[AVT]

Howard was an inch away from being a one term PM, and Rudd/Gillard's first term produced a hung parliament. So its not unreasonable to think that we are moving closer and closer to one-term government's being the norm.

I have a sneaking suspicion there might be a nasty global economic surprise for Abbott some time this term, and I can't really see him and Mr Hockey standing up to the task like Rudd and Swann did during the GFC.

It may be the case that there is a serious economic shock, but the Coalition like Labor will listen to the bureaucrats in Canberra and will respond in exactly the same way except stimulus would be targeted to coalition friendly areas of the economy. Rudd and Swan are not economic geniuses, like other departments (eg FA) the senior public servants have a massive influence as they shape the advice available to the ministers, leaving them to tinker on the side.

[unbalanced zealot]

This is my guess (we need someone like Maxim here to support it with statistical facts) but I think Shorten got his caucus vote from the members he had stacked into place during past years. It was mostly safe seats and top Senate positions who made it thru September and these cosy spots were mostly allocated to chosen factional team members. Tanya Plibersek is maybe the long game now. However, in the immediate future Australian politics is still a mess.

What Honisoit brought up about Abbott's early weeks is important because it has created a mindset up front that his party is unintentionally conveying that the pending austerity is not going to be on 'us' it's just going to hit those without the power to fight it. And the politician rorts will be there through his whole term as a reference point to this sentiment each time cuts get made. IMO dumb politics that he did not do something about them, what could have been an early goal for public support and setting an example has worked out to be an own goal for his team which might resonate all thru his term.

[redcarpet]

we'll see Four year terms coming soon, as well as a fixed election date

If only. Was put to the voters in 1987 & rejected, bah.

[AVT]

If only. Was put to the voters in 1987 & rejected, bah.

Australians really do not like change.

[foxdemon]

Government fire sale to begin soon




Medibank private:


I wonder if liberal supporters realise the idea of medibank private was to provide a non profit market compeditor to keep down costs of health insurance. I do hope they don't mind going back to pulbic now that soon they won't be able to afford private health insurance.





HECS debts & Austpost:


The HECS debt sell off is interesting.


So great an idea is this that theorists recommend extending the principle to other forms of government assistence, such as grants to farmers becoming HECS style (ICL) loans. The government can then sell the loans to private interests to raise money to pay of deficts due to an insufficent level of taxation on the rich.

The solution to loss of revenue due to tax cuts for the rich is to sell less well off Australians into debt sevitude.

Wow! What wonderful policy neo liberal come up with these days.

[Igor Antunov]

With this breed of degenerate cunts everything is up for grabs. Neoliberals need to be rounded up and shot.

[redcarpet]

Abbott and his very sorry lot

Mark Kenny RIPS Abbot and co. apart!