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If ever there was, or ever is, a failure of democracy, the Abbott gov will go down in history as a prime example. Abbott has come to power with nothing but political prowess. He has no plan, no policies, apart from a rigid conformity of his world view. The alarms bells are ringing darlings, not just here but around the world.
People are surely asking, how the hell did Australians elect such a bunch of stupid, narrow minded, blinkered, uninspired, unrepresentative, ideologically driven, incompetent morons? It's a testament to Abbott doing the only thing he's good at; politics. It's also a testament to political failure.
We knew Abbott was going to be bad, really bad, being in the gay community. His treatment of us over the ACT legalising marriage equality was and is disgraceful. We were treated with contempt as his gov lodged the high court challenge to the ACT only hours after the legislation passed the ACT parliament. But we didn't expect it to be anywhere near this bad. This shit is just out there...........
It took a while, but we are now seeing the true colours of Abbottism. For those who expected an Abbott administration to resume where the Howard government left off, what we are now seeing will be a surprise.
This is a completely new brand of conservative politics.
The new “brand Australia” that the Abbott government is presenting to the world is neo-conservative nationalism, with a populist twist.
Hockey should be squirming more
I give you US capitalism. Where you must shop and consume. Where people die in shopping stampede's. People even camp out in sub zero temps, not for concert tickets but to be first in during said stampede.
The Pope has gone all leftie and has actually said something worth listening too. He's been going around making slightly friendly noises about gays recently, and now he's come up with criticisms of the brand of Christianity that defines itself in the ideology of capitalism; namely, that the system encourages selfishness and inequality (no shit Sherlock). He even goes as far as to call this ideological Christianity as a "serious illness".
At last Thursday’s mass, the Pope said that “when a Christian becomes a disciple of the ideology, he has lost the faith: he is no longer a disciple of Jesus, he is a disciple of this attitude of thought… For this reason Jesus said to them: ‘You have taken away the key of knowledge.’ The knowledge of Jesus is transformed into an ideological and also moralistic knowledge, because these close the door with many requirements.”
“The faith becomes ideology and ideology frightens, ideology chases away the people, distances, distances the people and distances of the Church of the people,” Pope Francis I said. “But it is a serious illness, this of ideological Christians. It is an illness, but it is not new, eh?” more
Yes, I had to do a double take on that one too. I can see what he's getting at though. I mean you only have to look at Australia's wonderful christian example of Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison to realise that their particular brand of Christianity is a serious illness. One wonders how a christian (including Rudd) could treat people the way these two do. They've at least got a few screws loose.
So where is the christian outrage? All I can see are non-christians shrugging their shoulders like "typical".
Yet we have Morrison jailing kids and separating them from parents, and Abbott setting about trying to turn Australia into some kind of lap dog capitalist slave to US multinational corporations. In so he's trampling all over our climate initiatives, not to mention the poor. Ripping the guts out of gov, like the Alcohol and Drug Commission that's been around for 46 years giving valuable advice and resources to the gov and community. Abbott's cut funding and it's finished, after 46 years. This can only be socially destructive.
But that's what ideology is all about isn't it. It's not about helping people, it's about following a rigid and unbend-able set of rules and woe to all who don't follow those rules.
Apparently calling someone a liar and then lying yourself is part of this Christianity as well.
As Abbott and his looney team proceed about wrecking this country in one term or less, there's a lot of political cartoons making hay out of it all. I'm sort of getting a bit of a collection on a day or two's basis. These are the latest ones.
I mean it's not every day we see a democratically elected gov so spectacularly show us they're not really emperors but still don't have any clothes anyway. If this is ten weeks surely the governor general must step in and save Australia from it's stupidity. The Abbott gov is a testament to how stupid the racist and religious looneys are here, who Abbott appealed to.
Last few days has given time for reflection on the big blow up with my daughter and David. Things have become a bit clearer as to what actually happened and what's led up to it.
