I'm not hurting now.
I was last night but I have come to realisation (after a good sleep) that we don't need animosity in this country's politics.
I'm not bitter. I'm proud of John Howard and his 11.5 long years. One has ended and another has started. Thats how it works in democracies.
I wish Rudd well and am interested to see where he will take the country.
Anyone that wants to stick the boot in now loses all respect from me.
An interesting time for Australia.
I will be watching with great vigilance.
I remember seeing Howard come in (I was 10) and I was upset that he won and now I'm shattered to see him go (I'm 21). It is hard but I will cope. It won't be the first time a government changes but it is my first big one and you have to understand that.
I supported John Howard because he represented certainty. I love this country and that is why I acted how I did. I have never been so uncertain about the future of my country and that scares me. We'll see how we go.
I accept that this is the direction the nation wants to go in and I hope the Opposition handle it how I have and don't get bitter.
It doesn't help anyone.
Lets all just be civil.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Kevin Rudd's nightmare of a day
Kevin Rudd woke to a lovely headline in the Australian newspaper "Garrett's Kyoto blunder".
Shadow Environment Minister Peter Garrett went on ABC radio's morning news program AM yesterday morning and declared to the world that Labor would sign a post-Kyoto agreement whether or not big emitters like China and India were a part of it. Despite the fact those countries will account for 2/3 of the world's emissions in the future. Yesterday, Mr. Rudd said just as much when announcing his $200 million dollar plan for the Barrier Reef.
Turns out either Mr. Garrett's comments were out of step with the ALP's policy or Mr. Rudd has found his existing policy to no longer be credible. Not the first time that has happened and he has had to reign in a minister.
Safe to say it’s the latter. Emergency cabinet meeting to the rescue.
Within 12 hours he had magically changed his mind. Now Labor will not sign an agreement that doesn't involve major emitters.
Am I in the twilight zone? 360% in 12 hours.
Another example of Mr. Rudd letting one of his ministers take the fall. He did, this time, however let the minister involved correct himself. Rather than coming out within 5 seconds to clean up the mess. Another Labor policy that lost its gloss and was scrapped. Look out for more to come as they fall to bits.
Labor now agrees with Howard on climate change. You heard correctly. Another "me-too". Shock horror.
I'll tell you why any post-Kyoto agreement must involve China and India. Any framework post-Kyoto must be a truly worldwide framework. Australia will no doubt be involved in the negotiations. To say that it doesn't matter whether China or India are at the table is ridiculous. As Howard says, “That’s like having a cricket world cup without Australia”. Any framework that doesn't include them is a framework that isn't worth the paper it is written on. China and India must be at the table and Labor don't get that. Well they didn't yesterday. They’re converts now. Howard and his team get it and they have been saying it for many months now. China and India are crucial and Howard's history of dealing with the two nations means he is in a better position to negotiate with them. This was seen at APEC earlier this year.
Labor hurriedly released their interim target for renewable energy of 20% by 2020 this afternoon. Curious considering that at the debate Rudd had no clue about what interim targets would be set and dodged the question like it was the plague. Now all of a sudden we have a “strong policy document” (which isn’t on their website by the way, hmmmmm?). Rudd said that interim targets wouldn’t be set until next year after their report on climate change was handed down but they have set it prematurely in a hope to deflect attention from their atrocious day. Who knows whether it has been economically modeled? Nice try, it didn’t steal the headlines away from your blunder.
Labor fails the climate change test.
This however is the least of their worries. NewsPoll today suggests that people are turning back to Howard closer to the election. This tells me that people were willing to give Rudd a go and listen to him and his ministers. While they like what he says they obviously don’t like his policy work and how he is going to achieve his goals. They are saying with all his me-tooing, “Why go for the imposter when I can have the original?”
The people want to believe in Rudd’s vision but the latest NewsPolls suggest they don’t.
Primary vote for the Coalition has come in from a 13 point lead to a 6 point lead to Labor. The Coalition is up 4 points to 42 and Labor down 3 points to 48.
Two-party preferred doesn’t look any better for Rudd. The lead for Labor falling from 16 points to 8 points. A 4 point turn around for the Coalition, 42 to 46 and a 4 point downturn for Labor 54 to 58.
One of the most telling stats is that of Better PM. John Howard has his highest preferred PM rating since Rudd became Labor leader in December last year. He is now only 7 points behind Rudd. Up 4 points from 37 to 41 while Rudd slumped 2 points.
