Political Discussion

[Bicks]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...n/news-story/9083700ceb88fe18480c1e289c1654f3

Wow what a surprise, the move away to renewable energy has led to higher prices. How did they not expect this and now he's crying? It's your own stupid green agenda that led to this you ******.

You South Aussies got really, really, really deep pockets over there Elite Crow ???

Don Quixote had his windmills.....Jay Weatherill and Labor has it's wind turbines and solar panels...
Good idea to decommission the Pt. Augusta Power Station??

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...k=8ed20c0c7286f4a4e9a5b143d1c5ef65-1468682424

SA faces years of power prices double other states
Daniel Wills, Cameron England, The Advertiser
July 14, 2016
SOUTH Australia is facing wholesale electricity prices that are roughly double that of other states for more than two years, prompting grave warnings the burden will spark new job losses and lead to thousands of homes being disconnected.

The Advertiser yesterday revealed Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis had been forced to ask the privately-owned gas-fired Pelican Point power station to increase output, in a bid to avoid temporary shutdowns at the state’s biggest businesses as they battled skyrocketing power prices.

Three SA manufacturing powerhouses have now spoken out about the immediate dangers posed by expensive electricity, including the administrators readying the Whyalla steelworks for possible sale.

The Australian Industry Group on Thursday night also declared it was “genuinely concerned about the impact of high power prices on the competitive position” of SA’s traditional manufacturing.

A spokesman from Arrium administrator KordaMentha said the company “absolutely” considered scaling back or temporarily shutting down its operations in the past week, and SA needed a new long-term energy strategy to avoid becoming “an unattractive place to operate”.

BHP Billiton has now also warned that high costs and unreliable power are a “significant concern” for the company and the “sustainability” of its Olympic Dam mine, which had been spruiked for a $50 billion expansion that was to underwrite the state’s economic future.

Adelaide Brighton Cement — one of the handful of high-energy manufacturers remaining in SA — says access to cheap and reliable power was “essential” to its future.

Australian Energy Regulator figures show the cost of wholesale power in SA will remain higher than all other states in the market for the foreseeable future, and about double that in Victoria.

Wholesale energy costs are the prices charged by power stations.

They add up to about half the standard business or households bill, which also includes costs for building poles and wires.

SA currently pays $70 per megawatt hour for its wholesale power, and the AER forecasts that charge will rise to peak of $94 by mid 2018, when the price in Victoria will be just $41.

Despite Mr Koutsantonis’ assurances that the incident was a one-off caused in part by recent storms, business groups and the social services sector have warned of more pain to come.

Analysts have blamed SA’s world-leading levels of wind and solar power for forcing the closure of baseload fossil fuel plants like that at Port Augusta, and leaving the state exposed to price shocks and unreliable supply at times when the wind isn’t blowing or sun isn’t shining.

 

[brucetiki]

We might not be perfect but holy s**t how lucky are we that we live in Australia.

Chaos in Turkey

So true. They're going to bring back the death penalty for the military too.

 

[kirky]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nat...n/news-story/9083700ceb88fe18480c1e289c1654f3

Wow what a surprise, the move away to renewable energy has led to higher prices. How did they not expect this and now he's crying? It's your own stupid green agenda that led to this you ******.

Yeh, because a green agenda is bad for the planet.

 

[Elite Crow]

Yeh, because a green agenda is bad for the planet.

Yes because what happens in SA is going to be good for the planet.

In the meantime we have the public and businesses paying ridiculous power prices and threatening to shut down and lose jobs.

Yep I'm sure what we do here in SA is all worth it.

 

[kirky]

You need to read this article by noted lefty Peter Van Oselen.....but do go on with your delusion by all means.......ain't reality a bitch.....

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opi...k=15ee26a52dd48f38aa91063b6e0809a8-1468055327

Peter van Onselen

Contributing editor
Canberra

HOW did we get to a point in the national debate where a government judges its success or failure according to the number of pieces of legislation passed? Surely what matters is the quality, not the quantity, of the legislation - in particular the quality of the contested legislation, for that is what distinguishes the two major parties vying for control of the government benches.