My daughter appears quite confused as to the reality. If she doesn't get on with David, then WTF does she expect me to do? Leave him? Why would I do that. I love him. We've had hardly any arguments at all in the 1 year we've been together, and the two big ones we had were about her. It's now obvious that she's trying to interfere in our relationship and influence me to not like David and perhaps leave him.
Why this is so who knows. She doesn't seem to realise the reality that this is my life, my relationship with David. Being in love with David doesn't require me to stop loving her, or her liking David. If it's a mistake then I'll find that out on my own. It's my mistake to make. I don't need her approval to follow my own course. She needs to see this.
She's hardly been here at all the last few days. Came in late last night and went straight to her room. Didn't even say hi, which annoyed David a lot as he thought she could at least say hi to her father even if she was angry at David. She left early this morning for work, and later when I got up I noticed two of the pictures of me and her together on my 50th birthday, she'd put in our room near the door. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt. If she cares so much for me then why is she doing that to me? I texted her inquiring WTF? Her basic replies were that she was being pushed out :s Fuck, all that's happening is I'm looking after my relationship with David.
Seeing the psychologist Tuesday. Think that's a good amount of time to have passed and the discussion would likely be more productive in hindsight. I know what scares me the most is loss; I've lost so much that the thought of losing either of the two people in this world that I love the most scares the shit out of me. I do know though, David's not going to be putting up with this shit forever. She has her own life, friends, relationships. David is mine, and I'm just looking after him.
Remember this bloke? This is Bryn Hutchinson, who at this years Mardi Gras parade was set upon by 5 police officers shortly after it ended for crossing the road. He sustained these injuries from the police:
The police charged him with with resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.
Well his time has come up in court, and guess what? The magistrate has found him innocent and chucked out both charges.
Today a magistrate found that on the first charge of “Assaulting an officer in the execution of duty,” Hutchinson was not guilty because was acting in self defence.
On the second charge of “resisting an officer in execution of their duty,” the ruling was that there was insufficient evidence to warrant a guilty verdict.
NSW Police have previously refuted wrongdoing on the night, so the judgement that Hutchinson was acting with self defence appears to contradict this.
A relieved Hutchinson tells Same Same he was pleased with today’s result in court, acknowledging that a legal battle “takes it lot out of you.”
“From my own experience, I want to advocate for an external body for the independent oversight of police,” he adds.
“If it can happen to me it can happen to anyone. There are many instances where police have used unlawful or unreasonable force, and there is no way it shouldn’t be able to be questioned external to the police force.
“I thank the community who supported me and others, and thank David Shoebridge and Alex Greenwich who spoke out strongly and early about my plight.” more
However it's extremely unlikely anything will happen to the police who did this as the police still investigate themselves, despite many and long calls for NSW police to be investigated by an independent body.
The view of the Abbott gov appears to be that the auto industry in Australia is bloated and inefficient, and that gov money shouldn't be used to support an industry that's not viable. Unfortunately they don't have the slightest grasp of the facts in thinking this. In fact Australia's auto industry is one of the most unprotected and least gov funded in the world:
The AMWU report states that total government support per head of population for the Australian car industry is $US18, compared to $28 for the UK, $90 in Germany, $96 in Canada, $147 in France and $264 in the USA.
Total government assistance for auto has fallen by 16 per cent since 2006-07, yet increased for mining by 152 per cent, for banks and finance by 86 per cent. Automotive puts back $31 into the economy for every dollar invested.
“There is not a single mass-produced vehicle on the planet which doesn’t benefit from a fair degree of government support but somehow sections of the Australian public have been conned into believing we should be the unique exception,” Dave Smith said.
At just 5 per cent, the Australia tariff rate is lower than the potential markets of India (100 per cent) Thailand (80 per cent), Malaysia (35 per cent), Indonesia (50 per cent), Mexico (34 per cent), South Korea (8 per cent) and Canada (6 per cent). more
If Abbott destroys the auto industry here simply from lack of gov funding, there will be no other reason for it than his ideological capitalist extremism.
