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.

[fourandsixpants]

Mornin' monman....

ref my comment:

It is interesting that there is a common denominator of activity, being the Hydraulic Fracturing of Hydrocarbons-FRACKING of shale gas specifically, in the war zones in the Ukraine, Iraq, Syria and Libya. Isn't it?

Interesting that Chevron paid $10 billion in 2013 for access to untold shale gas deposits and coal deposits in the East Ukraine....an area known as the Dneiper-Donets Basin....also interesting to know that the U.S. Vice Presidents son, called Hunter Biden, was appointed to the Board of Directors of a large corporation called Burisima....that coincidentally is involved in this same resource activity.

Interesting stuff, very 'interesting'.

Shale Gas is afterall the 'new' oil.

....maybe there is a war going on.....a corporate war where lots of 'greedies' are trying protect their resouces of what they reckon is theirs.

Blow everybody else hey?....literally

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

and then your/monman response:

"Interesting that Chevron paid $10 billion in 2013 for access to untold shale gas deposits and coal deposits in the East Ukraine"

"untold" ??:  

"Ukraine has natural gas reserves of 1.1 trillion cubic meters and is ranked 26th among countries with proved reserves of natural gas. Its total gas reserves have been estimated at 5.4 trillion cubic meters"

It would be more interesting if the comments were actually correct, because neither Chevron , and also Shell, have paid the sum mentioned, they have in fact agreed to commence exploration with a view to allowing Ukraine to become energy independent from Russia who currently are their main energy supplier.  

"The agreements with Shell and Chevron ... will enable us to have full sufficiency in gas by 2020 and, under an optimistic scenario, even enable us to export energy," said President Viktor Yanukovich."

"Earlier government figures set total investments, including extraction after exploratory drilling, at around $10bn."

Facts,  the elixir that sustains knowledge.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................

It's all very well for you to have your 'opinion' and dispute FACTS....but helpful for discussion (as this IS a discussion thread) if you would post what you believe is fact - just disputing facts and then making innane comments is not very fruitful imo.

e.g. you are stating that Chevron....nor Shell paid $10 BILLION......I'm all ears - how much did/have they paid then seeing you are a fountain of knowledge you should be able to produce the figs IMO.

err....http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/05/us-ukraine-chevron-idUSBRE9A40ML20131105

just one source/article.....you might be interested in rdg

[fourandsixpants]

It is interesting that there is a common denominator of activity, being the Hydraulic Fracturing of Hydrocarbons-FRACKING of shale gas specifically, in the war zones in the Ukraine, Iraq, Syria and Libya. Isn't it?

Interesting that Chevron paid $10 billion in 2013 for access to untold shale gas deposits and coal deposits in the East Ukraine....an area known as the Dneiper-Donets Basin....also interesting to know that the U.S. Vice Presidents son, called Hunter Biden, was appointed to the Board of Directors of a large corporation called Burisima....that coincidentally is involved in this same resource activity.

Interesting stuff, very 'interesting'.

Shale Gas is afterall the 'new' oil.

....maybe there is a war going on.....a corporate war where lots of 'greedies' are trying protect their resouces of what they reckon is theirs.

Blow everybody else hey?....literally

.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................

and then your/monman response:

"Interesting that Chevron paid $10 billion in 2013 for access to untold shale gas deposits and coal deposits in the East Ukraine"

"untold" ??:  

"Ukraine has natural gas reserves of 1.1 trillion cubic meters and is ranked 26th among countries with proved reserves of natural gas. Its total gas reserves have been estimated at 5.4 trillion cubic meters"

It would be more interesting if the comments were actually correct, because neither Chevron , and also Shell, have paid the sum mentioned, they have in fact agreed to commence exploration with a view to allowing Ukraine to become energy independent from Russia who currently are their main energy supplier.  

"The agreements with Shell and Chevron ... will enable us to have full sufficiency in gas by 2020 and, under an optimistic scenario, even enable us to export energy," said President Viktor Yanukovich."

"Earlier government figures set total investments, including extraction after exploratory drilling, at around $10bn."

Facts,  the elixir that sustains knowledge.

................................................................................................................................................................................................................

