Diary of our stinking Govt.

[boris1gary]

As it's more than 100 days now, it has been suggested that a new thread was needed.  The current govt has been breaking promises and telling lies at a rate so fast it's hard to keep up.

This below is worrying, "independent" pffft, as if your own doctor is somehow what? biased, it's ridiculous. So far there is talk of only including people under a certain age 30-35, for now. Remember that if your injured in a car, injured at work or get ill, you too might need to go on the DSP. They have done a similar think in the UK with devastating consequences.

and this is the 2nd time recently where the Govt has referred to work as welfare???? So when you go to work tomorrow (or tuesday), just remember that's welfare.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-20/disability-pensioners-may-be-reassessed-kevin-andrews/5400598

Independent doctors could be called in to reassess disability pensioners, Federal Government says

The Federal Government is considering using independent doctors to examine disability pensioners and assess whether they should continue to receive payments.

Currently family doctors provide reports supporting claims for the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

But Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews is considering a measure that would see independent doctors reassess eligibility.

"We are concerned that where people can work, the best form of welfare is work," Mr Andrews said at a press conference.

[amber-eyed-girl]

Monman, I was one of their students...this money could have been far better spent. On salaries for teaching staff, to get the best. On funding travel, so young dancers can have a broader experience, and a better chance at a career...I am just surprised the money did not go into raising the salaries of administrators.

the school did provide the majority of the money. Again, those funds could have been more broadly used.

after the renovations will come substantial upkeep costs, too.

my opinion, is based on many years on the inside of the arts industry...it is a beautiful building, but I cannot see the justification.

[cherry*135]

Let the Ballet School pay the whole $4.7mil for a grand mansion ( excluding renovation costs) for 28-30 students, if that is their choice of accommodation.
Whether they deserve any taxpayer funding for that is debatable, taking into account the cuts other art institutions are facing over the next 4 years.

"A senior Liberal told Fairfax Media the timing of the purchase ''does not good look'' as cabinet tried to sell its tough budget. ''This school is pretty much a creche for some rich kids in [the seats of] Higgins, Melbourne Ports and Goldstein, and it had enough cash to come up with more than $3.5 million on its own. I admit, it doesn't look good,'' the source said."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/budget-help-for-ballet-australian-ballet-schoo...

[monman12]

"Let the Ballet School pay the whole $4.7mil for a grand mansion ( excluding renovation costs) for 28-30 students, if that is their choice of accommodation.
Whether they deserve any taxpayer funding for that is debatable, taking into account the cuts other art institutions are facing over the next 4 years.

"a grand mansion ( excluding renovation costs)"  Hardly a grand mansion , and it is being converted (not renovated)  into young student accommodation,  not because it is their choice but to provide managed centralised and safe living accommodation for country children/students.

Perhaps the other artistic  institutions could offer to support 75% of their costs, and then without  generous annual federal  funding  be given just a one-off payment of 1 million to continue.

The Australian Ballet is one of the world's major international ballet companies "Giving approximately 200 performances a year, the Australian Ballet is the busiest ballet company in the world "  , and recruits some 95% of its dancers from the School.

$1million for a recognised school such as  The Australian Ballet School is money well spent, and to question it I think (again) is churlish.  A3 you write:  "Let the Ballet School pay the whole $4.7mil", perhaps the concept should be applied to all the artistic activities currently funded/supported  by government,  let them pay the whole of their funding.

Essential Research 2013: "The second least-popular spending item is the arts (after foreign aid) ; 70% want funding cut, including almost two-thirds of Labor voters." The myopics have their wish and still are not happy!   With apologies to the pink author of:  "Not really interested in what happened in the past ..........."

nɥºɾ

[boris1gary]

 The myopics have their wish and still are not happy!   With apologies to the pink author of:  "Not really interested in what happened in the past ..........."

monman12, time to drop the name calling as you have shown time and time again that the "myopic" tag is all yours, as for "not really interested in what happened in the past......", something you might also consider taking upon yourself with the monotonous attacks upon the previous Prime Ministers. No apologies for the blue chorus.

[cherry*135]

"The Australian Ballet is one of the world's major international ballet companies "Giving approximately 200 performances a year, the Australian Ballet is the busiest ballet company in the world " , and recruits some 95% of its dancers from the School."

Promotional information. Busier than the Bolshoi ballet ?

[cherry*135]

"a grand mansion ( excluding renovation costs)" Monman wrote: Hardly a grand mansion"

No? It has been described as that in news and real estate ads.

