ABC board criticises Abbott government in annual report

ABC board criticises Abbott government in annual report

Directors led by chairman James Spigelman accuse Coalition of breaking election promises by cutting broadcaster’s budget

• 
  Amanda Meade
• 
  
  
  
• 
  theguardian.com,
  Friday 31 October 2014 18.58 AEST
  
• 
  Jump to comments (542)
  

ABC directors also claimed, at $120 per household per year, the ABC provided value for money.
Photograph: Andrew Henshaw/AAP Image

The ABC board has used its annual report to make a pointed statement
about the Coalition’s broken pre-election promise not to cut the budget
of the public broadcaster.


ABC directors also claimed at $120 per household per year the ABC
provided value for money and was 2.5 times cheaper than a basic pay TV
subscription ($300).


“The full suite of service – radio, television and digital, both
domestic and international – costs roughly $120 per household per year,”
they said.


The board has also accused the government of cutting an additional
“several million dollars” by stealth – on top of the 1% cut and the
termination of the Australian Network contract.


“The amount appropriated was fixed without any consultation with the
ABC,” the directors said. “It was several million dollars less than the
amount required. The difference, which will be determined when the
redundancy process is complete, represents a further cut.”


The statement by the board directors, led by chairman James
Spigelman, expressed “profound disappointment” at the government’s
action and said they had been “short-sighted” in terminating the funding
for the Australia Network.


“The board was disappointed that, contrary to pre-election statements
made by the prime minister, the 2014-15 budget, handed down in May,
included a 1% reduction in the corporation’s base funding,” the note in
the annual report, tabled in parliament on Friday, said.


“The minister for communications, the Hon. Malcolm Turnbull MP,
described this cut as a ‘down-payment’ on future funding reductions. In
addition, the government announced it would terminate the contract
between the ABC and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat)
for the operation of the Australia Network Service.


“Together, the announced cuts will amount to a budget reduction of
$120m over the next four years. The ABC has commenced a detailed program
of work to examine the best way of meeting these and anticipated
further funding cuts, including a fundamental re-organisation of its
international service.”


The ABC board is waiting for the government’s expenditure review
committee to tell them how much extra money they need to cut from the
$1.1bn budget, which has already lost $120m over four years.

Jackie Kelly calls Abbott government ‘lying, lying, lying toads’

Jackie Kelly calls Abbott government ‘lying, lying, lying toads’

Former Liberal minister says go-ahead for Badgerys Creek airport treats western Sydney residents ‘like schmucks’

• Gabriielle Chan
• 
  
  
  
• 
  theguardian.com,
  Friday 31 October 2014 12.57 AEST
  

Jackie Kelly resigned from the Liberal party two weeks ago over its failure to reform.
Photograph: Alan Porritt/AAP

Former Liberal minister Jackie Kelly has referred to the Abbott
government as “lying, lying, lying toads” for betraying western Sydney
on the Badgerys Creek airport.


Kelly, the Howard government star who resigned from the Liberal party two weeks ago
over its failure to reform, has accused her former friend Tony Abbott
of treating western Sydney residents “like schmucks” just “so the north
shore can get their curfews”. Tony Abbott’s electorate of Warringah is
on Sydney’s north shore.


In his first infrastructure statement to parliament this week, Abbott
said the decision to go ahead with Badgerys Creek airport was
“irrevocable” and would be supported by a range of infrastructure,
including roads and rail.


“That’s a crock,” Kelly told Guardian Australia. “They are lying, lying, lying toads.”


“They haven’t planned for it, there is no money on the table … Badgerys Creek will be a 24-hour airport mostly for freight.


“It will put even more trucks on our roads. The north shore can get
their curfews but we schmucks in western Sydney don’t deserve caps and
curfews. We deserve better representation.”


Kelly said a Badgerys Creek airport would not attract “cheap
airfares” because it would mainly cater to freight and so western Sydney
residents would still have to trek into Mascot to fly out.


She said she has had many people asking her to run as an independent
in the next federal election but she has ruled it out at this stage.
However, Kelly committed to helping the No Badgerys Creek Airport group
run candidates and a campaign at the federal election, and she believes
the group will garner enough support to tip seats away from the
government.


Kelly resigned from the party over its failure to implement reforms
in the Howard report on party reform, in which John Howard recommended
every Liberal party member be allowed to vote for local candidates.


Kelly has not spoken to Abbott since her resignation from the party
but said he knows her views because she has been saying it “inside the
party” for many years.


“The difference is now I can say it outside the party,” Kelly said.


