[Senexx]

I support semantics in a discussion. It has used a conditional AND therefore the response is appropriate.
That aside when casting my vote, I only considered the levy, not the spending cuts so perhaps I did err. Fortunately according to Boolean logic I did not err.

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[lenxyz]

Senexx, on 28 January 2011 - 01:40 PM, said:

I support semantics in a discussion. It has used a conditional AND therefore the response is appropriate.
That aside when casting my vote, I only considered the levy, not the spending cuts so perhaps I did err. Fortunately according to Boolean logic I did not err.

I voted, but noone will know if I voted Abbott's position (against the levy) or the Greens' position (against spending cuts - especially those related to climate programs). I suppose you could guess...

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[AlexSchlotzer]

I really see nothing wrong with a levy.

It's not like these are not unheard of or that the Coalition hasn't used such taxation methods before. Abbott's problem is that all he has is rhetoric. Saying that cuts in spending should be the way to fund the rebuild of Queensland is such a bland statement that it lacks all meaning.

If he were serious then he'd outline exactly what he thinks should be cut.

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[icey]

lenxyz, on 28 January 2011 - 01:09 PM, said:

If you agree with Abbott's position then you don’t support the levy but you do support spending cuts. How is such a person going to answer the poll at the top? “Do you support the levy and spending cuts?”.

Semantics aside, I did not cast my most meaningful vote because of the very point you raised.

There may well be a technically correct "yes" or "no" answer, but the issues are divided and inappropriately thrown together into one question. That said, I recall there have been some shocker's from at least one or two of the big market research players.

AlexSchlotzer, on 28 January 2011 - 02:58 PM, said:

I really see nothing wrong with a levy.
If he were serious then he'd outline exactly what he thinks should be cut.

Not sure if you were hoping for a personal response from Tony Abbott, but it's almost as if you got one.

Tony Abbott today said:

There is fat in the Budget, the Prime Minister admitted as much yesterday at the Press Club and we should do this without a new tax and there are, to start with, things like about $1.5 billion unspent in the school halls programme, there’s about $8 billion that will have to be budgeted for the National Broadband Network. There’s about $8 billion uncommitted in various government funds such as the Building Australia Fund, so there’s plenty of money that the Government could’ve drawn on without needing to resort to a new tax.

But it remains consistent with what's been reported in newspapers elsewhere.

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[Young gun political junkie]

Personally don't mind the idea of a levy, but the more viable option to have a natural disaster fund or something like that.

Don't see why we don't delay the surplus. Although I suppose the surplus target is near an election year....

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[Senexx]

Independent Member for Lyne(Long live Independents) has floated a discussion on the possibility of Infrastructure Bonds. What do we all think?

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[Eb2]

Ouch.
http://www.news.com....r-1225996488362

Not long to wait now for a new PM.

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[Senexx]

I'm not convinced by the article's suggestion of a revolt. I am convinced that the method to her madness is no different to the method Rudd used. So why did we replace him again.
It is by no means a prediction but one day I was randomly reciting Prime Ministers and I went Hawke, Keating, Howard, Rudd, Gillard and then Swan, Turnbull just slipped out of their own accord.

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[AlexSchlotzer]

Well no but then I'm not surprised by the statement, as you say it's consistent with newspaper reporting.

Although suggesting that the NBN is scrapped looks more like a personal grudge than a legitimate proposal.

icey, on 28 January 2011 - 03:58 PM, said:

Semantics aside, I did not cast my most meaningful vote because of the very point you raised.

There may well be a technically correct "yes" or "no" answer, but the issues are divided and inappropriately thrown together into one question. That said, I recall there have been some shocker's from at least one or two of the big market research players.




Not sure if you were hoping for a personal response from Tony Abbott, but it's almost as if you got one.



But it remains consistent with what's been reported in newspapers elsewhere.

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[HDMC]

Epicurus, on 28 January 2011 - 11:00 AM, said:

I think the main issue with the levy is the social impact on donations. Already many are saying, why donate when we can cover the cost of disasters with levy's now.

I thought the appeal donations went to individuals and the levy was for replacing infrastructure.

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[HDMC]

Eb2, on 29 January 2011 - 05:13 AM, said:

Ouch.
http://www.news.com....r-1225996488362

Not long to wait now for a new PM.

I don't think KK's opinion carries much clout.

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[icey]

Eb2, on 29 January 2011 - 05:13 AM, said:

Ouch.
http://www.news.com....r-1225996488362

Not long to wait now for a new PM.

Yes, the countdown cometh.