"It is one of Melbourne's grand mansions - a sprawling century-old stately home that will be a new boarding school for Australia's aspiring ballerinas"

They don't need to buy a grand mansion at $4.7m un renovated, to provide accom for up to 30 students.

[cherry*135]

"It will take substantial renovations to turn the six-bedroom home into a boarding residence capable of housing 28 students."

renovations

the action of renovating a building.
"this property is in need of complete renovation"
synonyms: modernization, restoration, redecoration, refurbishment, revamping, makeover, reconditioning, rehabilitation, overhauling, repair, redevelopment, rebuilding, reconstruction, remodelling, updating, improvement

[cherry*135]

1. Joe Hockey says Fair Work minimum wage rise will cost jobs

2. Joe Hockey says “I say to the Australian people, to build a workforce for the future, those who can work, should work.’’

Are there enough jobs Joe?

[boris1gary]

http://theaimn.com/house-wins/

  The house wins

While everyone reels from the worst budget ever, a lot of other very insidious work is flying under the radar.  One of the most blatant examples of STUFF YOU from our current government came from our Social Services Minister, Kevin bleep Andrews.

In the days after the 2010 election, Tasmanian Independent Andrew Wilkie was a very popular man.  In a bid to obtain his support to form government, Tony Abbott offered him $1 billion to build a hospital.  Wilkie regarded this as an irresponsible bribe which made him wonder about Abbott’s suitability for the job.  He chose instead to back Julia Gillard who promised poker machine reform.

The industry responded with a multi-million-dollar public lobbying campaign run by club lobby group ClubsNSW, and its pub counterpart the Australian Hotels Association, which targeted and turned wavering Labor MPs against the so-called Wilkie Reforms, and eroded parliamentary support for harm-reduction measures, such as mandatory pre-commitment, of which polls suggested most Australians approved. Mandatory pre-commitment would have required punters to nominate how much they’d lose in a given session, and then be locked out when they hit the limit.

And they didn’t limit their action to advertising.  AFTER the 2010 election, the AHA and ClubsNSW gave more than $1.3 million in donations for the final quarter of the year. By an overwhelming margin these were directed at the Coalition.

In an ignominious backdown. Gillard reneged on the deal giving in to the power of the hotel and gambling lobbies, watering down the promised reforms and only committing to a limited trial in the ACT.  I was disappointed with this decision and Mr Wilkie was rightly furious, but at least his integrity had begun the process of reform with the passing of the National Gambling Reform Act in November 2012.  The Acts set out key requirements for voluntary pre-commitment on poker machines, dynamic warnings and $250 daily ATM withdrawal limits in gaming venues (excluding casinos).

And then along came Kev, who, disguised as a mild-mannered Christian from the extreme right, fights a never ending battle for donations, “normal” families, and the financial backers’ way.

A brief reminder of Kev’s previous form:  He is against euthanasia, RU486, stem cell research, abortion, equal opportunity, affirmative action, refugees, homosexuality, and sex education.  He is a member of many religious organisations which benefit from government funding and in 2011, said of the Greens that their agenda would threaten the “Judeo-Christian/Enlightenment synthesis that upholds the individual”.  He was responsible for introducing Workchoices, and for the illegal victimisation of Dr Haneef.  He is also a member of the Credlin led Star Chamber.

In December last year, less than three months into his term in office, this moral crusader introduced to the House of Representatives a bill repealing almost all of the gambling harm-minimisation measures passed by the Gillard Labor government in November 2012.  He even changed the name to National Gambling MeasuresAct.

[monman12]

"In December last year, less than three months into his term in office, this moral crusader introduced to the House of Representatives a bill repealing almost all of the gambling harm-minimisation measures passed by the Gillard Labor government in November 2012."
I see you do not appreciate ( read?)  your C&P contributions.

Now for the facts B1G
Jan 2012
"Ms Gillard yesterday confirmed she will break her deal with independent Andrew Wilkie to introduce mandatory pre-commitment technology for poker machines by 2014 and pass the legislation by May."
Having reneged,  Poor Me offered a crumb to Wilkie in the form of An ACT trial of precommitment  technology for poker machines, however, she allowed the clubs to vote on the issue:

Feb 21, 2013 - A trial of pokies precommitment technology for the ACT appears sunk after Canberra clubs voted against participating until after the federal election .

Jan 2014

After the election the  trial  minimal gambling harm-minimisation measures ( not club supported) were repealed. Oh gosh,  how did the repeal slip through the (hostile?) Senate?