Abbott, who campaigned on being the “infrastructure prime minister”,
told parliament this week the government had begun consulting with the
Sydney Airport Group on Badgerys Creek and the construction would begin
in 2016. He said an upgrade of Bringelly road and the WestConnex would
support the Badgerys Creek airport to give western Sydney the “modern
infrastructure it deserves”.


“It’s the centrepiece of our long-term vision for western Sydney –
and heeding past lessons, it will be a case of roads first, airport
second: the roads will be built before the first plane has landed.”

Curriculum Reviewer Barry Spurr Mocks 'Abos, Mussies, Women, Chinky-Poos' | newmatilda.com

Curriculum Reviewer Barry Spurr Mocks 'Abos, Mussies, Women, Chinky-Poos' | newmatilda.com

Curriculum Reviewer Barry Spurr Mocks 'Abos, Mussies, Women, Chinky-Poos'

By Chris Graham and Wendy Bacon

A picture from University of Sydney Professor Barry Spurr's Facebook page.

Keywords: 

professor barry spurr

christopher pyne

national school curriculum

Meet
the man who Education Minister Christopher Pyne appointed to review
what our nation's kids will be taught in English classes. Chris Graham
and Wendy Bacon report.

A
University of Sydney Professor – employed by the federal government as a
specialist consultant to review the national English curriculum – has
described the Prime Minister as an “Abo lover” while at the same time
advising the government to focus less on teaching Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander literature in our nation’s schools, and place greater
emphasis on western Judeo-Christian culture.


In email correspondence that spans more than two years, Barry Spurr,
the nation’s leading Professor of Poetry, describes Aboriginal people as
‘human rubbish tips’ and “Abos”, and rails against the prevalence of
Aboriginal culture in school curriculums, and within politics. But the
exchanges are not just limited to First Nations people.


Professor Spurr also takes aim at “bogans” “fatsoes”, “Mussies” and
“Chinky-Poos”, and laments the reality that Australia is less white than
it was in the 1950s.


He calls Nelson Mandela a “darkie” and Desmond Tutu a “witch doctor”;
describes his University of Sydney chancellor Belinda Hutchinson as “an
appalling minx”; likens Methodists to “serpents”; refers to women as
“whores”; and in response to a comment about a female victim of a
serious sexual assault being a “worthless slut”, he suggests that she
needs more than just ‘penis’ put in her mouth, before it’s “stitched
up”.


In one email, Professor Spurr tells university colleagues and friends
that 95 per cent of the students at Australian universities –
including, presumably his own – should not be studying at tertiary
institutions, and remarks that a colleague who publicly advanced that
argument will be “derided as elitist, fascist, misogynist – the usual
litany”.


“[But] he’s completely right. One day the Western world will wake up,
when the Mussies and the chinky-poos have taken over,” he adds.


Even the “modern Brit” comes in for a serve, described by Professor Spurr as “the scum of the earth”.


Between September 2012 and late 2014, the emails were sent to around a
dozen people, including very senior academics and officials within the
University of Sydney.


Professor Spurr has this morning defended his email exchanges,
telling New Matilda they were clearly intended to mock the “very extreme
language” used.


“The comments that you refer to are largely to one recipient with
whom I have had a whimsical linguistic game for many years of trying to
outdo one another in extreme statements.


“These statements are not reflections of my views or his.


“What I say about the place of the study of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander language and literature in the curriculum is my
considered professional view and not in any way influenced by these
email exchanges which are linguistic play, and the numerous students of
different races and of colour with whom I have worked for many years
will testify that I have treated them with the same equity and dignity
that I treat all my students.


“I find it astonishing that you would think that I would seriously
hold those views and not realise, as a journalist, that these are emails
of mock-shockng (sic) repartee, mocking, in fact, that very kind of
extreme language.”


A source within the University of Sydney, connected to the School of
Letters, Art and Media (SLAM) - which includes the English Department -
has confirmed that the emails were sent from Professor Spurr’s official
university email address.


Ironically, SLAM has been the subject of an ongoing attack in The
Australian newspaper this week, with Media Editor Sharri Markson
alleging the journalism department at the University of Sydney has been
“brain-washing” students with biased, left-wing course material which
attacks conservatism and rubbishes her employer, News Corporation.


Professor Spurr was chosen by the Abbott Government to serve on the
National Curriculum Review, headed by Professor Ken Wiltshire and Dr
Kevin Donnelly. The final report was handed to the Abbott Government
late last week.


The review is proposing to alter the national school curriculum introduced in 2011 by the Labor government.


