Topic: Australia has a new Prime Minister

[demon78]

I think the SOHC forum should start a movement to launch and support one of our members for high political office in Australia "Terry for PM" we'd of course have to create a new political party possibly something borrowed from the old Rhinoceros party in Canada, the new "Coffee Party" ( as opposed to the Tea Party ) and possibly something from the world wide "Beer Party conspiracy (oops movement )" what do you think guys and gals ?
Bill the demon.

[demon78]

Of course there would have to be a party animal or mascot, remember sotto voce first oz then the rest of the world.
Bill the demon.

[Terry in Australia]

No Mick, I don't think Abbot is a better leader, in fact, I agree with Mick from NT, Julia can probably run rings around him. Trouble is, if I don't vote for Labour, and I don't want to vote for the Coalition but I still want to cast a useful vote, who do I vote for? An "independant" who will give his preference to one or the other major party? What's the point?

We really need a viable third party, that can combine the best policies of both parties, not controlled by "left" and "right" internal factions, with a strong, intelligent, charismatic leader who has Australia's best interests at heart. Not an easy task men, people of this calibre are already earning much more money in private industry, and don't crave political power like the creeps who represent us in parliament. (have you ever listened to, or watched "Question Time"? Some of these people can't string a sentence together)

I don't see the need for Australia becoming a republic either. Don't get me wrong, coming from Irish Catholic stock (albeit 212 years ago) I have no allegience to Britain or the Royal Family, it's just that I couldn't justify the massive expense involved, for what end? So that we can have 2 politicians running the country, one as our Prime Minister, and one as our Head of State? Sorry, but I just can't see the point.

Of course, if you'd like to elect me Mick, then I'd be happy to accept your endorsement, and here is a quick snapshot of my election promises:

Global Climate Change: Prove that it is man made, and I'll do something about it. In the meantime, I'll encourage motorcycle usage as a viable alternative to polluting cars by cutting annual motorcycle registration and insurance by 50%.

Employment: To encourage long term employment, I will institute a "year off" from paying tax (of any description) for one year, for every 10 years of continuous employment. You pay no income tax, GST, Stamp Duty, etc etc for that year, by the simple expedient of a "swipe card" system.

Medicare: I hate the idea of private health insurance, but Medicare is under-funded. My intent is to increase the Medicare levy by 100% (double it) but with the extra revenue, offer a much improved level of service, which will include optical and dental services. There'll be no need for private health providers, but their staff will be absorbed into Medicare to administer the additonal services.

Employment: I'll institute a system of tariffs on all imports to encourage the revitalisation of Australia's disappearing manufacturing and farm industries, and I'll provide low interest loans and grants to assist with new infrastructure costs. To encourage kids to stay at school, no unemployment benefits will be paid to anyone under 18 years of age, but there will be a range of benefits available to juniors who are determined to stay at school and achieve.

Education: Free education for all Australian kids, from Kindergarten to University.

Immigration: Forget about it. All illegal immigrants will be resettled in the Middle East or Afghanistan, free of charge.      

I could go on and on, but you've probably all fallen asleep, so I'll leave you alone. Cheers, Terry.

[spitcrazy]

Immigration: Forget about it. All illegal immigrants will be resettled in the Middle East or Afghanistan, free of charge.      

Heh, Heh, sounds like I feel about immigration to Canada. Here, once one gets in, they can sponsor their relatives to immigrate and FAST! So we get flooded with uneducated, desert folk that jump on the welfare teat as soon as they are here. Meanwhile, talented educated Aussies, Brits, Europeans, etc. doctors lawyers engineers take years and many hoops to immigrate (and oh yes we don't have to educate them that we use deodorant and bathe daily). And the Bloody bleeding hearts call me a fascist. It's their policies that are ruining economies here.

[Retro Rocket]

You got my vote Terry.....

You are absolutely correct about having a 3rd viable alternative, the problem we have now is that there is virtually no difference between the 2 major parties.....its the lesser of 2 evils and as far as i am concerned {and just about everyone i know} its not good enough......

Mick

[demon78]

Ok SC, my thing that I would say to all immigrants is don't bring your wars here and remember we are a modern western liberal democracy that is tending towards equality for women as well as immigrants if you can't handle that, please go some where else, no IRA, Tamil Tigers, Tong wars etc fund raising, proselytizing, bombs et all and if your kids want to revive an independent Kahlistan or what ever give them a smack in the ear and if that doesn't work smack them harder, remember you can always adopt, but it's dammed hard to find good medical care and pensions.Yes it's #$%*ing cold here periodically but mostly the people just want to be left alone, have a few "Suds" and complain about how unresponsive "Gov" is.
Bill the demon.