It is the first time since Rudd got the big tick that the numbers have gone so well for the Coalition and expect it to continue as people leave Rudd disgruntled that he didn’t present the stronger alternative vision they wanted.
People have no confidence that the alternative would deliver the same prosperity that the current government has. They won’t risk it.
The old mantra, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, is what will win Howard this election. Labor has a significant soft (readily acknowledged by polling experts) vote and there is a large amount of undecided voters out there.
80% of them will decide on polling day.
I know which side they’ll fall.
Shadow Environment Minister Peter Garrett went on ABC radio's morning news program AM yesterday morning and declared to the world that Labor would sign a post-Kyoto agreement whether or not big emitters like China and India were a part of it. Despite the fact those countries will account for 2/3 of the world's emissions in the future. Yesterday, Mr. Rudd said just as much when announcing his $200 million dollar plan for the Barrier Reef.
Turns out either Mr. Garrett's comments were out of step with the ALP's policy or Mr. Rudd has found his existing policy to no longer be credible. Not the first time that has happened and he has had to reign in a minister.
Safe to say it’s the latter. Emergency cabinet meeting to the rescue.
Within 12 hours he had magically changed his mind. Now Labor will not sign an agreement that doesn't involve major emitters.
Am I in the twilight zone? 360% in 12 hours.
Another example of Mr. Rudd letting one of his ministers take the fall. He did, this time, however let the minister involved correct himself. Rather than coming out within 5 seconds to clean up the mess. Another Labor policy that lost its gloss and was scrapped. Look out for more to come as they fall to bits.
Labor now agrees with Howard on climate change. You heard correctly. Another "me-too". Shock horror.
I'll tell you why any post-Kyoto agreement must involve China and India. Any framework post-Kyoto must be a truly worldwide framework. Australia will no doubt be involved in the negotiations. To say that it doesn't matter whether China or India are at the table is ridiculous. As Howard says, “That’s like having a cricket world cup without Australia”. Any framework that doesn't include them is a framework that isn't worth the paper it is written on. China and India must be at the table and Labor don't get that. Well they didn't yesterday. They’re converts now. Howard and his team get it and they have been saying it for many months now. China and India are crucial and Howard's history of dealing with the two nations means he is in a better position to negotiate with them. This was seen at APEC earlier this year.
Labor hurriedly released their interim target for renewable energy of 20% by 2020 this afternoon. Curious considering that at the debate Rudd had no clue about what interim targets would be set and dodged the question like it was the plague. Now all of a sudden we have a “strong policy document” (which isn’t on their website by the way, hmmmmm?). Rudd said that interim targets wouldn’t be set until next year after their report on climate change was handed down but they have set it prematurely in a hope to deflect attention from their atrocious day. Who knows whether it has been economically modeled? Nice try, it didn’t steal the headlines away from your blunder.
Labor fails the climate change test.
This however is the least of their worries. NewsPoll today suggests that people are turning back to Howard closer to the election. This tells me that people were willing to give Rudd a go and listen to him and his ministers. While they like what he says they obviously don’t like his policy work and how he is going to achieve his goals. They are saying with all his me-tooing, “Why go for the imposter when I can have the original?”
The people want to believe in Rudd’s vision but the latest NewsPolls suggest they don’t.
Primary vote for the Coalition has come in from a 13 point lead to a 6 point lead to Labor. The Coalition is up 4 points to 42 and Labor down 3 points to 48.
Two-party preferred doesn’t look any better for Rudd. The lead for Labor falling from 16 points to 8 points. A 4 point turn around for the Coalition, 42 to 46 and a 4 point downturn for Labor 54 to 58.
One of the most telling stats is that of Better PM. John Howard has his highest preferred PM rating since Rudd became Labor leader in December last year. He is now only 7 points behind Rudd. Up 4 points from 37 to 41 while Rudd slumped 2 points.
It is the first time since Rudd got the big tick that the numbers have gone so well for the Coalition and expect it to continue as people leave Rudd disgruntled that he didn’t present the stronger alternative vision they wanted.
People have no confidence that the alternative would deliver the same prosperity that the current government has. They won’t risk it.
The old mantra, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, is what will win Howard this election. Labor has a significant soft (readily acknowledged by polling experts) vote and there is a large amount of undecided voters out there.
