Did anyone watch Josh Frydenberg's interview on
The Insiders this morning?

I thought he answered all the questions rather well.

Newspoll - 44% think well of the budget, 15% think it stinks.

What about the silent 41%?

So many people without real opinions! No wonder democracy is going down the toilet in Australia.

As for the effect of the budget on the government's popularity: none whatsoever. The primary vote is still stuck on 41%. How do you like 'them apples', Scotty Boy? As always, you are 'popular' with people who will never vote for you. Duh.

ttbn, the 41% just don't think!

Paul1405, you're failing to think!

ttbn, a nuanced opinion is no less real than an extreme one.
I consider it a mediocre budget, but not a stinker.

Aiden,

Do you know how 'Newspoll' works? They ask Rupert the same question a hundred times, and he give all these different answers.

Just recently I was sent a letter and a booklet from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, telling me I had been selected to do a survey on 'Disability, Ageing and Carers' for them. I ignored it, then a few days back I got another letter from the same mob informing me I MUST DO THEIR SURVEY under the pain of death. Seems they have a law, Census and Statistics Act 1905, which makes it obligatory to do their surveys. In the comments section I recommended they feed more cheese to old people.

Despite the fictious claims, Whitlam didn't leave a huge deficit or a mess. The largest deficit as a percentage of GDP came under Fraser when Howard was treasurer, as well as the highest interest rates.

Fraser also continued "selling off the rest of the farm", something that Whitlam was trying to reverse. Imagine the sovereign wealth we would have today if we shared in ALL the mining profits and not some meagre royalties. Even Rudd's super-profit tax would have pulled in over $17 billion last financial year but now it's gone overseas and stashed in tax-havens while we just keep subsiding that industry to the tune of billions every year.

The ALP's continuing problem is that they failed to correct the lies then and still do today. They probably rely on voters' common sense and judgement but that's never worked before.

Meanwhile the current government is riddled with incompetence, corruption, financial waste and scandal and now they've lost their "debt and deficit disaster" slogan weapon I wonder where they can go to from here?