The Flying Spaghetti Monster (FSM _ One True God) has appeared on the Futurama TV! It is pleasing to us Pastafarians that that our master and decider of hellfire sees fit to communicate to the young ones (well me the old one) bla... bla.... bla bla....... *exclusion to all who don't believe!*
Hail Him:
This is from Nauru telly a week or so ago. It is Scott Morrison's speech to Australia's asylum seekers who have ended up in Nauru; a place where they're locked up to wait for possibly years of processing by the Australian gov to determine if they're genuine asylum seekers. Even after years of mental damage locked up with little hope there, over 90% of these people are settled on our shores. They are genuine. Along with the accompanying mental damage we have imposed upon them.
And now here is Scott Morrison addressing said asylum seeker locked up people in Nauru. It's disgusting.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=535790309832807
This is a Pentecostal christian. This is who they are. They are self righteous, arrogant, without empathy, convinced that they are the only ones who are going to go to heaven. Anyone else are simply the unsaved. Scum not willing to worship a sky man, who will thus deserve their ultimate hell fire punishment. After all, those who don't accept christs salvation will surely burn in hell forever right?
Bloody brilliant:
Oh, and Abbott's crashing big time in the polls:
FFS. Is it time to call in the Governor General yet? Abbott is setting about to end the carbon tax, claiming his policy of "Direct Action" is a better way to go. cheaper and all. Plant some trees and the like. He went to the election with this policy.
Surprise surprise. The policy hasn't even been costed. Not only that, it hasn't even been formulated. In other words, stupid Australians who didn't look into any details at all on his policies, voted for a policy that hasn't been put together and now appears to have a blank cheque attached to it. Yep, kill a program that's on target to reach 15% carbon reductions, for a plan that doesn't even exist let alone been costed.
Yesterday, in the Senate inquiry into the Abbott government’s mass repeal of carbon and related legislation, Treasury officials revealed that they had not costed or analysed the Direct Action policy. Or even been asked to.
That’s probably because, as Climate Change Authority heads Bernie Fraser and Anthea Harris told the same inquiry last week, there is nothing there to analyse. Just a slogan, and a few ideas jotted down into a policy consultation document.
Independent Senator Nick Xenophon told the inquiry chairman he was surprised the modelling had not been done, AAP reports. “I must say, chair, I am quite surprised, shocked in fact, that the treasury hasn’t taken any modelling in respect of this.” more
I only discovered this bloke recently, but I like him. Aussie politics for the average constituent.
This is a really interesting one. In the US apparently most of their telly goes through cable and they have to pay for it, unlike here where most of the telly is free to air through a TV antenna on the roof. You can get pay TV but it's bloody expensive, can easily be over $100 a month, not that I've bothered looking into it. I don't watch enough TV to be bothered with it.
This talks about new technology that works simply on the internet, for a fraction of the pay TV cable price. I have no idea if this is available in Australia, but I imagine Foxtell here may be severely shitting itself when it sees this:
The online Americans are all wishing each other happy thanksgiving. I think it's like a big meal of turkey before everyone passes out or argues with their family. Sounds like Christmas dinner.
This is the strangest thing. Some composer has slowed down the sound of crickets and they sound like humans singing. As their lifetimes are shorter than ours, he used that ratio for the speed to listen to it. It's absolutely incredible.
Daughter has decided to move out as soon as possible. She's getting a bank loan to get together the bond and all to move in somewhere. I don't see that being a problem as she's lived at this address for 3 years and has been at her job for over a year. I'd had preferred she moved out under better circumstances but in the end it's time for her to go. It's unfortunate that the catalyst for it has been a huge shit fight with David.
Another thing that's occurred to me yesterday was the sudden realisation that my 22 year old daughter these last few days has been actively interfering in David's and my relationship, going so far as to call him a "cunt" in a text to me. Saying that if I stayed with him then I would be "driving her away". Looking at this in the cold light of day I thought, what right has she got to tell me who I should and shouldn't be with? I'm 51, she's 23. She has way overstepped the mark, and I now understand David's anger when she yelled at him that she wished he wasn't here.