It's all very well for you to have your 'opinion' and dispute FACTS....but helpful for discussion (as this IS a discussion thread) if you would post what you believe is fact - just disputing facts and then making innane comments is not very fruitful imo.

e.g. you are stating that Chevron....nor Shell paid $10 BILLION......I'm all ears - how much did/have they paid then seeing you are a fountain of knowledge you should be able to produce the figs IMO.

err....http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/05/us-ukraine-chevron-idUSBRE9A40ML20131105

just one source/article.....you might be interested in rdg

[fourandsixpants]

Ukraine signs $10 billion shale gas deal with Chevron

 http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/05/us-ukraine-chevron-idUSBRE9A40ML20131105

The agreement with Chevron, to extend for 50 years, foresaw an initial investment of $350 million by the U.S. major in exploratory work over two or three years, Stavytsky said, aimed at establishing the commercial viability of shale reserves in the 5,260 square km (2,000 square miles) Olesska, part of a band of shale which stretches from the Baltic to the Black Sea.

Earlier government figures set total investments, including extraction after exploratory drilling, at around $10 billion.......

The deal with Shell, which is at a similar level of investment, is for exploration at Yuzivska in eastern Ukraine.

With Russia angered over Ukraine's plans to sign a landmark agreement with the European Union which will mark a shift away from Russia's sphere of influence, the issue has flared again.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has since said he or Moscow sees no reason f to cut gas supplies to Ukraine over the unpaid bill for now and has played down talk of an imminent "gas war" that might disrupt flows to Europe.

 ...this is just one news article.....there are many more avail on the i/net....why would they all 'lie' as you suggest they are by refusing to agree that this is going on?

[cherry*135]

Note this bit: " It is time they recognised that Australians do not appreciate bendy messages that border on deception."

The mythmaking behind the $7 payment

There has been more than a bit of sleight of hand in the Abbott government's protracted efforts to get its 2014-15 budget through the Senate. Ministers who are still on their toddler legs are learning that compromise is essential when the government does not control the Senate. But it is time they recognised that Australians do not appreciate bendy messages that border on deception.

We say as much because it is apparent there has been a significant shift in the justification for the proposed $7 co-payment for visits to medical practitioners, which is surely one of the most poorly conceived aspects of the budget. The government said on budget night that ''every dollar of savings from health expenditure reforms in this budget will be invested in a new, capital-protected, Medical Research Future Fund''. Indeed, budget papers for the Health portfolio state that ''$5 from every $7 patient contribution will be directed to the Medical Research Future Fund''. The $2 balance was to go to the doctor or non-hospital provider of pathology and medical imaging services.

Health Minister Peter Dutton confirmed as much repeatedly, but his tune has changed over time. After encountering a big ''no'' on the co-payment from Labor, the Greens and crossbenchers in the Senate, Mr Dutton and Treasurer Joe Hockey now want to argue that the co-payment is necessary because government spending on health is rising inexorably. They point to the widening deficit in health funding.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/comment/the-age-editorial/the-mythmaking-behind-the-7-payment-20140813-3dn3...

[boris1gary]

http://www.drs.org.au/articles-resources/articles/the-real-agenda-privatisation-and-safety-nets,-not...

from Drs Reform, the paragraph below is the end of the article.

The real agenda: Privatisation and safety nets, not co-payments

In the neoliberal vision of our health system, the poor will have a safety net, the quality of which will depend upon the vagaries of changing political and economic factors. Low income workers will struggle with copayments and long waiting times. Middle income earners will enjoy the benefits of PHI unless severe or chronic illness reduces their capacity to pay and they consider mortgages to fund adequate care. The rich will have whatever they want except the opportunity to live in a society which values all its citizens.

[boris1gary]

lies, lies and more lies - the reality of health care costs in Australia

While it’s true that health costs are rising as the population ages, we aren’t all that different from other developed countries. At 9.5 per cent of GDP our health expenditure is a little above the OECD average of 9.3 per cent and well below the US at 17.9 per cent, the only OECD country without universal health coverage and with a strong focus on privatisation.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/more-vision-on-healthcare-needed-to-rein-in-costs-20140608-zs11u.html#...

[debra9275]

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/secretive-expensive-unnecessary-john-howard-de...

Howards ex defence force chief calls detention centres prisons

so there you go!

[nero_bolt]

[debra9275]

that's off topic

[debra9275]

i think were was some dispute about whether detention centres were holiday camps or detention centres, now one of Howards own defence personel has come out and called them prisons

is the human rights investigation on-going??

[polksaladallie]

---

@debra9275 wrote:

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/secretive-expensive-unnecessary-john-howard-de...

Howards ex defence force chief calls detention centres prisons

so there you go!

---

But prisoners in standard jails get adequate medical treatment.

Asylum seeker brain dead after cut turned to septicaemia in 'shocking' detention conditions

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/09/03/asylum-seeker-brain-dead-after-cut-turned-septicaemia-...