History will judge the Rudd,Swan,Gillard,Brown and Milne era as a monumental disaster - it is impossible to see how Australia will ever get back to the strong position it was in pre these - I will be kind and call them people - albeit hopeless ones.

History will judge the Rudd,Swan,Gillard,Brown and Milne era as a monumental disaster - it is impossible to see how Australia will ever get back to the strong position it was in pre these - I will be kind and call them people - albeit hopeless ones.

lol

Old bloke - check

Rusted on Liberal supporter - check

Obvious hatred of the Labor Party - check

Ranting views without any facts to back them up - check

I think we have our new Robbie.

I haven't been sold anything - if you think a huge deficit getting bigger by the day is better than a surplus - well I feel for you.

I don't want our grandkids and their kids paying it off forever.

You only have to look at the mess in Europe to see the path Rudd, Swan and Gillard have set us on (was the waste on School Halls, pink batts etc. etc.O K? - I know it wasn't). What happens when the next crisis occurs - there is nothing in the kitty to bail us out again.

Fossil you need to study some macroeconomics 101 and Keynesian theory on how to avoid a depression! At the time the Pink batts program and school halls was about providing jobs, keeping jobs and providing stimulus here and now in the face of a serious economic downturn. The pink batts added to energy efficiency, the school halls were welcome infrastructure for public schools. Yes there may have been some overpricing but that was not the point at the time. It was about keeping the construction industry going to avoid lay offs, rising unemployment and mortgage defaults etc, etc, the spiral of events that occurred in the USA in 2008 and floored their economy.

Yes we moved from surplus to deficit but where would we be if we stubbornly held onto a surplus and did nothing at the time? I suggest given the amount of debt people were holding in their house mortgages at the the time, a big rise in unemployment would have had dire consequences for our economy, unemployment, defaulting loans and stress on the banks. But hey maybe the GFC never happened.

But I am sure you are with Joe Hanrahan Hockey who would be happy with a surplus even if the economy was in ruins!

Oh and then Julia bought in the carbon tax! But the consequences of that for our economy is another fairy story we need to discuss one day.

Edited July 27, 201410 yr by Earl Hood

lol

Old bloke - check

Rusted on Liberal supporter - check

Obvious hatred of the Labor Party - check

Ranting views without any facts to back them up - check

I think we have our new Robbie.

p-man - originality - check

earl - bandwaggon - check

dc - bored - check

Edited July 27, 201410 yr by daisycutter

I cannot believe how many deluded Labor supporters follow the Demons.

How much debt do you think constitutes a problem.

History shows that Labor gets us into debt and the Libs dig us out of it - time and time again.

Except Rudd, Swan and Gillard went way too far and a return to a surplus (which doesn't seem a bad thing) is nigh on impossible now.

Contrary to what you blokes think - I couldn't care less if Labor is in power PROVIDED they don't butcher the economy and govern well for all Australians.

Hawke and Keating weren't too bad - but that latest lot..........................................................words are inadequate.

History will judge the Rudd,Swan,Gillard,Brown and Milne era as a monumental disaster - it is impossible to see how Australia will ever get back to the strong position it was in pre these - I will be kind and call them people - albeit hopeless ones.

what a pity the howard governments didn't put away more money & then spend them on the public hospitals & the health system, & instead of running them down in condition.

And also the public school sector as well, after decades of neglect has occurred, because the liberals cut cut cut on budgets; running the public systems down when under liberal governments control, at federal level re budgets; forcing they're state counterparts to follow in the federal Liberals wheel ruts.

The Liberals know they can play the surplus & budget cards all the time, as Labor stands for social values of a national health system for all, & for education as well...

So the Liberals Cut way harder than is ever necessary on these public systems, all but ripping Out the Heart of them ;; & in the FULL knowledge that when there is a change of government again, installing Labor back into power; that Labor Will budget for, & spend the money to reinstate those Public necessities.

this is the stinking game of the Liberals, & they've been doing this for at least 25 Yrs or so. All the while allowing all sorts of fringe benefits, & imported luxury vehicles to be claimed against taxes... to the net loss of all Australian citizens. especially in the health, education, & public transport areas.

now lets all pay for people to go out again & copulate for the Flag. Have a baby on us all. Oh wait, thats just what the young single women did didn't they. had babies on the Aussie budget & on the dole as well. and the other kept women, were looked after with the fringe benefits.

seriously, let people have their babies through love, & not because of financial reasons, & population statistics....

lets just tax us all annually at 33% per-anum before costs, with NO tax deductions allowances at all. flat rate... all that money goes into the Australian citizens pot for budget spending... such as infrastructure to be spent during quieter economical times, & rainy days.

