Prime Minister Tony Abbott has dismissed criticism about budget cuts from Liberal Party luminary and former prime minister John Howard, saying he has made the right decisions for "our time".

Mr Howard has given his assessment of the Abbott Government's first budget at a business function in Perth.

On Tuesday, the Government announced cuts to family payments worth around $7 billion, including lower thresholds, frozen payments and stopping the benefit for families when their youngest child turns six.

The former prime minister, whose government increased the family tax benefit (FTB) payments, says the changes amount to a tax hike.

"I'm the father of the family tax benefit system so naturally I defend it," he said.

"And family tax benefits are not welfare payments, they're tax breaks for couples who have children and we all know it costs money to have children and it never ends.

"Because of my view about the status of family tax benefits, I think in reality the constraining of tax benefits is in effect a tax rise for people in certain income tax brackets and that's something that has to be borne."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-15/abbott-dismisses-budget-criticism-from-john-howard/5455732

We’ve moved into an age of post-factual politics, where our leaders make up their own reality and expect us to buy it, writes Mark Chapman from Taxpayers Australia.

SO, THERE WE ARE.

After all the weeks of speculation and leaks, all the angst and all the heat, the Treasurer has finally spoken.

Frankly, it was an anti-climax — not least because what we got was almost exactly what we expected to get.  Despite promising surprises, the speech actually ran exactly as predicted and was exactly as feared.

Once again, the tired old clichés were dusted off and given another outing:

“end of the age of entitlement”

and

 “doing nothing is not an option” 

as well as

“a nation of lifters not leaners." 

To be honest, I was slightly surprised to hear so many of these again.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-budget-for-the-true-deceivers,6480

-------------------------------

Yes some of these expressions were used before, by no other than the big man himself, Menzies... And they meant the same crap then than now: nothing...

 

With reference to the much-maligned budget, Australians have been living for too long in a fool’s paradise, relying on mineral wealth and farm produce to fill the coffers. As a result, we have been paying ourselves too much to do too little, and reality has finally caught up. The budget demands are not excessive, and necessary for the overall good of the country. So stop the selfish whingeing, pay up and get over it.

Martin Burton Bayview

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-letters/budget-reveals-path-tony-abbott-took-into-office-20140515-zrdl2.html#ixzz31p7WCsoM

Here we go... Contrary to my good nature, it's time for Gus to gently malign someone from the North Shore, Sydney, again... Martin Burton is from the North Shore...
Australians have been living for too long in a fool’s paradise? A fool's paradise? Well let me tell you Martin that CAPITALISM IS a fool's paradise... I know.
It often interest me to see where people who write letters to the SMH come from. It has a strong bearing on the tone of the incoming opinion. For example, most people in Bayview (a paradise for rich people) own mansions around $2 million plus — with views over Pittwater, the price of the mansion would be above 7 millions. Most people living in Bayview are, of course, ardent Tony Abbott supporter whether he lies from breakfast to supper and while he sleeps — or not. 
Yes, we have paid ourselves too much to do to little... And this is the crux of Capitalism: most people produce NOTHING under capitalism. The aim of the capitalistic game is foremost to be making heaps of money by displacing cash around. If you call that doing something, that's a bit rich. At least mining and the farms are producing something. In the late 1950s and early 1960s under the Menzies regime (see picture below), Australia was in the same predicament, relying on the wool and a bit of knitting. Knitting has long gone.
Comparing apples and apples, one can see for example that the budget deficit of the USA is more than 70 per cent of its GDP (the unofficial figure is about twice that much). Most of the European countries deficits hover between 90 and 120 per cent of GDP, except for GERMANY, where its debt is 80 per cent. In Japan there is no a chance that country can ever repay its debt in full which is more than 200 per cent of GDP. Australia's debt is tiny in comparison and trying to fix it in this climate where every countries of the world are swimming in debt is only going to make our currency go sky high and hurt our REAL producers...
So, all these countries have been living for too long in a fool’s paradise as well, but they all set the turdy wallpaper on which we hang our own picture... 
Strangely, the only major countries with basically NO DEBT to speak of are Russia and China... And we're trying our darnest to make them pay by haggling them with NATO and paying cash we don't have to Ukraine . 
There was another country with no debt, no immigration problem and some freedom of religion: Libya. We made sure it turned into chaos by helping Muslim extremists to remove that Gaddafi fellow we sometimes liked and often did not like. Eventually, hundreds of thousands of "black" immigrants Gaddafi employed joyfully had to flee across to Greece and Italy — many of them drowning on the way... Still many of these people reached the shores on their way to the Holy Grail — England, UK... Now Libya's debt has ballooned beyond belief due to the west making this country pay for the crap and by stealing the good oil — which we do to counteract our "good friends" the Saudis who manipulate price of oil to build gold castles in the middle of sand dunes.
If you want to pay your "fair" share of Tony's budget, Martin, go for it... I won't stop you, You may earn, I sarcastically guess, $179,990, just below the threshold of Tony's Debt tax... But I will carry on with my selfish whinging about Tony Abbott who is a shonk, a deceitful man and completely dishonest.
If you're happy with Tony's budget, become a shonk, a deceitful man and a dishonest person: join his fan club.
That budget should be rejected "wholus" bolus — rejected entirely.
The extract below from 1965:

I know, a trade deficit is not a government deficit. But wait, there is more...

 

 

People earning over $180,000 will have nine months to salary-package and avoid the debt levy, because of a loophole in the budget, tax experts said.

Treasurer Joe Hockey wants to impose a 2 per cent tax on taxable incomes over $180,000 from July, taking the top ­marginal tax rate to 49 per cent.

But the tax on fringe benefits will stay at 47 per cent until April, presenting a nine-month arbitrage opportunity that hasn't been lost on tax advisers.

"Taxpayers will take advantage of it simply because it is so easy to do," said Prosperity Advisers tax director Stephen Cribb.

"People simply increase the non-cash-benefits component of their package during those nine months to bring their taxable income to below $180,000. It is particularly convenient for anyone thinking of rolling over to a new car," he said.

Someone on $200,000 could package the $20,000 cost of a new car lease over those nine months. This reduces their income to $180,000, and the debt levy does not apply.

"Every dollar that moves into the package is a dollar that does not attract the 2 per cent levy," Mr Cribb said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/federal-budget/loophole-makes-it-easy-to-avoid-the-debt-levy-20140516-38dgl.html#ixzz31pqNfQP2

 

 

This website has long been on the bent road that Tony Abbott travels...

See: 

Artful dodger and his mate!

 

Get rich quick; mug the sick!

 

 

and after the recent elections:

a realist's lament...

 

 

 

the santamaria-zation of australia...

 

 

 

and before the recent elections:

 

bosom buddies....

 

the bad monkeys are winning...

 

a cavalier cocky conceited contemptuous self-important smug snooty supercilious, vain, humble man...

 

our waiter-in-chief...

 

You never know what you're gonna get...

 

compare the pair...

 

market forces...

 

 

free press pass...

 

 

 

another pair to compare...

 

 

 

tweedledum and dumb...

 

 

 

the divine conservatives...

 

 

the most disliked....

 

 

 

a pretty ordinary bloke amongst strong women...

 

 

 

fair go for billionaires.....

 

 

 

crappy budgies...

 

 

 

pyne's gall...

 

 

 

du schläfst as you make your bed...

 

 

 

reinventing tony...

 

 

 

senior muckalition figures inc...

 

 

 

sporty sheila comp...

 

 

at your manly library...

 

 

making a racket...

 

and the piece de mierda:

 

dress: private school tie...

 

Plus plenty more toons and comments — all more accurate than the others...

 

 

 

 

 

a galah...

 

 

 

constipation in the media...

 

 

 

daggy tony...

 

 

 

comparing values....

 

 

 

be afraid...

 

 

 

tony and george

 

 

 

press conference with zero credibility...

 

 

 

the power of rubbish spruikers...

 

 

 

a fairy story with useless purpose...

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey says it is up to the states and territories to make a case for changes to the goods and services tax (GST), after NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell called for an overhaul.

 

 

 

the puddin' thieves...

 

 

 

comparing policies...

 

 

 

happy little vegemites...

 

 

 

hebrews 10:30-31...

 

 

 

the clacking of the needles...

 

 

 

of myths, legends and sheep...

 

 

 

god's devilish ways...

 

 

 

a letter to rupert...

 

 

 

 

Is it time for the rebirth of Australian Christian activism?