Government ministers have enjoyed using the number of pieces of legislation passed to demonstrate the success of the 43rd parliament. Anthony Albanese said last year: "We've now passed 307 pieces of legislation through the House of Representatives. The opposition haven't focused on that debate." Said Jason Clare more recently: "Despite all the negativity ... this parliament has passed 482 pieces of legislation." Just last week independent Rob Oakeshott crowed during an interview about the amount of legislation passed. Independent MP Tony Windsor did the same. It now stands at more than 550 pieces of legislation passed by the minority parliament.

What they don't tell you when they use these numbers as a retort to Tony Abbott's accusation that the government has been a failure is that the Coalition has opposed only 13 per cent of the legislation.

What they also fail to tell you is that the opposition, supporting 87 per cent of legislation passed, is on par with Labor's record in opposition during the Howard years.

So what of the 13 per cent passed? A government passing legislation opposed by its opponents that goes on to benefit the nation is likely to be politically rewarded. One that passes legislation that fails to deliver on promises is likely to be punished at the ballot box.

It is a pretty simple equation. It is the quality of contested legislation, not the quantity of uncontested legislation, that matters.

Most legislation isn't controversial and receives bipartisan support. Quality policy and popular opinion on contested legislation are what's at issue. Labor has failed on both counts. While late-term legislation such as DisabilityCare may qualify as worthy policy, it wasn't contested. And its implementation will be the responsibility of whichever party wins the next poll. The disability legislation is not part of the contested policy debate, even if Bill Shorten individually and the Labor government collectively deserve credit for putting the issue on the agenda.

There are three key areas that make up a significant proportion of legislation Labor has introduced that the Coalition has opposed: the mining tax, the carbon tax and bills to scrap the Australian Building and Construction Commission. Each of these pieces of legislation fails in one or both of the tests mentioned: quality and popular support.

The mining tax was negotiated in a closed room between Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan and the nation's three big mining companies. It was hastily arranged soon after Kevin Rudd was ousted as leader, and experts immediately claimed it was unlikely to raise the revenues budgeted for.

No Treasury bureaucrats were in the room with the Prime Minister and Treasurer when they struck the deal.

In sharp contrast, the mining giants had some of the best taxation specialists in the room with them to ensure they landed a sweet deal, which they did. A mining tax projected to raise billions of dollars raised virtually nothing in its first six months. It was a failure of quality that then became a failure of popular support.

The carbon tax failed the test of popular support because it was a negotiated solution to climate-change action between Labor and the Greens that saw Gillard break an election pledge.

Subsequently, the details suffered on the quality test because the carbon price now has a per tonne price point out of step with the price in other carbon trading systems. This threatens the ability of the Australian system to integrate on the world stage. If the price collapses once it floats as part of an emissions trading scheme, the compensation package becomes costly. If the floor price is too high, Australia continues to be out of step.



The third area of contested policy - bills to abolish the ABCC - may not have garnered the headlines that the mining and carbon taxes have. But it has hardly been something the government can hang a re-election campaign on.

A further area of contested legislation is school education reform: the so-called Gonski package. There are internal divisions within the Coalition, with NSW supporting it even though the federal Coalition does not. It is unsurprising that Labor is seeking to focus on this policy script in the lead-up to the election. That's not to say that the package isn't without its problems. For a start, the serious dollars do not start flowing into schools for years to come, and there is little guarantee that when they do start flowing they will be efficiently spent. But education policy is relatively safe ground for Labor, backed up by long-term polling trends that show voters trust Labor on education more substantially than the Coalition.

One of this government's biggest failures has been that it has tried to do too much in a short time. This has contributed to failures of implementation, never more apparent than in the mad scramble to spend money during the global financial crisis. The Howard government passed 150 to 200 pieces of legislation annually. Labor during the past two terms has passed 200 to 250 pieces of legislation annually.