Professor Spurr’s contribution to the review was in the area of
English studies. He argues that contribution of First Nations writers to
Australia’s literary tradition has been “minimal” and that the focus of
the curriculum should be on western civilisation and Judeo-Christian
heritage.

A screen capture from the University of Sydney website, announcing Professor Spurr's appointment to the review in May this year.

“The impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on
literature in English in Australia has been minimal and is vastly
outweighed by the impact of global literature in English and especially
that from Britain, on our literary culture,” Professor Spurr writes.


His comments are given additional weight in the final report, which
notes that the “emphasis” on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
literature was “criticised for undervaluing Australian literature and
the place of Western literature, particularly poetry”.


Those views have been strongly backed by Minister for Education,
Christopher Pyne, who described the review as having an “absence of
ideology”. On ABC Lateline earlier this week he defended the
recommendations to focus the curriculum away from Aboriginal culture
towards “our Judeo-Christian heritage”.


“Before 1788, our history was Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
culture and history almost exclusively. Since that time, obviously since
colonisation, Western civilisation, our Judeo-Christian heritage has
been the basis of our development as a nation,” Pyne said.


“So therefore, learning about where we've come from is not
ideological, it's simply learning about where we've come from…. But
knowing about our Western heritage is not repudiating our Indigenous
heritage and it's not Christianity, it's just history.”


That mirrors Professor Spurr’s public statements in the review, but
it’s a world away from what Professor Spurr says privately about
Aboriginal people and culture.


While publicly, he argues the Aboriginal contribution to Australian
literature is “minimal”, privately, he says the ‘Abo’ contribution is
non-existent.


In an email written in April 19 this year, sent to two friends
outside the University of Sydney, Professor Spurr reveals that Education
Minister Christopher Pyne – the man who appointed him to the review –
wants him to compare Australian school curriculums with curriculums from
other countries.


“The Californian high school English curriculum has arrived (as Pyne
wants me to compare ours with other countries). Another 300 pages of
reading!


“And whereas the local curriculum has the phrase ‘Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander’ on virtually every one of its 300 pages, the
Californian curriculum does not ONCE mention native Americans and has
only a very slight representation of African-American literature (which,
unlike Abo literature, actually exists and has some distinguished
productions).”


In response to that specific discrepancy, Professor Spurr explained
this morning: “My considered view is that it is very small, perhaps not
zero precisely, so I used the term 'slight' to be as positive as I could
be.”


Professor Spurr’s commentary on Aboriginal people and culture – and
people of colour generally – are littered throughout the years of
correspondence.


In April 2014, he rails against a ceremony at Uluru for the visiting
royals, Prince William and Princess Catherine, at which entertainment is
provided by “well known Aboriginal singer, Wingabanga Gumberumbul”,
presumably a reference to Gurrumul Yunupingu. Professor Spurr calls the
Prime Minister “gutless and hypocritical”, and blames his chief-of-staff
Peta Credlin for the appearance of an ‘Abo’ singer.


“We have thousands of brilliant young Australians musicians,
including the wonderful Nicole Car (who would wear her bra under her
dress) currently on the brink of an international operatic career. Why
aren’t they asked to perform? Abbott’s to blame for this. This is his
day with them, his reception. He should have put his foot down and said,
‘No more Abos’. But he’s as gutless and hypocritical of the rest of
them. No doubt Peta Whatsername said ‘Do it Tony. It makes you look like
a sensitive guy’.”


In January this year, he writes that “Abo Lover Abbott and
[Australian of the Year] Adam Goodes” are Siamese Twins and will have to
be surgically separated.

A screen capture of one of the Professor Spurr emails, which describes Tony Abbott as an 'Abo lover'.

In October 2013, he sends a long email about an Aboriginal family who
lives down the road from him in inner western Sydney. He describes them
as a ‘human rubbish tip’ and mocks Vice-Chancellor of Sydney
University, Michael Spence for his support of Aboriginal people and
culture under an email headed ‘Ancient Wisdom’.


“These are the people whose ‘ancient wisdom’, our V-C says, we should
respect, and to whom we apologise on every possible occasion and whose
rich culture we bow down before, confessing our wickedness in our
mistreatment of them.


“All very well when you’re living in a multi-million dollar mansion
in Woolahra (sic), to spout these feel-good emotions from a safe
distance. I wonder how he’d like these manifestations of ancient wisdom
living next door. The immediate neighbours tell me it has been hell on
earth and, of course, their property values have plummeted. They’re
living next door to a rubbish tip: human and material.”


Several of his emails direct friends and colleagues to Youtube videos
which celebrate the British Monarchy and deride people of colour.