Senexx, on 29 January 2011 - 07:36 AM, said:

I'm not convinced by the article's suggestion of a revolt. I am convinced that the method to her madness is no different to the method Rudd used. So why did we replace him again.
It is by no means a prediction but one day I was randomly reciting Prime Ministers and I went Hawke, Keating, Howard, Rudd, Gillard and then Swan, Turnbull just slipped out of their own accord.

Well "we" didn't replace Rudd, did we?

And regarding your non-predictive slip of the tongue, it remains portent of the final cycle in rotating the gang of four (Rudd, Gillard and Swan, with Tanner being scratched from the race). It would be an awesome repetition of history and incompetence. Surely there's some cricket analogy that could be made, but I don't really follow the sport. If there is one though, then the ALP (federally and on a state level) will be the despondent Australian team.

AlexSchlotzer, on 29 January 2011 - 10:05 AM, said:

Well no but then I'm not surprised by the statement, as you say it's consistent with newspaper reporting.

Although suggesting that the NBN is scrapped looks more like a personal grudge than a legitimate proposal.

I can see your point, but equally, that Abbott's strong case against Hard Labor's NBN now has an additional compelling factor (that "you do not renovate the bathroom if the roof has just been blown off".

Some will say "we still need infrastructure" yadda yadda, but the bathroom renovation analogy remains apt.

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[icey]

http://s3.amazonaws....e/231700367.jpg

HDMC, on 29 January 2011 - 10:13 AM, said:

I don't think KK's opinion carries much clout.

Perhaps not, and her argument is unsound in that Sydneysiders are already hit with higher income tax for the reasons she has outlined, so why cry now?

Quote

"This is one of the dumbest decisions I have ever seen - the feedback is we have made an atrocious decision," one Labor MP said

Name this guy or gal and herald them!

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[icey]

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[Epicurus]

HDMC, on 29 January 2011 - 10:11 AM, said:

I thought the appeal donations went to individuals and the levy was for replacing infrastructure.

No, because of the Black Saturday Vic Bush Fires, taxation laws as they apply to the use of charity have been broadened to include projects that would normally be the domain of state and local govt.

Quote

The changes will also allow the Fund to undertake a range of community benefit projects, extending its reach to endorsed charities, local government bodies, community service organisations, sporting bodies, community and arts events and small business advisory assistance.
source

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[HDMC]

Epicurus, on 29 January 2011 - 11:53 AM, said:

No, because of the Black Saturday Vic Bush Fires, taxation laws as they apply to the use of charity have been broadened to include projects that would normally be the domain of state and local govt.

Ok, thanks for the info. I didn't realise that was the case.

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[Bam]

Eb2, on 29 January 2011 - 05:13 AM, said:

Ouch.
http://www.news.com....r-1225996488362

Not long to wait now for a new PM.

As if we can trust News Corporation for an unbiased viewpoint on politics.

Notice the very clear bias? News Corporation are following the Liberal Party line and calling it a "tax" rather than calling it a "levy".

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[Bam]

Abbott offers to cut fat from Gillard's budget

OK, if you want to find fat in the budget, here's a start:

1. Cap the health insurance rebate to 30% of the price of basic cover. Anyone who wants better than basic cover should pay the difference in full. Why should the taxpayer subsidise top-line health insurance for the wealthy?

2. Cut back government funding for wealthy private schools. Some wealthy private schools make millions of dollars in profit a year while receiving millions of dollars of taxpayer funds. If they are making fat profits funded by the taxpayer, surely they can do with less money?

3. Cut back government grants to corporations. If the corporation is a for-profit corporation, require government funds to be in exchange for some equity in the company with this equity to be deposited in the Future Fund. Corporate welfare consumes a larger portion of the budget than welfare for individuals.

4. Defer the construction of the NBN in flood-affected areas until the flood damage is fixed.

5. Give the ATO more power to chase after and prosecute tax cheats. Tax evasion costs the country billions.

6. Company cars are a tax rort that contributes to traffic congestion. This rort needs to be fixed or scrapped.

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[Eb2]

All good suggestions Bam except I would cut all government funding to private schools.
Your list is proof that a levy was not required to raise funds to repair flood damage.
So if a bunch of amateur bloggers can solve the problem than why cant the government.

Yes I know the opposition are being hypocritical and yes
I know Steve Lewis is a Liberal stooge but it wasn't the point of linking the article.

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[Epicurus]

Eb2, on 30 January 2011 - 06:41 AM, said:

All good suggestions Bam except I would cut all government funding to private schools.

The removal of private school funding requires and equal or increased allocation of funding to public schools as there would be a mass exodus from private to public schools because parents couldn't afford the increased fees.

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