It can be hard sometimes I guess to see the wood from the trees when you're so close to a situation as this. I know the last ten years of her life has been very tumultuous and she's been through thick and thin. I have however stuck by her in that when many abandoned her, given her a stable home environment, and watched her get on her feet and succeed. In reality she's completely ready to make her own home away from mine.
Psychologist rang yesterday when I was in the supermarket dead zone with no reception. Always the way. By the time I saw the text that he'd rung it was late afternoon. Emailed him this morning explaining, and that since things have settled a lot and solutions being found it's not so urgent anymore and perhaps sometime in the next week or so would be fine for an appt.
It's been only ten weeks darlings, ten short weeks. That's how long it's taken for fuckwit Abbott to destroy our relationship with Indonesia, give military boats to a gov implicit on torture - Sri Lanka - and so many other things that there's not the space here to rave about. But perhaps a sample of my brief surf through the net re Tony Abbot's latest shenanigans.
I know the net is known as being a bit left wing (what, are us lefties the only ones capable of using a bloody computer?), that being reported in the right wing old press I seem to recall. You know, those ancient things called newspapers that took about a bazillion trees to accomplish each daily edition. The tradies who buy the Daily Terrorgraph on the way to work and read it at work, believing the reporting to be balanced and ending up horrified at what those evil union lefties are doing this country. Some of those people who blame the "union bosses" for all our woes, may well be working in a system with conditions fought for over decades by the very unions they despise. Things like four weeks annual leave a year, or the 9% super from employers.....
Even if from a left wing bias, the internet rage is white hot. Here are some samples with links of said Abbott crashing and burning online.
Is Abbott a sociopath?
Like a nation of sheep we bought the lies and myths propagated in the Murdoch and Murdoch mini-me (ABC) media about how Tony is a changed person. Not even three months in, and that choice at the ballot box is proving disastrous. The almost cult-like worshiping of the thug who conned his way into the Lodge means our media has to tell us on a daily basis that black is white in order to maintain the illusion that Tony Abbott is the new messiah who will save Australia from the regional peace and AAA prosperity that Labor delivered us. more
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Doing your lolly...
The Grattan Institute is the latest to come out with a quick fix for the economy. And surprise, surprise, it’s yet another one that belts the poor and protects the rich.
The Grattan Institute’s New World Order would see us all paying GST on fresh food and education, capital gains tax would be added to the family home and we’d all have to work until we were seventy.
So, to get this clear: at a time when obesity is on the rise, the Grattan Institute suggests we make fresh food more expensive. At a time when there is concern that people don’t have adequate superannuation to be able to live independently when they retire, they’re talking about slugging the family home with capital gains tax. And at a time when age discrimination is rife and older people either can’t get a job or are being made redundant, they’re suggesting everyone works until they’re seventy.
But hey, the Paid Parental Leave scheme that sees women on $150k a year receive $75k for having a baby will stay. Guess that will cover the price of all those fresh fruit and vegies six week old babies eat.
Apparently these are all ‘tough choices’ to get our economy in the black. It’s funny how ‘tough choices’ never seem to include taxing the rich, do they? more
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An Open Letter to Abbott voters
So you probably noticed, or more likely didn’t unless Kyle Sandilands/Stefanovic mentioned it, that approximately 60,000 Australians turned out on Sunday to rally for action to combat climate change. You know, climate change, that thing that you deny, discount, laugh at, and generally ignore every time you have the opportunity. And yes, if you’re an Abbott voter, I do believe it’s fair to put you in this bucket. If you even begin to tell me you want action to reduce the catastrophic effects of climate change and that you also voted for the man who vowed to ‘axe the tax’, the very mechanism that was reducing Australian emissions and contributing to a world-wide acceptance of the need to do something about climate change, I will tell you you’re a moron. A dangerous moron. And this leads me to my reason for writing you this letter. I want you to know that I’m not just pissed off with you. I’m furious* (*not a strong enough word). And I’m not pandering to you anymore. This is a call for those who share my anger not to pander to you either. more
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Superannuation changes to slash savings of half of all working women, say industry funds
Industry superannuation funds are warning plans to axe a rebate for low-income workers will affect half of all working women and will disproportionately hit rural workers.