In one email from February 2013, headed “Look at 11.20 – no fatties,
darkies or chinky-poos”, Professor Spurr urges recipients to celebrate
an Australian school or church which appears to be made up entirely of
white children.

In another email a year later, he links to a video
which compares London in 1927 with London in 2013. Professor Spurr
writes: “A delight until things turn sour around 4:00 with the emergence
of the darkies.”


He also manages to line up Aboriginal people, Asians, Muslims, women
and anyone obese in a single email sent a few days earlier, commenting:
“No Abos, Chinky-poos, Mussies, graffiti, piercings, jeans, tattoos. BCP
(Book of Common Prayer) in all Anglican chruches (sic); Latin Mass in
all Roman ones. Not a woman to be seen in a sanctuary (church) anywhere.
And no obese fatsoes. All the kiddies slim and bright eyed. Now utterly
gone with the wind,” he writes.


In his correspondence to New Matilda, Professor Spurr alleges that New Matilda’s access to his emails was illegal.


“My lawyer informs me that accessing my email is 'a criminal offence'
and the university's security service is currently looking into the
matter,” he writes.


New Matilda rejects any suggestion it has been involved in any criminal offence.


New Matilda is awaiting comment from Education Minister Christopher Pyne.


- Additional reporting: Amy McQuire and Max Chalmers.


* New Matilda survives predominantly on subscription revenue. If you want to support the work of New Matilda, you can help fund us here.

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Coal is 'good for humanity', says Tony Abbott at mine opening

Coal is 'good for humanity', says Tony Abbott at mine opening

TONY ABBOTT IS SUCH A GIVING FOUNTAIN OF STUPIDITY

Coal is 'good for humanity', says Tony Abbott at mine opening

Date

October 13, 2014 - 5:48PM

• 11 reading now
• 
  

James Massola, Peter Ker, Lisa Cox

• 
  
  
  
• 
  

Prime Minister Tony Abbott: "Coal is essential for the prosperity of the world". Photo: Andrew Meares

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says Australia's coal industry has
a "big future, as well as a big past" and predicted it will be the
world's principal energy source for decades to come.



Mr Abbott also heaped praise on Japan in comments that come
just days after China slapped harsh new tariffs on coal imports and will
be noted in Beijing as negotiations on a China-Australia Free Trade
Agreement move towards conclusion.




Industry has estimated the new tariffs could cost Australia's
economy hundreds of millions of dollars annually, though it will be
some time before exact estimates can be made.

Mr Abbott said his government had affirmed its faith in the coal industry by abolishing the carbon and mining taxes. Photo: Peter Braig

"Let's have no demonisation of coal," Mr Abbott said on Monday. 




"Coal is good for humanity, coal is good for prosperity, coal
is an essential part of our economic future, here in Australia, and
right around the world." 



The Prime Minister's comments, which angered the
environmental movement, came at the opening of the $US3.4 billion ($3.9
billion) Caval Ridge Mine in Central Queensland, a joint venture between
BHP and Mitsubishi. The mine will produce 5.5 million tonnes annually
of metallurgical coal and employ about 500 people.



"This is a sign of hope and confidence in the future of the
coal industry, it's a great industry, we've had a great partnership with
Japan in the coal industry," Mr Abbott said.



"Coal is essential for the prosperity of the world."



"Energy is what sustains our prosperity, and coal is the
world's  principal energy source and it will be for many decades to
come."  



The Coalition had affirmed its faith in the coal industry by
abolishing the carbon tax and mining, Mr Abbott said, but if there was a
change of government at the next election both of those taxes could
come back.



"If you want to sustain the coal industry, if you want to
sustain the jobs, if you want to sustain the towns that depend on the
coal industry you have got to support the Coalition, because we support
coal, we think that coal has a big future as well as a big past."



Mr Abbott's comments about coal having a bright future are in
conflict with the United Nations' top climate official Christiana
Figueres, who has warned most of the world's coal must be left in the
ground to avoid catastrophic global warming.



Less than two weeks ago, a lead adviser to German Chancellor
Angela Merkel lashed the Abbott government's championing of the coal
industry as an economic "suicide strategy".



ANU economist Frank Jotzo said he was alarmed the Prime
Minister used words like "faith" to describe his feelings about coal's
future in Australia.



Dr Jotzo said Australia's reliance on coal was short-sighted
and a "potentially economically dangerous" strategy, adding that the
Prime Minister's comments could be read as a rebuke following China's
tariff move.



Locking in Australia's reliance on coal was short-sighted and
"if we were to hitch our wagon to coal we would be putting the
Australian economy on a downward trajectory".



