come up with for the economy is a knighthood for Prince Dill! Come on Joe and others, admit it, the people got it wrong voting in these galahs, and now we are all paying the price.
p/s As one of those so called "Lefty's" I wanted Abbott in, and like a dose of castor oil, Abbott has not disappointed, actually this mob have exceeded my wildest expectations. I though it would take about 3 to 6 years for the people to learn what a disaster they had voted for, but they wised up in less than 12 months. What's that about, "You can fool some of the people, all of the time, yuda, yuda, yuda.