................words are inadequate.

At least it would be in keeping with the rest of what you've posted.

You're yet to actually forge an argument. Cliches and regurgitation of slogans aren't an argument.

Why is the debt unmanageable? How did Labor ruin us? How is returning to surplus "nigh on impossible"? Explain your position.

...but that latest lot..........................................................words are inadequate.

and for this latest lot, inadequate is the word.

I don't want our grandkids and their kids paying it off forever.

You got this off a liberal party election ad, didn't you.

How much debt do you think constitutes a problem.

According to a study - in 2011 - 34.9% of Australians owned a house with a mortgage. 1 in 3 Australians with debt hanging over their heads. Debt is not a problem if it is manageable.

I don't think that the problem with the last government was how much they spent - the problem for me was how and on what they actually spent money.

Edited July 28, 201410 yr by nutbean

I don't hate Labor. I just dislike gross incompetence that we, our kids and our grandkids will pay for.

I don't like and agree with all Abbott and Hockey say and do. But they have a million miles to go to be as bad as Rudd, Gillard and Swan.

Labor lost the election and Govt. for one reason - their gross incompetence - get over it.

Only time will tell if the Libs can do better - hopefully they can.

In the meantime to slate Abbott as an International Embarrasment is ridiculous - he is doing very well on the international scene - responding to the shooting down of the Malaysian plane.

(and he is not taking selfies and abusing flight stewards - and there are no videos of him ranting like a lunatic)

I can only presume some of the responses to this are coming from those on welfare or school teachers.

End of story.

I don't hate Labor. I just dislike gross incompetence that we, our kids and our grandkids will pay for.

I don't like and agree with all Abbott and Hockey say and do. But they have a million miles to go to be as bad as Rudd, Gillard and Swan.

Labor lost the election and Govt. for one reason - their gross incompetence - get over it.

Only time will tell if the Libs can do better - hopefully they can.

In the meantime to slate Abbott as an International Embarrasment is ridiculous - he is doing very well on the international scene - responding to the shooting down of the Malaysian plane.

(and he is not taking selfies and abusing flight stewards - and there are no videos of him ranting like a lunatic)

I can only presume some of the responses to this are coming from those on welfare or school teachers.

End of story.

And you say you're not a rusted on Lib... you are fooling no-one with sweeping generalisations such as that.

And his response to the shooting down of MH17 is nothing different to what any other of our leaders would have done in the same position. He is the leader of the country and has to act... simple. As for the bracketed line immediately after that (selfies etc), what that has to do with anything is beyond me...but to seemingly place it as a comment on how they may have responded to the MH17 event, is beyond the pale. You are not rusted on... you are bolted, welded, and superglued on.

Edited July 28, 201410 yr by hardtack

As above - End of Story - leave it to the Rusted On Labor people on welfare or who are school teachers.

Great - I am now a Demon - didn't like the rookie tag.

As above - End of Story - leave it to the Rusted On Labor people on welfare or who are school teachers.

Great - I am now a Demon - didn't like the rookie tag.

Says it all really... sweeping generalisations are the refuge of those who have no reasonable arguments to back themselves up.

ho hum, the righteous indignation of the chardonnay left ganging up on the rusted on (neo con) lib

pity there is no hannibal to even up the bulltish throwing

arguing the benefits of surplus versus deficit is like having a religious war without realising

carry on, fools

In the meantime to slate Abbott as an International Embarrasment is ridiculous - he is doing very well on the international scene - responding to the shooting down of the Malaysian plane.

The Government response to the MH17 has been handled well - but there wasn't too many other options in terms of responses to be made. A fairly simple test for a PM which you have correctly pointed out - he has done well.

Do you feel he has done very well on the international scene on his Governments stance on more contentious issues such as asylum seekers and climate change ? (rhetorical)

carry on, fools

hey....I resemble that remark.

hey....I resemble that remark.

among others

surprised nut that no-one is discussing dic-gate

among others

surprised nut that no-one is discussing dic-gate

I'm actually not a rusted on anything - except rusted on to a damn good argument. Love me an argument. ( coming on here beats the hell out of calling the boss a dick)

He is indeed an international embarrassment.

Americans laughing at us over Abbott:

/thread

He is indeed an international embarrassment.

Americans laughing at us over Abbott:

/thread

you do realise choke that american presidents have been the butt of international jokes and derision for decades

not meaning to defend mr rabbit but just to add a bit of so-what context

you do realise choke that american presidents have been the butt of international jokes and derision for decades

not meaning to defend mr rabbit but just to add a bit of so-what context

Of course.