Climate Institute chief executive John Connor said the Prime
Minister was "taking a higher and higher stakes gamble by putting all
the chips on coal".



Earlier on Monday, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said that
Australia risked being seen as the climate sceptic capital of the world
ahead of the G20 meeting in November.



"We've got the G20 coming up. Most nations in the world at
the G20 are dealing with climate change. Yet we're the climate sceptics
capital of the world," he said.



"The rest of the world is moving towards taking real action
on climate change, yet we've got a government who's slammed the nation
into reverse gear and retreating away from action."



Over the weekend, Mr Shorten told Fairfax Media that Labor would take a carbon price - thought not a tax - as policy to the next election.



And he has previously left open the possibility of some form
of resources tax, though he has promised to first consult with business
over such an impost.



- with Amanda Saunders, Gareth Hutchens



Follow us on Twitter

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/coal-is-good-for-humanity-says-tony-abbott-at-mine-opening-20141013-115bgs.html#ixzz3G0jYFGN0

Do ya do ya do ya really care? - The AIM Network

Do ya do ya do ya really care? - The AIM Network

Do ya do ya do ya really care?

• 
  
  October 13, 2014
  
• 
  Written by:
  Kaye Lee
  
• 
  10 Replies

• 
  Category: Politics
• 
  permalink
  
  
  
• 
  Tagged under:
  
  
  Andrew Robb, Christopher Pyne, curriculum review, cuts to indigenous affairs, defence spending, education cuts, Fiona Nash, Free Trade Agreements, gambling reform laws, George Brandis, government borrowing, Greg Hunt, health star rating, Infrastructure Australia, Joe Hockey, Julie Bishop, Kevin Andrews, Malcolm Turnbull, mine approvals, NBN, new anti-terror laws, Peter Dutton, poverty, reef dumping, Scott Morrison, Tasmanian forests, Tony Abbott, Warren Truss
• 
  
  
  Kaye Lee
  
  
  
  

I make this pledge to you the Australian people.


I will govern for all Australians.


I want to lift everyone’s standard of living.


I want to see wages and benefits rise in line with a growing economy.


I want to see our hospitals and schools improving as we invest the
proceeds of a well-run economy into the things that really count.


I won’t let you down.


This is my pledge to you.


-Tony Abbott campaign launch speech, August 25 2013


Nice words but let’s face it – the Abbott government doesn’t give a shit about you.  The evidence is overwhelming.


With one in seven Australians living in poverty, we have a Prime
Minister who spends hundreds of billions on defence, security, and
buying armaments. We have a Prime Minister who is so stage-managed he
refuses to face the electorate on Q&A.


Our Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs has overseen the slashing
of funding and the abolition of many successful initiatives that were
working towards supporting our Indigenous people and closing the gap.
But we have truancy officers aplenty, even if most of them are working for the dole.


We have a treasurer who feels those on welfare, the ‘leaners’, should
be the ones to clear the country of debt. His justification for this is
that he must cut spending and poor families get more money from the
government than the rich, whilst steadfastly refusing to consider
raising revenue by cracking down on tax avoidance.


He tells the world that our economy is in good shape while whipping up hysteria here about a non-existent emergency.


After coming to power on the promise of reducing the debt, Hockey has
been borrowing so fast the net debt has increased from $178.10 billion
when he took over to $217.55 billion at the end of August. PEFO numbers
had net debt peaking at $219bn (12.7% of GDP) in 2015/16.  The gross
debt has risen from $290 billion to $345.035 billion – that’s extra
borrowing of about one billion a week.


We have an education minister who has reneged on funding reform for
schools, wants to make tertiary courses unaffordable, has closed down
trades training centres, has insulted teachers, wasted money on a
pointless review, and wants to rewrite history as a Christian crusade.


We have a health minister who is busily unwinding universal
healthcare and preventative health agencies and who wants to discourage
the poor from seeing a doctor.


On one hand we are warned about the alarming increase in obesity and
diabetes, on the other we have the assistant minister for health, at the
behest of her junk food lobbyist chief of staff, taking down a healthy
food website.


Senator Nash
insisted the health star site be pulled down a day after it was
published in Febuary on the grounds it was published in error, despite
freedom of information documents showing the minister was warned it
would be published, and the states committing to spend $11 million on
it.


In June, a watered down version of the site was reinstated, with the
voluntary introduction period extended to five years from two and
companies allowed to use the star ratings in conjunction with the
industry’s daily intake guide.  They also decided to continue voluntary
pregnancy warning labels on alcohol, despite poor uptake by mixed drinks
and so-called alcopops. Michael Thorn, the chief executive of the
Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education, said it was
“disgraceful” and put “booze before babies”.


