Commission of audit: ending the age of entitlement

[nero_bolt]

No to the age of entitlement.

Yes to that old Australia that prized self-reliance:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/business/commission-of-audit-reveals-spending-cuts/story-fni0d2cq-1...

No to the age of entitlement. Yes to that old Australia that prized self-reliance:

 The ... National Commission of Audit ... calls on the Abbott government to retreat from health and education and other services to avoid duplication with the states while warning against the cost of new initiatives like the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which it seeks to delay by three years.

It sets out 10 major asset sales including short-term proposals to sell Snowy Hydro and Defence Housing Australia, along with long-term plans to sell Australia Post, the Royal Australian Mint and the Australian Rail Track Corporation…

Rejecting Mr Abbott’s signature paid parental leave policy in its current form, the audit commission calls for the payments to be capped at average earnings of about $57,500 a year.

This would limit payments to $28,000 for the wealthiest new parents, available to all with no means test, rather than Mr Abbott’s new limit of $50,000 announced in recent days.

Family Tax Benefit B, which goes to families with partners who do not work, would be abolished while Family Tax Benefit A would be drastically curtailed so the payments would start falling once a household exceeded $48,837 in annual income.

As revealed in The Australian today, the report calls for the family home to be included in the asset test that determines the size of the age pension.

The pension change would not take effect until 2027-28 and would only limit the payments to coupled pensioners with homes worth more than $750,000 in today’s dollars…

Treasurer Joe Hockey has already signalled an increase in the retirement age to 70 by 2029, compared with the commission’s suggestion of 2053.

Unemployment benefits would be taken away from young people aged 22 to 30 who do not have dependents or special exemptions and are not willing to relocate to “higher employment areas” after getting the benefits for 12 months…

Healthcare is a major target for reform in the audit report, which calls for a $15 co-payment on visits to GPs, compared with the government’s plan for a $6 charge, with the cost falling after 15 visits a year…

The audit report shows that government spending would rise to $690 billion by 2023-24, compared with $409 billion today in a “business as usual” scenario that is central to the claim — rejected by Labor — that the nation faces a “budget emergency” and must slash services.

 There are no detailed costings of individual measures, with those on the commission arguing it is hard to be precise, but the full suite of 86 recommendations is estimated to produce savings of $60 billion to $70 billion by 2023-24.

[azureline**]

I can see benefits to some of those plans................. add this one

No benefits payable to children who refuse to live at home and lie about being "kicked out" or abused, when there is nothing to support the claims, no history of abuse, no evidence tendered or sought........... even after contacting the parents and being told the claims are bogus because the 14 yo just doesn't like being told they can't come and go as they please at any hour of the day or night, can't drink alcohol, has to attend school on a daily basis and mum won't be buying cigarettes, nor allowed to associate with older street wise teens/young adults.

[lakeland27]

if they implement 10% of those recommendations it will be best remembered as 'ending the age of abbotts bleep'  because he'll be out..

the LNP are already in an election -losing position poll-wise. 

[donnashuggy]

[donnashuggy]

[carls*world]

Before we know it, the only thing our tax dollars WILL be paying for, will be MPs perks and salaries, with whatever is left going toward un-necessary pet projects of the Govt of the day.

[nero_bolt]

[nero_bolt]

Earlier today, the report of the independent National Commission of Audit was released.
 
This report is a timely reminder that Australia must get its Budget in order. It is one important input into the Abbott Government's forthcoming Budget.
 
After the last election, we inherited $123 billion in projected deficits with Government debt heading to $667 billion, unless corrective action is taken – that’s $25,000 for every Australian man, woman and child.
 
Australians know that the Government can’t keep spending more than it raises.
 
Australia is already spending over $12 billion a year in interest costs on Labor’s debt – that’s wasted money.
 
The Audit report found that, unless there is remedial action, government spending will blowout from $409 billion this year to nearly $700 billion within a decade. 
 
The Coalition promised the Australian people at the election that we would get the economy back on track.
 
Fixing the Budget is critical in setting Australia up for the future - with a strong world-class economy that generates more Australian jobs and provides more opportunities for families.
 
The Budget is part of the Coalition’s Economic Action Strategy to build a strong, prosperous economy and a safe, secure Australia.
 
Yours sincerely, 
 
Brian Loughnane
Federal Director
Liberal Party of Australia

[lakeland27]

tea party , my favorites   they keep the republicans out of office 

[boris1gary]

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/audit-report-written-by-big-business-for-bi...

Audit report 'written by big business, for big business', says Bill Shorten

Speaking in Sydney after the release of the report on Thursday afternoon, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the audit was "written by big business, for big business".

"If he gets his way, [Prime Minister] Tony Abbott will turn the most basic things in life - education, health care, support for older Australians - into a massive, daily struggle," he said.

Mr Shorten singled out the Commission's advice on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, paid parental leave, Medicare co-payments, family benefits, and pension eligibility for particular criticism.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said Labor would measure the government's response to the report based on its budget impact, fairness for families and the Coalition's election promises.

"This is about values and their values are wrong and twisted," he said.

Mr Bowen said the opposition had only had access to the Commission's report for a few hours, but did not rule out supporting the privatisation of some government organisations.

"Let the government come forward with proposals," he said.

"We'll look at proposals, but we'll be guided by our values."

The Greens were scathing, describing the report as a kick in the guts for every day Australians, while allowing “Gina Rinehart and her friends to get off scot free.”

Leader Christine Milne said the report was “a call to arms for all Australians” to begin the process of “kicking this mob out”.

Senator Milne attacked recommendations to scale back Medicare when Australia’s universal health care system was envied by countries around the world.

She was also said recommendations to cut natural disaster relief were evidence of “this climate change fear you have”.

Senator Milne said the government was intent on making the road harder for students, young people and other vulnerable Australians and questioned why the report had not looked at the “big picture” question of revenue.

“That is quite typical for Tony Abbott: he only engages with one end of town,” she said.