80% of them will decide on polling day.
I know which side they’ll fall.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
The hidden story on CP numbers and interest rate pressure
With all this talk about CPI numbers and interest rate pressure one fact is being lost.
I'll make this as short and as succint as possible.
The three areas that mostly contributed to the higher than expected underlying CPI numbers were food, housing and financial and insurance services.
Kevin Rudd when asked by John Howard in the debate whether he could promise food and housing would be cheaper under him could make no guarantees.
The truth is food, petrol and housing as well as financial and insurance services are subject to external forces and markets out of the direct control of the government e.g. drought and the US sub-prime issue.
Therefore under Rudd the market would be exposed to predominantly the same pressures yielding the same CPI numbers and as a result the same economic environment.
This in conjunction with Workchoices would mean that there would be worse CPI numbers and more pressure on interest rates under Rudd due to wages outbreak in sectors that can't afford it.
A fact acknowledged by the Bussiness Council of Australia last night.
Rudd talks about petrol, food and housing under Howard but the truth is he would have little control over those prices and would be powerless to make them drop.
The one thing the Labor party does have control over is state taxes on housing. $100,000 worth.
You don't hear Labor talking about that often.
Or at all.
I'll make this as short and as succint as possible.
The three areas that mostly contributed to the higher than expected underlying CPI numbers were food, housing and financial and insurance services.
Kevin Rudd when asked by John Howard in the debate whether he could promise food and housing would be cheaper under him could make no guarantees.
The truth is food, petrol and housing as well as financial and insurance services are subject to external forces and markets out of the direct control of the government e.g. drought and the US sub-prime issue.
Therefore under Rudd the market would be exposed to predominantly the same pressures yielding the same CPI numbers and as a result the same economic environment.
This in conjunction with Workchoices would mean that there would be worse CPI numbers and more pressure on interest rates under Rudd due to wages outbreak in sectors that can't afford it.
A fact acknowledged by the Bussiness Council of Australia last night.
Rudd talks about petrol, food and housing under Howard but the truth is he would have little control over those prices and would be powerless to make them drop.
The one thing the Labor party does have control over is state taxes on housing. $100,000 worth.
You don't hear Labor talking about that often.
Or at all.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Rudd's talking to himself again
I picked up on a funny clip of Kevin Rudd on ABC's Insiders program yesterday.
Just a bit of innocent light humour.
Click here to watch.
Just a bit of innocent light humour.
Click here to watch.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Labor and their supporters are bullies
The election campaign is in full swing.
I would seem that just like Labor their supporters revert to bullying when under pressure.
I have recieved several offensive messages one of which calls me a "faggot" just for expressing my views.
Some have said I just parrot Liberal views. Well guess what? It just so happens that I have particular views that align with the Liberal or "small c" view of politics and being abused for that is out line. I have never abused left wing people on this blog ever.
There is obviously an effort to silence me and I will not be silenced. I will continue to talk about the future of this country. I assume was this a blog of support for Rudd in the same manner I would be fully supported. Labor and their supporters don't like scrutiny. They are just annoyed I'm not in their camp. This is a free world and I can write whatever I want on MY blog. You want to abuse the government, knock yourself out, I won't stop you.
As stated earlier Labor also are attempting to bully Howard into not pointing out aspects of the Labor party that might influence people's votes.
Below are the Liberal videos that are the subject of this blog:
This was Rudd's response:
Rudd's inexperience is shining through.
Mr Rudd this is an election campaign and with it comes scrutiny. I know you don't like people to know that you have such a high percentage of union officials in your party because you are trying to lose that stigma but we have every right to be told. Is it not true that 70% of your front bench would be former union officials and incredibly biased towards ripping up WorkChoices to suit their vested interests?
How about in your ads you stop trying to have the last word like a child arguing with Mum and focus on your plan. You spend half of your ads talking about Howards ads.
You have every right to make similar ads about Howard but playing Howard's ads in your ads is kitsch and incredibly spoilt. We don't want to hear what you think of Liberal ads we want to hear your plan. To try and espouse some kind of special virtue here is ridiculous.
Obviously you're feeling the pressure from not having a tax plan and Howard's $34 billion tax cuts. What do you have? $2 billion for over 600+ hospitals. Yeah, that will go far.
Howard says it best.
Look after yourself Rudd.
I would seem that just like Labor their supporters revert to bullying when under pressure.
