Australia General Discussion

[Secretary Polnut]

IF (the worker visa thing this week may have a negative impact next fortnight) the government can get to 34-35% and get the coalition down to maybe 42-43%... this becomes a horse-race for the first time since the election...

[Secretary Polnut]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-05-31/gillard-faces-down-mining-bosses/4043276

This is certainly one of Gillard's biggest policy pluses... it's one of her genuinely popular issues... she needs to drive it home and put Abbott on the wrong side...

[I Can't Get That Sound You Make, Out Of My Head]

The simple truth is that if Labor knew how to sell, they'd be way ahead.

Our hopes will probably rest with the Thomson scenario.

[Platypus]

Here's the text of her speech, which I found quite good:

Julia Gillards address to the Minerals Industry Parliamentary Dinner:

Now, I know you’re not all in love with the language of “spreading the benefits of the boom”.

I know everyone here works hard, competes in a tough global environment; you take big risks and you earn the big rewards.

You build something.

Australians don’t begrudge hard work and we admire your success.

But I know this too: they work pretty hard in car factories and at panel beaters’ and in police stations and hospitals too.

And here’s the rub.

You don’t own the minerals. I don’t own the minerals.

Governments only sell you the right to mine the resource.

A resource we hold in trust for a sovereign people.

They own it and they deserve their share.

I think we’ve been crystal clear since the Budget.

We want growth and then we want the benefits of growth to spread to all.

There’s been a fair bit of talk recently about whether Labor wants to make the pie bigger or slice the pie up differently.

Well, here’s the answer. Since we came to office:

Euro area: economy shrank, one point six per cent.

Japan: economy shrank, one point seven per cent.

United States: economy grew, one point three per cent.

Australia: economy grew, eight point eight per cent.

At the end of it all, the short-term arguments come and go – the facts endure.

Our economy is the envy of the world.

Our mining industry is the envy of the world.

There’s nowhere in the world you’d be better off investing.

And there’s nowhere in the world where mining has a stronger future.

And this is Australia, and it has a Labor Government.

[Secretary Polnut]

New newspoll, Coalition's primary vote drops a little, ALP stalls... but Gillard's personal numbers improving, now 4% ahead of Abbott and with lower dissatisfaction and higher satisfaction than Abbott for the first time since Feb/March.

Primary
ALP: 31% (-1)
Coalition: 44% (-2)
Greens: 14% (+2)

TPP
ALP: 46% (NC)
Coalition: 54% (NC)

Preferred PM
Gillard: 42% (+2)
Abbott: 38% (+1)

Satisfaction
Gillard: 32% (+2)
Abbott: 32% (+1)

Dissatisfaction
Gillard: 58% (-2)
Abbott: 59% (-1)

[Platypus]

Another 75-150 people have drowned in an ayslum boat sinking north of Christmas Island.

[afleitch]

Queensland sucks;

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/newman-kowtowing-to-rightwingers-cope-20120622-20rmi.html

[You kip if you want to...]

Prime Minister? Really!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osID-_Zi-1I

[RogueBeaver]

That's a couple of months old, isn't it?

[BritishDixie]

Yay!

(only kidding, in case you think I'm a real dumass)

[I left.]

Yay!

(only kidding, in case you think I'm a real dumass)

Not at all. Just wonder what makes you care so little about fellow human beings.

[BritishDixie]

Yay!

(only kidding, in case you think I'm a real dumass)

Not at all. Just wonder what makes you care so little about fellow human beings.

Ah, I'm not that bad. Surely?

[hawkeye59]

Yay!

(only kidding, in case you think I'm a real dumass)

Not at all. Just wonder what makes you care so little about fellow human beings.

Ah, I'm not that bad. Surely?

Yes you are, Verwoerd, based on that comment.

[BritishDixie]

Yay!

(only kidding, in case you think I'm a real dumass)

Not at all. Just wonder what makes you care so little about fellow human beings.

Ah, I'm not that bad. Surely?

Yes you are, Verwoerd, based on that comment.