[ryder60]

Ok SC, my thing that I would say to all immigrants is don't bring your wars here and remember we are a modern western liberal democracy that is tending towards equality for women as well as immigrants if you can't handle that, please go some where else, no IRA, Tamil Tigers, Tong wars etc fund raising, proselytizing, bombs et all and if your kids want to revive an independent Kahlistan or what ever give them a smack in the ear and if that doesn't work smack them harder, remember you can always adopt, but it's dammed hard to find good medical care and pensions.Yes it's #$%*ing cold here periodically but mostly the people just want to be left alone, have a few "Suds" and complain about how unresponsive "Gov" is.
Bill the demon.

------------

I think we ought to adopt those two progressive policies of the Rhinos.  First, because it's so expensive to fix the rail line to Churchill, Manitoba I'd move Churchill to south-central Saskatchewan.  And I think we ought to join all those other countries in the world that drive on the left side of the road.  But to give people time to get used to it I'd just have the trucks drive on the left for the first two years.

[demon78]

Think of all the jobs that would be created making an ice free, deep water port in South central Saskatchewan say at Moosejaw.
Bill the demon.

[BeSeeingYou]

I read that she does not (gasp) believe in god.  Yer all going to hell.

[Retro Rocket]

I read that she does not (gasp) believe in god.  Yer all going to hell.

Australia has more atheists than religious people,  so it doesn't really rate a mention here. 

Mick

[BeSeeingYou]

I read that she does not (gasp) believe in god.  Yer all going to hell.

Australia has more atheists than religious people,  so it doesn't really rate a mention here. 

Mick

I wish it could happen here.  I get so tired of the pious "Christian Nation" crap.

[Retro Rocket]

I read that she does not (gasp) believe in god.  Yer all going to hell.

Australia has more atheists than religious people,  so it doesn't really rate a mention here.  

Mick

I wish it could happen here.  I get so tired of the pious "Christian Nation" crap.

Actually Steve, i wanted to say more but didn't want to upset anyone on here...
One thing i will say is the church don't help themselves one little bit with archaic beliefs and pedophiles they are loosing any credibility they once had  ....


Mick

[mick7504]

The emails are starting to do the rounds now.
This is clever.
Mick

[jhonnymarsh]

the major issue that ended Rudd was his proposed 40% tax on mining super profits. A carbon trading scheme will be proposed by Julia. Rudd's proposal was never going to work. Indeed, our opposition conservative government is proposing one as well; it just means developing something meaningful.

[Retro Rocket]

the major issue that ended Rudd was his proposed 40% tax on mining super profits.

Actually it was his lack of consultation with anyone including his party,he was seen as arrogant and uncompromising. We now have a 30% mining tax as of today..

Mick

[Terry in Australia]

Has it passed the senate Mick? I heard that Abbot said the opposition would block it in the senate? I hope they do, my superannuation is still reeling from the "recession we never had". Cheers, Terry.

[Retro Rocket]

Has it passed the senate Mick? I heard that Abbot said the opposition would block it in the senate? I hope they do, my superannuation is still reeling from the "recession we never had". Cheers, Terry.

No it hasn't passed yet but now the deal is done the opposition risk loosing face {and voters} for just blocking another deal, at the moment that is the only thing they are good at. Your super will come back in time, even a little tax hike for the miners won't effect how much product comes out of the ground. Don't you think we should tax the any further ? Most of the high end profits are going off shore and i am getting very sick of toll roads so maybe some of this money can goto fixing the roads ......although i doubt it....

Mick 

[Terry in Australia]

No mate, I'm dead against any further taxes on the mining companies. I listened to a tax expert from Monash University (who was working for radio station 3AW, not one of the mining companies) say that by his calculations, mining companies were paying around 47 percent tax now, (which makes a mockery of Kevin 07's claims of 17 percent) which I think is fair. Suprannuation companies invest heavily in the mining industry, so low profits for mining companies means low returns on our super investments.

Sure, Australia has tons of good stuff in the ground, but so do many other countries in the world. You'll remember recently that a plane full of Australian mining executives crashed in Africa wiping out the whole board of executives, well, they weren't there on holidays, they were looking to do some business mining resources in a country with a cheaper labour force, and lower taxes.

The fact is that Labour has dug a hole of their own by blowing billions of our tax dollars on failed, half arsed out projects, (I saw the list on Thursday, and it was truly staggering) and so they saw a tax grab on the mining industry as a way to refill that hole, keeping their popularity with the voters by selling it as a Robin Hood-esque "Steal from the rich, and give to the poor" anti-mining smear campaign. Australian politics has seen a 180 degree turn around since 2007, and not for the better. Big price to pay for getting rid of "Little Johnny"............. 

