Comments on: Newspoll geographic and demographic analysis

By: William Bowe

William Bowe — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 02:48:44 +0000

By: Judith Barnes

Judith Barnes — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:50:38 +0000

c’mon dovif, that fund was set up from the left over monies from the mining boom, that is after Howard had greased the palms of his top end of the town mates and spreed it vote buying, Costello had an embarrassment of riches that even Howard couldnt spend, the whole boom money should have been spent on infrastructure, hospitals, schools and universities, this country could have been the envy of the world instead of our utilities, ports and roads being second grade and we should have had by now one of the most skilled workforces in the world, Costello didnt have to stir a finger the money rolled in in a tidal wave and most was wasted just as quickly, Howard and Costello have a lot to answer for, just think of where we’d be now if that money was used properly, think of the Iraq war waste and what about the enormous amounts an egotistical Howard wasted on ads to try sell himself and Hiacynth intending to waste 1/2 mill. on redoing the diningroom to seat another two guests, what about the enormous amount to wallpaper the prime ministerial plane that Howard used for his never ending trips too and from Sydney and Canberra because the Lodge wasnt good enough for him,i could go on and on, add all of that to the rampant pork barrelling that was the Howard/Costello legacy, Rudd even tries to save the public purse by staying with our ambassadors rather than $10,000 a night hotels as the Howards and co did, i’d say he’s a prudent PM.i dont often rant but this is one thing that has me fired up.

By: Gusface

Gusface — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:33:00 +0000

Showson
“What about this story! Home Affairs Minister Bob Debus met with senior Australian Crime Commission officials, who promptly opened a file on the minister and included details of their night out”

they still think Howard is giving the orders

ps debus aint the only labor pollie they have a file on i venture!

By: Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:27:22 +0000

To quote the chief economist at the ANZ Bank – the Howard government ‘wasted every dollar of the surpluses’. The kitties they developed were to keep election time pork barrelling money away from ministers that actually might want to have policy. The current government has decided that the money that should have been spent on infrastructure over the past 10 years better get spent from now on to improve productivity and capacities, whilst we still have some China boom left.

By: Dario

Dario — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:23:05 +0000

The fund was set up by the prudent Howard government, who invested this amount for future capital projects, ie if the economy in the future slows, this will kick start the economy with 20billion…… that would be your prudent government

Saving money and never spending it while the house falls down around you is not ‘prudent’

By: dovif

dovif — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:18:25 +0000

Judith Barnes

2 things wrong with your assertion

The fund was set up by the prudent Howard government, who invested this amount for future capital projects, ie if the economy in the future slows, this will kick start the economy with 20billion…… that would be your prudent government

Rudd is just tapping into the kitty set up by Howard, and the economy had been slowing for a year now, people are still paying too high interest rate and inflation is still high, there is an argument for using this kitty later (to not increase inflation) or earlier (ie NSW in recession for 1 year now – incompetant government)

To say Rudd is doing a lot by saying he is using Howard and Costello’s kitty is a bit rich

By: Judith Barnes

Judith Barnes — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 01:07:36 +0000

i guess that will stop the whiners that Rudd’s doing nothing, the dills dont realise that it’s just as well we have a prudent government in now, one that carefully examines policy before implimenting it, rather than one who’ll paper over the cracks and gloss over the nitty gritty facts.

By: BigBob

BigBob — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:56:04 +0000

The infrastructure timetable advance has me thinking that Rudd & co. are expecting to have to do some pump priming via large projects in the next few years.

It could actually be the perfect time, as the world economy slows, all those tradespeople and engineers employed by the resource boom are going to need somewhere to head to.

By: Dario

Dario — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:29:29 +0000

Federal infrastructure program being brought forward 3 months to Christmas

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/sydney-to-reap-benefits-of-20b-lifeline/2008/10/02/1222651267629.html

By: Judith Barnes

Judith Barnes — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:56:34 +0000

before they can field candidates they have to work out which party room each member should meet in and just who can/cant vote at each meeting, then their voters will have to try and work out who of the plethora of candidates they want to vote for, what a schemozzle!