that's because Swan is a blatant liar and can talk shit without even flinching

Oh dear, judge ALP for being blatant liars, but leave LNP alone because they're not all the way through their first term :lol:

:lol: it's batfink you think he'll change his tune

Abbott’s new world record: 25 broken promises in 150 days

 Alan Austin 8 February 2014, 9:00am  394
 Politics

Milestones in the life of a new government must be celebrated — or, in the case of the Abbott Government, lamented. Alan Austin reports.

THE ABBOTT REGIME has reached a remarkable landmark — its 25th blatant broken promise. That’s one every six days since the September election.

This achievement is astonishing for several reasons. First, because Abbott won office after a three-year campaign centred on one broken promise by Julia Gillard.

Secondly, because Prime Minister Abbott has had none of the obstacles in his path which prevented the hapless Gillard from implementing Labor policy — a hung parliament, minority government, ornery Independents, an obstructionist lower house, treacherously hostile media and an opposition hell-bent on destruction.

The 25th broken promise was...

... Abbott’s insistence at a press conference in Jakarta in October:


“Can I just scotch this idea that the Coalition’s policy is or ever has been tow-backs … There is a world of difference between turning boats around in Australian waters and the Australian Navy towing them back to Indonesia.”

Pretty clear. No tow-ropes.

Reports by the ABC on Tuesday, however, and by the Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday confirm reports in the Indonesian media that boats are indeed being towed back to Indonesia.

Here are all the others:

24. Entering Indonesia waters

On Wednesday 15th January, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told a press conference that Australia:


“… respects Indonesia’s territorial sovereignty.”

Just two days later, he admitted — well, actually, we don’t:


“Border Protection Command assets had, in the conduct of maritime operations associated with Operation Sovereign Borders, inadvertently entered Indonesian territorial waters on several occasions.”

23. Increased funds for aid agencies

Before the September 2013 election, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop assured Australia’s non-government aid organisations [NGOs]:


“That will also mean putting more money into NGOs who are on the ground and who can deliver aid more efficiently than through AusAID or indeed through some of the multilaterals …”

This was the sweetener for the NGOs staying silent through the election campaign about the overall $4.5 billion cuts to overseas aid. Done deal.

Suckers!

Bishop announced in January that funds to the NGOs will also be cut.

22. Monitoring whaling

Before the election the Coalition promised to provide a Customs ship to monitor Japanese whaling in Australia’s region.


“The Coalition commits to sending a Customs vessel to the Southern Ocean. It is important that Australia has a Southern Ocean presence given the ongoing risk of confrontation between whalers and protestors.”

Now, after the election, the government has stopped the boat.



21. Subsidies to industries

Abbott announced in December that businesses could no longer expect subsidies.

Since then, it has become clear the government is still subsidising some sectors – to the tune of billions – including the fossil fuel industry, miners and primary producers.

Criteria for subsidies appear to be shoring up marginal seats, repaying political debts and giving favours to mates rather than the national interest. An example of this is Abbott giving $16 million to Cadbury in Tasmania.

20. ABC and SBS funding

Abbott solemnly promised just hours before the people went to the polls last September:


“No cuts to education … and no cuts to the ABC or SBS.”

On January 30th communications minister Malcolm Turnbull announced a review into the ABC directed precisely at cutting its budget:


“… the study will not review the content of what is broadcast, but rather the cost of delivering that content and the operations that support it.”

19. No deals with the Greens

Last August Abbott insisted most emphatically that he would never


“... do cheap and tawdry deals with the Greens.”

Barely in office, the government swooped on the chance to cut a deal with the Greens to remove the debt ceiling.

After years in opposition condemning Labor’s relatively modest debt, this is as tawdry as it comes.

18. Sophie Mirabella

When the divisive former Liberal Party member for Indi lost her seat in a surprise rejection by voters, Abbott declared that there would be no government job for Mirabella.

Just kidding!

She is now on the board of the submarine maintenance body.



Former Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella (Image via bordermail.com.au)

17. School attendances

On Indigenous education, Abbott said before the election:


“What I'd like to see done very early on, should there be a change of government, is get figures published on a regular basis for school attendance.”