[Retro Rocket]

No mate, I'm dead against any further taxes on the mining companies. I listened to a tax expert from Monash University (who was working for radio station 3AW, not one of the mining companies) say that by his calculations, mining companies were paying around 47 percent tax now, (which makes a mockery of Kevin 07's claims of 17 percent) which I think is fair. Suprannuation companies invest heavily in the mining industry, so low profits for mining companies means low returns on our super investments.

Sure, Australia has tons of good stuff in the ground, but so do many other countries in the world. You'll remember recently that a plane full of Australian mining executives crashed in Africa wiping out the whole board of executives, well, they weren't there on holidays, they were looking to do some business mining resources in a country with a cheaper labour force, and lower taxes.

The fact is that Labour has dug a hole of their own by blowing billions of our tax dollars on failed, half arsed out projects, (I saw the list on Thursday, and it was truly staggering) and so they saw a tax grab on the mining industry as a way to refill that hole, keeping their popularity with the voters by selling it as a Robin Hood-esque "Steal from the rich, and give to the poor" anti-mining smear campaign. Australian politics has seen a 180 degree turn around since 2007, and not for the better. Big price to pay for getting rid of "Little Johnny"............. 

Its a double edged sword mate because if we had kept little Johnny any longer we were on the road toa US style of health care system and that would be a crime.... What we need is a party in the middle ground somewhere because at the moment both options are rather hopeless ....

they were looking to do some business mining resources in a country with a cheaper labour force, and lower taxes.

I'm not that silly Terry, they are there to exploit a poorer nation thats all, and they will polute and destroy just like in Papua New Guinea, actually i think that that type of mining should be banned until those countries are stable enough for everyone to benefit. The rape and pillage method doesn't sit well with me at all..  Blood Diamonds anyone?

Mick

[Terry in Australia]

I don't think that you're silly at all Mick, I'm just pointing out the alternative to mining in Australia, if it gets too expensive for companies to operate here. I remember watching a "60 Minutes" story on Nike a few years ago, where they'd start a factory in a third world country somewhere and produce sports shoes until the government there decided to hit them up with higher taxes and so they'd just move on to another country and set up shop again.

At the moment, mining companies employ around 15000 Aussie workers and pay them very good wages. Those 15000 workers pay taxes, build houses and buy consumer goods, which benefits many thousands more. if the mining companies pull up stumps and move to Africa, or Brazil or wherever, we're going to have 15000 unemployed workers and their families to look after, like we're now looking after the families of all the insulation industry's familes after Labours last debacle.

No offence meant at all mate, I'm just saying it as I see it. Cheers, Terry.

[Retro Rocket]

Gday mate, no offense taken, sometimes its hard to talk on the net without it sounding harsh, i was never any good at letter writing either.......Definitely no offense at all mate.   I am just as frustrated as everyone on both sides of politics in Aus at the moment as policies on both sides lack imagination at all and it seems like the easy fix is all the rage or plain out bull#$%* which seems all the rage as well.  All of the "just move on" stuff will come to a screaming halt as soon as those countries in question find their feet in the modern world, China is still cheap at the moment but that is changing quickly . Its kinda weird we will loose the ability to produce anything then all of a sudden we will have to start from scratch and start manufacturing all over again . All the politics today are for the now and unless we start thinking ahead it;s all going to hit a wall and  start all over again. I am worried for the future of my kids, they are not growing up in the same world and will definitely be cleaning up our mess....

Mick

[demon78]

Guys it's SOP we used to have a railway system that met our needs reasonably well but it was decided that it was too expensive for the Gov or business so it was diminished and of course now people look longingly at RR service, it after all pollutes less than highways, cars and trucks and delivers goods around the country, the other thing is we used to have an A/C industry but that was deemed too expensive to maintain and now we take other peoples aircraft even though they may not be suited for our country, we may have to pay a premium, and wait a long time, I've gotten so tired "of a new broom sweeps clean" , the "New Government puts it's Stamp on the Country", " That's Not 21 Century", and "We are in a New Era", don't the politco's have the brights of the average mature citizen who say's to themselves but it seems to work why change it.
Bill the demon.

[Retro Rocket]

The problem is that most people are like cattle, they just wander around in life not really understanding what is going on around them until it too late and then they just #$%* about things and still nothing changes. I really don't care what anyone thinks but if we continue on trashing everything in the name of the almighty dollar and populating the planet like out of control rats it will be a polluted wasteland in 100 years. We live in a very selfish time .......

Mick

[Terry in Australia]

Ding Dong, the witch is dead, and welcome back from the cold Kev, I hope it was my petition that got you over the line!

[dave500]

school ground games,at least old bird brain is gone although we have put up with mr bloody sheen again?he reminds me of a south park character,she reminds me of something that gets stuck on your shoe.