@hingehead,
Quote:How long before we here the term 'razor gang'? It's been a while.
Not too long to go, I'd say, hinge.
Though the Libs will make every effort to make their proposed slashing & burning of the public sector look squeaky clean & "fiscally responsible" prior to the election. It will be
after a LNP election victory (Please no. Heaven help us!) that the full horror will emerge.
But we already know that, don't we? Why do Australian voters have such short memories?
My sympathy to Mrs Hinge. The demands of her job sound absolutely terrible. But I do understand about loyalty & commitment, too. (been there, done that ... to the detriment of my health. It's hard to remove or detach yourself when you're in the thick of it, and at a time like this. I couldn't, but wish I had at the time.
)
Sigh.
I had no idea that conditions in the public service were
quite so bad already. Truly awful to imagine what what they'd be like
after an Abbott victory!
Me, I'm thoroughly sick & tired of this nonsense about "balance budgets" .
As if they are some incredibly desirable & virtuous achievement in themselves ... .
"Balancing the books" simply means severe reductions to (already reduced) public sector services, higher taxes, lots more pain for those already at the bottom of the pile .... etc, etc ...
I am delighted (& relieved) to see someone with the authority of
Ross Gittins (the AGE/SMH ... see my initial post above) debunk this myth.
It's a con.
I am not arguing for massive government deficits, I'm saying that desirable & very necessary public services need to be supplied & paid for in a democratic society like ours.... and that, of course, means decent salaries & conditions for the people who supply those services. It is a matter of priorities,
how our taxes are spent.
) 