The funds are proposing a tax offset for all workers and scaling back the Coalition's paid parental leave scheme in order to maintain the rebate.
The Coalition plans to scrap the $500 Low Income Super Contribution for people earning less than $37,000 a year as part of its bill to repeal the mining tax.
The move would cut as much as $27,000 from the retirement savings of 3.5 million Australians, mostly women and young workers, according to the body representing industry funds, Industry Super Australia (ISA).
The Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) repeal bill will also delay by two years increases to compulsory super contributions made by employers. more
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Petition Abbott's expenses
I wish to see the Australian Federal Police prosecute Tony Abbott for the serious abuse of his entitlements. If it was good for Mr Slipper for $1000 of expenses, why should Mr Abbott get off with nearly $10,000 of falsely claimed personal expenses? Justice needs to be done!
Sincerely,
[Your name] sign here
.
Had a day together yesterday David and I, including a long discussion about the weekend argument between he and my daughter. There are always two sides to an argument and this case is no exception.
Without going into the details of it all, suffice to say there are some glaring differences in my daughter's relating of the event and how David described it. For example, my daughter described David "screaming in her face", whereas David's version was that he was sitting across the room from her on the lounge :s Also the "viscous" nature of the verbal exchange from David is rather in question after the way he described how it went, and what he was replying to. For example, what led to the explosion was when she yelled at him that she wished he would leave. WTF? Where the hell did that come from? Why would she come out with something like that?
I'd have to say that there's also been issues about the sort of people her and her boyfriend bring into the house, involving drug use. One of their "acquaintances" went to the toilet just before me; he looked like he'd just crawled out of the gutter. I went in the toilet and he'd missed the bowl and pissed all over the floor, as well as stinking out the room with clothes that smelt like sweat and smoke. Don't think he'd bathed or washed his clothes in ages. Or there'd be about 5 people in her bedroom smoking like a chimney. I don't care about the odd joint here and there, but FFS, five of them puffing away endlessly is just too much. I am the leaseholder and it's certainly within my rights to demand such things stop. David agree of course. This hasn't been a popular position for us to take with her and her boyfriend.
I'm starting to wonder now just how much of the argument/explosion between her and David stemmed from this very thing. It'd not be the first time my daughter's lied to me for her own ends. With my mental health issues and general vulnerability, it'd be very easy for her to use that to her own advantage. Plus I wasn't even here for six months after I met David as I was staying nearly every night at his place. Perhaps all this activity took off when I was away? Thing is she's told me over and over there's no drugs in the house, but I know for a fact that on occasion there has been. The day of the argument there were four people in her bedroom smoking for hours and she'd have been stoned off her head. This certainly shed new light onto the whole situation.
The bottom line is that it's about time she moved out. If she wants to carry on like that at 23 then she can do it in her own place and not involve me or David. She reckons she's getting the money together to move anyway with her and her boyfriend getting a place. They both work so I can't see a problem there.
David and I had an excellent afternoon together yesterday, clarified what was going on with each other and really reconnected back with each other after this drama. My daughter rang during that time but I didn't answer as I just didn't want to revisit the arguments in such a situation.
An interesting little video where people give their reactions to the faggot word being used.
Sent an email to my psychologist on the weekend to see about getting an earlier appt than had been arranged. The domestic situation between my daughter and David has exploded in a great shit fight, and it appears I'm caught right smack in the middle. They had a huge argument with each other when I wasn't here and (although it's from my daughter's account of it) David viciously attacked my daughter verbally. Thing is the argument was about me. Now I just don't know what to do. A discussion with the psychologist to help clarify things seems a logical step.
