Fudging the Figures? Who Cares?

At the end of March, 2007, Australia’s net foreign debt stood at $532 billion, up from $492 billion a year earlier. These were comments by Ross Gittins, a soundly based economics commentator for the Sydney Morning Herald.

I do hope that the world doesn’t ask for its money back next week because I am a tad strapped for cash.

Why strapped for cash? You may ask.

Over 1,660,000 small business’ in Australia are living on debt and hope; and in August 2006, there were a total of 8,776,900 employees in Australia. Of these, 6,178,400 (70%) were full-time employees and 2,598,500 (30%) were part-time employees.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of The Nationals, Mark Vaile claims, on the home page of his web site, that ‘As Leader of The Nationals, I am absolutely committed to representing the interests of the 7 million people living in rural and regional Australia. Their voices will continue to be heard and championed around the Cabinet table. I take that responsibility very seriously, as do my Federal colleagues.’

Vaile further claims in a press release dated Thursday, 7th June 2007, headed Unemployment rate good news for all Australians that the further fall in the unemployment rate to just 4.2 per cent in May was proof of the Howard/Vaile Government’s strong economic management.

Thank you for your concerns and your ‘full employment’ Mark. But I think I will pass this time. Who Cares? I do as I know many of the wonderful 7 million people that you claim to represent do. If you are doing it hard you are not on your own.

Vaile’s level playing field

Mark Unvailed

Mark Vaile has defended his government’s investment in health, qualifying that health is ‘predominantly’ a states’ issue. (Port Macquarie News May 26 2007)

This was just days after the federal budget allocation for health funding, a federal issue, came in well short of projected growth figures for purely maintaining the system.

Vaile went on to boast his government was on top of the system with the introduction of something he calls e-health. Given the pathetic internet connectivity in this country we might all die waiting for our computers to heal us.

But the real question should be; just how much control do the Feds have over health?

The government have been furiously denying the bundling of Health Services Australia into Medibank, ahead of the planned asset sale of the publicly owned health insurer. This is undeniably a federal responsibility, and one they are trying to unload.

He has dodged comment on the constant media advertising of changes to health insurance, tailed with ‘authorised by the Australian Government, Canberra’.

The latest indication of just how much the Feds are involved in health, the Deputy Prime Minister’s latest boast (Port Macquarie Express June 13 2007):

Paraphrasing Vaile’s quote …An overseas-trained doctor has been approved for Lake Cathie.

The announcement follows a recent meeting arranged by myself between [Federal Health Minister] Tony Abbot and the local division of General Practice…

It is ingenuous of Mark Vaile to slate full  responsibility to the states when there are clearly so many areas his government either has control or attempts to manipulate state responsibilities.

One of those manipulations is simply under-funding, then claiming the states screwed up. It just doesn’t wash!

another international offer

Funny that those Canadians have such a grasp on the local culture here.

Thanks for the graphic Karen.

A Canadian View

Who Cares?
I do
Why?
Because I want better
How come?
What we get is not good enough and we pay for it.
What is it?
Overpaid politicians and underpaid necessary services.
How we gonna fix it?
Vote for Robin Cartledge
Why?
He Cares.

~Karen

Letter campaign support

Support Robin Cartledge’s fight for Lyne by writing to local newspapers. You can find Robin’s issues on this blog or:

The Robin Cartledge Campaign Site

You can submit stories from these sites or select letters to the editor on the left hand navigation bar.

Direct online post for Lyne electorate print media

Port Macquarie News

Camden Haven Courier

Hastings Gazette

Manning River Times

Wingham Chronicle

Email:

Macleay Argus: editor.macleayargus@ruralpress.com

SMH (Sydney Morning Herald) – newsdesk@smh.com.au

Our elected dictatorship

Fighting to regain a semblance of democracy in Australia would be a high priority if I were elected to federal parliament.

I was so pleased when the Italian people chose Prodi and his broadly based coalition over the corrupt Berlusconi.

My only hope was that the broad coalition could run full term.

I hoped this, and my hopes have been fulfilled to this date, because out governments should be broadly based and reflect, as much as possible, the will of the people.

Italy is now, as I hope Australia will be after this election, represented in its parliament by the people.

Democracy is the most difficult form of government available to us. The people of Australia and the US are still to learn how to do it.

Specific issues include:

Voting

The political establishment insists on narrowing voting options by moving to a de facto first past the post with optional preferential and above the line voting, on the basis that intelligent voting confuses electors.

We all know that at least half of the electorate are Morons.

It seems strange to me when a new party is elected the morons become smart and the smart ones become morons.

Has this anything to do with the inherent corruption of the party system?

Electing the government we deserve

I propose a more radical change to electronic Quick Pic (auto pick) ballots.

Having received their ballot papers voters are only required to put the paper in the slot to register a random electronic vote.

No thought required, we all get the government we deserve.

More thoughts on my position is linked on the campaign website.