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]

to am3 ref:

ATO

The relatively large contribution of corporate income tax is linked to Australia’s higher corporate headline tax rate (30%) relative to the OECD simple average for small and medium sized economies (25%).

It reflects our policy choice to rely more on corporate profits rather than corporate taxes on employee social security contributions and other indirect taxes.

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yep some swarmy govt bods made this choice.....wonder which smarmy govt bods?

[fourandsixpants]

What about those who started with nothing (poor) and are now part of the rich or better off ?

Where do they fit into your theory ?

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who and how many exactly?.....and where are these people?

[polksaladallie]

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@vicr3000 wrote:

Am3

At least she works.

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[vicr3000]

I was thinking of people who came to Aus with nothing like

Sydney Myer

A more modern one could be Ahmed Fahour, CEO of Australia Post.

Frank Lowy, owner of Westfield Group

Richard Pratt, Visy industries

Gandel

Hugh Jackman

Bee Gees

Alan Bond until he went bust.

Plenty more less well known names.

Quite a few of the Vietnamese boat people became very successful.

[fourandsixpants]

to deb ref:

Not much to work with I guess lol

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....brings me to one of my repetitive questions: Has anyone seen Joe Hockey lately?

Been thinking Deb about The Budget and I have realised that:

The biggest deficit is in this Government.

It’s all about transparency and with regard to tax expenditures, what people pay certainly is not transparent- as illustrated by the ACOSS Paper.......

The well-to-do have their cosy, discreet welfare agency called the ATO, which deals with them in exemptions, concessions, rebates and deferrals via the mail.

The rich aren’t stupid and Hockey’s playing dumb about tax goes to the issues of integrity and truth.

Abbott and Hockey should write a book together they could call it:

                    The Budget Betrayal

Their combination of dishonesty, stupidity, ideological committment and/or ignorance is just incredible.

That a Treasurer can be so wrong or so dishonest is an absolute disgrace.

Hockey is a buffoon either for believing it or for thinking he could get away with such a lie!

[vicr3000]

Paints

No comment on the names I listed ?

(which is just a few compared to how many exist in Aus)

[fourandsixpants]

The progressive effect of the personal income tax is substantially offset by the GST and other indirect taxes, so that:

1) The bottom 20% pays an average of $129pw or 24% of their income.

2) The top 20% pays an average of $1,006pw or 28% of their income…

ACOSS’ analysis highlights, once again, why the Coalition Government is misguided on tax.

If this Govt genuinely wants to reform entitlements and improve the the Budget, it should cut into higher-income welfare, such as superannuation tax concessions and negative gearing.

Reforming these tax lurks would deliver substantial Budget savings while improving the overall progressiveness and equity of the tax and welfare systems.

[debra9275]

if this article is true, it's darn scary

http://www.theage.com.au/national/health/medical-tourism-plan-revealed-australia-leads-top-secret-pu...

Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Treasurer Joe Hockey have been saying that healthcare expenditure is unsustainable, but Trade Minister Andrew Robb is quietly engaged in negotiations that could potentially see scarce healthcare dollars going overseas," Mr Whaites said.  

"You can ask whether the government is working in a co-ordinated manner, and indeed what is their real intention on the future of Medicare?" 

The leaked "concept paper on health care services within TISA negotiations," reportedly tabled by the Turkish government  in negotiations in Geneva last September, argues there is "huge untapped potential for the globalisation of healthcare services," creating massive business opportunities from what is a $US6 trillion ($7.7 trillion) per year industry. 

[debra9275]

Paints, here's Joe

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/joe-hockey-fends-off-questions-about-troubled-...

Treasurer Joe Hockey has fended off questions about his troubled budget strategy, insisting he has a "steely determination" to keep making difficult decisions despite reports the government has abandoned the search for big savings in its next budget.

Mr Hockey was briefed on the state of the global economy this week by Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens and Treasury secretary John Fraser, and was told about significant economic problems in Europe that threaten Australia's economy.

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Hockey admitted a huge write-down in iron ore prices, weaker-than-expected economic growth and an expected increase in unemployment will hit government revenue much harder than predicted.

The shock could add another $40 billion to the government's budget deficit over the next four years and increase pressure to find new savings in its May budget.

But Mr Hockey insisted he would keep looking for savings, saying he remained "absolutely committed" to returning the budget to surplus at some stage.

However, he admitted the government would not reach its goal of returning the budget to surplus by 2018.

"We are facing global headwinds, there's no doubt about that," Mr Hockey said on Thursday.