Daughter is incredibly upset at what he said and never wants to see him again, wanting me to tell him to move out. Although that may be the first initial reaction and she does have a habit of over reacting. David is used to it appears, the sort of arguments that he had with his schizophrenic ex where the viscous insults flew thick and fast in some kind of trench warfare, and although the odd occasion when we have argued in the last year there's been a glimpse of this side of his character the only time I've seen it in full flight was when he was still with his ex in Surry Hills. They argued like cats and dogs and one of the reasons I told him he needed to get out of there was because the arguments were so heated that I was expecting it to get violent between them at times.
By my daughter's account this occasion David was in full flight. What she related to me about it sounded terrible, and certainly not in any way what she deserved. It's like he just snapped somehow. When he's like that he brings up shit completely unrelated to whatever the disagreement is about and goes full on attacking the person, like with his ex. She said she was in shock, shaking at what he was saying. We talked yesterday my daughter and I and she was crying and so upset. Poor thing has tried so hard these last few years and to have someone do that to her, attack her personally like that, I just can't believe it. What was he thinking? I know he's been under a lot of pressure in the last months with the discrimination thing and the resulting financial worries, but there's no excuse for behavior like that. As I said to him yesterday, she's my daughter, not an enemy.
The only thing I can think with David is that he goes into some kind of auto rage/snaps and carries on like he's in trench warfare with his ex. That may have worked for him in that situation but it's not going to work here. Either that or he's got some kind of anger problem. Seems like he just thinks that's the way he is if he "turns" and it can't be helped. I'm suspecting that if he can't or won't address the issue then this may very well end up leading us to split. I simply can't have someone doing that to my daughter.
Took a few pictures yesterday afternoon at the protest for marriage equality. It was a rowdy bunch which marched up Oxford St. Interestingly, there was an arrest. Not from us but the haters. Here they were with a megaphone and a sign. The bloke on the left was arrested, I assume for some kind of hate speech. The bloke with the sign was forced to move on by the cops.
Some more pictures, and a bit of a video that I took with the camera:
He'd be better off as a comedian :s
Joe Hockey, or new minister of finance, recently raised Australia's debt ceiling to a massive $500billion. I was pretty shocked when I saw the headlines; shocked at how stupid some Australians must be to swallow this bullshit, after crying doom and gloom about debt since the GFC. What? Now they're raising the gov debt ceiling? Why?
Here is a collection of quotes from Abbott last year when Labor raised the debt ceiling to a mere $300billion. You can read them all at the link, but here's a juicy little one. Keep in mind this was only March last year.
The debt ceiling, the nation’s credit card limit, is $300 billion. Now, the Government needs to get this down - it needs to get this down urgently - but my fear and the growing fear of the Australian public is that the Government will try to solve its problems by increasing your problems... more
"Weird Al" Yankovic Performs this way. All proceeds of the song he's donated to Human Rights Campaign.
I was worried about the weather yesterday as we had storms in Sydney with torrential Spring rain, but this morning the skies have cleared and the weather is perfect! Perhaps Fred Nile forgot to pray for rain? In any case it doesn't look like us gays have rain power on top of the meteorite and tornado power.
And what a pleasant surprise to find in the morning news that Australia's Governor General has broken with tradition and entered the debate on marriage equality, declaring her support:
She ends with the offer of a new vision of an Australia ''where people are free to love and marry whom they choose...."
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Her implied support for same-sex marriage - opposed by the Abbott government - is likely to intensify debate at both public and societal levels.
Read more
Not only do we have the power over meteorites, but now it seems we have power over tornadoes as well! All we have to do is get a law passed for gay marriage, and a tornado will pop right down:
The massive tornadoes that hit Illinois after the passing of the same sex “marriage” bill, has stimulated many people to reflection.
In it, some see God’s chastisement; others see it as yet one more merciful warning from Providence; others yet deny both options and give various reasons. more
Dunno what's going on with the Australian Capital Territory here then. They haven't had any tornadoes.