As with all promises to Aborigines, nothing has been done.

16. Cuts to pensions

Two days before the election, Abbott promised:


“I can assure your listeners that there will be no cuts to health, no cuts to education, no cuts to pensions …”

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann confirmed in December that cuts to the disability pension were underway:


“This is one of the fast-growing areas of government expenditure. The commission of audit is looking at this whole area for us … and is expected to make some recommendations on how that [cutting spending on the disabled] can best be achieved …”

15. Open and accountable government

The Liberal Party platform was emphatic:


“We will restore accountability and improve transparency measures to be more accountable to you.”

Now, routine reports on the arrival of asylum seekers, treatment of refugees and the state of the budget are withheld.





Journalists may subscribe to media releases in some ministries, but not all. Those excluded are Indigenous affairs, human services, justice, veterans’ affairs, women, the arts, sport and small business.

Australia appears increasingly to be emulating North Korea — not just in the craven mass media which will never criticise the Glorious Leader, but in government secrecy as well.

Abbott’s first thirteen broken promises and hypocrisies were all listed here at IA in mid-November.

These were:

14. Spending his first week with the Yolngu

13. Stopping the boats

12. National broadband network

11. Relations with the region

10. Foreign minister’s first trip abroad

9. Seat on the UN Security Council

8. Returning the budget to surplus

7. Reducing debt

6. Justifying the debt ceiling

5. Reporting the budget position

4. Toowoomba Range bypass plan

3. Freedom of information

2. Respecting the government’s mandate

And finally, with bitter irony:

1. No broken promises

From Abbott in December:


“There have been no broken promises and there will be no broken promises under this government.”

That’s 25. In 150 days.





A new world record?

Probably. But that’s not the problem.

The worry is that there are plenty more to come.

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/abbotts-new-world-record-25-broken-promises-in-150-days,6145

Abbott’s broken promises reach 50 as the ABC joins the party

 Alan Austin 3 August 2014, 10:00am  240
 MediaPolitics


Tony Abbott’s Coalition government has achieved the landmark 50 specific promises dumped. This coincides with the ABC coming late to the promise checkers’ party. Alan Austin updates the list.

The Abbott Government has busted the half ton. That is, 50 broken commitments in ten months. Five per month. That makes it almost certainly the worst regime for policy delivery in modern history — anywhere.

If Abbott’s strategists had hoped Australia’s mainstream media would all pretend not to notice, they are now bitterly disappointed. Public broadcaster the ABC has just joined the campaign to document the broken promises which Independent Australia began last November.

More about the ABC shortly.

First, let’s update the tally with the latest batch:

50. Aboriginal legal services

Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion promised in May that front line services for Aboriginal people would not be reduced, despite savage cuts to overall Indigenous funding in the budget.

In July, the strategic $500,000 a year Prisoner ThroughCare program run by the NSW and ACT Aboriginal Legal Service was terminated.

49. Emissions targets

Before the election, Abbott affirmed support for the bipartisan greenhouse emissions reduction target of between 5% and 25% of 2000 levels by 2020.

In November, Abbott softened that commitment:


“Australia will meet our 5% emissions reduction target, but this government has made no commitments to go further than that.”

Last month’s carbon tax repeal leaves Australia with no legislation to achieve even the minimum 5% emissions reduction target its international agreements require.






48. Permanent residency


‘If the Coalition is elected, no-one who arrives illegally by boat will receive permanent residency.’

This was the clear – and frequent – written and spoken commitment by Abbott’s frontbenchers.

That was broken in July with the decision to apply ministerial discretion to residency and with at least one Ethiopian refugee now settled permanently in Australia.

47. Superannuation levy increases

In his campaign launch speech, Abbott promised to


“... delay the superannuation guarantee levy increase because it's another cost that small business can't afford right now.”

As the ABC’s promise checkers show, this commitment was broken in July.

46. Overseas aid

Before the 2013 election, Joe Hockey specified a dramatic reduction of $4.5 billion in Australia’s overseas aid allocations over the forward estimates.