“The alcohol industry will be celebrating that they have been able to
successfully avoid introducing a warning label on their products for
almost two decades,” he said.


One of the first steps of the minister for social services, Kevin Andrews,
was to wind back gambling reform laws despite recommendations made by
the Productivity Commission in its 2010 report into Australia’s gambling
industry and the Victorian coroner’s report linking 128 suicides in
that state directly to gambling..


This is the man who, along with our employment minister (he of breast
cancer/abortion link fame), wants to see young unemployed without any
income for 6 months of the year, and for the disabled to get out there
and get one of those thousands of jobs that are just waiting for them if
only they weren’t such bludgers. He also wants to lower the indexation
rate of pensions which will cause the gap in standard of living to
widen.  All this while cutting $44 million from the capital works
program of the National Partnership on Homelessness.


We have an environment minister who wants to cut down Tasmanian old
growth forests and expand coal ports and dump sediment on the reef. He
has wound back environmental protection laws and the right to appeal and
gone on a spree of approving record amounts of fossil fuel production.
 At the same time, he has overseen the destruction of the renewable
energy industry.  They don’t even send him to world conferences on
climate change because, after all, what could he say other than sorry.


Not content with these overt attacks on the environment, the
government has quietly initiated a low key, unscheduled review into
Australia’s national appliance energy efficiency standards. The only
formal explanation offered to date is in the Energy “Anti-” Green Paper,
which refers to “opportunities to reduce the red-tape burden on
businesses”.


At least they were honest when our communications minister was
appointed to “destroy the NBN” and he has done a damn fine job of it.
Despite Tony Abbott’s election speech claim that within 100 days “the
NBN will have a new business plan to ensure that every household gains
five times current broadband speeds – within three years and without
digging up almost every street in Australia – for $60 billion less than
Labor,” the truth has emerged.


We will be left with a sub-optimal network, a mishmash of
technologies, at a time when the world is increasingly going fibre. It
will end up taking nearly as long and costing nearly as much as the
all-fibre network it is replacing. The industry – and many around
Turnbull – is increasingly realising this. But Turnbull will not budge.


Australia is the loser – all because of one man’s pride.


Scott Morrison, our immigration minister, is about as welcoming as a
firing squad. He is like Hymie from Get Smart in his robotic
determination to stop the boats at any cost.  That goal apparently
absolves him from any form of scrutiny, criticism, or human decency.  He
has a blank cheque and not one cent of it will be used to help
refugees.


Despite our growing unemployment, he is also front and centre in
providing Gina with her 457 visa workers – no rights, no entitlements,
and if they complain they get deported.


Our minister for trade is working in secret, getting signatures on
free trade agreements at any cost – it’s the announcement before the end
of the year that’s important, not pesky details about tariffs and the
fact that we no longer have the right to make our own laws without
getting sued by global corporations.


Our attorney-general, the highest legal appointment in the land,
thinks defending bigots is a priority. When faced with illegal actions
by the government, steal the evidence, threaten journalists with gaol
time and funding cuts, and introduce laws which remove official
accountability.  And while you’re at it, let’s bug the entire nation and
make people prove themselves innocent.  Even if they haven’t done
anything wrong I am sure they have had evil thoughts.


Barnaby was last seen trying to hasten the demise of a few endangered species that are standing in the way of his dams.


Warren Truss is run off his feet planning roads, roads and more
roads. Luckily they dumped that idea about releasing cost benefit
analyses for any expenditure over $100 million.  Thank god we got rid of
that pesky head of Infrastructure Australia
so we could get someone who understands our idea of what ‘independent
body’ means.  If the people want public transport they can build it
themselves.


And how’s our girl doing? She’s looking tired to me.  Making a case
for a seat on the Human Rights Council whilst torturing refugees, or
being sent in to bat at the world leaders’ conference on climate changed
armed with nothing other than a rain forest conference, must shake even
asbestos Julie’s steely resolve.  The Armani suits and death stare can
only get you so far.  When in doubt, flirt.


I know you would like a mention Jamie Briggs but for the life of me,
the only thing that comes to mind is your fawning introductions for our
‘Infrastructure Prime Minister’….


”To introduce our Tony, is what I’m here to do, and it really makes
me happy to introduce to you…the indescribable, the incompatible, the
unadorable….. Prrrriiiiimmme Minister!”

