Australian politics.

[Yoda Twin]

I do, unless his psych is that twisted so that he doesn't realise it is impossible for him to be PM. He's been humiliated by his fellow members in the caucus twice now, with the first being so humiliating that a ballot wasn't even necessary, plenty of ministers have ruled out serving in his cabinet if it were to happen, he's been demonised by his prior cabinet members to the point of absurdity and to top it all off, the party would risk having to go through the trepidation of the potential inability to form a government with the independents. He's done and dusted, and Labor can't risk another challenge by a new candidate, as it'd ruin their reputation even further if it's possible.

[Exarch]

rudd wont take it lying down, he might wait a few yrs, a decade even, let the stigma and memories die down and then when labor's own is so obvious even stratfor will notice, then he might come back and go for the PM position again. his problem insofar as i can see was that gillard struck before rudd could gather enough support. she pre-empted him, so to speak before he was ready for the challenge.

in any case, i wouldnt vote for either of them. or the ing liberals with abbot at the head. screw them both

and it goes without saying but i still maintain that the greens and bob brown ought to be winched into a volcano

[SLN445]

I hear Tower hill is still an Active volcano, i propose we send a drill full of greens into its core.

[Hospitallar_Knight]

I used to be a liberal support but after discovering Ron Paul i now realise that both the labor and liberal parties do not support and will not bring about real change to reduce the size of government and support civil liberties.

I now will be casting my vote for Australias libertarian party the Liberal Democratic Party

[Dr Zoidberg]

Yeah... the problem with Ron Paul is that he doesn't actually support civil liberties, he just doesn't want the Federal Government involved in them. He's not a Libertarian, he's a Constitutionalist. He doesn't mind if there is a war on drugs, so long as its done by Arizona or Texas at the state level. He's not for marriage equality, he's for the states deciding who and who cannot get married. If California wants to allow gay marriage and Nevada doesn't, then that's their choices at states.

Anybody who votes for Paul because they think they will see an increase in civil liberties is sorely mistaken; what you will see is a greater disparity of civil liberties between the states.

Back to OZ: Sure, vote for the LDP But based on preferences, your vote is going to end up going to either the Libs or Labor anyway. But you sent a message, right?

[Yoda Twin]

Anybody catch Gillard absolutely embarrass the Opposition today? Was quite a notably day in question time today.

[Jedi1]

Back to OZ: Sure, vote for the LDP But based on preferences, your vote is going to end up going to either the Libs or Labor anyway. But you sent a message, right?

Your right, let's keep voting in bought off idiots from the two big brands to screw us over repeatedly. What could possibly go wrong. END SARCASM.

Just because you as an individual cannot change the outcome or significantly influence it with your vote, does not mean you should just keep supporting the same to brand names over and over. Your vote does matter, it is the accumulation of the effort of many individuals that effects change. Every individual is important.

NOTE: I have taken the tone of that section of your post as sarcastic and condescending, if this is incorrect sorry.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Anybody catch Gillard absolutely embarrass the Opposition today? Was quite a notably day in question time today.

The bit about Abbott needing to stop worrying about the so called faceless men and start worrying about the useless men sitting behind him? That was a good call. Say what you will about Gillard, she can handle herself during question time.

NOTE: I have taken the tone of that section of your post as sarcastic and condescending, if this is incorrect sorry.

Not so much the poster as the system as it stands. Sending a message is all you really can do given the hold the major parties have. Unless we see a major swing to minor parties, not much is going to change.

So I frankly don't understand people who get their hopes up voting for minor parties as if its going to have an affect. You'd be better more actively engaging with your sitting member and making your concerns known as opposed to hoping for some freak election result that sees the LDP or the Sex Party actually get the votes to win the seat.

After the Greens and the Independents during this term, I can't see people thinking more minority parties is a good idea. I think we'll see a swing back towards an overwhelming majority for one party in the lower house.

[Yoda Twin]

The bit about Abbott needing to stop worrying about the so called faceless men and start worrying about the useless men sitting behind him? That was a good call. Say what you will about Gillard, she can handle herself during question time.

Yep, that line plus a couple others against Julie Bishop were top notch as well, can never have too much of Julie Bishop looking like a fool, never have I seen someone with a smugger face.

[Jedi1]

Not so much the poster as the system as it stands. Sending a message is all you really can do given the hold the major parties have. Unless we see a major swing to minor parties, not much is going to change.

So I frankly don't understand people who get their hopes up voting for minor parties as if its going to have an affect. You'd be better more actively engaging with your sitting member and making your concerns known as opposed to hoping for some freak election result that sees the LDP or the Sex Party actually get the votes to win the seat.

After the Greens and the Independents during this term, I can't see people thinking more minority parties is a good idea. I think we'll see a swing back towards an overwhelming majority for one party in the lower house.

