The NEXT coming Oz election thread!

yep - keep it in the family.

You have to pace yourself a bit msogla. There is heaps of time before the next election. Don't stress about the labour leadership now otherwise you will go insane by the time the next election is on.

hmmmmmmmmmmm .... Well, I would like a half-decent opposition, as a counter to some of the excesses of the Libs/Nats WELL before the next election! I'm hoping Labor will get it's act together prior to to the new Senate, which will begin sitting in mid-year, 2005. Obviously, with such a large majority on both houses, there's only so much Labor can do to change the course of Howard's plans. But it's important that Labor be strong & united enough to have some credibility, to gain community, trade union & media support in the new year. If Labor doesn't get it's act together & instead continues with yet more of debilitating in-fighting we're seeing at the moment, in my view they'll be doing the country, not only it's supporters, a huge disservice.

Lurching towards 2005
By Michelle Grattan
December 12, 2004/the Sunday AGE

http://www.theage.com.au/news/Michelle-Grattan/Lurching-towards-2005/2004/12/11/1102625581875.html

msolga do you ever listen to sunday morning on the radio with peter farris qc? would be funny to see you and him in a room together. he is as much to the right as you are the left lol.

No, I haven't listened to him. This may surprise you, but I'm no further to the left than many other Oz folk. I see evidence of this everyday, reading my newspaper, watching television ... many of my friends & acquaintances hold similar views ... As do some of the Oz A2Kers, even. I guess Oz politics has moved so far to the right that we normal, everyday folk who long for an alternative to Howard & co. look almost like extremists these days.

They are proposing income tax cuts. About time!!!!

Some details on these tax cuts, please?

Last Update: Monday, December 13, 2004. 12:29pm (AEDT)

Downer silent on nuke job offer

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is refusing to comment on whether he has been approached to replace Mohamed El Baradei as the head of the United Nations' nuclear watchdog.

The Washington Post says the Bush administration wants the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed El Baradei, to step down.

The article says Mr Downer is the top choice to take over the position but that the the Foreign Minister has been unwilling to mount a challenge.

Defence Minister Robert Hill thinks that is the right decision.

"He's doing an excellent job as Foreign Minister so I'd like him to stay as Foreign Minister," Senator Hill said.

But Labor's Kevin Rudd says he wants to know whether the Howard Government supports Dr El Baradei's leadership.

"I haven't heard anyone so far say that Mohamed El Baradei performed badly," Mr Rudd said.

"If the Howard Government has a view that the current head of the IAEA is not up to the job, then they have a responsibility to tell the Australian people why that is the case."

A spokesman for Mr Downer says the Minister will not comment on the report.

`

hmm ... Very, very fishy, indeed!

Last Update: Monday, December 13, 2004. 12:01pm (AEDT)
Govt preparing to cut spending, Labor says

The Federal Opposition says the Government is preparing to cut Budget programs in areas such as health and education despite projections of strong revenue growth.

Cabinet is meeting in Sydney today for the final time this year, though ministers deny Budget talks are on the agenda.

But Finance Minister Nick Minchin has been reported as saying opportunities for savings need to be rigorously considered.

Opposition treasury spokesman Wayne Swan says it shows the folly of the Government's $66 billion election spending commitments.

"We heard nothing about these cuts during the election campaign," Mr Swan said.

"Yet now there is speculation about cuts to families, health and education.

"One thing you can say about the Howard Government - they give with one hand before the election and they take even more back with the other after the election."

<sigh>.... "speculation of cuts to families, health & education"? That stupid, stupid vote-buying election campaign! I guess the money has to come from somewhere?! This is SO infuriating & certainly isn't evidence of "responsible fiscal management"!

.. & more on those likely budget cuts.:

Razor out for tough budget
Steve Lewis and David Uren
December 13, 2004/ the AUSTRALIAN

THE Howard Government is hoping to extract billions of dollars in savings in the May budget, exploiting its control of the Senate to revisit legislation shot down by the opposition parties.

Ahead of the release of updated budget forecasts later this month, the Government has begun softening up voters to anticipate a raft of tough measures in its first post-election budget.

Finance Minister Nick Minchin, who along with Treasurer Peter Costello will oversee the budget process, told The Australian the Government would "rigorously consider the opportunity for savings" in the May statement.

"We will go back and look at proposals that we put into the parliament before that have been rejected, given that this budget will be being delivered six weeks before the Senate majority changes," Senator Minchin said.

The suggestion of a tough budget comes as cabinet prepares for its final meeting of the year, in Sydney today.

Australia's economic vulnerability - particularly the current account deficit - will be discussed, along with preparations for the May budget.

Senator Minchin's department and Treasury are updating the state of the budget for this month's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook statement.

The updated forecasts are likely to be more conservative than either the budget or the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Outlook statement that was released by Treasury in September.

