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.

[vicr3000]

It wasn't OK for him to say it, but it was true what he said.

They are bl oody useless.

Re the photo, her leg is behind the cop.

[cherry*135]

What is that grey triangle between her upper legs?  It cuts off a bit of her leg that goes between her and the policeman and it is in front of the person behind her.

[polksaladallie]

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@paintsew007 wrote:

Recent observations:

All is vewy vewy quwieut in the Hockey ablution block ......

The LNPers mouths and voices are saying Abbott have their full support but their eyes and forced smiles are not. i.e. Bishop, Pyne, Turnbull, Cormann .......

Tony Abbott is not normal.

Imo Tony Abbott is being chemically sustained.

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Orally or by way of suppositories?

[vicr3000]

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@am*3 wrote:

What is that grey triangle between her upper legs?  It cuts off a bit of her leg that goes between her and the policeman and it is in front of the person behind her.

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I think it is a briefcase being held by the bloke behind her.

It's just the way she is standing that makes the leg look like it dissapears.

[cherry*135]

Does look like a brief case/satchel.

David Johnston was more than useless. Poor performance all round. Abbott sure knows how to pick them. 

[cherry*135]

What will happen to Treasurer Joe Hockey if Tony Abbott is deposed?

Child cheer: Joe Hockey at a Childcare centre in Padstow.
Child cheer: Joe Hockey at a Childcare centre in Padstow. Photo: Nick Moir
He was once tagged as a future Prime Minister, but what will happen to Treasurer Joe Hockey if Tony Abbott loses the leadership next week?

Chances are he will lose his portfolio. The Prime Ministership is out of the question.

In modern Australia, great Treasurers and Prime Ministers are tied together, like a songwriting team.

Voters remember the classic pairs. Hawke and Keating. Howard and Costello.

But Hockey's record as Treasurer has not been good – as budget salesman, economic visionary, or policy wonk – and he has not been helped by his Prime Minister's political missteps and lack of economic nous.

They have both struggled from the moment they delivered their first budget, and their colleagues have had to spend a lot of time fending off accusations that the government's budget is unfair.

One of Hockey's biggest problems has been bad luck.

He has faced some of the most difficult economic circumstances in decades – just like his predecessor Wayne Swan – so he has had to spend his energy convincing Australians that life is about to get a lot tougher.

But he has not helped himself. There is more than one way to construct a budget. Yes he has had to cut down on spending, but his decision to go after the poor and less well-off in the way that he did has had political ramifications well beyond federal politics.

If someone replaces Abbott as leader on Tuesday and appoints a new Treasurer, that Treasurer will have to deal with the negative legacy of Hockey's budget.

But who could replace him?

Assuming Turnbull becomes Prime Minister, it's hard to imagine it being Julie Bishop, given how badly she did as Shadow Treasurer.

Some have been endorsing Andrew Robb as Treasurer. He has an economics degree and could probably do the job but he's hardly a compelling communicator.

He's unlikely to inspire the troops, let alone the punters.

And Turnbull does not like him much, given the role he played in precipitating the spill against Turnbull.

It's hard to imagine them having the sort of working relationship you would need between a Prime Minister and a Treasurer for that to be successful.

There are some on the right of the Coalition who would like Scott Morrison to be Treasurer because he's their darling after Abbott.

But whether Morrison can count beyond the number of boats remains to be seen.

The other name that some people mention is the younger Christian Porter, the former Treasurer of Western Australia.

Like a WA version of Peter Costello, he jumped shipped to federal politics because he came to the view that WA Premier Colin Barnett would never step aside for him so his best chance of advancing his political career was to go federal.

He's regarded as having the capacity to do the job, but it would say something about the depth of talent within the Parliamentary Liberal Party if they had to reach down that far to find the right person for the second-most important job in the government.

These are the types of conversations that are going on in Canberra.

However, the problem for any prospective alternative Treasurer is that the effectiveness of good Treasurers has always been enhanced by the ability of their respective prime ministers to communicate economic messages.

Does Turnbull fit that bill? Does Julie Bishop?

These are interesting times. Meanwhile, the next budget is due in three months.

[polksaladallie]

She has her leg in the crotch of the cop, that's why he is crunching his legs together, to enhance the sensation.

[polksaladallie]

These are interesting times. Meanwhile, the next budget is due in three months.

And only 4 sitting weeks before it.

[debra9275]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/julie-bishop-declines-pms-request-not-to-atten...

Julie Bishop declines PM's request not to attend fundraiser with Malcolm Turnbull

Deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop has reportedly declined Prime Minister Tony Abbott's request not to attend a fundraiser event with Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney on Sunday amid prospects of a leadership spill on Tuesday.

On Friday evening, after a spill motion to oust the Prime Minister was moved, Channel Nine's political editor Laurie Oakes reported the Prime Minister's office "was so concerned about the optics of them appearing together looking like a unity ticket", it asked Ms Bishop to cancel her attendance at the fundraiser with Mr Turnbull but she refused.

some very odd things going on really. This isn't the first time Julie Bishop has done something that the PM's office has refused. I have never seen her smile as much as she has been over the past past week

[debra9275]

Am I expect Joe would be demoted to the back bench if TA loses on Tuesday, most of those on the front bench who are supporting abbott would be in fear of the same