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boris1gary · ‎20-04-2014

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.

idlewhile · ‎20-05-2015

@am*3 wrote:
@watta*drama*queen wrote:
@am*3 wrote:
@*julia*2010 wrote:
"Got any comments on the 'current Govt - hint.. Hockey, Abbott, Morrison, Bishop.?"

Have you?

Nup, didn't think so.
Neither does the OP apparently
What an odd comment. Is it anyone else's business why some posters CHOOSE not to post on CS anymore?

Choose??? lol

debra9275 · ‎20-05-2015

@am*3 wrote:
What's a thread without clowns? LOL

Speaking of clowns -

"Abbott tells business: you can try unemployed before you buy"

A veritable circus Am

gleee58 · ‎20-05-2015

@am*3 wrote:
Not surprising.

Tony Abbott better but maybe not yet good, say business leaders

Business leaders think that while Prime Minister Tony Abbott is now running a better government after his brush with political oblivion, he may still be some way off running a good government.

Alex Malley, the chief executive of CPA Australia, which oversees the interests of thousands of accountants, said Mr Abbott is clearly managing the politics better but the nation is facing huge economic challenges and there are still question marks over national leadership.

"They're managing the politics better but on the question of leadership in the national interest, the jury's still out," Mr Malley said.

http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/tony-abbott-better-but-maybe-not-yet-good-say-business...

So now Abbott is bypassing the Victorian govt and dealing only with the Victorian opposition and construction companies about where the $1.5B will be spent. And he has the hide to call unions corrupt.

debra9275 · ‎20-05-2015

What an odd comment. Is it anyone else's business why some posters CHOOSE not to post on CS anymore?

Choose??? lol

You must know something I don't idle, what an odd comment from you...afaik it is choice,. I hate when people target a poster... I'll ask her anyway

gleee58 · ‎20-05-2015

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/matthew-guy-reaches-deal-to-break-statefederal-east-west-link-dead...

debra9275 · ‎20-05-2015

I've got quite a lot to post on that East/west link saga Glee, but will have to do it later. Already running late here.

debra9275 · ‎20-05-2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-19/tony-abbott-ignoring-requests-for-meeting-victorian-premier-sa...

Tony Abbott ignoring requests for a meeting, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says

Prime Minister Tony Abbott is ignoring requests for a meeting to discuss federal funding for Victorian infrastructure projects, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says.

However, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister has responded by saying Mr Abbott would be happy to meet with the Premier once there were concrete proposals to discuss.

The money was accounted for in last week's federal budget, and the Commonwealth said it must be returned to Canberra.

But the Victorian Government wants to use the money as a Commonwealth contribution to the proposed Western Distributor project, which would link the West Gate Freeway to Citylink via an underground t...

Mr Andrews said he has been trying to secure a meeting with the Prime Minister without success.

That was despite Mr Abbott spending time in Melbourne over the weekend and meeting with Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy to discuss infrastructure projects.

there are links to more on this bizarre story under the article in the link

debra9275 · ‎20-05-2015

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/abbott-cant-sustain-victorias-raw-deal-in-budget-20150518-gh3ttk.ht...

The PM’s position on East West Link funds amounts to yet another broken promise.

Tony Abbott thinks we're mugs. Deflecting attention from a budget that left Australia's second biggest state with only a fraction of Australia's infrastructure spending, he said he was so committed to the East West Link that he "gave Victoria $1.5 billion to actually get cracking".

It's true, he did give Victoria $1.5 billion for the East West Link in his first 2014-15 budget ($500 million of which was diverted from other Victorian projects). But in extraordinarily odd timing, he handed it over in 2013-14, just ahead of the year to which that budget referred.

The manoeuvres not only made Labor's last budget look bad, they made the Coalition's first two look good.

Like all budgets these days the 2014-15 budget was handed down in May. The 2013-14 financial year had seven weeks to run. The budget shovelled out the money immediately, before 2014-15 began and well ahead of when it could possibly have been needed. The East West Link contract wasn't signed until September.

The rest was due to higher spending, most of it tacked on to Labor's budget by the Coalition. It directed $8.8 billion to the Reserve Bank within weeks of taking office, pushing up "Labor's" deficit by $8.8 billion. Then it directed $1.5 billion to Victoria well before it was needed.

