I have not focused on the Australian political landscape for a few months but the recent tragic deaths of 4 people installing home insulation as part of the Rudd Governments spend-a-thon, has reminded me of the dangers of a government obsessed with poll numbers and popularity.
Entries Categorised as 'Politics'
China’s Harmful Economic Policies
December 19th, 2009 · No Comments
It’s time to start getting tough on Beijing. No, this is not a rant about China’s alleged lack of human rights. When China has something as evil as Abu Ghraib and Bagram we might have a right to complain. Nor am I complaining about China’s lack of something called democracy. Would China’s one child policy have survived in a democracy?
The Telstra break-up smoke screen and the NBN.
September 16th, 2009 · 33 Comments
If you think that the Government’s plan to break-up Telstra is aimed at giving consumers a better deal then you are thinking just the way they want you to. The real reason the Government wants Telstra weakened is so that it’s poorly planned National Broadband Network (NBN) has an easier path into the broadband market.
Wasteful government spending & Wayne Swan on the defensive.
September 5th, 2009 · 31 Comments
I am often critical about the media because they simply do not dig beneath the surface of issues and raise tough questions with the Rudd Government. So I was pleasantly surprised when I watched Leigh Sales on ABCTV’s Lateline raise some awkward questions for the Federal Treasurer. Questions that he could not or would not answer, and that also had him visibly rattled.
A Ruddy clever idea and aliens above Australia!
July 28th, 2009 · 4 Comments
It appears that somewhere above Australia there is an alien spaceship transmitting a beam across the continent that makes Australians incapable of rational thought. Few people seem to question how the nation will repay billions of dollars in debt nor do they seem to question what the Government is spending their money on.
Rudd Watch: Has Kev07 delivered as promised?
July 21st, 2009 · 8 Comments
The Rudd Government still holds a commanding lead over the Opposition according to opinion polls and Kevin Rudd himself enjoys a high popularity rating. But what has Rudd and his team actually delivered to the Australian public in terms of completed projects or successful outcomes?
Is there a Federal Opposition in Australia?
June 29th, 2009 · 17 Comments
We all know the theory of how our Westminster flavoured form of democracy is suppose to work. We the people vote, the votes are counted and we end up with one of the two main political groups running the country. To make sure the group that wins the election and forms government does not get out of control, the losing side is suppose to keep an eye on things and be ready to take over if the people decide to make a change at the next election. But clearly things are not working that way in Australia at the moment.
Wasteful spending, poor planning and extreme socialism.
June 14th, 2009 · 39 Comments
For some time I have been saying that the Government’s economic stimulus spending spree will be wasteful, poorly directed and do little to make Australia a more competitive economy. If this is not bad enough the chances are the reckless spending by the Rudd Government may also stir inflation again and cause more problems for the Australian economy than the global financial crisis ever did.
Rudd Economics 101 – When in doubt spend like crazy.
May 20th, 2009 · 34 Comments
It appears that finally the Australian media and by default the wider public are starting to worry about Rudd’s mountain of debt. At first many Australian’s were quite happy to pocket their Government handouts in some crazed belief that is was magic money that would not have to be repaid some day or at least, not by them. But perhaps the latest Federal Budget has finally got people thinking as opposed to living happily in ignorance in the Matrix.
Federal Budget 09: A confusing mix.
May 18th, 2009 · 34 Comments
I guess the word confused would best describe my reaction to the Federal Budget handed down by the Government last week. I was expecting some tough decisions to be made so that Australia could emerge from this recession in fairly good shape, but instead the Budget had no clear direction and it seems the Government is hoping that by throwing money at major infrastructure projects that it can appease the public until China saves the day.
Federal Budget 2009: The Yes Minister preview.
May 11th, 2009 · 6 Comments
Lights, camera, action! It is almost time for another budget from the masters of spin and we are all invited to watch the drama unfold. The 2009 federal budget will be one of the most eagerly awaited budgets in years and the key question for me is: why is the Government talking up the need to borrow and spend one moment and then in the next breath, warning us that we all need to share the pain because the Government has to reign in spending?
You spin me right round Swanny. (like a record baby)
April 28th, 2009 · 14 Comments
Although hardly qualified for anything to do with number crunching, Wayne Swan has in all fairness become much more confident over the last 18 months in his role as Treasurer. But sadly he is still hooked on manipulating data and his forecasting skills appear as good as Marie Antoinette’s, who once told her husband that the noise outside the palace was just some party goers who would soon be heading home.
Rudd’s recession and the fools on the hill.
April 22nd, 2009 · 14 Comments
Now I know some people will think I am harsh using the term “Rudd’s recession” but when you claim to be able to solve many of the world’s problems, you also have to take some heat when your mystic powers cannot fix everything. Mind you not everything is going against Kevin Rudd as it seems parts of Antarctica are not melting after all and in fact some of the icy bits down south are getting bigger! So Kev07 might have made a dogs breakfast of the economy, but he just might have just saved the planet!
Bring back the toga and lose the House of Representatives!
April 21st, 2009 · 8 Comments
It appears to me that the form of democracy we have in Australia (and other parts of the world) is really starting to struggle now in the 21st century. After all, we are basically using a form of government that is now a few centuries old and has been responsible for just as many blunders and failures across the world as it has successes. So maybe it is time we started to think about giving our system of government an overhaul and I believe we can learn a lot from the Romans.
The national broadband network: from debacle to disaster.
April 11th, 2009 · 21 Comments
Like many Australians I have been frustrated for many years over the slow progress that was made in getting affordable high speed internet connections widely available across Australia. However in order to get a world class communications network deployed we need the private sector to be in the driving seat and for the government to be involved as little as possible. Yet thanks to government mismanagement, Australia is now about to spend a fortune of taxpayers money to roll-out a national broadband network.
The great recession swindle: the power grab by governments.
April 2nd, 2009 · 9 Comments
Apparently we are at the moment facing the greatest economic crisis the world has seen since the Great Depression, and therefore the G20 leaders who are gathered in London not only have to dodge protesters but also come up with some solutions to this mess. The only problem with what I have just written is that we are not facing the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression and the people gathered in London are part of the problem: they may come up with some solutions, but you and I will be paying for them.
