2013 Federal election - Rudd sets date as 7th September

[Gozu]

Yet another example of the kind of people infecting the ALP these days:

Senior Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon has described the idea of an across-the-board increase in the dole as a "lazy" option, and has instead called for more targeted help for job seekers.

There is growing momentum within Labor ranks for a boost to the Newstart allowance, with one party source saying there is "serious support in Cabinet for it".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-01-10/d ... on/4459520

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Interesting and difficult topic. Elevated rents to maintain current standard of living for those who have the opportunity to obtain investment properties coupled with a reduction in welfare assistance across the board ie: reduction in the number of Housing Trust premises through reduced Government investment and increased sell off have created unprecedented shortage and demand of affordable housing for those in need. Australia was more economically balanced across society 20 or 30 years ago but I feel that this is rapidly eroding with recent posts on this thread supporting this. There are several initiatives for community low cost housing supported by private investment but I am yet to see an example of these that has proved economically viable for the shrewd investor, and therefore are reliant upon social conscience investment which is unlikely to meet the current demand. I feel Governments will need to provide support measures as was the case in the past if we are to have a society that provides opportunity for all.

[Bully]

ok so the families minister has now come out and said "She is sorry for the comments made about how she could live on the dole" and understands it is difficult. So to me that is saying she knows the dole is not enough????? And will do something aboout it???? Hmmmmmm doubt it...

yes the outright bludgers who sit on their backsides all day and get dole payments piss me off, but the people who are in hard times applying for 10 jobs a week etc and getting knocked back must find it very hard...

[RustyCage]

ok so the families minister has now come out and said "She is sorry for the comments made about how she could live on the dole" and understands it is difficult. So to me that is saying she knows the dole is not enough????? And will do something aboout it???? Hmmmmmm doubt it...

yes the outright bludgers who sit on their backsides all day and get dole payments piss me off, but the people who are in hard times applying for 10 jobs a week etc and getting knocked back must find it very hard...

Unfortunately there are many many people around who lump the second category there in with the first category.

[Bully]

still, to me that is saying she knows the dole is not enough, so why doesnt she do something about it for the decent poeple legit in finding work when unemployed. Yes its not all her choice, but start ruffling feathers....

[Sky Pilot]

Centre link in general know who the triers are and who the bludgers are but they lack the powers to sort them into two groups.

[Roxy the Rat Girl]

Centre link in general know who the triers are and who the bludgers are but they lack the powers to sort them into two groups.

Parliament should give Centrelink the necessary powers. Perhaps the Families Minister could draft the bill?

[Sky Pilot]

More like a job for the Minister of Sport and Recreation

[Bully]

Centre link in general know who the triers are and who the bludgers are but they lack the powers to sort them into two groups.

not what i have been told, i had 2 mates one who sat on his arse on the dole, and one who looked for work, and the mate who sat on his backside for a few weeks got his payments taken away due to no evidence of trying to find work

[Jimmy_041]

Here we go: head to head

[Psyber]

I came across this attributed to Mark Latham.
Does anyone know whether it really came from him?

Who is Tony Abbott?

Overheard last week: "It's such a shame there isn't someone other than Tony Abbott as alternative Prime Minister. We think the Gillard government is bad for the country, but it would be better if we had another Opposition leader to vote for."

It caused me to ask why that view might exist given Abbott's background, and I wondered if it might be that people do not know his history. So, I have put together some information which might help get a better understanding of the man.

Abbott graduated from the University of Sydney with degrees in Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Bachelor of Economics (BEc). Then he became a Rhodes Scholar at Queens College Oxford UK  in Politics and Philosophy. He also won a boxing blue at Oxford. He married Margaret in 1987 and has three daughters. He is a member of the congregation of the Catholic Church.
He was involved in student politics, but beyond that, biographer Michael Duffy, wrote that during his student days he  "........saved a child who was swept out to sea. Another time, he helped save children from a burning house next to a pub where he was drinking. On each occasion he disappeared before he could be properly thanked".
He is a member of Manly's Queenscliffe SLSC, and a member of the  New South Wales Rural Fire Service, both of which he joined before it was politically expedient to do so. He spent several weeks teaching in  remote Aboriginal settlements in Cape York in an effort  'to familiarise himself with indigenous issues'.

