Oz Election Thread #4 - Gillard's Labor

A made-up story has passed for news in much of the nation's supposedly "quality" media for days now: the looming leadership challenge against Julia Gillard by Kevin Rudd.

In case you hadn't noticed, there hasn't been a spill. There wasn't one yesterday, there hasn't been one so far today, and there almost certainly won't be one tomorrow. Not only has no leadership challenge occurred, but all the politicians involved publicly maintain that there won't be. A large number of Labor MPs are also saying privately that no leadership challenge is imminent.

The only people who are saying that a leadership challenge is on the cards are a small number of "Rudd supporters", none of whom have had the guts to go on the record with their real names, and a bunch of journalists who would probably fail a first-year journalism subject if they submitted the sort of articles that have been published in abundance in recent days. ..... <cont>

You bought in Canberra?

We desperately need a bi-partisan position. It's unspeakable that it is used as a political football.

Any takers ?

Everyone seems to be complaining but nobody is spelling out the answer.

Asylum seekers and refugees: what are the facts?

What is the difference between an asylum seeker and a refugee? ........................................................ 2
Are asylum seekers ‘illegals’? .................................................................................................................. 2
Are asylum seekers ‘queue jumpers’? ..................................................................................................... 4
Do most asylum seekers arrive by boat? ................................................................................................. 6
Do boat arrivals ‘bring disease’ and are they a threat to security? ......................................................... 7
Are boat arrivals ‘genuine refugees’? ...................................................................................................... 8
Do boat arrivals ‘take all Australia’s refugee places’? ........................................................................... 10
Do refugees receive higher welfare benefits than Australians? ............................................................ 10
Is Australia being ‘swamped by boat arrivals’?...................................................................................... 11
Is Australia being ‘swamped with asylum claims’? ................................................................................ 13
Do developed countries bear the burden of hosting asylum seekers and refugees? ........................... 14

Abbott bows to pressure over budget surplus
Michelle Grattan
February 11, 2012/the AGE


Tony Abbott: 'If Labor can deliver a surplus in the next financial year, we will certainly deliver a surplus in our first budget.' Photo: Michael Clayton-Jones

TONY Abbott has given in to pressure and provided a qualified timetable about when a Coalition government would have a budget surplus.

The Opposition Leader (pictured), who is facing difficulties funding his mounting commitments for the next election, has also refused to say he would abolish the means test that the government is set to impose on the health insurance rebate. The measure will yield $2.4 billion for the budget over three years.

Mr Abbott said the opposition would fight the government's legislation, for which Labor now seems certain to have the required crossbench support. But on whether he would reverse the legislation, he said: ''Ask me that question if we come to that situation.''

The opposition all week has refused to say whether it would deliver a surplus in a Coalition government's first term. The government seized on the statements, contrasting its own promise that the May budget would have a surplus.

Yesterday Mr Abbott changed the line. ''If Labor can deliver a surplus in the next financial year, we will certainly deliver a surplus in our first budget - because the budget position will always be better under the Coalition, because spending will always be under tighter rein under the Coalition.'' But he said it would be ''a miracle'' if Labor delivered a 2012-13 surplus. If it did, ''it will be because they are hitting the Australian people with more taxes, not because they have got government spending under control''.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Mr Abbott had come out with the 13th position the opposition had had on bringing the budget to surplus. ''They're in a complete muddle and that's not surprising because they've got to find $70 billion worth of cuts to services families need before they even get to the starting line about talking about how to do a surplus.''

Mr Abbott said the government's means test on the health insurance rebate ''is not just another flagrant broken promise - it is a direct hit on the cost of living of 2.5 million Australians''.

He called on the independent MPs ''to keep the government honest'', saying ''what's the point of having independent members of Parliament if they connive at dishonesty from a dishonest Prime Minister?''

Both Ms Gillard and Kevin Rudd ''swore until they were black and blue that there would be no means test on private health insurance'', Mr Abbott said. ''Now there is a means test coming through.''

Health Minister Tanya Plibersek released data which the government said showed why Mr Abbott had refused to commit to reinstating the 30 per cent rebate intact. Government modelling indicates the rebate will rise to 75 per cent of Medicare expenditure by 2050 - compared to the current proportion of 32 per cent.

Medicare expenditure grew 5.7 per cent in 2010-11 with a projected growth in 2011-12 of 5.1 per cent. This is much lower than in previous years. The Private Health Insurance Rebate Model assumes a growth rate of 8 per cent per annum, about the average growth over the past five years.