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Thanks for nothing - The AIM Network

Thanks for nothing - The AIM Network

Thanks for nothing

• 
  
  October 12, 2014
  
• 
  Written by:
  Kaye Lee
  
• 
  27 Replies

• 
  Category: Politics
• 
  permalink
  
  
  
• 
  Tagged under:
  
  
  Australian media back the Coalition, journalists, Tony Abbott
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  Kaye Lee
  
  
  
  

I remember when the United States Congress gave our Prime Minister a standing ovation.


I remember when men and women around the world were touched by her passion in championing the rights of women.


I remember when our Treasurer was hailed as the best in the world for saving our country from the collapse felt around the globe.


I remember when the world was praising our leadership in action on climate change by introducing carbon pricing.


I remember when we reached agreement with the states to implement education funding reform.


I remember when we looked forward to every home being connected to world class NBN.


It wasn’t that long ago.


So how did we end up in our current position, represented by fools and vilified globally?


The people who are paid to inform us, whose job it is to hold politicians to account, failed us, that’s how.


On the eve of the election, every major newspaper in the country,
with the exception of Melbourne’s Age, endorsed Tony Abbott to be
Australia’s 28th prime minister.


Queensland’s Courier Mail ran a front page picture of a clown’s hat,
emblazoned with the ALP logo, toppled in the centre of a circus ring
under a headline ”The circus is over.”


”We believe Tony Abbott stands ready to seize the day,” read
Melbourne’s Herald Sun editorial, beside a front page headline ”Tony’s
Time”.


The Adelaide Advertiser told Australians that ”tomorrow [they] finally have an opportunity to set our nation on a new path”.


The Canberra Times also came out in favour of the Coalition telling us it was “Abbott’s time”.


On the first day of the election campaign the Daily Telegraph ran a
front page photograph of a distressed-looking Kevin Rudd accompanied by
the headline: ”Finally, you now have the chance to . . . Kick this mob
out.”


And the Sunday Telegraph published a front page picture of a
statesman-like Tony Abbott standing in front of a billowing national
flag, with the headline: ”Australia needs Tony.”


The Sydney Morning Herald said ”Abbott does not so much deserve the
chance to do what Labor could not do in the past six years. But the
party he leads is untainted by scandal and infighting, and therefore has
the best chance to unite a tired and despondent electorate.”


The AFR judged that ”Australia’s prosperity would be better served by a Coalition government”.


The Australian pushed for the Coalition to be given a majority government and for Mr Abbott to seek a ”mandate for reform”.


The newspaper praised the Opposition Leader, saying: ”Rarely in the
modern era has there been a more grounded prime ministerial candidate
than this volunteer firefighter, surf lifesaver, endurance athlete and
charity cyclist.”


The Northern Territory News compared Labor’s reign to natural disasters afflicting the NT.


”Territorians cope with a lot compared to the rest of Australia.
Searing heat, torrential downpours, cyclones and the tyranny of
distance,” the NT News editorial read.


”One thing we cannot, and should not, have to cope with is when a
government . . . goes troppo. The Labor Federal Government has gone
troppo. And that’s being kind. It has lost the ability – and the right –
to lead.”


But ”fortunately”, the newspaper concluded, “there is a candidate to bring the country to its senses”.


Melbourne’s Age was the only paper in the country to back Labor.


The Age judged that Labor’s policies – especially the national
broadband network, better schools plan and commitment to a price of
carbon – meant the government deserved to be returned, but they had
already cruelled any chance of that when, in June their headline read
“For the sake of the nation, Ms Gillard should stand aside.”


How can every single one of our journalists have got it so terribly
wrong? These people are trained and paid to do a job.  They have access
to the inner workings of Parliament and they are fed briefs, press
releases and leaks.  Perhaps, rather than slavishly believing and
printing what they are told, they would do better to stay in their
jammies and do a little research for themselves.


We are owed an apology.

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That's not a debt disaster — THIS is a debt disaster: Joe and Tony’s big con

That's not a debt disaster — THIS is a debt disaster: Joe and Tony’s big con

Alan Austin 11 October 2014, 9:00am 117

EconomicsFinancePolitics

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Alan Austin presents another exclusive report the mainstream media will not touch — Australia’s rapidly escalating borrowings since Abbott and Hockey came to office promising to end ‘Labor’s debt disaster’.



Read also Alan Austin's recent previous outstanding expose on the Abbott / Hockey debt blowout:





AUSTRALIA’S DEBT since Joe Hockey took charge of the nation’s finances has increased dramatically.



The rate of expansion shows no signs of slowing.



Monthly finance figures
for July and August were quietly released yesterday — late on Friday
night, several weeks late, after seemingly being sat on by Cormann for at least a week*.