And who's to say you can't do both.

[Condottiere 40K]

Gina's '$2-a-day vision' attracts Nat push on tax

• by: Lauren Wilson
• From: The Australian
• September 06, 2012 12:00AM

MINING billionaire Gina Rinehart's "bold plan" for northern Australia to become a special economic zone with tax and red-tape exemptions has failed to win support from Labor or the Coalition.

But Nationals senators Barnaby Joyce and Fiona Nash confirmed the regional party would continue to push for the Coalition to take zonal taxation arrangements to the next election, a move that could trigger fresh tensions between the Nationals and the Liberals on economic policy in the wake of the stoush over foreign investment and Cubbie Station.
In an online address to the Sydney Mining Club, Mrs Rinehart attacked Australia's global competitiveness, calling the economy "sluggish" and warning that the mining investment pipeline would become squeezed when multinationals increasingly opted to invest in West African nations, where labour costs were as low as $2 a day.
"We need to create a large special economic zone in our north, stretching across northern Queensland, northern West Australia and the Northern Territory, with fewer regulations and taxes," Mrs Rinehart said.
"A region that truly welcomes investment and people."
Julia Gillard dismissed the proposal, saying it was "not the Australian way to toss people $2, to toss them a $2 gold coin and ask them to work for a day". Wayne Swan attacked the "$2-a-day vision for Australia" and said Mrs Rinehart's opinions did not deserve the attention they received.
Tony Abbott rejected Mrs Rinehart's calls for a special economic zone, declaring it was "not something that the Coalition considered and it's not something that the Coalition is planning for".
He was contradicted by his Treasury spokesman, Joe Hockey, who said the Coalition was committed to boosting investment and a northern economic zone was on the table.
"We want to explore it, but it is a long-term plan and it needs further discussion," Mr Hockey said.
The Australian understands the Nationals are again lobbying to boost zonal taxation arrangements to encourage people to move to regional areas, with a backbench committee holding talks on the matter last week.
"If you believe in developing northern and regional Australia, it is quite obvious that you need to develop policies that attract people to northern Australia, otherwise it's just rhetorical flourish with no substance behind it," Senator Joyce said.
Senator Nash said yesterday she was a "big supporter" of boosting the existing zonal taxation to drive growth in regional areas.
At present, people who have lived or worked in a remote or isolated area of Australia for at least half the financial year are eligible for a tax zone rebate.
North Queensland crossbencher Bob Katter accused Mrs Rinehart of seeking to create a new country in the north of Australia to enrich herself.

[boofhead]

Have you heard the rest of what this fat has said recently? She told Australians not to go to the pub, not to socialize and to work harder if they want to become rich like her.

This woman neglected to mention she inherited her wealth through her rich daddy, and it increased due to the mining boom, which had nothing to do with her own ''work ethic''. Clive Palmer told her to do three week's work at his nickel refinery before she tells Australians to work harder. She wouldn't last 5 minutes, the stuck up cow. Not to mention, she fights her own kids in the courts over money.

At this rate, she's headed towards becoming the most hated woman in Australia.

[SLN445]

I don't think ill hate her more then Germaine greer but shes getting close.

Half of what she says kinda makes a little sense, stop complaining and work hard aint exactly bad things to say....its the fact its coming from her mouth, a person who is only rich because of her daddy's cash/business shouldn't be someone telling others how to be successful.

[Simon Cashmere]

She told Australians not to go to the pub, not to socialize and to work harder if they want to become rich like her.

Yeah the only true hero is Lang Hancock (her dad), not Gina Rinehart. If someone let me inherit a few billion as well as some of the most profitable mining companies in the country, I think I could probably make a few dollars as well. Gina Rinehart has been a ruthless and cunning business woman. She got costs way down for her ore moving by buying ships in other countries, flagging them in other countries, running the company offshore and then having those foreign crewed vessels pick up her ore for a 1/10th of what it would cost for an Australian ship to do it.

[bushranger]

Have you heard the rest of what this fat has said recently? She told Australians not to go to the pub, not to socialize and to work harder if they want to become rich like her.

This woman neglected to mention she inherited her wealth through her rich daddy, and it increased due to the mining boom, which had nothing to do with her own ''work ethic''. Clive Palmer told her to do three week's work at his nickel refinery before she tells Australians to work harder. She wouldn't last 5 minutes, the stuck up cow. Not to mention, she fights her own kids in the courts over money.

At this rate, she's headed towards becoming the most hated woman in Australia.

She did not say that at all.She said if you want to be a millionaire you have to work hard for it,and she is right for the most part.Sure she inherited her fortune but you cant deny her work ethic and dedication to her business.Thats just some tall poppy syndrome you have there.

