Election Voting

[i_luv_westcoast]

Liberals will romp it in. Labor will get it's a$$ wiped in WA. Great idea the land tax by the state government (it definitely will help the Liberals at the national level).

Awww mantis are the private kids all rich and spoilt I went to a private school and im glad I did. My parents worked hard to enable to go there and I am bloody grateful they did. Our school had to pay for it's own gymnasium. All the parents had to chip in as it was a new school when I first went there. Shame the govt didn't give us money, but then it was a Labor govt. that was in power at the time.

Look how labor has aready stuffed WA. No ticket no start signs on heaps of building sites, thats really democratic isn't it. Great to have a union heavy forcing you to join their union. Im sure you love that don't you. Labor has done stuff all for this country, and this state in particular.

Remember WA INC? As for those that say this govt. privatises everything lets have a look at Labor's record. QANTAS was sold of by them. Now look at the airline debacle and high prices. Who sold the Commonwealth Bank, wasn't Labor was it. Bunch of hypocrites the Labor Party.

Its not the job of Govt to run businesses, their job is to govern the country and allocate money to where it should go. God I hope we don't have that Windbag from the West governing out country.

 

[Nic]

I will probably vote Liberal but I'm not sure at the moment...

 

[Top Dog]

Originally posted by eagleskickass
I must just be weird, I wish I WAS 18 so I COULD vote!

I cant wait till im 18 so I can drive.......Vrroooooooooom and I'll be able to by grog HOORAY so no more waiting out ther front of bottle shops

 

[mantis]

Originally posted by bluecrow


That's a really generalised statement, Mantis. Not all private school kids are snooty-nosed and rich. I go to a private school and I'm very glad I do. Like I_luv_westcoast, my parents have worked hard to give me a fantastic education, and I'll be forever grateful for that. A lot of the people from my school aren't from the upper class in society. A little over half, like me, are middle class and have hard-working parents wanting nothing more than to give their child the best education they can. If Labor get into power, private school costs will rise, and make it harder for kids like me, to get the attention, care and guidance a private school gives.

Why can't you get a good education at a government school, if parents want to pay to send their kids to private school then they do so at their OWN EXPENSE, that is their choice. There is no reason why kids can't get a decent education at a government school, especially if they got more funding.

Geeze that old furphy people work hard to send their kids to Private schools, send your kids to Government schools then you don't have to work so hard.

 

[Pies rock]

People, since when was a Federal term 4 years? It is only three.

I will be voting Liberal.

Very good point earlier about the Union party Frodo, couldn't have said it better myself! You don't agree with the Libs privatising everything do you Eagles kick ass? Well who was it that privatised Qantas and deregulated all the Banks? Certainly wasn't the Libs! Labor are a joke, anyone voting for them obviously wants Interest rates at record high levels, Unemployment to skyrocket again and our economy down the gurgler. Currently Australia has the best performing economy in the Western World - FACT. This is because of the GST (works extremely well and lowers income tax greatly) and the professionalism of the men currently in Government. They are professional business men of the highest standard, not just useless Union men like Labor has!

John Howard's performance recently with the boat people, the economy in these terrible times and the problems in America has shown what a truly inspirational leader he is. We needed someone strong, intelligent and shrewd through all this and Howard has come through with flying colours.

 

[Frodo]

EKA, tell me what you like about Labour policy and we can debate it. Privatisation? Well Labour did most of that, not that I disagree with most of it. In most cases we pay excess tax to support public owned industry. I don't like Paying tax.

WWW, I sent my kids through private school and had to struggle to make ends meet at the time. I chose to do this because the private system had more concern for moral values than public schools and the teachers had to be accountable or fired. I well remember being told by the headmaster of Rossmoyne Senior High (before I could afford to send my sons private) that he agreed that my sons Maths teacher was incompetent and that every child in the class was failing the subject but the union would not allow him to be fired. He had already been stopped from teaching years 10-12 but there was nothing more that could be done. My decision was costly but good. I believe that every child should be given an education bond every year for $xxxx which then goes to the school of choice. If a parent wishes to add their own money to go to a better school whilst another parent prefers to spend their money on an annual holiday in Bali then that is their choice. My sister did just that with her children. As long as the bond value is equal then it is fair.


Republic,

I believe we are 90%+ republicans in Australia. It is just the model of republic that is what we disagree upon.
Labour has tried to divide the nation by incorectly labeling 'no' voters monarchists, many wont forget the slur.
If a simple model had been put up of the Queen being replaced by the Governer General who was appointed by parliament and responsible to parliament it would have been carried easily.
If a poll was taken of ' "Do you think Queen Elizabeth should remain Queen of Australia" I am cetain that over 80% of the 'no' voters in the republic would say 'no she shouldn't remain queen'.
And that means that there are very few monarchists indeed.