The May budget actually cut aid by a brutal and inexcusable $7.9 billion.

45. Fuel excise

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, 3 April 2014:


“There are no plans to increase the fuel excise.”

Five weeks later, on 8 May, the excise went up.

44. Privatisation

In October 2013, Abbott solemnly promised:


“We’re going to do no more and no less than we promised people at the election. The only privatisation that we’ve got slated is Medibank Private.”

Since then the government has commenced scoping studies to sell off the Royal Australian Mint and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission's business registry arm.

43. Broadband speed

The Coalition promised before the election:


‘Download speeds of between 25 and 100 megabits per second by the end of 2016.'

That was abandoned in December.

42. Landcare funding

Environment spokesman Greg Hunt promised last August that in government the Coalition would


“... give Landcare significantly greater access to the Caring for Country pool of funds, as well as the current Landcare funding.”

In May, the funding was slashed by $483.8 million.

41. No tax increases

Abbott and Joe Hockey were adamant before the election that


“... the only party that will raise taxes after the election is the Labor Party.”

Taxes to have increased since then, besides the fuel tax, include the budget repair levy and the GP visit co-payment. With no offsetting rate cuts, bracket creep will increase taxes further.


@TonyAbbottMHR "I don't break promises, I don't break promises" ... Bawhahaha #insiders #auspol pic.twitter.com/f2uWz25nvw
— Saucepan Man (@SaucepanMan1968) August 2, 2014
They are the latest ten, bringing our total to 50. The first 13 were documented here in November, the next 12 here in February and the following 15 here in May.

They related to:
1.There have been no broken promises
2.Respecting a government’s mandate
3.Freedom of information
4.Toowoomba Range bypass plan
5.Reporting the budget position
6.Justifying the debt ceiling
7.Reducing the nation’s debt
8.Returning the budget to surplus
9.The UN Security Council seat
10.Foreign minister’s first trip abroad
11.Relations with the region
12.National broadband network technology
13.Stopping the boats
14.Abbott spending his first week with the Yolngu
15.Open and accountable government
16.Cuts to pensions
17.School attendances
18.No government job for Sophie Mirabella
19.No deals with the Greens
20.No cuts to ABC and SBS funding
21.No subsidies to industries
22.Monitoring whaling
23.Increased funds for aid agencies
24.Entering Indonesia waters
25.We will not tow back the boats
26.No knighthoods for Australia
27.No public servants to be forced out of work
28.Incarcerating children offshore
29.No cuts to education
30.Raising university fees
31.No cuts to health
32.No Medicare locals to be closed
33.Funding on direct action
34.Consultancy spending to be cut
35.Aboriginal land rights
36.No new taxes
37.Using the state of the economy as an excuse for breaking promises
38.This will be a government of no surprises
39.The burden will be shared evenly
40.Families will be off limits in politics

While the ABC’s late endeavours in tracking promises are most welcome, early signs that they will be thorough rather than superficial are not... er... promising.



The ABC reported on Thursday that


‘ABC Fact Check has launched a Promise Tracker, which follows more than 60 promises made by the Coalition in the lead up to the 2013 federal election.’

Hmmm. Only just over 60? So how were they chosen from the hundreds made?

The ABC continues:


‘Ten months into the Government's term, it reveals 12 promises are delivered, six are broken, four are stalled and the majority remain in progress.’

Six broken? Really? Why have only six broken promises been explored when fifty have been fully documented by several online publications? These include Independent Australia [refer above], The Monthly, Crikey, The AIM Network and The Guardian.

Is this because the ABC is hog-tied by its charter which demands even-handedness, and therefore must report equal numbers of infractions for each side in politics, regardless of the ratio of actual offences?

Will the ABC continue to show more promises kept than broken and thus bolster claims by the Institute of Public Affairs in The Drum that broken promises don’t really matter much?

We shall onpass this series of articles – with embedded links to verification of our claims – and see what eventuates.

Regarding the prime offender, Tony Abbott, will he reach a century before the next election?

