The Australian politics thread

[Burgey]

Yeah some of the pointy heads in the media are making the same comment that the five cents per litre cut in excise could be swallowed up in one day if the petrol price rose by more than that. That's not the point though. The fact is that, whatever rise or fall, petrol would always be five cents per litre cheaper on whatever is the going price. I think it's a great political move from Nelson. It would make stuff all difference to the price, but it gives Nelson a big bat to tonk Rudd over the head with.

I think the point we're at in the poliitcal cycle makes a huge difference here.

The thing Rudd has going for him, coz he's just been elected, is he can sit on this story, watch to see if it's still biting in about 12 months, then make a move on it, even if its 2 0r 3 cents a litre.

True it is Nelson (if he's still there) will be able to say it was his idea, but the govt can say "we've tried this, tried that and now we give you a few cents off to ease the load and, coz we're not knocking the full 5 cents off, we're being more responsible than the other mob", and they can do it within 12-18 months of an election.

For Nelson, the political imperative was probably more immediate.

[Craig]

My response is in the rant thread.

[Matteh]

Stop trying to be Australian. I have more of a case then you ever will.

Haha jeez, Craig in sense of humour failure, who'd have thought.

[Perm]

Haha jeez, Craig in sense of humour failure, who'd have thought.

[Craig]

Haha jeez, Craig in sense of humour failure, who'd have thought.

Go back to listening to music nobody has ever heard of

[howardj]

This is ridiculous. On the one hand, the media blasts politicians for following the party line and not speaking out and telling us what they, as individuals, believe. Then, on the other hand, when there is robust debate on policy ideas, the media beat it up into a full blown crisis or a 'split'.

[Adamc]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7420907.stm

The loudest cheers of the night greeted a speech from a local man in his late 70s, according to the BBC's Nick Bryant.

"Can I just say this without being racist or political?" the man said. "In 1983, in the streets of London, a parade by Muslims chanted incessantly 'If we can take London, we can take the world'. Don't let them take Camden."

No you can't, you old coot.

[steds]

I'm not a fan of fake people itbt.

Not even this guy?

[howardj]

I Hope So

[howardj]

Newspoll tonight. If Nelson and the Coalition don't get some sort of bounce, then there's little point in Nelson continuing really.

[Burgey]

You'd think he would get something wouldn't you?

I wonder how many people are "engaged" in it all ATM though.

Certainly think Rudd has handled this Fuelwatch poorly tbh. Should have put it to bed much sooner.

[howardj]

Unchanged at 57-43.

I really think that there will be an election called at the end of next year. That the Liberals will likely still be in disarray is only part of the reason. I think the main rationale will be that Rudd (or any politician) would consider it too risky to go to an election in late 2010 (the normal time for the next election) just months after introducing a carbon trading scheme which will, undoubtedly, make the cost of virtually everything rise significantly. I think he'd want to put as much time as possible between the introduction of such a scheme and an election.

[Burgey]

Good point. He may get some traction for an early election if the opposition decide to block a lot of the budget stuff in the Senate.

[Craig]

'Paedophiles should kill themselves first'

[Burgey]

Well, who'd have thought it? Certainly I would never believe he would ever have been involved in so cynical an act:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...468410551.html