Politics

[philmud]

Dave Marr as always is very selective with his look down your nose at the working pleb facts. Dig a bit into his history gents and you may not be so supportive.

No argument from me - Being decidedly left leaning I tend to agree with much of what he says, but I'm under no illusions that he's objective. Or nice. Both sides have their cheerleaders though, and IMO if there is a problem with balance than it's tipped well and truly in favour of the Bolts and the Ackermans.

The article about Brough and Ashby was pretty spot on though, and provides some detail where the majority of the media seem happy to gloss over. Can you imagine if this was happening the other way around. He's gone now, but what if Mark Abib was behind the scenes, prompting and aiding a sexual harassment claim against an LNP member? It'd be faceless men this and faceless men that. I'm pleased there are dyed in the wool left commentators to provide some semblance of balance.

 

[manticle]

I'm still trying to work out how governments from either side of the fence aren't involed in wealth creation with their investing, grant schemes, business subsidies, tax incentives, tourism, etc or what it has to do with street candy vendors. I did mention economics was not my strong point.

 

[goomboogo]

Bullshit.....would you like me to reel off the famous Rhodes Scholars who were greats.

But did the scholarship have anything to do with them being great?

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

After working full time for 25yrs I now find myself on the dole.. Have been for 12 mnths. I reallt dont see either side doing anything or giving a ****. There are no schemes or incentives for both employers or the unemployed. I dont like the situation I am in and am not alone. And as for recruitment agencies....they are just the scum of the earth.

 

[bradsbrew]

After working full time for 25yrs I now find myself on the dole.. Have been for 12 mnths. I reallt dont see either side doing anything or giving a ****. There are no schemes or incentives for both employers or the unemployed. I dont like the situation I am in and am not alone. And as for recruitment agencies....they are just the scum of the earth.

You have a trade don't you Stu, Sparky? I know of some good schemes in QLD to help support and retain apprentices also some good funding available for upskilling trade related skills. Pretty sure there was/is some funding available for cert IV and diploma related to management as well. Unfortunately a lot of the government funding for skills is based around a qualification outcomes and not employment.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

And that is the problem.....highly educated unemployed...

 

[philmud]

And as for recruitment agencies....they are just the scum of the earth.

Their funding model sucks. You might find that you're more interesting to them now that it's been 12 months, but they'll get paid for placing you in any job, whether it's suitable or not. I recall them asking a 62 y/o bloke in Tassie to attend a job interview at an escort agency. Administrative error of course, but it highlights the impersonal nature of the way they operate.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Ummm...yeah...to a Point

I have to attend every 2 weeks. They tick me off and I get paid. Last week when I went in I was told " Dont be suprised if you have to go and plant trees as you have been on fo X weeks"..

They other prob I have is that I have not been on Nrwstart for a continous 52 weeks as I claimed sickness benefit part way thru due to being assualted and having a broken arm..

It grates me that when I was working I paid more tax P/F than what I receive on Newstart. I am not saying or asking for more...but when you look at it from the other side it does make you wonder...

 

[philmud]

Shit, sounds like you've had a rough year mate! Newstart isn't much money at all is it? That's why it shits me when people imply it's an easy ride, it's really frigging hard.

 

[Mardoo]

Their funding model sucks. You might find that you're more interesting to them now that it's been 12 months, but they'll get paid for placing you in any job, whether it's suitable or not. I recall them asking a 62 y/o bloke in Tassie to attend a job interview at an escort agency. Administrative error of course, but it highlights the impersonal nature of the way they operate.

Oh man, they will try to put you in ANY job. I was on the dole for 9 months when I was very, very ill. I finally jumped at a remotely appropriate job just to get out of the "recruitment" system.

Those folks were awful to me. They literally told me to tell any lie necessary on my resume to get a job, and yelled at me when I didn't get a job they put me up for. Not what you need when you're trying to get back on your feet, literally.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

$547 P/F. That includes rent assist.

Take out 300 P/F rent ( and I an very lucky ) and another $50 for power and you get the picture.

The thing that shits me is when peolpe whing about not being able to afford food when they drink and smoke and spend money at macca's..