My thoughts are simply this: Americans laugh at our PM, which embarrasses us, therefore he is an international embarrassment.

We spent years deriding the Americans for voting in Bush. Now we have our very own target of international derision.

So, like my American friends told me when I made Bush jokes I will return in kind; "I didn't vote for him".

I don't hate Labor. I just dislike gross incompetence that we, our kids and our grandkids will pay for.

I don't like and agree with all Abbott and Hockey say and do. But they have a million miles to go to be as bad as Rudd, Gillard and Swan.

Labor lost the election and Govt. for one reason - their gross incompetence - get over it.

Only time will tell if the Libs can do better - hopefully they can.

In the meantime to slate Abbott as an International Embarrasment is ridiculous - he is doing very well on the international scene - responding to the shooting down of the Malaysian plane.

(and he is not taking selfies and abusing flight stewards - and there are no videos of him ranting like a lunatic)

I can only presume some of the responses to this are coming from those on welfare or school teachers.

End of story.

Didn't answer a single question or provide any facts, just more non-sensical ranting about your grandkids having to pay. Can't say I'm shocked.

Labor lost the election because of their in-fighting made public, not because of their incompetence in actually governing. And who the hell cares about what selfies he took? How does that in any way impact upon YOU? Are you that fickle to vote based on something like that?

Abbott's spin machine and incessant negativity was designed to convince people like you that the country was going to hell. He banks on the votes of the easily manipulated. Fortunately, hopefully, his arrogance will catch up to him and we can ditch him after one term. If not, you haven't even seen incompetence yet.

lol @ "he's doing very well on the international scene". Yeah, he got off to a flying start with Indonesia. The Chinese too are big Abbott fans. That relationship is going from strength to strength after he essentially chose sides and declared Japan Australia's BFF, admiring their "honour and skill" during WW2.

Don't get me started on the world's reacton to his climate policy, or lack thereof.

The world is wondering how the hell we could vote in a man like Tony Abbott. Me too.

Didn't answer a single question or provide any facts, just more non-sensical ranting about your grandkids having to pay. Can't say I'm shocked.

Labor lost the election because of their in-fighting made public, not because of their incompetence in actually governing. And who the hell cares about what selfies he took? How does that in any way impact upon YOU? Are you that fickle to vote based on something like that?

Abbott's spin machine and incessant negativity was designed to convince people like you that the country was going to hell. He banks on the votes of the easily manipulated. Fortunately, hopefully, his arrogance will catch up to him and we can ditch him after one term. If not, you haven't even seen incompetence yet.

lol @ "he's doing very well on the international scene". Yeah, he got off to a flying start with Indonesia. The Chinese too are big Abbott fans. That relationship is going from strength to strength after he essentially chose sides and declared Japan Australia's BFF, admiring their "honour and skill" during WW2.

Don't get me started on the world's reacton to his climate policy, or lack thereof.

The world is wondering how the hell we could vote in a man like Tony Abbott. Me too.

i'm still wondering how the hell we (collectively) could have voted in mr sincerity kevin rudd

especially after his non-stellar record in state government

will we never learn from history and be so easily misled by 21st century political spin?

i'm still wondering how the hell we (collectively) could have voted in mr sincerity kevin rudd

especially after his non-stellar record in state government

will we never learn from history and be so easily misled by 21st century political spin?

Rudd's campaign wasn't based entirely around naysaying everything Howard did. If anything he tried to position himself as a modernised version of Howard. Abbott basically lied and scaremongered his way into office. He lied about the state of the economy. He lied about what he would or wouldn't do in the budget. He lied about how much people would save when he "axed the tax". He just lied, and lied, and lied, and didn't care a wit because there are enough idiots who think "stopping the boats" is a life or death issue.

I don't see much point in banging on about Rudd. He's gone, and narcisisst or not, he left with a strong economy and a path towards a stronger education and health system which Abbott is doing his best to dismantle.

Rudd's campaign wasn't based entirely around naysaying everything Howard did. If anything he tried to position himself as a modernised version of Howard. Abbott basically lied and scaremongered his way into office. He lied about the state of the economy. He lied about what he would or wouldn't do in the budget. He lied about how much people would save when he "axed the tax". He just lied, and lied, and lied, and didn't care a wit because there are enough idiots who think "stopping the boats" is a life or death issue.

I don't see much point in banging on about Rudd. He's gone, and narcisisst or not, he left with a strong economy and a path towards a stronger education and health system which Abbott is doing his best to dismantle.

i just knew you would attempt some form of apologia for the good old aussie battler kevin

you are so predictably left and yet you lampoon fossil for being a rusted on righty