I have recieved several offensive messages one of which calls me a "faggot" just for expressing my views.
Some have said I just parrot Liberal views. Well guess what? It just so happens that I have particular views that align with the Liberal or "small c" view of politics and being abused for that is out line. I have never abused left wing people on this blog ever.
There is obviously an effort to silence me and I will not be silenced. I will continue to talk about the future of this country. I assume was this a blog of support for Rudd in the same manner I would be fully supported. Labor and their supporters don't like scrutiny. They are just annoyed I'm not in their camp. This is a free world and I can write whatever I want on MY blog. You want to abuse the government, knock yourself out, I won't stop you.
As stated earlier Labor also are attempting to bully Howard into not pointing out aspects of the Labor party that might influence people's votes.
Below are the Liberal videos that are the subject of this blog:
This was Rudd's response:
Rudd's inexperience is shining through.
Mr Rudd this is an election campaign and with it comes scrutiny. I know you don't like people to know that you have such a high percentage of union officials in your party because you are trying to lose that stigma but we have every right to be told. Is it not true that 70% of your front bench would be former union officials and incredibly biased towards ripping up WorkChoices to suit their vested interests?
How about in your ads you stop trying to have the last word like a child arguing with Mum and focus on your plan. You spend half of your ads talking about Howards ads.
You have every right to make similar ads about Howard but playing Howard's ads in your ads is kitsch and incredibly spoilt. We don't want to hear what you think of Liberal ads we want to hear your plan. To try and espouse some kind of special virtue here is ridiculous.
Obviously you're feeling the pressure from not having a tax plan and Howard's $34 billion tax cuts. What do you have? $2 billion for over 600+ hospitals. Yeah, that will go far.
Howard says it best.
Look after yourself Rudd.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Nice Try Tin Tin
This is the guy more than half the country (apparently) want to be Prime Minister?
I hope not.
Click here to watch him in his pathetic interview on the 7:30 Report last night.
Kerry conducted a fantastic interview and Rudd was clearly out of his depth.
He resorts to his usual sound bites, question deflection and trying to take control and none of it flew.
He had no answers.
Is this someone you want as PM?
Think about it. Seriously.
I hope not.
Click here to watch him in his pathetic interview on the 7:30 Report last night.
Kerry conducted a fantastic interview and Rudd was clearly out of his depth.
He resorts to his usual sound bites, question deflection and trying to take control and none of it flew.
He had no answers.
Is this someone you want as PM?
Think about it. Seriously.
Monday, October 1, 2007
You only know what you had once its gone
This is a reminder of the vision of our Treasurer Peter Costello.
Its easy to say this government has lost touch and vision, but is it true?
Listen to Peter Costello's budget speech from this year and tell me they aren't managing the economy, locking in our prosperity and looking to the future.
If you think you will get budgets like this from Wayne Swan you are dreaming. Remember, you aren't just voting for Rudd. You're voting for his ENTIRE team.
Peter Costello, with 11 years expeience, is the man for the job. He is only one that can manage our $1 trillion economy.
Don't risk it.
EDIT: As I type this there is news that a new NewsPoll, in today's Australian newspaper, says that for every Wayne Swan supporter there are two Peter Costello supporters, 53% to 21%. The poll says that even 30% of Labor voters favour Costello over their own option.
John Howard and his team have to go hard on this. Put Swan under pressure about his policies, how he would grow our economy and create budget surpluses. This is a gift for Howard and his team expect them all to pounce today.
Its easy to say this government has lost touch and vision, but is it true?
Listen to Peter Costello's budget speech from this year and tell me they aren't managing the economy, locking in our prosperity and looking to the future.
If you think you will get budgets like this from Wayne Swan you are dreaming. Remember, you aren't just voting for Rudd. You're voting for his ENTIRE team.
Peter Costello, with 11 years expeience, is the man for the job. He is only one that can manage our $1 trillion economy.
Don't risk it.
EDIT: As I type this there is news that a new NewsPoll, in today's Australian newspaper, says that for every Wayne Swan supporter there are two Peter Costello supporters, 53% to 21%. The poll says that even 30% of Labor voters favour Costello over their own option.
John Howard and his team have to go hard on this. Put Swan under pressure about his policies, how he would grow our economy and create budget surpluses. This is a gift for Howard and his team expect them all to pounce today.
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