They show the Abbott Government has achieved precisely the opposite of its solemn pre-election undertaking to bring about

‘… a reduction of $30 billion in net debt.’

In July and August alone – two months for which it is impossible for PM Tony Abbott to blame Labor for any mismanagement – the debt expanded from $202.46 to $217.55 billion.







That’s more than $15 billion, a rate of increase above 3.6% per
month. If continued, that rate would double the debt at the last
election by next July.



But let’s start at the beginning — with Labor’s borrowings, which the Coalition screamed from the rooftops was ‘skyrocketing’ and promised countless times to reduce.



Back when monthly reports from the Finance Minister were presented every month and on time, the final report
prepared for the Rudd Government period, for 31 August 2013, showed the
forecast end of year net debt for 2013-14 at $178.10 billion.



We can take that as the level for which Labor must accept
responsibility. It sounds pretty high, but is only a small percentage of
the nation’s gross income – just 11.3% of GDP – and extremely low when
compared with other developed countries.







(Source: Gerg Jericho via abc.net.au)



As explained here two weeks ago, the next monthly report, September 2013 ‒ prepared after Hockey had become treasurer and Mathias Cormann finance minister ‒ also showed projected year-end debt steady at $178.10 billion. As did October’s and November’s.



In December, however, after Hockey and Cormann had abandoned Labor’s
budget measures by cutting taxes and spending recklessly on ministerial
travel, royal commissions, a Reserve Bank advance and other needless fripperies, the debt projection rose suddenly to $191.52 billion.



The monthly reports in January, February, March and April 2014 maintained this year-end projection. Then, in May, it jumped again to $197.85 billion.



That report, released four months ago, was the last until last night.



Two weeks ago the Final Budget Outcome
revealed the actual debt level reached by 30 June 2014. This was
$202.46 billion, more than $24 billion – or 13.7% – higher than forecast
had the previous Government continued in power.



The data released yesterday shows that in July, debt increased from
$202.46 billion to $208.15 billion. It jumped again in August to $217.55
billion. So the total increase above the level Labor left last year is
now $39.45 billion ($217.55 less $178.10) — up an extraordinary 22.1%.





That is a rate of 3.66% per month just since June — or an annual compound rate of 54%.



The monthly figures released last night also reveal the targeted
level of debt Abbott, Hockey and Mathias have set themselves for the end
of the current financial year.



Is this in line with ‘a reduction of $30 billion’ as promised before the last election? Or a smaller reduction? Or larger?



In fact, it is a huge increase. The target is set at $226,388 — a boost in borrowings for the year of $23.9 billion, or 11.8%.



And of that projected $23.9 billion increase, they have already borrowed more than $15 billion — in just the first two months.



Last night’s release also shows the projected total interest bill for the full year 2013-14 at $14.7 billion [Note 3, page 6].







That is up from the final for the previous year of $10.8 billion.



Still ringing in our ears are the words of Mr Abbott at an education conference last year:

“We’re currently paying interest on it [Government debt] at the rate of over $7 billion a year —
that’s almost as much as the national government’s entire higher
education budget. We’re racking up some $140 million a week in interest
payments alone ...”

That was then — way back in 2013.



Now, 13 months after Abbott gained office, the interest bill is $283 million a week.



Are there any signs this situation is likely to turn around in the near future?



No. None whatsoever.



Revenue from wages is below expectations and commodity prices are falling — both of which will reduce tax revenue.



The Government has failed to get its budget through the Senate and
remains unable – fortunately for the nation’s disadvantaged – to cut the
outlays on pensions and benefits it wants to slash.





On the expenditure side, there seems no inclination to rein in the
wasteful spending of the last 13 months and every indication of cost
blow-outs on security, border protection and war.



Hence all pre-election commitments
to ‘balance the books, live within our means and return the budget to
surplus as quickly as possible’ are now clearly evident for what they
were all along — tawdry lies. Lies, regrettably, that Australia’s
craven, captured mass media could be relied upon to amplify.



They were baseless slanders against the previous administration made merely to discredit, destroy and replace it.



If there is no debt or deficit crisis now – and there isn’t – then
there was certainly no calamity a year ago when Labor’s projected debt
was $39 billion below the level today.



The facts are clear and ‒ unlike the Government and our mainstream media ‒ the figures don’t lie.



* The media release from the Finance Department is dated 3 October, however the one from Cormann's office is dated 10 October 2014 — the date the information became public.







You can follow Alan Austin on Twitter @AlanTheAmazing.





This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License