Hey you can call me Hendrik (kidding)

[Platypus]

The whole debate is really muddled. It is inhumane not to accept for processing those who seek asylum here, but it's also inhumane to not be doing what we can to discourage people from getting on these boats, roughly 5% of which sink. I don't have the solution, but the Greens can't compromise, the coalition play the worst kind of dogwhistling on the whole issue, and Labor's plan it an ineffective bitza mess. As much as I xan't believe I'm typing this, the only plan I've heard in the last few days even worth considering is, gulp, Clive Palmer's.

That said, at the very least, the govt is setting up an independent investigative group for finding solutions to the issue, headed by former ADF chief Angus Houston, so maybe they'll have a plan worth reviewinf, he's also struck me as a non-reactionary conservative, a small group in Australia, but a group that has had some remarkable, real sucesses in government and policy.

[Platypus]

Also, if that post was a dash rambling, sorry, its two am here.

Also, because I'm obliged to say this in any circumstance where asylum boats and the leader of the opposition are mentioned...my god Tony Abbott is a count.

[Platypus]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-07-02/emerson-sings-no-whyalla-wipe-out/4105246

[Smid]

Yeah, you have to wonder how he ever became a Cabinet Minister (actually, we all know the answer to that one... *wink*).

[RogueBeaver]

Yeah, you have to wonder how he ever became a Cabinet Minister (actually, we all know the answer to that one... *wink*).

He's been heliated, right? Or is he always that much of a freakin clown?

[You kip if you want to...]

Yeah, you have to wonder how he ever became a Cabinet Minister (actually, we all know the answer to that one... *wink*).

Just looked at his wikipedia page. As if he dated Julia!

[Smid]

Yeah, you have to wonder how he ever became a Cabinet Minister (actually, we all know the answer to that one... *wink*).

Just looked at his wikipedia page. As if he dated Julia!

No?

JULIA GILLARD: My relationship with Craig Emerson was a very important one to me. Being involved with a colleague has got its down side in the sense that drawing the line between what's work and what's not work becomes increasingly blurred. Craig and I were staying together at a hotel and I'd managed to forget to pack my contact lens holder. So I was just storing the contact lenses at the bottom of a glass, which wasn't exactly the smartest thing in the world to do. Er, so...in the bathroom, this glass with the contact lenses and a bit of solution in them. So, you know, during the course of the night, Craig gets up and thinking it's water, grabs the glass and drinks it. So I was wandering around National Conference blind for the next morning. I did have to give the Health Policy Report at the podium not basically able to see my notes or see the audience. Craig and I lived in different states in very demanding positions. And in the hurly-burly of the Labor world, ultimately it was just too difficult. I'm not involved in a relationship now, and you know, your, sort of, your life history rolls on.
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[Platypus]

It was awful, but he's a better trade minister than his shadow would be, by a mile.

[Vote UKIP!]

The Carbon Tax has claimed another victim...

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/07/09/carbon-tax-funeral-impact-unknown/

[Platypus]

The Carbon Tax has claimed another victim...

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/07/09/carbon-tax-funeral-impact-unknown/

Looks kinda like you saw a more balanced story elsewhere and then hunted down a source that most closely aligned with your views. Good to know the Sunshine Coast Daily didn't disappoint.

For a somewhat more balanced version, here's the take by the (still right-wing) Courier Mail:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/death-costs-wont-rise-under-carbon-tax-the-federal-government-has-promised/story-e6freon6-1226421669761

[Vote UKIP!]

The Carbon Tax has claimed another victim...

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2012/07/09/carbon-tax-funeral-impact-unknown/

Looks kinda like you saw a more balanced story elsewhere and then hunted down a source that most closely aligned with your views. Good to know the Sunshine Coast Daily didn't disappoint.

For a somewhat more balanced version, here's the take by the (still right-wing) Courier Mail:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/death-costs-wont-rise-under-carbon-tax-the-federal-government-has-promised/story-e6freon6-1226421669761

I assure you, I am quite ignorant of what is right or left in terms of Australian media. He only paper I know is the Australian, which is a Murdoch's outfit.

Anyway, I think he story is rather silly. I just posted it because of he weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth over the law.