The Federal Politics Thread

[Vee]

I strongly support investment in public transport infrastructure and innovative technologies to reduce carbon emissions. Already, we are seeing federal funding for public transport infrastructure scrapped under the Coalition in favour of roads. Liberal state governments in other states have been putting the brakes on upgrading public transport.

Article in The Guardian by Anthony Albanese.
Agree. What a tragedy.

Tony Abbott's obsession with building more roads is dangerously misguided
It has only taken three months in government, but already Tony Abbott is re-animating the tired old intergovernmental blame game – this time over public transport.

Politicians who lack the vision to lead the community on big issues like public transport often hide their inaction by blaming other levels of government when anyone complains. Former prime minister John Howard was a grand master of the blame game: he withdrew health and education funding, and pointed his finger at state governments when anyone dared to ask about the inadequacy of those services.

Now, so soon after being elected, Abbott and his team are feverishly laying the groundwork for a new round in order to conceal their absurd refusal to invest in urban public transport. As one of the most urbanised nations on earth, Australia has an economic interest in ensuring our cities have 21st century urban rail transport to reduce traffic congestion. Less cars on the road means productivity and jobs growth, as it allows for the more efficient movement of goods and services and encourages greater urban population density.

But Abbott, in an extraordinary abdication of responsibility, says public transport is the concern of state governments while the Commonwealth should “stick to its knitting’’ and build more roads.

....

Putting all of this together, it is clear states either cannot or will not invest in public transport without partnership contributions from the Commonwealth. And since we know that Abbott won’t invest in anything except roads, the prospects for advancement of a public transport agenda are dim at best.

What a tragedy.

The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... -misguided

[monotonehell]

Sorry Dog, you miss public sentiment....One wonders what government debt would be had the former goevernment continued on its merry way.... Also with regards to boat people....ditto. No credibility on either.

further...the educated debate should not be on keeping a list of the current governments broken promises..rather if ever increasing debt and illegal immigrants are good. or bad for Australia as a whole. Most beleive on those points, the former government has NO credibility, and the current government is still "jury to decide"

The former government has no credibility, that is true. The former government is no longer in power. It would do us good to concentrate on the current government's actions.

The current government's actions are short sighted and will do us more damage than good. They are winding back anything that will move us forward, while making sure that any value still left in the country's publicly held assets are extracted and funnelled into the short term profits of certain monopolies.

[Dog]

"liberal Senator Cory Bernardi hits out at step families" well Mr perfect if you are going to get all moral on us, you probably need to have a good look at your own lifestyle, Is a father living a single life in Canberra for a good part of the year any more conducive to good family life?


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[Waewick]

"liberal Senator Cory Bernardi hits out at step families" well Mr perfect if you are going to get all moral on us, you probably need to have a good look at your own lifestyle, Is a father living a single life in Canberra for a good part of the year any more conducive to good family life?


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are you suggesting he shouldn't be a politician because he is also a father?

Perhaps parliament needs to be more accessible and let Cory work from home

[Nathan]

Perhaps parliament needs to be more accessible and let Cory work from home

But that would mean he'd be in Adelaide more.

[monotonehell]

Perhaps parliament needs to be more accessible and let Cory work from home

But that would mean he'd be in Adelaide more.

He probably shouldn't be allowed out of his house, he's one of those dangerous types who believe in ideology despite evidence. He looks at aspects of society and attributes cause where there isn't even correlation let along causation. He's a climate change denier.

He's also the instigator of a lot of underhanded astro-turfing efforts in recent times. His front "Conservative Leadership Foundation" has been busy setting up numerous single-issue websites at arm's length, but also funnelling donations back to himself.

Even the Liberal Party are ashamed of him. He's already been back-benched, next he'll be running as an independent.

[Dog]

"liberal Senator Cory Bernardi hits out at step families" well Mr perfect if you are going to get all moral on us, you probably need to have a good look at your own lifestyle, Is a father living a single life in Canberra for a good part of the year any more conducive to good family life?


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are you suggesting he shouldn't be a politician because he is also a father?

Perhaps parliament needs to be more accessible and let Cory work from home

Cory Bernardi can do what he wants as far as I am concerned and I have no problem with him taking a moral stand on abortion as a personal issue, but I find him a bit hypocritical moralising about the lives of others including step parents when, as a federal politician he would hardly ever be at home. Also he is happy to argue away the penalty rates of low paid workers when he is on over $195,000 and eligible for more taxpayer funded perks than you can poke a stick at!


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[Waewick]

"liberal Senator Cory Bernardi hits out at step families" well Mr perfect if you are going to get all moral on us, you probably need to have a good look at your own lifestyle, Is a father living a single life in Canberra for a good part of the year any more conducive to good family life?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

are you suggesting he shouldn't be a politician because he is also a father?

Perhaps parliament needs to be more accessible and let Cory work from home

Cory Bernardi can do what he wants as far as I am concerned and I have no problem with him taking a moral stand on abortion as a personal issue, but I find him a bit hypocritical moralising about the lives of others including step parents when, as a federal politician he would hardly ever be at home. Also he is happy to argue away the penalty rates of low paid workers when he is on over $195,000 and eligible for more taxpayer funded perks than you can poke a stick at!


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Politicans seems to be very good at increasing their own income

[Nathan]

Politicans seems to be very good at increasing their own income

I've got no problem with politicians earning a good income. Not being paid enough is the reason we end up with duds, as otherwise good candidates are stolen away by the private sector where they can earn much better money.

[metro]

Even the Liberal Party are ashamed of him. He's already been back-benched, next he'll be running as an independent.

Years ago, you could have said the same thing about Tony Abbott, and he's the Prime Minister now. I believe the brain-dead masses of Australian voters will elect someone like Cory Bernardi to be PM one day.

[claybro]

Unfortunately, our politicians of all sides have increasingly become focused on fringe issues, which appeal to loud vocal minorities (and the sensationalist media) in order to distract attention to their own lack of performance of the real issues they are elected for. A large percentage of the polulation is complacent and gets led by the media, telling them what to think, and we get the politicans we deserve. We are served up absolute garbage.

[rev]

Even the Liberal Party are ashamed of him. He's already been back-benched, next he'll be running as an independent.

Years ago, you could have said the same thing about Tony Abbott, and he's the Prime Minister now. I believe the brain-dead masses of Australian voters will elect someone like Cory Bernardi to be PM one day.

Or worse, Bill Shorten.

[Waewick]

Even the Liberal Party are ashamed of him. He's already been back-benched, next he'll be running as an independent.

Years ago, you could have said the same thing about Tony Abbott, and he's the Prime Minister now. I believe the brain-dead masses of Australian voters will elect someone like Cory Bernardi to be PM one day.

I always hear that the Australian public is brain dead, depends on who is in power and who is making the comments.

Abbott isn't Bernardi, in the same way that Shorten isn't Rudd

[monotonehell]

...Abbott isn't Bernardi...

Are we sure about this? Or is it that Abbott just isn't as foot in the mouth vocal about it? Take a list of what Bernadi stated in his rant, compare it to a list of what Abbott has said over the past year or two. Same.

[Dog]

Abbott just has better minders than Cory Bernardi,


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