Can Abbott & Hockey be trusted at all?

[boris1gary]

immediate answer is NO......... but then they can be trusted to lie, rob from the poor and give to the rich and generally look after their mates.

[fourandsixpants]

[lakeland27]

does the OP know anything ?

Before 1992, reasonably widespread superannuation arrangements had been in place for many years under industrial awards negotiated by the union movement between wage increases. In 1992, the Keating Labor government introduced a compulsory "Superannuation Guarantee" system as part of a major reform package addressing Australia's retirement income policies. It was calculated that Australia, along with many other Western nations, would experience a major demographic shift in the coming decades, resulting in the anticipated increase in age pension payments placing an unaffordable strain on the Australian economy. The proposed solution was a "three pillars" approach to retirement income:

• A safety net consisting of a means-tested Government age pension system
• Private savings generated through compulsory contributions to superannuation
• Voluntary savings through superannuation and other investments

who else is going to run superfunds but the people who came up with superfunds ? would any sensible person allow the real fat cats to take control ?  no idea.

[lakeland27]

The Howard government was criticised by former Prime Minister Paul Keating for its reluctance to increase the compulsory rate of superannuation. Keating argued that had the compulsory rate been 15% since 1996, rather than the then 9%, total superannuation assets in Australia would be approaching $2 trillion - almost double the current level.[4]

[lakeland27]

pity i posted on the wrong thread

[boris1gary]

they certainly can be trusted not to go after this lot, best to stick to the disabled and the unemployed.

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/budget-pain-not-for-millionaires-who-pay-no-tax-20140512-zr9o3.html

Cutting taxable income that far doesn’t come cheap.

Forty-five of the uber millionaires claimed a total of $64.4 million for the “cost of managing their tax affairs”. That’s a staggering $1.4 million each. (As a point of comparison an entry-level H&R Block consultation costs $49.)

At face value the figures suggest these super-high earners were prepared to spend an unlikely half of their incomes on tax advice. A more likely explanation is that they received far greater incomes than they reported and spent only a portion on tax advice.

It wasn’t wasted.

Ten of the millionaires claimed between them $1.3 million in work-related deductions, for things such as car expenses and clothing. Ten claimed a total of $5 million for donations and gifts, a category that includes political as well as charitable donations.

On Tuesday night these  75 will escape the deficit reduction levy applying to taxable incomes of more than $180,000. Their taxable incomes are closer to nil than $180,000 even though they are well off enough to afford outrageously priced tax advice. And they’ll almost certainly escape the extra charge for bulk-billed visits to the doctor. About the only thing they won’t escape is higher petrol prices, although it should be noted that five of them claim work-related car expenses, so they might be able pass those costs on to the Tax Office.

It isn’t only millionaires. Tax Office figures show there are 1095 Australians earning in excess of $150,000 who pay no tax. Half of them sought tax advice and shelled out an impressive total of $98 million, which works out to $223,000 each. Their biggest lurk is negative gearing. Most lose large sums on properties they rent out in order to destroy their taxable incomes, hoping to make it up later when they sell the properties for a lightly taxed profit.

[izabsmiling]

A page from the graphic novel apparently aimed at potential Afghan asylum-seekers.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/11/government-launches-new-graphic-campaign-to-deter-asylu...

Does ^^^ look like intent? I don't trust any of them...

[izabsmiling]

What if Abbott and his cronies are just a bunch of psychopaths?

 Lyn Bender 13 May 2014,

The latest revelations about the Abbott Government have led psychologist Lyn Bender to wonder: is Prime Minister Tony Abbott incapable of human feeling?

THE psychopath may be smart even highly intelligent, but lacks empathy and is a chronic manipulator.

He is morally bankrupt due to this lack of empathy and narcissism. What he doesn’t feel, he mimics to further his own ends.

The psychopath or sociopath is careless of others feelings, exhibits no guilt or remorse, lies compulsively and acts impulsively with little regard for the consequences of those actions.

Grandiosity inflates a sense of getting away with anything.

The focus is never on reparation — but on escaping any responsibility for the harm inflicted on others.

The drive is essentially narcissistic, even if it is paraded as altruistic.

The psychopath may become enraged at accusations, and aggressive and defensive, even if those accusations are grounded in fact.

Behaviours and responses that appear to contradict the lack of empathy are, in fact, part of manipulating others to further the psychopath’s own ends. The actions are thoroughly Machiavellian with the end justifying the means — but the ends are narcissistically focused.

Sound like anyone you know?

The latest revelations about the Abbott Government's manipulation, deceit and lies have led me to wonder: is Prime Minister Abbott incapable of human feeling?

Previously I have asked questions in IA about Abbott and his team — concerning idiocy, insincerity, and being a headless chook.

The latest revelations − I mean allegations − of blatant lies regarding the Government have led me to confront, a profoundly serious fear — a scarily looming terror.

No, it’s not the Joe Hockey fictional budget crisis

What is keeping me awake at night is the following nagging thought:

"What if Prime Minister Tony Abbott just a psychopath?"

Surrounding himself with like-minded ministers advisors and old cronies, Abbott is forging his way towards his version of a small government free market quasi neo conservative nirvana.

A brave new land where the poor are punished for being poor, the disabled are abandoned, universal education and health care is degraded and the old and poor are denied health care in the hope that they will work until death, at seventy.

Currently, that is still mostly the inglorious dream of  those espousing the perverted right wing agendaof the denialist propaganda think tank the IPA – the Institute of Public Affairs – and Abbott's handpicked Commission of Audit.

Indeed, while Tony Abbott avoids the ABC like the plague, he is most comfortable in the company of friends.

Watch here as he addresses the IPA on freedom of speech — to great applause.

Also, see here Abbott invoke the freedom of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, declaring goals:

"So, ladies and gentlemen, that is a big fat yes to many of the 75 areas of policy you – the IPA – urged upon me."

Indeed, as I write this, Abbott is working to implement his agenda.

Here the IPA's goals are shamelessly enunciated by research fellow with the IPA — Chris Berg.

They include repeal of measures and bodies to combat climate change and the breaking up and sale of those vile socialists, the ABC and SBS:

read more: http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/what-if-abbott-and-his-cronies-are-jus...

[freakiness]

http://drivingwithjoehockey.com/

[boris1gary]

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@freakiness wrote:

http://drivingwithjoehockey.com/

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thanks for that, i needed a giggle.

[lane-ends]

To reach the top of the pile in politics you need a touch of the psychopath