Or will he be replaced as PM before then so the counter can be reset?

http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/abbotts-broken-promises-reach-50-as-the-abc-joins-the-party,6731

Abbott and Hockey’s debt and deficit disaster

 Alan Austin 27 September 2014, 3:00pm  170
 EconomicsFinancePolitics



The Abbott Government has abandoned any pre-election promises to reduce Australian public debt, with borrowing and interest costs skyrocketing after their first year in power. Alan Austin reports.



Despite all their rhetoric and hyperbole, both debt and deficit has blown out under the Abbott Government (Image via @qldaah)

THE ABBOTT GOVERNMENT HAS ABANDONED all pre-election commitments to reduce the nation’s ‘skyrocketing debt’. Borrowings have increased dramatically since the last election.

Now we know by how much.

Debt has increased by 13.7% over Labor’s levels. Interest payments have risen a staggering 28.6% to more than thirty million dollars per day — in just the first nine months.

The Final Budget Outcome 2013-14 was released this week by Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann. Buried in the long-awaited document is confirmation that net government debt at the end of June, nine months after the Coalition took office, has risen to $202.46 billion.



That’s quite a blow-out.

The last monthly Finance Department report prepared under the previous Labor Government, for 31 August 2013, showed forecast end of year net debt at $178.10 billion.

The following monthly report, September 2013, prepared after the Coalition had taken charge, also showed projected year-end debt steady at $178.10 bn. So did the October and November reports.



In December, however, following several decisions by the incoming treasurer, including abolishing the debt ceiling, the debt projection jumped to $191.52 billion.

This number was reaffirmed in January, February, March and April 2014. In May, it was increased to $197.85 billion. Then, without notice, monthly reports ceased.

Clearly, the actual outcome under the Coalition is a cool $24.36 billion more debt than forecast had Labor stayed on. Up 13.7%.

Hockey has, of course, attempted to blame Labor:


‘The Final Budget Outcome for the 2013-14 financial year is a budget report card on the previous Government’s irresponsible fiscal and economic management.’

Hardly. Mr Hockey has had more than 42 weeks – and a clear mandate – to reverse anything ‘irresponsible’. Instead, wasteful spending has increased, including dubious travel for ministers and their entourages, costly royal visits and expensive politically-motivated royal commissions.



Table 5 of this week’s Treasury document shows that in just seven weeks between the May budget and June 30, expenditure on ‘legislative and executive affairs’ blew out by a staggering $68 million.

That was not Labor’s doing.

Other unjustifiable spending by the Abbott Government includes its punitive border protection regime and an $8.8 billion grant paid to the Reserve Bank that it didn’t ask for and doesn’t need. On the revenue side, equally damaging failures include abolishing the carbon and mining taxes without adequate replacement income. Those were not Labor decisions.

This week’s proof of the debt expansion follows confirmation after the May budget that Abbott and Hockey had more than doubled the projected budget deficits over Labor’s levels.

ABC Fact Check unit showed in June that government decisions increased the deficits for the four-year forward estimates period by more than $68 billion.

Clearly, there is no commitment whatsoever to


‘… balance the books, live within our means and return the budget to surplus as quickly as possible.’

Gone are the dire warnings before the last election of debt ‘spiralling out of control’.

So if the debt was more than $202 billion in June and rising rapidly, what is it now, three months later? Well, we just don’t know. The debt reports produced monthly since December 1999 have suddenly stopped.

Independent Australia asked the Finance Department why this was and when the next statement would be released.

They replied:


‘The last Australian Government Monthly Financial Statements were published in May 2014. The June data is incorporated in the Final Budget Outcome document. Under the Charter of Budget Honesty Act 1998 the final date for the release of the Final Budget Outcome is 30 September.... The July and August 2014 Australian Government Monthly Financial Statements are prepared and published after the release of the Final Budget Outcome.’

How long after? We shall see.

Meanwhile, we now know what the extra debt is costing. A year ago, the Final Budget Outcome for 2012-13, released by incoming treasurer Hockey, showed net interest payments on the debt were $8.3 billion for that year – the last full year Labor managed the economy. Labor’s projected interest bill for 2013-14 was then $8.4 billion, according to Treasury and Finance’s Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook.