 

[philmud]

The thing that shits me is when peolpe whing about not being able to afford food when they drink and smoke and spend money at macca's..

I agree, it's frustrating, but it also highlights a broader issue of lots of people not having the financial literacy to use what little money they have effectively.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

True...

There is no excuse in this country not to be able to eat properly and healthy..

I can honestly say that food itself is cheap. Its the every thing else that is what costs..

And that inlcudes my kids as well.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Oh...and out of my $547 I can still afford a few schooners of Coopers Mild at my pub for $4 every F/T.......**** it....keeps me sane and I can read the papers for free

 

[philmud]

I hope there's not a man here who would begrudge you that!

You're right though, healthy food is affordable in Australia. I'd love to see some kind of voluntary program to teach people basic life skills.

 

[punkin]

Theres assistance and schemes.

http://deewr.gov.au/new-enterprise-incentive-scheme-neis

This is one of the best.

 

[Rowy]

No argument from me - Being decidedly left leaning I tend to agree with much of what he says, but I'm under no illusions that he's objective. Or nice. Both sides have their cheerleaders though, and IMO if there is a problem with balance than it's tipped well and truly in favour of the Bolts and the Ackermans.
The article about Brough and Ashby was pretty spot on though, and provides some detail where the majority of the media seem happy to gloss over. Can you imagine if this was happening the other way around. He's gone now, but what if Mark Abib was behind the scenes, prompting and aiding a sexual harassment claim against an LNP member? It'd be faceless men this and faceless men that. I'm pleased there are dyed in the wool left commentators to provide some semblance of balance.

You mean like the Tony Abbottt punching the wall allegation or how about the constant mysoginist bullshit. They seemed to get a fair old run. How about the fake menu crap Brought got smashed on that and then no apology. The Ashby thing people don't care too much about because everyone from all sides of politics HATES that grub slipper.

 

[Rowy]

Fair enough, I'll also put in one focusing on all the liberal policy that's been released in the last couple of years...

"S.F.A."

Except for Industrial Relations, Education, carbon, manufacturing, Immigration. About as much as Labor released before 2007, more actually. Neither party will ever be caught out releasing too early when in opposition. If you want to know why ask John Hewson.

 

[Rowy]

If you don't see Label's point, you are being naive. Take it as an analogy, if you run a candy shop, nice clean windows, great display cases, big lettering labels, colourful candy on the displays. Great way to make people come in and get some. However, there is now a recession. People aren't paying for your overheads. Isn't it good sense to bail on the shop and take the good candy, put it on a roadside cart and sell by the street corner?
Adjustment to reality. Not ditching social responsibility (like the idiot at libs wants to) but making it realistic. A recession needs to see decreases in prices and drops in interest rates, intervention in the right places to make repayments for the industry that is needed realistic (lots of them borrow in a boom and are stuck wih debts that aren't worth that much anymore). Do I see the lib/nationals wield a stick to the banks?! Nooooooo. Now there is a teet sucker that's been pouring the common man's wealth overseas and collecting the returns into fewer hands.

1./. Most of the great Welfare policies this country has came from the Libs. Read about Menzies.

2./. The banks are private institutions no different to the candy store. Ask the Many millions of Australians that are share holders how they'd feel about putting government hands in their pockets.

 

[philmud]

You mean like the Tony Abbottt punching the wall allegation or how about the constant mysoginist bullshit. They seemed to get a fair old run. How about the fake menu crap Brought got smashed on that and then no apology. The Ashby thing people don't care too much about because everyone from all sides of politics HATES that grub slipper.

Abbott's wall punch got **** all attention in the scheme of things - certainly much less than Mark Latham's transgressions when he was opposition leader. And, If you think that menu never left the kitchen, you're naive - wait staff have attested to that fact, but have been largely ignored by the main stream media. There's a simple reason the media, particularly the Murdoch media, favour the coalition - their policies serve them better.

Edit: Also, the Ashby story isn't about Slipper. He's just the idiot who provided a platform for the underhanded shit. Marr isn't particularly kind to Slipper in the story. The story is about the nefarious way that Brough is willing to pursue his political ambition, and the grubby way the LNP are prepared to close ranks around him.