What do we think of the current Federal Government

Over 650 days in and what can this current government say was its legacy?

Pre election promises have disappeared, no significant legislation is being passed and it is issue after issue with a scandal or two thrown in.

Your thoughts?

 

Disappointed

 

They are struggling. It's too early to tell really, but they haven't done anything yet that has upset me as much as Rudd or Gillard. So my rating of them is that I'm less upset with them than the previous 2 governments. Haha. Not a ringing endorsement.

 

Think much the same... Not thrilled

 

During time in opposition, they approached their role using a hammer as their primary tool. They had a great opportunity to literally lead the country from the opposition bench but passed it up.

They're now trying to run the government in the same manner. Much of their policy is further right than it needs to be, there's not a lot of subtlety coming out of the prime ministers office. They appear to be going from one crisis to another.

I will give them one thing though, for better or worse, they're trying to run the country based on their agenda, whereas the Rudd government was based on opinion polls.

The Greens are an economic and policy disaster waiting to happen.

I don't see the opposition as a better alternative, they're employing the same opposition tactics as the Libs did rather than take the opportunity they now have to show direction and leadership.

It seems to me that politics is dominated by the media cycle and interest groups. It needs to be more about long term vision.

 

I see this as the problem. It's all about the next election not what's best for the country long term.

The opposition just tries to wreck things and stop progress. Shame culture or the system or whatever it is doesn't let everyone work together looking to better things in between elections.

I don't see any fantastic choices in government these days and I don't see change coming either

 

I have not been following politics for a long time, so I could be wrong, but this bunch of pollies seem to be the biggest bunch of 'me too', self interested people that I have ever seen (all of them, no just one party). Agree about long term vision as well. John Howard, love him or hate him, at least came to office with a vision for Australia. It didn't see him out for 4 terms, but he made some really great improvements based on it. Since then, all the PMs seem to have a great vision for themselves being PM and thier party winning the next election. That, and bickering amongst themselves, seems to be what they are all about these days.

 

People used to give John Howard alot of crap, but I think I miss him now.

Maybe bring back Peter Costello..

 

<shivers>

 

They don't seem to be doing much wrong but they have little vision also it seems. I think it some ways they were left with an economy teetering on the edge by the previous mob and it doesn't leave them with much wiggle room in terms of expansion. I vote liberal but I can't for one second think the current opposition would do a better job than what we currently have. In some ways Abbott being conservative is probably just what the country needs now. It's a bit like when a company appoints a CEO, there are CEO's suitable for the good times and CEO's that are good for the bad times. Abbott is a good if uninspiring PM for the bad times.

 

I am a Liberal voter, but listen to ABC all day long in the workshop (unless here on this site upsetting folks with my dribble).

ABC is soo left-leaning biased it's not funny, and it is rare to hear any good news come out of their entire network that is good in relation to the Liberal Party; and especially TA.

Before we all get too carried away with an anti-Lib bash on this thread, which will end up with reports and banned posters (probably me) and a closure in about oh; 4 pages time ....

Let's just cast our memories back to the previous 6 years before the Libs got in and reflect on the results of that era before we sink the boots into TA and the gang.

Let's not muck around; those 6 years of Labor were far worse than the term so far by the Libs....and Billy Bob is talking about re-introducing another CT disguised as an ETS if he gets in.

All Gubbs make mistakes, all Gubbs break promises they can't keep and only make to get elected, but in the case of this current mob, two things have happened which have stopped anything from being really achieved (don't start on a "turn back the boats" topic again)

1. MINING BOOM ENDS - the price of resources tanks - projected revenues are halved in one year, and the chance to reign in Labor's deficit is gone.
2. SENATE - almost nothing the Gubb has proposed has been successful due to being blocked at the Senate.

 

True @Bayview but it's still easy to be dissapointed by a new government. I agree the last 6 years were a shocker and I'm sure this government is not finished undoing a lot of the damage done during that time. That said, it is a time for real leadership on things like tax reform, superannuation etc. The problem is that these things are boring and do not resonate with the public. For a government to sucessfully implement such measures requires a level of political capital that this government is struggling to build. Every time they seem to be making progess in terms gaining some political capital, it all dissapears with issue after issue - leadership speculation, Bronwyn Bishop etc. It is a shame some of their really interesting policy ideas from the last election campaign have not been implemented such as more independence for schools and hospitals. I thought those policies could have some real, positive impacts in those sectors but we haven't heard a word of them since the election. Still, as I said, it's early days. I don't think Howard got much done in his first term either.

 

The ABC gives the current state Libs in NSW a fair go. So much so that rusted an alp voters complain about bias because facts rather than opinions that support their own position are shown.

But they (current NSW state gov) are actually highly competent. Unlike at a federal level.

Fair criticism is not bias.

 

There is a difference between fair criticism and giving no credit when some is due.

For example; ABC; "You were elected to bring down the Deficit and you haven't done it!"

See the inference; the Libs are entirely at fault (omitting the fact that they have only been in power 2 years so far).

No mention of Labor's disaster 6 years,
No mention of the fact that the resource boom ended (and revenue halved) and the rug got pulled out of any hope of getting the Deficit down,
No mention of the fact that the rate of increase of the Deficit has decreased - despite the lack of revenue, and despite the fact that it something Labor failed to do for it's entire 6 years in power.

Here's something you might not know; 86% of all Gubb spending is already gazetted. This means that ant any given time, 86% of the revenue is already spent (or has to be spent).

Therefore, if the revenue takes a hiding, the Gubb is left in a position of not being able to service it's loans....forget any deficit decrease.

Imagine if you or I were in that position running our own Company?

 

Overall, I find the ABC seems overly hostile towards the Government. I felt that they were overly hostile towards the same people when they were in opposition. Put it this way, on the rare occasions that a reporter gets stuck into a Labor MP or Senator, it always takes me by surprise. Q&A used to be shocking for skewing left but lately it seems the host is at least making an effort to be less blatantly biased. Perhaps responding to criticism? If you think ABC doesn't skew left, name one show on ABC that is the 'right leaning' equivalent of Charlie Pickering's lefty, government bashing, entitled, whinging smugness show 'The Weekly'.

 

Better than Rudd/Gillard and better than Shorten would be (better the devil you know).

 

This govt is disappointing at best....they are literally ruining the country...they have no vision.

For the people who said Howard was great...we are paying for his decisions around middle class welfare which this govt is trying to claw back. Since when is it ok to hand out money for people to have babies.....or for people up to 150k getting payments via part A & B handouts.

Make the cut off at 60k...and this will potentially save $20B in handouts. Also...what is disappointing is that they are attacking people on dole but are not willing to pay for retraining. They have handed this business of getting people into jobs to profit making enterprises and this is clearly not working...it also does not help when businesses have no confidence to hire people.

The govt also needs to look at retirees...once they earn over 30k as single or 50k as a couple they need to start paying tax at the marginal rate...irregardless of super benefits.

 

Well said. I'd say since around 2001, when it was worked out that race and fear was the best combo for winning an election, actual leadership and vision has been incredibly poor on both sides of politics. It's all just a short term numbers game. Not what is best for the future of the country.

So we just get pointless ideology driven decisions like Knights and Dames being re-introduced, instead of a costed and funded model for research and development for what Australia can actually do (apart from sell houses to each other) once we move beyond a dig it up and ship it out economy.

 

Come on we don't need tactical tilts like that one,I think the Government is doing a good job just to keep everyone happy..
Or Labor and the Greens come back in next time then you will learn how the robin hood style of government works steal from the rich then spread it all around inbetween Australia going broke..