Access Economics director Chris Richardson said economic growth this year would be closer to 3 than 3.5per cent. However, he said the budget position was likely to be better than estimated either by the budget or PEFO because of the strength of tax revenue.

"My guess is 2005-06 will still be relatively healthy but the trends that have been underpinning the budget will be weakening," Mr Richardson said, referring to housing construction and strong export prices.

From July 1, the Government will take control of the Senate, and Senator Minchin's comments suggest it will adopt a robust approach to balance the budget.

He cited a rise in the cost of essential medicines, through the Pharmaceutial Benefits Scheme, and toughening up eligibility for the disability support pension, as two obvious areas of reform. A few other measures have been rejected by the Senate, such as scrapping the Student Financial Supplement Scheme.

Most substantive savings, however, will have to be found from current spending programs in the big departments of Health, Education, Family and Community Services and Defence.

"The domestic economy is still running strongly. There is certainly no call for additional fiscal stimulation. We do want to continue to try to contain the size of government," Senator Minchin said.

"We will in this budget process be considering the opportunity for sensible savings consistent with election commitments."

He denied the Coalition's election commitments were excessive, saying they amounted to less than 1 per cent of budget spending over a four-year period.

"We won't be looking to increase spending anywhere else unless it is urgent or unavoidable. The only areas in which you might contemplate that being the case would be in national security."

But Labor believes the Government will be forced to adopt harsh measures to offset what it says was John Howard's election profligacy.

"Ever since the election, when they said things were rosy, there has been this softening-up period," said Opposition Treasury spokesman Wayne Swan.

He cited the Prime Minister's comments on Friday as evidence of this. Mr Howard predicted next year will be a "tougher year economically" than 2004, although he dismissed suggestions of a looming recession. "I expect that when they get control of the Senate, they will use the budget to try and renege on election measures," Mr Swan said.

However, the Government claims it will meet all its election commitments in full.

`

More on that intriguing story about Alexander & the International Atomic Energy Agency position:

Labor backs IAEA chief over Downer
December 13, 2004 - 12:10PM/the AGE

The federal opposition said today there was no reason for the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to be replaced.

The Washington Post has reported the US government wanted IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei to be replaced by Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.

Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd said he saw no reason why Mr ElBaradei should be replaced.

"I haven't heard anyone so far say that Mohamed ElBaradei performed badly," Mr Rudd told reporters.

"If that is the Howard government's view, that the current head of the IAEA is not doing his job, then I really think they should tell Australians and tell the world why and give evidence for that."

Mr Rudd said unlike Mr Downer, Mr ElBaradei had expressed scepticism about claims Iraq had stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.

"Remember the head of the IAEA and the head of the weapons inspection team from the United Nations Hans Blix expressed scepticism all along about stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction unlike Mr Downer, unlike Mr Howard," he said.

Mr Rudd refused to comment on reports Mr ElBaradei was being bugged by US intelligence services.

"I don't comment on intelligence related matters," he said.

A spokesman for Mr Downer has said the minister would not comment on Washington Post report.

- AAP

If they are going to cut spending, they shouldn't cut expenditure on health, education and families. Expenditure cuts should be made on politicians superannuation, aid and defence spending given to indonesia and other south east asia countries and money given to countries to take illegal immigrants.

You have a bit of a blind spot about migrants, haven't you? Many "illegal migrants" are in fact refugees.

Last Update: Tuesday, December 14, 2004. 3:41pm (AEDT)

Howard defends regional 'slush fund'

Prime Minister John Howard has denied using a controversial funding program to help some regions much more than others.

Labor has accused the Government of misusing the regional partnerships program to buy votes during the federal election campaign.

Yesterday a leaked email from the Department of Transport and Regional Services showed $60 million was promised under the program during the six-week election campaign.

Eighty per cent of the money allocated during the election campaign went to key electorates in Queensland and Tasmania.

Mr Howard says the regional partnerships program is just one of many which helps regional areas.

"You can only get a proper steer on how fairly or unfairly a state has been treated by looking at all of the Government's expenditure programs," he said.

"I would certainly argue that if you look at all of the Government's expenditure programs, no states have been discriminated against."

Labor says a single Tasmanian electorate received more than New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia combined.

Labor's regional development spokesman Kelvin Thomson said yesterday it appears the regional partnerships program has been used to buy voter support.

"This document shows that regional partnerships has simply been a Liberal and National party slush fund," he said

I read where Australians are taxed more now than ever before, with the GST coming in. It is sad, that the government tireds to bleed as much as they can out of hard working people and then they just waste it when they get it. I hate being taxed so much.

I agree. Most of all, I hate indirect taxation. The GST is grossly unfair to low income earners. And yes, I hate the way our taxes have been used to buy votes by the Liberals & the National Party. I'm happy to pay my share of tax for education, health, public transport, etc, but not for these ill-conceived junkets. What a waste.

Remember the whiteboard affair? History repeating.