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ashes to ashes .....

ashes to ashes .....

 

from our ABC ..... 

PM promises $25m for SCG stand

The Federal Government will provide $25 million for a new grandstand at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Prime Minister John Howard says he expects the New South Wales Government to fully match the Commonwealth's contribution.

"It is my fervent hope, nay, expectation that the Commonwealth's contribution might be matched by the New South Wales Government, and I'll leave it at that," he said.

The new grandstand will replace the Doug Walters Stand and will take in the old site known as 'The Hill'.

Mr Howard says the $25 million contribution will help to ensure the SCG remains a world-class venue.

The grandstand will link the Churchill and O'Reilly Stands and will cost about $75 million.

Mr Howard says his best sporting memories are at the Sydney Cricket Ground and it is a great national treasure.

"It is the best ground of my sporting memories by a long way - it's seen
wonderful contests," he said.

"It's part of Sydney, it's part of Australia - these sporting grounds are a great national treasure."

wind and willow...

The last "Johnnee Grandstand"?...

Ahhh... the sound of the wind — of a dot ball — passing the willow...

...and Johnnee's fond memories bringing a tear to my eye, with his largess from my taxpayer's pocket...

prime mounster stealing the points

Govt can't take credit for inflation figures:

former RBA Chief

 
PM - Wednesday, 24 January , 2007 18:10:00 Reporter: Emma Alberici EMMA ALBERICI: Tonight, some relief for Australian homeowners paying off their mortgages. The consensus among economists is that the Reserve Bank will keep interest rates on hold until at least May after the release of some better than expected inflation figures.

The Consumer Price Index fell point 0.1 per cent in the three months to December last year. That pushed the annual inflation rate back to 3.3 per cent after a welcome fall in the cost of petrol and bananas.

Most importantly the key underlying measures of inflation rose just half a percentage point in the quarter, taking the average underlying rate of inflation back to just shy of 3 per cent.

Today's figures mark the first quarterly drop in inflation since the March quarter of 1999 and the Prime Minister, John Howard, didn't waste any time crowing about it.

JOHN HOWARD: And we therefore start the year with very good news on inflation and a 30-year low in unemployment and the great responsibilities of economic mangers in this country are to maintain stable conditions so that families can plan for the future with confidence.

EMMA ALBERICI: But the man who set the inflation target for the Reserve Bank back in 1993, former Governor Bernie Fraser, told me a short time ago, the Government has actually missed an opportunity to take advantage of Australia's booming economy and John Howard shouldn't be claiming any credit for the low interest rate environment.

BERNIE FRASER: The Government claims when credit when its rates are low and blames the Reserve Bank when interest rates go up.

Now this is understandable, that's the way things work but it's the Reserve Bank really that deserves the credit for the low inflation, and in a way that's been a significant factor in contributing to the growth and to the fall in unemployment that we've had, all of which are good things.

Now the Government claims credit for all those things but the Reserve Bank deserves credit for the lower interest rates. Neither the Reserve Bank nor the Government can claim credit for what has been another major determinant of our good performance over not 10 years, but close on 15 years, and that's the emergence of China.  read on at the ABC