If anyone can take some blame for the No vote it is Beasley. He actively canvasses a No vote as being a Labour vote and I am sure the many 'vote liberal willy-nilly' voters said no for political reasons in the same way as the many 'vote labour willy-nilly' voters did the same.

 

[mantis]

Originally posted by Pies rock
FACT. This is because of the GST (works extremely well and lowers income tax greatly)

FACT
Do you work?
My income tax was only $300 less than last year, yet I have paid over a $1,000 on GST, you do the sums, I am getting screwed by the GST & so are most people who are below the middle class wage.

Sorry about the poor bastards who have to pay 2% tax on their million dollar houses.NOT.

 

[i_luv_westcoast]

Why should I have gone to a government school mantis. My parents wanted me to go to a school which has discipline, something most govt. schools lack. You know a school where you repect our teachers, and don't assault them. A school where I wouldn't be disrupted by idiots in the classroom who disn't value their education.

I went to a public school when I lived in Victoria and it was pretty good I will admit. But when I came to WA my primary school was pathetic. The teachers just didn't care, if they were there that is, going on strikes every 5 mins seem to be a favourite ploy of the teachers union.

Your arrument that parents should pay for their kids to go to a private school is rubbish. Why shouldn't you pay for your kids to go to a govt. school.

I suppose you don't like private hospitals either. Are they evil as well in your narrow minded socialist mind. Should we get rid of private health insurance? Have everyone go to a public hospital. You think there overcrowded now imagine them then. We would have to double the number of hospitals we have now. Socialism didn't work in Russia and it won't work here. So get in the real world Mantis, and stop joining in the anti-globalisation protests im sure you attend.

 

[Pies rock]

Mantis, did you read my post? I said Australia has the best performing economy in the Western World - FACT! You took what I said completely out of context.

Anyway, get someone professional to do your tax and see how much GST you pay compared to Income Tax relief you get. I assure you, the GST has been set up so nobody is worse off. Now that is also a FACT. I'm 19 and go to Uni (studying politics (will major in it)/Business) so no I don't work, but I wrote a 6,000 bloody word essay on the GST so I know more about it than you bloody would. My parents paid $1,533.98 GST last financial year and combined were taxed $3,498.74 less. FACT!

Mantis, you don't feel sorry for someone who has worked hard all their life for their family, yet they have to pay exorbitant amounts in tax? That's a typically socialistic attitude to have; punishing those who work hard.

 

[Darky]

I reckon I'm better off under the GST. Take-home pay has gone up $30-40 a week, and my new HECS payments aside, my tax refund was greater than any other year to date (approx. $600 more tha in 1999-2000).

I don't reckon food and household products have risen much in price, if at all. The CDs I buy are cheaper, which probably evens out the slight increase in the cost of utilities.

A flat tax on goods is the fairest system, but the vast parts of the public believed it was a flat 10% increase on everything. The change meant that some goods, and virtually all services would go up in cost, and price rises are not popular (even if compenstaed through otehr prices dropping, and a few tax cuts).

Had the GST been in place for 50 years beforehand, I'm sure everyone would object to it being replaced by an uneven tax on goods ranging from 0-22% and a higher income tax rate.

Unpopular decision because it involves change, but it was the right one. The GST may have its flaws, but the old system wasn't perfect either. Can anyone suggest something better? Kim Beazley can't.

 

[TheMase]

Originally posted by Pies rock
Mantis, did you read my post? I said Australia has the best performing economy in the Western World - FACT! You took what I said completely out of context.

Anyway, get someone professional to do your tax and see how much GST you pay compared to Income Tax relief you get. I assure you, the GST has been set up so nobody is worse off. Now that is also a FACT. I'm 19 and go to Uni (studying politics (will major in it)/Business) so no I don't work, but I wrote a 6,000 bloody word essay on the GST so I know more about it than you bloody would. My parents paid $1,533.98 GST last financial year and combined were taxed $3,498.74 less. FACT!

Mantis, you don't feel sorry for someone who has worked hard all their life for their family, yet they have to pay exorbitant amounts in tax? That's a typically socialistic attitude to have; punishing those who work hard.

Ahuh .. and how much do ur parents make per year?

 

[mantis]

pies rock

I don't need a professional tax agent to show me I am being ripped off, if I did I would have to pay GST for that service as well.

