After six days of the new Senate a “Palmer pattern” is emerging and it looks like this – cause maximum drama and disruption and then support the government after extracting minimal cobbled-together concessions during chaotic backroom meetings from which all stakeholders are excluded.

It makes the government look like donkeys being led by the nose, but much worse than that spectacle, it is a terrible way to run the lawmaking process.

Especially when Palmer boasts that he has absolutely no intention of listening to expert advice from anyone because he’s a billionaire and he and his team know better.

Tuesday’s circus involved the highly-contested future of financial advice (Fofa) reforms, which the government is seeking to weaken.

A month ago Palmer sounded as though he was definitely opposed to the government’s changes. “What sort of an idiot tries to take away from Australians their normal rights to a fair go?” he said. “We’ll get rid of [the Fofa amendments]. The men and women of Australia – the pensioners and working classes – should be allowed to rely on the advice they’re given.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/15/the-palmer-pattern-cause-maximum-drama-then-support-government

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I know I repeat myself ad nauseam but let me say this : Palmer and Abbott are working together in a deal that can never be made obvious by them (a deal designed to highjack the numbers of seats in the senate, by grand deception) otherwise the true nature of the Abbott deviousness would be exposed and possibly their breaking of electoral laws. Thus in order to appear "fighting" each other, there is a bit of argy-Bargy but the result HAS BEEN PLANNED IN ADVANCE... Abbott gets what he wants — delay does not really matter since the arrangements are backdated to the 1st of July... And Palmer carries on digging coal while passing as an environmentalist... Good show... This is deception on a grand scale.

Joe Hockey's threat to bypass the Senate by ordering spending cuts outside of parliamentary approval has touched off a new Labor scare campaign and sparked concerns within the government over the Treasurer's judgment.

With voters offside and crossbench senators showing no signs of complying with unpopular budget measures, some Liberals complained that the Treasurer's move had ''predictably'' brought the opposite effect, branding his threat to cut other spending ''unwise''.

Treasurer Joe Hockey says the Government will press ahead with its budget "blueprint", in an apparent step back from his previous threat to bypass Parliament and force through new spending cuts if the Senate is not willing to negotiate.

Billions of dollars in key budget measures, including a $7 fee for GP visits and an increase to the fuel tax, remain stuck in the Upper House because of opposition from Labor, the Greens and the Palmer United Party.

Yesterday Mr Hockey warned "there are other alternatives we can take" to repair the budget.

The tactic to threaten the Senate has prompted concern within Government ranks, according to a newspaper report, which the Treasurer has dismissed as "just a report of a rumour".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-17/government-to-press-ahead-with-budget-blueprint-says-hockey/5603714

Just a report of rumour?.... Yeah... My bicycle bell goes ding sing as well... So, it's business as usual: steal from the poor to feed the rich....

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey says his predecessors Peter Costello and Paul Keating produced tougher budgets, and has revealed he would have gone further in May if not held back by colleagues.

A biography of Mr Hockey, written by Fairfax Media columnist and former ABC broadcaster Madonna King, reveals that although there were heavy cuts to health, education, welfare and foreign aid in the May budget, it was much softer than Mr Hockey wanted.

The book, which was written with the Treasurer's cooperation, reveals Prime Minister Tony Abbott was responsible for a more cautious approach.

The book says Mr Hockey wanted the "changes to pensions made earlier, and the deficit levy to net more taxpayers", but the Prime Minister was concerned about the reaction from voters.

The Government is struggling to win support for a number of controversial budget changes, including plans for a co-payment on doctor visits, and moves to increase the fuel tax.

If they are not passed, the Government faces a multi-billion-dollar hole in the budget bottom line.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-23/joe-hockey-wanted-heavier-cuts-in-budget-book-reveals/5618004

Yeah, as my friend Josephi Hocketty, the straw farmer, used to say while laughing his head off the only way to fix a hole in the bottom of your trousers was to tighten your belt... meanwhile he stuffed his breaches with straws...

Zombies of the week: Warren Truss, Catherine King and Joe Hockey

Warren Truss, Catherine King and Joe Hockey repeat debunked claims on the carbon tax, hospital funding and the budget deficit.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-23/zombies-of-the-week-warren-truss-catherine-king/5618302

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Meanwhile, the mean bankers think the budget was too soft... You're not bleeding enough and the Chinese are laughing at us... 

Australia could learn something from China’s centrally planned economy.

“When I go to China, the Chinese shake their heads,” he said. “They can't believe how inefficient you guys are in your economy.

“We all know we don't want their system, but they do marvel at the fact that as soon as a government comes out with a proposal the opposition comes out and condemns it and it does lead to great inefficiencies and compromises in the economy.”

He warned that not embarking on economic reforms could lead to much higher debt for Australia, as well as higher unemployment and lower living standards.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/24/coalitions-budget-cuts-will-not-go-far-enough-nab-chairman-warns

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My heart bleeds for the capitalism industry. Rather than suck money where there is a-plenty, such as mining and other cows, the neo-fascist capitalists prefer to suck the poor as dry as possible, as close as possible to the fine line at which repression can become necessary to stem a growing revolt... 

We need MARCH IN JULY... followed by  MARCH IN AUGUST....

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey says published Treasury Department figures which show low-income families will lose more under budget changes than high-income families are misleading.

The figures, released under Freedom of Information, show lower income families will be, on average, $844 worse off.

Middle income families will be, on average, $492 worse off, while those on higher incomes will be $517 worse off.

Mr Hockey has told Channel Nine there is more to the picture.

"I think there is a lot of misinformation around," he said.

"It fails to take into account a range of things like higher income households pay half their income in tax. Lower income households pay virtually no tax."

The Government is struggling to win support for a number of controversial budget changes, including plans for a co-payment on doctor visits and moves to increase fuel excise.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-04/hockey-disputes-treasury-figures-effect-on-low-income-families/5645112