The days of small government are behind us, and there are few signs the opposition is intent on returning to them if elected.

Peter van Onselen is a professor at the University of Western Australia.

Seriously, to think this bloke is a lefty borders on the ridiculous. That's like saying Chris Kenny is a lefty. Seriously deluded. Living in a parallel universe coz to think that you ain't living in ours.

 

[Elite Crow]

Seriously, to think this bloke is a lefty borders on the ridiculous. That's like saying Chris Kenny is a lefty. Seriously deluded. Living in a parallel universe coz to think that you ain't living in ours.

He might not be a lefty but if you ever bothered to listen or follow what he says, he has a crack at the Libs very often. He's actually quiet balanced. But of course you have your Murdoch conspiracy prejudice hat on and can't see past that. For example he is anti the Libs turn back the boats policy.

 

[kirky]

He might not be a lefty but if you ever bothered to listen or follow what he says, he has a crack at the Libs very often. He's actually quiet balanced. But of course you have your Murdoch conspiracy prejudice hat on and can't see past that. For example he is anti the Libs turn back the boats policy.

Yes the Murdoch conspiracy of course they are so balanded they are. Well * me! The quicker that prick is gone together with Trump the better the planet will be.

 

[Elite Crow]

Yes the Murdoch conspiracy of course they are so balanded they are. Well **** me! The quicker that prick is gone together with Trump the better the planet will be.

And no comment that you got it wrong on Van Onselen?

 

[Bicks]

Yeh, because a green agenda is bad for the planet.

Tell that to the pensioners and less fortunate people as they shiver through winter and sweat through summer and those that expire because they can't afford to turn on the heating or cooling. Tell that to the many SA businesses that employ South Australians that are finding increasingly hard to stay competitive in the current global economy. Nobody's against your "green" agenda by the way if it's implemented sensibly and with an eye on the people and the economy it will impact at in this time in history [now] and the near future.

 

[brucetiki]

Didn't the long for Turnbull to start the health cuts

http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016...-test-strips-after-government-removes-subsidy

 

[kirky]

And no comment that you got it wrong on Van Onselen?

How so? He isn't a lefty and he may occassionally have a go to give the appearance he is balanced but if pushed he is well and truly on the right side of politics. Nice try.

 

[Bicks]

Didn't the long for Turnbull to start the health cuts

http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016...-test-strips-after-government-removes-subsidy

I'm a diabetic, and FYI we received notice of the change from Diabetes Australia well before the election, the only change is you will have to get a note from your Doctor which has to be renewed every 6 months to continue to get the subsidy.

 

[Elite Crow]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...y/news-story/d794e285e5e41999e9221c2015338f28

 

[Bicks]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...y/news-story/d794e285e5e41999e9221c2015338f28

Why is nobody surprised?

http://www.smh.com.au/federal-polit...pree-on-election-morning-20160715-gq6viw.html

Police suspect a close friend of Bill Shorten vandalised polling places in the battleground seat of Melbourne Ports along with other Labor Right factional powerbrokers on the morning of the federal election.

Andrew Landeryou, David Asmar, George Droutsas and Dean Sherriff were arrested for allegedly vandalising Greens and Liberal polling material at multiple polling stations from Elwood to Port Melbourne, and allegedly driving at volunteers who tried to stop them.

All four men were heavily involved in the election campaign of Michael Danby, the Labor MP for Melbourne Ports, who is likely to be re-elected with a reduced margin after a tight, three-way battle for the seat.

• Mr. Landeryou, a controversial former blogger, is a personal and political confidant of Mr Shorten, while another close ally of the Labor leader, Mr Asmar, has been linked to a mammoth branch-stacking scandal.

Mr Asmar left Australia last year shortly after being told he had to appear as a witness before the royal commission into union corruption.

He avoided questioning after saying he was sick and obtaining a medical certificate.

Mr Sherriff formerly worked at the Health Services Union No. 1 branch in Victoria, which was embroiled in the branch-stacking scheme.
Mr Droutsas is an ex-ALP organiser and current HSU employee who is believed to have been an official member of Mr Danby's campaign.