Australia now finds itself in the midst of a perfect storm for the emergence of faith-based activism. The conditions are ripe for a prophetic movement of biblical proportions

•  
  • Rod Bower
  • 
    

It has been some time since Christian activists have made it into the news. Those who sat on Tony Abbott and Bill Shorten’s office floors yesterday joined in a tradition that includes names such as Desmond Tutu, Martin Luther King Jr and William Wilberforce, just to mention a few. While it can be genuinely argued that Christians have always worked away quietly in the background seeking to make lives better, it is some time since there was a movement akin to that which fought for civil rights and dismantled apartheid.

The evangelical Christianity which eventually helped to end slavery slowly became more interested in personal salvation than in social reform, with a few notable exceptions. Even in those nations where there is a clear divide between church and state, and perhaps particularly in those contexts, Christianity has been used as an instrument of social control in the post industrial revolution world.

In the last 50 years, we have seen the emergence of a movement that has refocused on the life and teachings of the historical Jesus. This shift away from simply practicing the dogma of Christianity to actually seeking to live a "Jesus life" has forced believers to confront the terrible reality that their leader was executed under the charge of sedition. A serious and historically contextual exploration of the gospels compels the reader to acknowledge that Jesus’ main theme, The Kingdom of God, was the intentional promotion of a radical alternative to the Kingdom of Caesar. Even the title “son of God”, given to him after his death by his followers, was a direct challenge to the emperor who also held that title.

Whenever the sort of activism we are now seeing around the issue of asylum emerges, it is usually closely accompanied with irrational cries for the separation of church and state. But Australia does not have an established church, and there can be no religious test for a government position. Particular church leaders do not have a seat in parliament by virtue of their ecclesiastical office, although this does not preclude them being elected to a seat by popular vote. It does not mean, however, that religious leaders must not comment on political or social issues. Ironically, when we see the churches challenging the state, we are observing an actual separation rather than the illusion of one that leads to the church being an instrument of social control for the benefit of the state.

Australia now finds itself in the midst of a perfect storm for the emergence of Christian activism. There now exists a political environment where a government wilfully and seemingly with impunity breaks international treaties, and denies basic human rights to the world’s most vulnerable. Where an ineffective opposition also contributes to this political context (or in this case, actively colludes with these abuses), the conditions are ripe for a prophetic movement of biblical proportions.

read more: http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/20/is-it-time-for-the-rebirth-of-australian-christian-activism

Yes! YES! Go for it Rod... It's time for religious activism, especially strong Christian activism against those who profess to be Christian in that sadly deceitful Australian government. Someone from their own religious side needs to point out in strong and possibly rebellious terms that they are hypocrites. HYPOCRITES! They are the new merchants in god's temple... It is you duty to chase them out as Jesus showed the way 1916 years ago. But fear not, be prepared with your holy books and your chalices... These mongrels are classy hypocrites. They know all the excuses in the book of psychopathy chapter 3- verse 29. With their forked tongue, they will lie at the same time as trying to convince you they are not lying... You need some mighty help from the guy above and I wish you good luck, though you might have to use a stick, against your good nature, to chase them out. They are miserable dishonest stall holders and are a disgrace to your beliefs. But beware many rich dudes of your flock are on their side. They profit from the ruthlessness of those in power. Beware, they might give you less when you pass the collection plate on Sundays because they don't like your activism. They crucified Jesus for his activism.

I cannot give you any holy arguments here to fight them with, but I can bless you, my son, with simple ethical humanistic atheism with a good wishing heart, while I shoot them with my focused cynicism gun... It's the best I can do, but you can rally the troops.

 

 

Tony Abbott is an utterly appalling, maliciously deceitful, dangerously incompetent and just plain bad prime minister, says Natalie Cromb. He also doesn't have the best interests of Indigenous people at heart.

Tony Abbott — you, sir*, are a troglodyte of the highest order!

Let me preface my rage by saying that I appreciate different points of view and having perspectives broadened and challenged by healthy debate in a diplomatic manner. I appreciate that we all come from different life experiences that can enrich our understanding of certain situations and people. I respect everyone’s opinions as exactly that and try not to become emotional if their opinions are ignorant or offensive.

But having said that, Tony Abbott is a malevolent scum bag. He doesn’t utilise his unique position for the good of the nation, he doesn’t try to listen to the citizens of the nation to broaden his understanding of social, moral, familial, cultural and religious issues.

read more: https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/tony-the-troglodyte,7482

 

Print label at top on sticky paper and post it everywhere it's legal to do so, including your Liberal (CONservative) neighbour's car.