The election campaign is only just started and already the blue and red leaders are throwing the $ around.. I have the feeling that the next few years will not be easy one for the Australian people. Peter Costello said we couldn't afford the NDIS and I think he was right. Seems like Joe Hockey is worried about overseas financial problems. My tip is for both parties ( red & blue) will offer a big subsidy to SA for sub Construction! Are any members here on SS concerned about the promises being made now all in the name of getting or keeping power? Regards Errol 43
Yes I am definitely concerned about the promises being made. We are entering a recession yet both parties are engaging in economic recklessness. Tony Abbott's paid parental leave has scaled the heights of idiocy yet Labour is unable to attack it with any force. The ordinary working people are the ones who will pay for this folly. And yet, they continue to vote for them...
Since the Gonski thing came up I have been concerned that all it will do is funnel lots of public money into paying for teachers assistants who are all almost mandatorily in public sector employee unions. Especially as it is the Federal government getting its' fingers into what Constitutionaly is the responsibility of the individual States. I've watched enough videos from the US making a good case that throwing more money at education and increasingFederal government involvement in education has a counter-intuitive effect of decreasing education standards. And the only solution proposed time and time again is throw more money at it. Don't get me wrong I want my kids to be well educated, I just think the government doing more doesn't have the desired effect. Even worse, I learned on Q&A tonight that it is only funded, or at least accounted, for the first 4 years of the 6 year plan. More debt or new taxes for years 5 and 6. Even worse than my view of the Gonski thing is the NDIS. A worthy cause but neither party says what the money will actually be spent on. Will it be wheelchairs and rehabilitation centres for stroke victims, or again, 'carers' being employed who again are all mandatorily in public sector employee unions. In terms of the election promises, all the $ Crud is throwing around off-budget is obscene.
The whole problem is that it's a two horse race and we punters alternate between the two nags. The two parties get pretty comfortable, especially when in opposition, their job there is to sit back and spruik negativity each day. If a 3rd party looks like being a threat, they both band together to bring the 3rd party down (and steal a few policies along the way).