The actual interest costs incurred for 2013-14, we discovered this week, was a thumping $10.8 billion. That’s up 28.6%.

So Hockey is not just borrowing more money, but borrowing more expensive money.

Of course, this debt increase is of no immediate economic concern provided the investments are well-managed. There are compelling arguments that Australia’s debt has been too low given negative real interest rates and the opportunity for investments in productive infrastructure.

Australia’s debt to GDP ratio is a mere 12.8% — even with the recent Hockey blow-out. If that were doubled Australia’s debt would still be less than Switzerland’s. If tripled it would be less than Canada’s. It could be multiplied by six and remain lower than Germany’s and the UK’s.

All these countries have a triple A credit rating and hence no discernible debt problem. And, of course, neither does Australia.

Australia does have, however, a surplus of government hypocrisy and a deficit in truthfulness and competence.

You can follow Alan Austin on Twitter @AlanTheAmazing.
http://www.independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/abbott-and-hockeys-debt-and-deficit-disaster,6943

Edited by Joffa: 30/9/2014 06:36:30 PM

I think this is key, but also important to keep tabs to make sure that former politicians aren't doing what Phoney did and presenting personal appearances at sporting events and commercial events for his book.

I didn't catch the full program, but I did catch him deriding the governments decision to remove the MRRT even though it didn't raise any money, while claiming had it been allowed to go a little bit longer, it wouldn't started to raise money. Riiiiight Swanney, not exactly a man who has a good track record when it comes to forecasts and predictions, but evidently hasn't shaken his optimism.

Jesus wept

Jesus, can you believe these guys have the temerity to call themselves 'independent'? Funny how you get all these liberal, radical groups like Independent Australia , Get Up etc who describe themselves as independent but are always mouthing off government policy and blame shifting. Convenient that theeeey're the "independent " ones and the rest of us are wallowing in ignorance and lies. Wow it must feel really good to wake up every morning feeling like you've got the monopoly on truth and "figured it all out".

Think the Libs (or let's face it, the public servants in the Treasury) are struggling with forecasts themselves at the moment as well.

His argument is that things are cyclical and the tax came in when resource prices were bottoming out. Things will pickup again at some stage and it will start generating revenue. Doesn't sound completely implausible but I have issues with the fact that the miners gimped the tax in the first place.

Ahhh yes, blaming the cycles is a nice way out of a bad tax. It was the cycles fault. Maybe he should've anticipated one, given prices were high for some time. Thus sometimes they "bottom out" for years, if not decades. I reckon in the year 2042 when prices rebound Swanny will be the first to loudly proclaim " I told you so".

Parliamentary enquiry into Queensland LNP, dis gon b gud.

-PB

I agree it's a bad tax but our reasons for why I suspect are quite different.

After all the bogus royal commissions that the LNP have been running, this seems like it's just a bit of payback. Not super comfortable with it really.

Ditto.

Not really time for eye-for-an-eye.

Although he could have worded it better, tony abbott had a point about the burqa

Subvert it, to hell with the pc! Its a security risk at lowest, I mean I can dress like one going into a bank, make everyone stick it up, I can pledge that I was wearing traditional clothing

Im with the French with regards to this- au revoir burqa!

Burqa bans are unconstitutional. Forget it, Burqas in Australia are rare as it is.

Whistleblowing and journalism is now effectively dead thanks to both major parties today.

What new careers do you think Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker are going to take up?

So does he want the turban ? The Jewish yamulke? The Catholic nun head dress and numerous religious dress banned ? He contradicted himself when he said we should be more tolerant and accepting .so which one is it ??

Well thats not good comparisons at all.
A catholic nun dress doesn't cover her face only to see the eyes.
Turban ? wtf ?
Yamulke as above.

The burqa may or may not be around much in mexico but its around parts of sydney thats for sure.
Times are a changing so they keep saying - these women living in a free country should say no to their old school husbands and get free of the shackle in the first place.
Oh - what would happen to them if they did behind the closed door of their home ?!

They're free to wear the burqua in oz . Aren't we a free democracy and allowed to wear and worship any religion aren't we not ?