He has previously worked for Mr Danby during other elections.
Labor figures – including some who were also involved in Mr Danby's campaign – confirmed the men were arrested.

Several were staggered at the brazenness and stupidity of the vandalism rampage, allegedly committed by four middle-aged men in the early hours of the morning.
he suspects – and Mr Danby – did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

On Friday, after he was told Fairfax Media was calling, Mr Danby said "sorry I can't talk at the moment" and hung up.
Police suspect the men who committed the vandalism travelled around the electorate in a black Jeep, removing bunting and other promotional material only hours before voting booths opened on July 2.

Liberal and Green supporters called police when their campaign material was damaged at St Kilda Primary School in Brighton Road.

Booths at Elwood Primary School, Port Phillip Specialist School, Albert Park Primary School and Middle Park Primary School were also targeted.

The suspects were arrested at 2.40am in St Kilda.
Three box cutters were seized from the car they were travelling in, police said, but the men were released pending further inquiries.

They could face charges relating to criminal damage, theft, driving offences and possessing prohibited weapons.

Police will also investigate if false number plates were used on the Jeep, which is believed to be owned by one of the men.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed the investigation was ongoing.

Mobile phone footage provided to Fairfax Media appears to show Mr Landeryou getting into the back seat of the Jeep as Liberal and Greens supporters confront him and the other men at Middle Park primary.

"Middle Park primary, tearing down Liberal Party bunting, how you going gentlemen?," the man taking the footage says.

A Greens volunteer told police the driver of the Jeep drove towards them, leaving him on the bonnet of the car, before he regained his feet as the driver sped away.

Mr Droutsas, who was photographed with Mr Danby during the campaign while holding a stack of how to vote cards, is the only member of the group of suspects who lives in the electorate.

But the men were all heavily involved in backroom operations to return Mr Danby to the seat he has held since 1998, and which Labor has held for 110 years.

The campaign for Melbourne Ports was one of Victoria's ugliest.

Mr Danby defied Labor orders to preference the Liberals last in how-to-vote materials, instead directing voters to preference them ahead of the Greens on some how-to-vote cards distributed around predominantly Jewish neighbourhoods.

On other cards, he upheld the party line and recommended preferencing the Greens before the Liberals.

He claimed poll results issued days before the election, which indicated that the strategy could backfire and lead to a victory by Liberal candidate Owen Guest on preferences, were inaccurate.

Mr Danby also called for Greens candidate Steph Hodgins-May to resign as she exposed her party's "bigotry" and "deep antagonism" against the Jewish community when she pulled out of a local debate co-hosted by Zionism Victoria.

She reportedly pulled out as she considered Zionism Victoria to be a "political organisation". Melbourne Ports has the largest Jewish population of any electorate in Australia.

Labor Party Victorian branch assistant secretary Kosmos Samaras vowed to discipline those responsible for the vandalism attack after the police investigation.

All of the men are understood to be current Labor members, or have membership applications pending.

Mr Samaras said he had not yet been informed by Mr Danby's office or police who was arrested, but that changes could be made to party protocol prior to the next election regardless of the outcome of the investigation.

"What these events may trigger is a far more rigid approach from the party next election in relation to the campaign materials of other parties," he said.

Mr Sherriff and Mr Droutsas were charged with criminal offences in relation to their time as Labor councillors at Banyule and Whitehorse, respectively.

Mr Sherriff pleaded guilty but escaped conviction for chasing a man, running into the back of his car, and smashing his windscreen during a 2004 road rage attack in Epping.

Mr Droutsas, a former mayor, was acquitted of fraud offences after being accused of organising fake candidates to run against him in a Whitehorse council election in 2010.

