FF:QLD The Budget

w00t - budget time is here and it's like xmas. I get $14 extra a week in my pay!

What I don't get - although I'm sure the more politically adept here can correct me - is why the government is such a hero for having a $15 billion surplus. Now, bare with me wee feeble brain here - but that money isn't like magic money, is it? They didn't just put on an extra shift at the treasury and print more of the stuff. They have a surplus because they taxed us too harshly in the first place, didn't they?

How can they strut around patting themselves on the back about having all our money? What a crock.

 

Not really. They have so much money because they are taxing us the same while receiving titanic waves of cash from the busy bees in the mining and banking sectors. Everything's pretty rosy at the moment, Pete looks like he's about to smirk his face off.

So making the assumption that favourable conditions will continue, they can afford to cut taxes while spending eye-popping amounts on other things. Really, you get the impression they are desperately looking for things to spend money on. Endowment this, future fund that. As it is now certain there won't be a rate rise before the election, you have to wonder how labor can lay a glove on them over the enonomy.

 

They won't really have to. People are accustomed to a healthy economy now and will take it for granted. It's the slow spread of the impact of workchoices through the community - from people directly effected, to people indirectly (families/dependents etc) and the righteously outraged crowd - that'll hang them. Perhaps.

That and the fact that while the 'fat cats' are rolling in it, so many people can't afford rent let alone to buy their own house.

I'm not convinced rates won't rise - I never am until they are announced each month.

 

They have a large surplus to hurl back in tax cuts because rather than spending money on, you know, essential services and the like, they're trying to bribe the populous into voting for them again. Too many people fell for that trick last time around, and I really hope they won't this year.

</WishfulThinking>

 

We need tax cuts. We're one of the highest taxed countries in the world, the government should spend less money in a better way IMO

 

Since it's 6 a.m., I haven't slept yet, and I usually agree with this guy politically, I'll post his thoughts, stolen from here. Be warned, this guy obviously hates the Howard Government:

A message from your oppressors

Dear Australia:

Have some money. Please vote Liberal.

Middle-class? Sorry, we mean 'aspirational'? Have some money. Please vote Liberal.

Got kids? Aww. Have some money. Please vote Liberal.

Kids going to Uni? Have some more money. Please vote Liberal.

Feel like you pay too much tax? Have some cash back. Please vote Liberal.

Paying off a mortgage? We promise not to say anything to upset the Reserve Bank until after the election. That's very much like money. Please vote Liberal.

Live in a National-party seat? Have some roads and some money. Please vote Lib... er, Coalition.

Senior citizen? Yes, you're right, baggy pants and Playstations are awful. Have some money. Please don't die before you get a chance to vote Liberal one more time.

Already wealthy? Let us unzip your pants. Have some more money. Much more money. We won't ask you to vote Liberal, because we know you love us already.

Care about infrastructure, the environment, civil liberties, unemployment, Iraq, social justice, the poor or the possibility that all this mining money will run out someday? FRAK OFF BACK TO RUSSIA, HIPPIE.

--
It's rare to see such utter shamelessness in a budget, even an election-year budget; Costello stopped only just short of promising everyone cocktails and orgasms. All pandering, no future; all feel-good, no substance. The education initiatives would be promising if they were real, but they're just a desperate attempt to negate Labor. Climate change gets no attention, because that's the kind of talk that could affect interest rates; we'll see something about it closer to the election date, so it can attract votes before the Reserve Bank reacts.

But will it attract votes? Will it affect the election? I have my doubts. If the election was next month, maybe - except Rudd/Labor's lead is far too strong for that to happen so soon. So the election will be a good 4-6 months away, giving the Libs time to politick their little guts out - by which time everyone's spent the tax refund check and wondering why they can't wash their car or get a job any more.

That's me being optimistic, mind you. I have to be if I want to stay sane.

Enjoy your cash while it lasts, Australia. But ask yourself if it's enough to buy you outright this time around.

Since I'm not an economist, why is it so good to have such a large surplus, and why are we not spending it on infrastructure or essential services?

If things don't improve, a shack by a stream somewhere in Canada or Scotland is starting to look damn appealing again...

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider

 

Meh, as far as I'm concerned politics in Australia is a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation.

Federal gov says "let's make one education system and one ciriculum"
State gov says "bugger off"

State gov says "we need money to reform ciriculum"
Federal gov says "bugger off"

Federal gov says "let's try to get a uniform health system"
State gov says "our department, we're looking into it"

State gov says "we need money to fix health"
Federal gov says "you spent the last lot we gave you on a fugly bridge, bugger off"

It honestly doens't matter who is in power, the general politics of this country isn't a "what's best" it's a "we oppose the other party". They don't stop to think for a minute that they might actually have to work together on some things - state/federal, gov/opposition - to actually FIX the system. Oh no, they go for the short term fixes that are going to make them look better than the other side. And the moment you get a state/federal party domination you can kiss goodbye to any "democracy" previously "enjoyed" because everyone just gets steamrolled to one side of the political spectrum - with ZERO moderation.

Scary thing is I don't think it is any better in any other country.

Coalition stays in - conservative politics which 9 times out of 10 I oppose.
Labour gets in - in a couple of years I will be taxed through the nose (min of 0.50 in the $) because I'm in an apparently "rich" professional field and I should be paying for every lazy tom, dick, and harry to bum around all day. And don't even get me started on compulsory unionism.

Mickey Mouse gets my vote AGAIN. Funny that's it's classified as an invalid vote, it's not like it's apples and oranges - I'm only adding another rodent to the list.

 

Ummm....


Yes, I agree.

We have a surplus because the money is not being spent on the systems that we think they are. The Goverenment systems are moving toward the american system.

The goverenment just governs. The provision of services and infrustructure is for private industry to handle. Quality of service is industry moderated.

Welcome to the class revolution.

 

Theres a good reason why the government would want to have a huge surplus and tax cuts for people. Both are vote catchers, and aimed squarely and "middle Australia", that both parties are aiming for. Politically, surpluses and tax cuts justify themselves. Sure, theres millions of ways you can spend the billions surplus, 20.2 million ways, with plenty of funding to areas that sound good to voters. In the end, it comes down to how the government can give as much happiness to as many people possible to swing the 10% of the population it needs to hold office at the next election.

 

Say wha' ????

 

Seriously, if the liberals win office at the next election I will kill myself or emmigrate.

I don't care which.

 

A bit drastic don't you think?

 

no.

 

I've got some brochures for Scotland or Canada if you want an alternative to suicide.

Be seeing you,

Magnus Darcrider

 

And I've got Irish citizenship, if it comes to that.

 

You could move to colombia....

 

Colombia.... I think there is only so far 'hola chica' and 'dos didos mes amigos' is going to get me.

 

QQ

Kevin Rudd (and in fact most of the ALP at the moment) = Conservatives in red clothing.

You might consider keeping your kitchen knives sharp whoever wins khali