The immediate payment had nothing to do with enabling Victoria to get cracking. It had everything to do with cooking the books.
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Labor's last budget covered 2013-14. By shovelling out the East West Link money before 2013-14 ended he loaded up Labor's last financial year with extra spending. The 2013-14 deficit climbed from a forecast $18 billion to $48.5 billion. A lot of the deterioration was due to the collapse in commodity prices. The iron ore price slid from $US124 to $US93.

The manoeuvres not only made Labor's last budget look bad, they made the Coalition's first two look good. Having funded the East West Link in 2013-14 the budget didn't need to fund it in 2014-15 (nor as it turned out in 2015-16) and it didn't need to find several billions in 2014-15 to top up the Reserve Bank's reserve fund. Indeed, with the reserve fund topped up the bank resumed paying dividends, giving Abbott $1.235 billion from its performance in 2013-14; half of which he directed to the 2014-15 budget, and half of which he held over until July in order to boost the 2015-16 budget.

And the early gift dressed up Denis Napthine's final Victorian budget. Taking it back will harm Daniel Andrews' first one

debra9275 · ‎20-05-2015

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/matthew-guy-reaches-deal-to-break-statefederal-east-west-link-dead...

Matthew Guy reaches deal to break state-federal East West Link deadlock

Victoria would get to keep $1.5 billion of infrastructure cash being demanded back by the Abbott government under a deal brokered by state Opposition Leader Matthew Guy.

Instead of using the money to help pay for the defunct East West Link, the federal funds would be redirected into a new toll road proposed by CityLink operator Transurban under the Maribyrnong River to act as an alternative to the West Gate Bridge.

But in a potential deal breaker, the Commonwealth contribution would be contingent on a dollar-for-dollar $1.5 billion contribution from Victoria, producing $3 billion state-federal funding for the $5.5 billion project.

That would negate the need for a 15- to 20-year extension to the CityLink tolling period demanded by Transurban to offset the cost of building the new road

Mr Guy, eager to demonstrate he has a positive agenda for Victoria, met with federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann in a Spring Street cafe on Monday to spruik his plan after discussing the deal with assistant Infrastructure Minister Jamie Briggs last week. Victorian Nationals leader Peter Walsh is also understood to have met with his federal counterpart, Transport Minister Warren Truss, on Thursday.

Although Mr Guy's alternative funding model is being viewed enthusiastically by the Abbott government, Transurban would almost certainly walk away if denied the lucrative extension to the CityLink tolling period.

This would place Mr Andrews in a difficult situation. Businesses are demanding a major projects pipeline following the axing of the East West Link. If the CityLink operator were to walk away, it could require a lengthy tendering process, potentially adding years to the project.

Yet if Mr Andrews dismisses the deal, he might stand accused of rejecting a workable solution to the deadlock, denying Victoria $1.5 billion of federal funds while saddling motorists with up to 20 years of extra tolls

Mr Andrews said he had been requesting meetings with Mr Abbott for weeks, so far to no avail.

A government spokesman said: "The notion that a deal of this importance could be cooked up in a Spring Street cafe is simply absurd and yet another demonstration that Tony Abbott is playing schoolyard politics with vital Victorian infrastructure."

so abbott refuses to meet with the Vic premier ( who happens to be Labor) and suddenly Matthew Guy, opposition leader (LIb) has done a deal with abbott and attempts to claim hero status...... it's so obvious what they're trying to do here

monman12 · ‎20-05-2015

IW: "The only targeting done on here is the left clique. Ask any poster who is not of the left and they will tell you that this clique has just about wiped the boards clean of any opposing opinion to their mindset."

Not really IW. It is hardly opposition when a thread is composed of a plethora of others opinions/comments in the form of media C&Ps, and I really do appreciate the need for some form of political catharsis for the MYOPS. and Kudos tagging, I still wonder if they are for the real authors/newspapers, or the effort in managing a tough C&P.

However, I do "enjoy" what I regard as the pretty even odds herein ( kudosR up.jpg v ) and the chuckles!