If you are wondering where some of the negativity attributed to Tony Abbott comes from, go on to the Net and have a look at the comments which followed, 2 years ago, when he was asked by the Women's Weekly 
"What advice  would you give your three daughters on sex before marriage?"
He told the magazine: I would say to my daughters, if they were to ask me this question, it is the greatest gift you can give someone, the ultimate gift of giving and don't give it up to someone lightly."

Yet, if you were to read many of the comments on the Internet and the print media at the time, you could be forgiven for thinking he was attempting to impose his will on all females in Australia, had ranted against women, had argued for Muslim like chastity, and so on................... See for yourself - Google it! Gillard's response was to accuse Abbott of "lecturing women"???
I have also included a video of Abbott where he commented on, in what seems to me to be quite a balanced fashion, "climate change" yet the title of the video suggests he has been extreme in "denying climate change and advocating carbon tax".
See what you think. http://youtu.be/oPpQisoZqx4
Then have a look at the longer interview from which this original excerpt was taken http://youtu.be/ZoCKhNr8Atk.

Abbott has had a history of being told by 'ABC types' that he lacks compassion, does not understand homosexuality or homosexuals, avoids situations where he might need to face up to gay relationships, and so on. Again, because he was not prepared to reveal personal issues of others (ethics, principles,?), he did not speak about his own sister's lesbian relationship and the part he played in supporting her. It would have been an easy defence for him, but in line with his principles and values, he chose not to use it.

Granted, he is not a super smooth, off the cuff, speaker, and does not fit the orator mould. But when he is compared to the glib tongues and untrustworthiness of Gillard, Rudd, Swan, etc., it is not difficult to determine which attributes are more important for the leadership of Australia.

After Abbott completed his studies, he became a journalist for The Bulletin and also the Australian. For a time he was plant manager for Pioneer Concrete, then became press secretary for the then Opposition Leader, Dr John Hewson. He was elected to Parliament in 1994 at a bi-election. He has held various Ministerial posts and his actions in those roles are a matter of public record . His work ethic is unquestioned.

He was dismayed at the policies of former leader Malcolm Turnbull relating to ETS, and following widespread disaffection with Turnbull's stance among Liberal Party members, threw his hat into the ring, as did Joe Hockey, for leadership of the Liberal Party. Abbott was successful. At the time, the polls were running strongly against the Liberal Party (in the 40% approval range), while Kevin Rudd enjoyed figures around 60%Within a short space of time, with Abbott as leader, those figures changed to such a degree that Rudd was replaced in the now infamous "faceless men" coup which installed Gillard. Since that time, Abbott has maintained constant focus on the ever widening circle of disasters associated with the Gillard government to the stage where support for that government now hovers around the 30% mark.

Abbott, strikes me as a person of integrity, he has values in which I too believe, and ethics based on his Christian beliefs. I would much rather place my trust in someone who, in his actions, has shown he is what he says, rather than someone who will say anything to gain a prospective advantage for themselves. 

[Gozu]

More Abbott stupidity:

Bernard Keane ‏@BernardKeane
Remember when Mr Abbott claimed the mining tax made Tanzania a safer place for mining investors than Australia? Oops… http://is.gd/fbNy0d

Bernard Keane ‏@BernardKeane
Mr Abbott also said Argentina was safer than Australia. He’s not turning out a very good mining investment tipster http://is.gd/ZjavJI

Bernard Keane ‏@BernardKeane
How about Zambia, another country Tony Abbott said was a safer mining investment destination than Australia? Oh dear… http://is.gd/fz79ya

[Sky Pilot]

Here we go: head to head

Nice graphic. It will enrage the lefties

[The Sleeping Giant]

I like the Christian v atheist. Fairytale v reality. Lol.

[Gozu]

I like the Christian v atheist. Fairytale v reality. Lol.

Shhh I don't think they've realised it yet

[Sky Pilot]

I like the Christian v atheist. Fairytale v reality. Lol.

I like
Is married versus Has affairs with married men. Classic! Imagine if it was the other way around? Her spin machine would be all over it

[Q.]

I liked the part where it was objective...

[Jimmy_041]

I like the Christian v atheist. Fairytale v reality. Lol.

Shhh I don't think they've realised it yet

Now you mock a man for believing in God?
Of course, the hard catholic left of the Labor Party doesn't exist
Who lives in fairy world?

[Gozu]

Who lives in fairy world?

You and them, clearly.

[RustyCage]

Abbott stopped the boats? I think we all missed that happening!