 

[Bicks]

Didn't the long for Turnbull to start the health cuts

http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016...-test-strips-after-government-removes-subsidy

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/m...nt/health-pbs-healthpro-supply-ndss.htm-copy2

 

[CrowsB4hoes]

Didn't the long for Turnbull to start the health cuts

http://www.9news.com.au/health/2016...-test-strips-after-government-removes-subsidy

Was announced 12 months ago ...

 

[Hank93]

He might not be a lefty but if you ever bothered to listen or follow what he says, he has a crack at the Libs very often. He's actually quiet balanced. But of course you have your Murdoch conspiracy prejudice hat on and can't see past that. For example he is anti the Libs turn back the boats policy.

PVO is as centrist as they come.

There's no better way to summarise this than him being accused by some on the left as being a Lib insider and those on the right as a hardcore lefty.

He's excellent, informative, witty and the flirting with Kristina Keneally on Sky is just extremely entertaining

 

[Sam_Malone]

 

[Slippery Pete]

Leftists I know:

2009 - happy, hopeful

2013 - angry, gloating, bullying

2016 - tired, confused, afraid


Did anyone see Wally Waleed's editorial on Sonia Kruger etc last night? It was a scream!

Apparently Waleed's just discovered that the left aggresively abuse, shout down, ridicule, demand apologies, bannings, sackings and run smear campaigns against everyone they don't agree with. And NOW he's scared. HA!

After hosting a TV show which for the best part of a decade has aided and abetted this ridiculing, shaming, parodying and smearing of anyone who dares to voice concerns about their country that are out of step with the leftist agenda, NOW this disingenous, sanctimonious prick decides to lecture Australia on being scared.

That was some of the best viewing in Australian TV history.

 

[Deaneus!]

Apparently Waleed's just discovered that the left aggresively abuse, shout down, ridicule, demand apologies, bannings, sackings and run smear campaigns against everyone they don't agree with. And NOW he's scared. HA!

He better keep on their good side then.

 

[brucetiki]

Leftists I know:

2009 - happy, hopeful

2013 - angry, gloating, bullying

2016 - tired, confused, afraid


Did anyone see Wally Waleed's editorial on Sonia Kruger etc last night? It was a scream!

Apparently Waleed's just discovered that the left aggresively abuse, shout down, ridicule, demand apologies, bannings, sackings and run smear campaigns against everyone they don't agree with. And NOW he's scared. HA!

After hosting a TV show which for the best part of a decade has aided and abetted this ridiculing, shaming, parodying and smearing of anyone who dares to voice concerns about their country that are out of step with the leftist agenda, NOW this disingenous, sanctimonious prick decides to lecture Australia on being scared.

That was some of the best viewing in Australian TV history.

Bahahaha you claim the left are bullying by using...bullying tactics to deliver your point.

Pot. Kettle. Black

 

[Bicks]

Leftists I know:

2009 - happy, hopeful

2013 - angry, gloating, bullying

2016 - tired, confused, afraid


Did anyone see Wally Waleed's editorial on Sonia Kruger etc last night? It was a scream!

Apparently Waleed's just discovered that the left aggresively abuse, shout down, ridicule, demand apologies, bannings, sackings and run smear campaigns against everyone they don't agree with. And NOW he's scared. HA!

After hosting a TV show which for the best part of a decade has aided and abetted this ridiculing, shaming, parodying and smearing of anyone who dares to voice concerns about their country that are out of step with the leftist agenda, NOW this disingenous, sanctimonious prick decides to lecture Australia on being scared.

That was some of the best viewing in Australian TV history.

I would have give this 10 likes if the system allowed it..

Just like the left believe in free speech until you disagree with them...

 

[Vader]

I would have give this 10 likes if the system allowed it..

Just like the left believe in free speech until you disagree with them...

As distinct from the far right, who are just as bad?

 

[Bicks]

As distinct from the far right, who are just as bad?

You don't use Twitter or Facebook much?

 

[Vader]

You don't use Twitter or Facebook much?

Don't use either of them, at all.

As far as I'm concerned, the far left and far right are equally bad. They're equally intolerant towards points of view held by others, that they don't agree with.