The Australian politics thread

[age_master]

Kids in high schools are getting laptops though. The ETS has been before parliament twice - the Coalition had to change the leadership because the power brokers didn't like it.

Didn't i hear the Coalition recently talking about community management for hospitals?

[morgieb]

Originally Posted by howardj

Yes, funding...that is the principle role that the Commonwealth has in relation to health. If you have a look at the Constitution, it's up to the States to actually run the system- something that Labor has failed at. You only have to look at the difference in the hospital system between Victoria on the one hand, and NSW and QLd on the other. It shows what a difference a good State government can make and that health is a State matter.

Nobody thought it was Federal until Mr The Buck Will Stop With Me pledged a "Full Federal Takeover". Turns out, much like his other promises, that it's nothing like a full takeover.

At least with Hawke, Keating and Howard...they had substance. Rudd is just a salesman. Fuelwatch, Grocery Watch, ETS by 1 July 2010, take the Japanese to the international courts over whaling, laptops for high school kids, full federal takeover of health...it's just an announcement-athon...with no interest in the follow up.

Got that out of my system. lol

That's not Labor's fault. Laptops have happened, just ask myself. There's a hostile senate - they need to convince Fielding, Xenaphon and the Greens to get stuff passed, and Fielding never votes with Labor, which means most stuff can't get passed.

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by howardj

Yes, funding...that is the principle role that the Commonwealth has in relation to health. If you have a look at the Constitution, it's up to the States to actually run the system- something that Labor has failed at. You only have to look at the difference in the hospital system between Victoria on the one hand, and NSW and QLd on the other. It shows what a difference a good State government can make and that health is a State matter.

Nobody thought it was Federal until Mr The Buck Will Stop With Me pledged a "Full Federal Takeover". Turns out, much like his other promises, that it's nothing like a full takeover.

At least with Hawke, Keating and Howard...they had substance. Rudd is just a salesman. Fuelwatch, Grocery Watch, ETS by 1 July 2010, take the Japanese to the international courts over whaling, laptops for high school kids, full federal takeover of health...it's just an announcement-athon...with no interest in the follow up.

Got that out of my system. lol

Howard's 'substance' depended entirely on your financial bracket though. If substance means throwing money at certain things and hoping they'd disappear, then you're right.

[Burgey]

27 years ago today, Australia's best post-war Federal government was elected to power. Remember it like it was yesterday.

[social]

Originally Posted by Burgey

27 years ago today, Australia's best post-war Federal government was elected to power. Remember it like it was yesterday.

Pity they proved themselves to be such a bunch of incompetent, lying corrupt ****s

[howardj]

Originally Posted by morgieb

That's not Labor's fault. Laptops have happened, just ask myself. There's a hostile senate - they need to convince Fielding, Xenaphon and the Greens to get stuff passed, and Fielding never votes with Labor, which means most stuff can't get passed.

The ETS was delayed by Rudd before it was rejected by the Senate though. Rudd's election promise was implementation by July 2010. But, rather than confront what he himself described as the greatest morale challenge of our time, he delayed the scheme until after the forthcoming election.

The laptops are way behind schedule and will not meet his own deadline. They are also the subject of a funding dispute with the states (re maintenance costs) which has resulted in a Commonwealth blow out of hundreds of millions of dollars.

There is also the delivery of his 35 superclinics. Only four so far have been built, just one of which is currently offering anything more than just standard GP services.

The other things I mentioned have not to my knowledge been sabotaged by the Senate.

Governments though do traditionally struggle in their first term. So perhaps they will hit their stride next term. Though their actual style of governing - moving from one headline announcement to the next (like a State Government) and not following through on anything - doesn't bode well.

[James90]

Originally Posted by Burgey

27 years ago today, Australia's best post-war Federal government was elected to power. Remember it like it was yesterday.

DWTA.

We want Gough!

[morgieb]

Originally Posted by James90

DWTA.

We want Gough!

I seriously agree with this.

[Redbacks]

[Craig]

Lol, you two (James and morgie) weren't an itch in your dad's testicles then. But then neither was I.

[morgieb]

Originally Posted by Craig

Lol, you two (James and morgie) weren't an itch in your dad's testicles then. But then neither was I.

I've read about him though. He promised change after 23 years of a Liberal government, and change he got. But the Senate ****ed him royally.

[James90]

Was ****ed over by a number of factors tbh.

Surely there's never been any other Government which initiated so much good long-lasting policy in such a short period of time.

Racial Discrimination Act
Trade Practices Act
Abolished tertiary education fees
Reduced the voting age to 18
Ended conscription
Ended Australia's commitment to the Vietnam War
Tried to introduce Medibank

[social]

Was PM whilst the Oz economy went into one of its worst ever melt-downs ........

[morgieb]

Originally Posted by social

Was PM whilst the Oz economy went into one of its worst ever melt-downs ........

Yeah, because the Libs really helped them, did they.

[social]

Originally Posted by morgieb

Yeah, because the Libs really helped them, did they.

Not the Libs job to help

Tbh, I dont agree with Kerr's decision BUT Whitlam's govt were leading the economy rapidly towards disaster and the public spoke at an election shortly thereafter so that should tell you something