Independent Alex Greenwich isn't mucking around, after being told by the gov in the NSW parliament yesterday that the Board of Studies will no longer accept discrimination from private schools. He is setting up a process to make complaints easier for those who have suffered discrimination in private schools:
“Private schools, including religiously affiliated ones, are now on notice that the Board of Studies will investigate cases of discrimination against LGBTI and other vulnerable groups not protected by the NSW anti-discrimination laws," commented Greenwich.
Greenwich will now work with the Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby and the Inner City Legal Centre to assist students who have suffered discrimination with the complaints process.
Greenwich plans to reintroduce his Bill in parliament next year if the Board of Studies process fails to protect vulnerable students
“While I am disappointed that the government would not vote for my bill at this stage, I am pleased the bill has brought about a new process to enable vulnerable students to seek recourse through the Board of Studies.
“The right of gay and lesbian students, students with a disability, and pregnant teens to be protected by Anti-Discrimination laws is essential, and the government’s announcement today in response to my calls is a step toward this." more
I note that the gov is conservative, confirming to at least me that this isn't a political left or right issue but a human one.
Tired of those boring music videos with nearly naked women dancing around almost like in a soft porn thing? Well, replace those boring females with some sexy guys, and this is what you get :)
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union has met with the Abbott gov's industry minister Ian Macfarlane in Canberra, warning him that the gov was taking too long to decide if it's going to support the car industry here or not. They fear that more car makers in Australia will just simply pull the plug without assurances from the gov that they will have gov support.
General Motors’ Board in Detroit in the US is expected to discuss Holden this week, according to media reports, though a final decision will not be taken.
Mr Bastian said government statements that any funding would be the last for the industry plus the withdrawl of $500 million “is not how you attract investment to the country, it’s not how you inspire confidence in our capability.”
He said trade reform was needed to help local manufacturers compete in a local car market which had the world’s lowest tariffs, among the auto world’s lowest government support but 67 brands on sale, compared to 51 in the massive US market.
The $620million in subsidies to the car industry in 2013 compares to $700 million for mining, $900 million for banks and financial services, and $1.4 billion for primary production.
“It gets down to whether you really want a country which makes things, whether you’re prepared to give auto co-investment, which is still far less than what government puts into mining, agriculture and the banks,” he said. more
For a gov that prides itself on being some sort of economic guru (pfffft) it would be catastrophic if the industry collapsed because of either gov inaction, or a gov decision to abandon the industry.
Here's a report on the National Day of Climate action last weekend from GetUp, and their intention to continue the campaign through the summer.
Don't miss it darlings! It's an opportunity to vent our marriage equality frustration at that prick Abbott, who is intent on blocking us at every step. A chance to yell and boo. Be there or be square baby!
It hasn't taken Abbott long has it, to trash Australia's relationship with Indonesia. My daughters boyfriend has parents over there, and he's now seeing this on the news as Indonesian protesters burn a hastily made Australian flag outside the Australian embassy.
Although there's not a hell of a lot of news about it here, it's certainly a very different story at The Jakarta Post. Here's a couple of snips.
I just shake my head. Abbott is well known for foot in mouth disease, and this is no exception. He has a talent for insulting the hell out of people (Australians included; believe me he's regularly come up with insults to the gay community here among others) without having the slightest notion of why they're offended. He's either incredibly arrogant or stupid, or both.
IMO Indonesia has been very patient with Abbott so far. When in opposition they would hose down his comments as "for Australia's domestic audience". But WTF are they supposed to do with PM Abbott running amoke all over their sovereignty and pride? And all because of his stupid idea to "turn back the boats". It was never going to work, anyone with half a brain knew that. I guess the Australian racists that the policy was designed to appeal to didn't even have half a brain.
Maybe some of Indonesia's long-suffering patience will come to the fore again. Abbott's bunkered down now trying to figure out his latest response to Indonesia. I do hope that FFS somebody will tell him to shut the fuck up and listen.
Hilarious Update:
Apparently Obamacare is gonna kill people. apparently nobody died in the 45 million without insurance before Obamacare. Such a joke this crazy hissy fit the ruling elite are having about people getting health care in the US. More domestic funnies below.
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