I dont agree with her on lowering the minumam wage because the price of living in australia is so high which is some thing she has never had to worry about,but saying that maybe if the minimum wage was not so high then price of living wouldn't be?

My partner works for Royhill (gina's baby) and things are not going so flash there,maybe some layoffs next week.Fortescue metals group just had huge lay offs and so did BHP.Things are not going so great in that sector as the media says it is.It is been hit with 2 new huge taxes plus massive competition from the likes of Africa.

We need to be supportive of our mining sector at this time,it has pretty much pulled us through the hard times.But we seem intent on pulling it down and shiting on it's leaders.

[boofhead]

She did not say that at all.She said if you want to be a millionaire you have to work hard for it,and she is right for the most part.Sure she inherited her fortune but you cant deny her work ethic and dedication to her business.Thats just some tall poppy syndrome you have there.

She did.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/pol...830-251u5.html
http://www.news.com.au/business/work...-1226461328341

And it's certainly not ''tall poppy syndrome''. There are many wealthy people I admire, Dick Smith for example, but she's not one of them.

My partner works for Royhill (gina's baby) and things are not going so flash there,maybe some layoffs next week.Fortescue metals group just had huge lay offs and so did BHP.Things are not going so great in that sector as the media says it is.It is been hit with 2 new huge taxes plus massive competition from the likes of Africa.

We need to be supportive of our mining sector at this time,it has pretty much pulled us through the hard times.But we seem intent on pulling it down and shiting on it's leaders.

I live in the Upper Hunter Valley, one of the biggest mining centres on the planet. The terrain out here looks like a moonscape, the boogers you get in your nose and the dust from the blasting is constant. Half the town are miners, so I pretty much know exactly what is going on.

[bushranger]

"If you're jealous of those with more money, don't just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself - spend less time drinking or smoking and socialising, and more time working."

How am i wrong?She is right.Unless of course you listen to wayne swan who has been trying to bend her over the last few years to make up for his own complete incompetence and twists her every retort.

No the mining sector is starting to fault,it's not going to collapse just like china's economy is not going to collapse but any small reduction is worth billions and hundreds of jobs.We should be trying to avoid this at any cost and listening to the major player in australian mining is a must do,not calling her a fat .
I was going to go on a rant about dick smith but i will leave that to another time

[boofhead]

How am i wrong?She is right.

There is an implication in what she said that those who can't get as much as they want financially are spending half their time in the pub. That is insulting to the millions of Australians who work a great deal harder than Rinehart. I can guarantee you I've worked harder than Rinehart every work day for the last 20 years, and physically. She inherited millions, and sits on her fat arse making phone calls, or getting whisked around in a luxury jet, all based off money she didn't exactly earn (it's not that hard to make money when you inherit hundreds of millions of dollars and great swathes of prime mining country just prior to the greatest resource boom since the goldrush). Look at Nathan Tinkler on the other hand - a plumber who made a billion. In one year I would burn more calories than Rinehart burned in her entire lifetime, and she has the gall to tell people they are not wealthy like her because they live in the pub?

[bushranger]

There is an implication in what she said that those who can't get as much as they want financially are spending half their time in the pub. That is insulting to the millions of Australians who work a great deal harder than Rinehart. I can guarantee you I've worked harder than Rinehart every work day for the last 20 years, and physically. She inherited millions, and sits on her fat arse making phone calls, or getting whisked around in a luxury jet, all based off money she didn't exactly earn (it's not that hard to make money when you inherit hundreds of millions of dollars and great swathes of prime mining country just prior to the greatest resource boom since the goldrush). Look at Nathan Tinkler on the other hand - a plumber who made a billion. In one year I would burn more calories than Rinehart burned in her entire lifetime, and she has the gall to tell people they are not wealthy like her because they live in the pub?

Hey man i'm a tradie who works there arse off all so.I put everything on the line and made some good money out on my own but nearly lost everything to some bad business decisions and to be honest pissing it up against a wall.She is right,if you play it safe,earn your wage and smoke and drink sure you will have a decent life but you wont be a millionere.It needs full on dedication.

I'm starting again and earning good money again and there is no way I'm pissing it up the wall again,just one goal ahead of me and thats make money.So yeah i agree with her,even if she has no idea what it's like to be us,she speaks the truth.

And can we please stop calling her fat,did we ever call Kerry packer fat?They are buisness leaders who the prime minister pays attention too and i think she deserves the respect.

[Veliky Kaiser Theos]

We should be trying to avoid this at any cost and listening to the major player in australian mining is a must do,not calling her a fat .
I was going to go on a rant about dick smith but i will leave that to another time

1. She is a fat . People who can't control themselves sufficiently deserve insults.
2. No, we shouldn't try and avoid this at any cost. You can. She can. All the mining companies can if they want to. But it's not the job of governments to try and make things easier for private enterprises.