Problem is most people use the 'security' reason for banning the burqa as a cover up of their xenophobia.

Never once I have felt threatened seeing someone in a burqa nor do I ever recall hearing a story of a someone holding up a bank in a burqa. People need to grow up and either realise the burqa is a ridiculous non issue or just admit it's because they are afraid of Islam

Edited by damonzzzz: 1/10/2014 11:39:21 PM

And yet there are signs up at service stations, and other places, saying "no hoodies".

That's ok?

I don't believe this "burqa is a security risk" for one minute. I think it's a convenient out for those that struggle to explain why it should be banned.

I just wanted to point out that apparently it's ok to ask miscreant teenagers to not wear hoodies in shopping centres etc and that's OK but to ask someone to not wear a burqa is different.

Surely if one's OK then the other is too.

And if we're talking banning different types of clothes that people wear here's where I'd like to start:

Skinny jeans
Pants halfway down your arse (visible arsecrack in general)
Underpants that stick up above pants
Tight pants on tubby sheilas
White framed sunglasses
Any wannabe gangsterwear.
Anything with "Unit" or "Lonsdale" on it, shirts with big numbers, popped collars wankers.
Onesies. FFS. Where's your dignity you cocks.


Blah blah blah. Back in my day etc etc.




Edited by MUNRUBENMUZ: 2/10/2014 12:09:51 PM

Do you ever think, not that I'd know anyway, that SOME of these girls would perhaps prefer not to wear it and only do so because they're culturally and religiously obligated to?

I wouldn't mind betting that in France when they banned it some girls went "well thank fuck for that".

Not that I can tell anyone how to dress but it does annoy me when I go down to the Goldie for a swim and there's ol mate in his shorts, t-shirt and thongs with his kids in swimmers and his wife is dressed in a tent in 35 degree heat.

I can't imagine that in all cases there's 100% agreement to wear this getup.

Seems extremely unfair.

You're not free to marry 2, or more, wives despite your religious beliefs.

You can't sacrifice a child during your devil worshipping ceremonies despite your religious beliefs.

Female genital mutilation is illegal despite it being a part of some religions and countries cultural beliefs.

You can't incite violence if you're a KKK member despite your religious beliefs.

You are only free do do want you want religiously within boundaries set down by the society we live in.

The question is, where do those boundaries lie? (Obviously the line in Saudi Arabia for example is different from the line in Australia for some things and not others).

The burqa question is a discussion about which side of the line this thing lies on. I believe it should be debated.

Let's have it out without the fall back position of "it's a security risk" when clearly it's not.

To me it's socially confronting.

But no more so than some spotty teenage wanker with his pants halfway down to his ankles showing of his newly waxed arse crack.

Ban them both I say.

I hear the whole "some are forced to wear it" argument regularly, I'm pretty sure that is already illegal so perhaps we should just be supporting women who don't want to wear it and are in oppressive relationships rather than banning it outright?

It does annoy me too but as long as it's their choice then good luck to them.

I suppose you could support them but how do you know what goes on behind closed doors? Ol mate might threaten to belt her up if she steps foot out of the house with anything other than what she "should" be wearing.

I hardly think the Balmain Women's Collective expression of moral support is going to help those girls.

The absolute worst part of this though is that in the biggest, most populus moslem nations this getup is barely non-existent.

It's just your dessert dwelling, stone hut living, medieval clowns that insist on this gear.



Edited by MUNRUBENMUZ: 2/10/2014 12:38:29 PM

I don't see it any differently than other domestic violence issues, so how do we deal with that problem? Badly (especially for male victims) but I'd rather it was tackled as this broader issue than an attack on muslims specifically.

Spot on, Mr Laming.

Some of the arguments for banning the burqa are hilariously bad and poorly veiled outbursts of islamophobia. Even on this thread you see people calling pit the burqa as a problem based on speculation of what a minuscule minority of a tiny minority MIGHT be feeling or subject to behind closed doors.

It's populist hogwash and a huge distraction from the fact that both sides of government are systematically destroying our freedoms this week. Congratulations.