The Australian politics thread

[Mr Casson]

Why haven't we heard more about the productivity commission report that was handed down? Because it said that we're already suffering heavily under the weight of governmental green schemes. Gillard's way out of this is to promise to abolish all of these gigantic pork barrelling schemes and replace them with a $9/tonne carbon tax (which would achieve the same carbon efficiency). She would even have a shot at winning my vote if she were to do that. Fat chance though.

What good would it do abolishing the governmental green schemes and replacing them with a $9/tonne carbon tax if that still falls well short of any meaningful action on climate change, assuming that Ross Garnaut's suggestion of $26/tonne is an appropriate level for the tax to start at? All that would do is iron out the inefficiencies of the schemes themselves without actually addressing climate change at all. If you're going to have an inappropriate level for the tax you're probably better off not having one at all (though I suspect you aren't going to disagree with that particular alternative).

[Redbacks]

For HowardJ:

YouTube - Liberal Party advertisement.

[Redbacks]

Tanner on Gough:

Gough Whitlam at 95 Years Comment | Lindsay Tanner | The Monthly

[howardj]

For HowardJ:

YouTube - Liberal Party advertisement.

[Burgey]

Walked past the No Carbon Tax rally in Martin Place today.

Pretty funny.

Saw Alan. He got such a warm welcome. Fantastic. Especially when he uttered his inspirational War Cry:

"Say it, people. Tell her. Let Julia Gillard know we only have two words for her....

'Go Away!'"

Such a catch cry. No wonder the 500 outraged people in attendance at a Friday lunch time rally were so moved.

I thought Angry Anderson's "This will be the first time since 1854 that blood will be spilt on Australian soil in the name of people's rights" was a good line, but most of the people in attendance were of such an age that they were still shaking their heads because of their over-worked hearing aids after his rendition of "We can't be beaten".

If anyone needs a spare chromosome, a lot of the rally participants seemed to have a few left over.

Oh, and it was great that the organisers had the rally in Martin Place so Alan could walk up Struggle Street from the Toaster, and be back in time for David's soup for lunch. ''David makes the best soup on the planet. On the planet. Will you have a little bread?''

[howardj]

haha Jonesy and Struggle Street

Anyway yeah, the Libs need to tone it down RE carbon tax.

Such is their hyperbole, they're leaving themselves open to the line of 'the sky hasn't fallen in'.

That's a horribly low bar for a policy mind you, but they're leaving themselves exposed.

[Spark]

haha Jonesy and Struggle Street

Anyway yeah, the Libs need to tone it down RE carbon tax.

Such is their hyperbole, they're leaving themselves open to the line of 'the sky hasn't fallen in'.

That's a horribly low bar for a policy mind you, but they're leaving themselves exposed.

So in keeping with the general standard of modern political discourse, then.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Tanner on Gough:

Gough Whitlam at 95 Years Comment | Lindsay Tanner | The Monthly

Nice article. Hard to believe he's 95, Jesus.

[James90]

Had to walk past Campbell Newman and a media crew on my way to the shop this morning. Good thing I'm moving out of the Ashgrove electorate.

[Son Of Coco]

Had to walk past Campbell Newman and a media crew on my way to the shop this morning. Good thing I'm moving out of the Ashgrove electorate.

Didn't know you were living so close mate, I'm in Enoggera. Walked past Campbell on the way to the train a few weeks back, should've asked him when he was going to come around and do a makeover on our garden.

[James90]

I live in The Gap at the moment but am paying rent at a place in Highgate Hill that I'm slowly moving my stuff into.

[Son Of Coco]

Nice spot out there at The Gap. Was out at Walkabout Creek a few weeks back with some students.

[Redbacks]

Not all that clued up on the IP stuff, but I gather this is one way to avoid filtering in Aus. F*** the ALP!

Using Google Public DNS

[stephen]

And I live at Newmarket, where we have had to suffer with our train station upgrade for the last four months. All thanks to Can-do pork. Still, it'll be good when it's finished.

[Burgey]

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

Sunday morning lulz.