May 18th Federal Election

[regan is true fullback]

Like the Rubio-Bot that Trump broke during the Republican primary debates.

conservatives: can't decide whether we're a suburb of London or a suburb of Los Angeles...

[stui magpie]

Left wing agitators - clearly can't tell truth from fiction.

GetUp has been forced to amend its instruction guide for volunteers after the activist group's boss was caught in an embarrassing interview in which he was unable to justify claims that Treasurer Josh Frydenberg was "part of the coup" against Malcolm Turnbull.

https://www.theage.com.au/federal-elect ... 51f1h.html

You need to read this article. Opening salvo in 5 weeks of lies.

Always good if you actually know what you're talking about.

He was also twice corrected by Faine as to Mr Frydenberg's current role. Mr Oosting said he did not believe that Mr Frydenberg became "the deputy prime minister by accident", at which point the Melbourne radio host pointed out that he is not the deputy prime minister.

"Apologies, he’s the finance minister," Mr Oosting replied. "Treasurer," Faine corrected. "I'll get there eventually," Mr Oosting said.

[stui magpie]

Sitting home this arvo on the computer, knock on the door, there's a woman standing there wearing a yellow tshirt who introduced herself as Maria Rigoni, the United Australia party candidate for my electorate.

I figure if she's out doorknocking on her own, the least I can do is give her the courtesy of taking her card.

The "policy" dot points on the back make interesting reading, as they're and not on the surface unreasonable. They are:

$55 billion on the NBN and it still doesn't work

Stop foreign powers influencing Australian Politics

Process Australian minerals in Australia and create jobs here rather than overseas

Make home loans tax deductible

What Australia grows, grows Australia. Support Australian farmers

Invest the trillions of dollars tied up in superannuation to benefit Australia.


More slogans than policies and while appealing on the surface the devil would definitely be in the detail. It's like a scattergun approach to appeal to as wide a group as possible. it'll be interesting to see if it pays off.

[David]

If you can get over the Clive-Palmer-being-a-massive-phoney thing, that is...

I don't understand why anyone would believe a single thing he promises. I sometimes think of ScoMo as a quintessential used-car salesman politician, but Palmer's the real deal on that front.

[stui magpie]

I think you're being harsh on used car salesmen.

The major parties are on the nose, Sco Mo is campaigning like a man possessed whereas little Bill is campaigning like he's putting bourban in his morning coffee. Apart from being as popular as a fart in an elevator, he's showing real signs of nerves. He's knifed 3 PM's to get this gig and if he doesn't get elected it's over.

Palmer is spending a fortune with TV ads, clearly targeting disaffected middle agers who watch FTA TV. In one way, he's in direct competition with One Nation without the overt xenophobia. Election day will tell the story how effective it's been.

[stui magpie]

Little Bill is doubling down on childcare.

Somehow, he's promising child care workers a 20% pay rise ( I have no idea how he thinks he can do that) which will clearly increase the cost of childcare by more than 20%, and at the same time make it more affordable.

The figure quoted in this article is $10 Billion over 10 years, which is a fair bit of coin to spend on the minority of the population with pre-school age kids I would have thought.

https://www.theage.com.au/federal-elect ... 51hxb.html

[Morrigu]

Palmer is spending a fortune with TV ads, clearly targeting disaffected middle agers who watch FTA TV.

How can he be allowed to spend millions on political advertising for his own benefit when he STILL owes his workers and the taxpayers millions?

It's just obscene IMHO

[pietillidie]

The figure quoted in this article is $10 Billion over 10 years, which is a fair bit of coin to spend on the minority of the population with pre-school age kids I would have thought

Without having looked at the specifics of the policy, we don't usually view families and children as minorities. The social windfall of reducing stress on poorer and working class families would be enormous. There are surely few better places to direct social investment.

[stui magpie]

The figure quoted in this article is $10 Billion over 10 years, which is a fair bit of coin to spend on the minority of the population with pre-school age kids I would have thought

Without having looked at the specifics of the policy, we don't usually view families and children as minorities. The social windfall of reducing stress on poorer and working class families would be enormous. There are surely few better places to direct social investment.

I didn't say families and children are minorities, I referred to families with pre school age children, who are a minority.

Having kids is a choice. Yes, childcare for struggling families is a good investment, but there's several other areas money could be spent as well. I had to raise 2 kids as a single dad, while working full time and paying a mortgage and got exactly nada, zip, nil in the form of government assistance.

[Wokko]

A better investment is having a parent home to raise their own children whenever possible. Labor prefers to have both parents working to bleed them for taxes and the State raising children.

[Wokko]

Got an error message but apparently the post went through anyway. This BB software is effed.

[ronrat]

I seriously am concerned about these pollies eyeing off the super funds.

1. It is our money, it was given to us in lieu of wage increases.

2. They will waste it It was Costello set up the future fund. He was concerned that future governments couldn't pay super to those who had earned it years ago.

3. These funds have massive interests in the share market. Do they wantt a run on the share market

4. A lot of the money is invested in things like shopping centres that are major employers in retail and the initial building phases. Not to mention the
real estate.

5 a complete cock up could see hundreds of thouands of ex sevice people and public servants eligible for the aged pension top ups and accessing free medicine etc. Public housing and private rentals will virtually be unobtainable.

6. It is not as easy as think. The legislation will have to be written by senior public servants who have a vested interests. As well as the politicians themselves.

7. The first political party to say they are going to take it to spend on things like water buyback schemes etc. Will be out of office in months. All manner of skeletons will fall out of closets .

A better target would be international companies not paying tax.

[David]

The Coalition making ground. God help us all.

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019 ... -labors-51

Apparently the Palmer vote may be having an impact:

https://insidestory.org.au/will-this-un ... e-his-day/

[Wokko]

Bill Shorten is a quintessential faceless man of the ALP, totally lacking charisma and terrible at campaigning. If anyone can pull a Hewson/Latham and lose the unloseable it's that guy.

[stui magpie]

I heard or read somewhere that Palmer is getting traction with the youth vote, presumably those who aren't greens and don't care for the traditional parties.

I still expect there to be a change of government but, if Labor loses the unloseable, I'll spit up a lung laughing and little bill will be shortenly unemployed.