I get bugger all tax reduction since the GST & pay 10% on everything from petrol, most foods, clothes, books, chemist lines, phone, power, gas, plumbers,Vet bills etc etc, the list goes on, I AM worse off under GST, maybe if I was earning in excess of $60,000 a year I might be better off, but lower income people are getting screwed. Maybe if I was on a board of a big company I could asset strip it, pay myself hundreds of thousand in performance bonuses, closing the company down & putting thousands of people out of work I might like the GST too.
Also, I have worked hard all my life, but I am only working class being paid a pittance by capitalists, so have not been able to amass millions.

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by mantis



FACT
Do you work?
My income tax was only $300 less than last year, yet I have paid over a $1,000 on GST, you do the sums, I am getting screwed by the GST & so are most people who are below the middle class wage.

Sorry about the poor bastards who have to pay 2% tax on their million dollar houses.NOT.

Now if you were the average person (NOT) you would also have saved $1,600 at least on WST so be $900 better off.
And the bludgers who were paying no tax would be paying for it!

So you MUST be a pro Liberal

And Ms. Broomstick-rider, there is no tax on houses. Only land. Would you like all land to be taxed at 2% over $1M ?

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by TheMase


Ahuh .. and how much do ur parents make per year?

What the Firk does that matter. I know a heap of blokes that play golf 4 times a week that live off the dole and enjoy life with their kids at public schools. On the other hand I know of couples who both work and one has a casual night job so they can put their kids thru private school. It is all everyones choice but a hard work ethic wins cash. Then it is up to you what you do with it. But if you choose to be a lazy bludger....VOTE LABOUR

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by bluecrow
Agree completely with ILW.


The other thing that pisses me off about Labor, is tax. Why should those people who work the hardest, and therefore, earn more money (granted, not all those who earn the most money in society work hard) have to pay more tax? It's simply not fair. The harder you work, the more you lose. Everyone may as well do nothing for the rest of their lives and pay no tax.

What you say is true and there are more who take advantage here in Australia than perhaps any other country in the world !
Hence refugees wanting to come here ( they don't want to stay in Indonesia for example)

BUT. There are always genuinely disadvantaged people and a caring society must be responsible for them. I am lucky to be on the positive side ( we all are disadvantaged in some ways but some more than others) and I am happy to contribute to those not so fortunate.

 

[mantis]

Originally posted by bluecrow

The other thing that pisses me off about Labor, is tax. Why should those people who work the hardest, and therefore, earn more money (granted, not all those who earn the most money in society work hard) have to pay more tax? It's simply not fair. The harder you work, the more you lose. Everyone may as well do nothing for the rest of their lives and pay no tax.

So you think that people that get paid the most are the hardest workers, give me a break, do shop assistants, factory workers etc don't work hard, they work harder than most most managing directors, board members & actually are the ones that earn the money for the people at the top & yet they get paid a pittance, you have been brainwashed well, the workers are the backbone of society & yet earn less than rich fat cats who do stuff all.

 

[Frodo]

PREDICTION

If this poll has less than 75% voting Labour+greensnots+demogogsjeposas(all effective labour votes) then the Liberals will win.

 

[aggels]

It doesn't matter what I vote, everyone around here always votes labor anyway.

For the record, I'll be voting labor too.

 

[play on]

I will vote Liberal. Didn't Kim promise to apologise to the stolen generation on behalf of the whole nation? That is enough for me to vote Liberal. No government will do that on my behalf and get away with it. Should the Liberal party win the election, and back down on this issue, and apologise to the stolen generation, I will vote Labor at the next election. You may think this is a trivial issue, but to me, it is enough for me to decide who to vote for. You may think it is a racist attitude, but it is just the way I feel.

 

[eagleskickass]

Ok, a few points
I am for private schools being funded by the government, they do a great job teaching the children who can afford to go, and they should not be cut BUT government schools are HUGELY under funded AND under staffed. Hence why now there is an increase in problem students because classes are so big that teachers can't spend the required time with students who really need help, so they lose interest.
Also, a couple of you say your parents work very hard to get you to be able to go to Public schools. My parents work BLOODY hard, but can still only afford to send me to a government school, and even that is a struggle. This is because my Dad is legally blind. He does work, and we do recieve a pension. Only problem is, the money My dad makes working is almost all taken from my mums support pension by the government. With regards to the GST, my parents DO get it done by a proffesional, and we are derinately WORSE of under the GST, just like my other 3 aunties who are on pensions, and many other low income earners, I will grant that is has also helped many people, but it is TOO complex in its current model and is effecting many small businesses.
The major policy of Labor I agree with is Roll Back. I believe roll back will SERIOUSLY help out the strugglers in the system so that the GST will work well. it will make it easier for small business, it will help the pensioners.

I will admit that Labor has done its fair share of privatising, at that stage I was too young to understand, what I don't like is how the Liberals used to attack them for it, and then, when they get into power, they continue it with the likes of Westrail, and most of Telstra, 2 companies that i thought DEFINATELY should NOT be privatised. The current air problem is with Ansett, not with Qantas, so THAT can't realy be argued, Qantas is going very well. Deregulating all the banks was definately a bad decision by the previous labor Government though.

Our health system is in tatters and aged care has gone down hill with this government. My local hopsital had to close a whole ward, and that was before Geoff Gallop. It isn't fully open again, but has been able to get running better with labor giving them the money they needed. Federal fund cuts to the state governments for hospitals have really hit the health system hard.

Howards stance on the latest boat people issue should be commended, but it doesn't go far enough. We are stil being to Soft on incoming ilegal ilegal immigrants, something labor intends to change. We cannot afford to house so many immigrants, it takes money which could be spent on health and aged care, and also fixing our legal system.

Our legal system, HA, what system. Yes, it was no good under the previous Labor government, but has got worse under liberal. Really, both parties have a bad record when it comes to this, hopefully one will actually have a policy to fix it. Our punishments are definately too light. An example. I have a friend who was molested by his Dad and got charged for 10 indecent asaults and something else I can't remember. He pleaded guilty, got 5 years but can be out in 2. My friend was so emotionally hurt, he suffered deep depression for 2 years, and attempted suicide twice. He has since had to quit school because he fell so far behind due to the court case lasting 12 months, and missing many days of school due to this. Now he only has up to year 10 education, and he was definately smart enough to get a Uni Degree. Whichever party does something about this, Its about time!

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by mantis


So you think that people that get paid the most are the hardest workers, give me a break, do shop assistants, factory workers etc don't work hard, they work harder than most most managing directors, board members & actually are the ones that earn the money for the people at the top & yet they get paid a pittance, you have been brainwashed well, the workers are the backbone of society & yet earn less than rich fat cats who do stuff all.

And most of those in higher income brackets who may not work physically hard, have sacrificed income by studying for several years to get into such management positions. Are you saying if I finish my degree and get a job as an accountant, and work my way up in the field, that I won't deserve to get what I will be paid?

Companies pay them more money because there are less people around who are capable of doing the job.

 

[Dippers Donuts]

Labor will win.

Little Johnny's career savers - refugee crisis and the terrorist war will have faded enough by the election for people to focus on the real issues - the GST balls up/health crisis/reconciliation debacle etc etc.

**** off Johnny Howard - and take those buffoons Bishop, Abbott and Costello etc with you.

And fredo - my parents are diehard liberalites....

 

[K9-54]

Howard has been a disappointment.

The team around him has been a disappointment.

The republican no vote was Howard's fault and that pissed me off.

The GST is correct policy but it's implementation left alot to be desired.

Liberal policy making has been fairly weak.

They deserve to lose.

But, having said all that, I'll vote liberal.

I don't agree with just about anything mantis has said in this thread and having a government with similar views is not my preference.

 

[eagleskickass]

Originally posted by bluecrow
Agree completely with ILW.

The attitude of 'don't send your kids to private schools so then you don't have to work hard,' is a lazy, selfish motto to live by.

There is no doubt that private schools provide a better education. They are smaller, have a lower student:teacher ratio and the facilities are better. My parents elected to send me to a private school because they believed it would stand me in good stead for the rest of my life - in job applications, social, etc. Also, because my brother spent 1 year at a public school and nearly got stabbed twice. But I'm sure that doesn't happen everywhere.

The other thing that pisses me off about Labor, is tax. Why should those people who work the hardest, and therefore, earn more money (granted, not all those who earn the most money in society work hard) have to pay more tax? It's simply not fair. The harder you work, the more you lose. Everyone may as well do nothing for the rest of their lives and pay no tax.

one attitude i don't like is that if you work ahrd you get money. As I said, My parents work extremely hard at whatever they can do, don't earn enough to live of that, so have to get a pension too. Only problem with this is that what money they make they lose from there pension 80% of it. This has come from changes to pensions which the current Liberal government bought in. Pension cuts have really hurt us, along with the GST. Also, you can't tell me that we got help from the government with the GST with those one of bonuses. Because my Dad is on a disabled pension, he wasn't eligable, so had to pay the same amount as the old age pensioners, without the one of bonus to help. And we don't get the tax cuts which they do.

 

[mantis]

Darky

Geeze no that wasn't what I was saying, I was responding to a post that intimated that people who were rich were only rich because they worked hard for their money & that if you aren't rich then you haven't worked hard.

I am sick of hearing this theory trotted out all the time, it is saying that all poor people are lazy & rich people hard workers.