text:
This page updates automatically
Personalise your news, save articles to read later and customise settings
This page updates automatically
This is not the Govt of innovation.
The word we hear every two minutes.
This is the Govt of improvisation. Improvising all through QT with outlandish waffling comments.
They are the improvisers of policy on the run..
Will the Greens sign their political death warrant?
Is it tonight or tomorrow?
Will there be a photo with the PM?
Another day of nothing from the Turnbull/Abbott/Seinfeld government. Oh except of course Abbott white anting and a serious defence leak to The Australian's Greg Sherridan. I wonder if Tony knows anything about that. I'm sure the AFP will get to the bottom of it...........in the next decade or so.
Sheridan says Abbott didn't leak it.
Well, as it was supposedly the "updated" version it could only have been leaked by a Minister or bureaucrat who'd owned or possessed a copy.
Abbott isn't one of those people.
No, it was a draft copy written when Abbott was PM. See 5.04pm
4:24pm Gary Gray is like Joe Bullock. They don't seem to understand that there is a world of difference between having an independent opinion and creating mischief for your party. Maybe they should consult Tony Abbott.
Turnbull's politics are easily summed up: a fiscal conserative; a social wet.
In the current climate, it's difficult to reconcile said dichotomies; but, reconcile them he must.
If doesn't, he'll be cactus.
And, if I maybe so bold, a clue Mal: middle-Australia won't contenance too much more of your hesitance, as measured by the polls.
Judith Ireland :
Seems Senator Lazarus thinks the coalition is in caretaker mode.
Football does that ..... he thinks they are moving at a slow pace when in reality they stopped before the boats did.
4:27 - "I don't leak", I flood!
Was the Defence leak SUBS-tantial?
Well done on be awarded the gong, Acg.
Cheers Jason, I was just improvising.
We all should be on pollie super - no board of directors at all and look at the return!
Abbott knows his onions obviously but does he know a leek when he sees one?
He certainly knows how to spring unions.
I wonder if the Government's paltry performance today is in consequence of yesterday's Essential poll result, which although was in line with Newspoll's 2PP of 50:50, Labor's PV vote moved to 38%.
Nah, that's poor conjecture, so too is the trend which is allegedly in train.
All these recent polls must surely be outliers.
If the ALP was a movie, it'd be The Minority Report.
Never too excited about the big issues, always trying to create victims.
If the LNP was a movie it would be 'Titanic'
Pelican brief for your mob.
Its like playing "At the Movies 1980" with you.
I was thinking Scarface. You know, the illegal boat migrant who landed in Miami and made it to the big time through perseverance, determination and hard work. Then blew it at the end.
Ha ha good comeback Arthur.
Although remember it won several Oscars, and coincided with Howard's first term. His heart did go on after that too. And on, and on ....
enough is enough
Channeling Abbott again.
if the LNP was a movie, it'd be The Pet Detective
always a little surprise tucked away
Ha ha Hacka
truffles is no Leonardo diCaprio and Hockey's award for deserting while sinking wasn't an Oscar.
As for Howard - just conducting the band - glub glub.
There's nothing like a good leak.
When your own position is a bit bleak.
The Pulse 4:27PM
Abbott forgot ..... so I will say it for him :
"I don't snipe"
Bet that gave everyone a good laugh this Wednesday afternoon.
Gary Gray still keeps Resources and Northern Australia - but I thought traitors don't get rewarded. Oh that's right, it's the ALP where you can do what ever you want. The Club is the Club, no matter what.
enough is enough
Now now let's not go all Benedict Arnold .
After all if it wasn't for Gary Grey sleeping on the job Abbott might have been done for charging the taxpayer for his book signing, his pollie pedal.
Turnbull got rewarded.
Pen, where do I start. Obama wants you on the next military freight plane to NATO headquarters to deal with Putin. He's heard of your complex strategic thinking on military hardware. Obama thinking that if you start at Russia and work towards the East, you can eventually deal with China and North Korea.
enough is enough
Australia subs won't be able to get past New Zealand's defenses.
Be lucky to make it there submerged.
Really shouldn't be indulging in this because they are coffins.
Mr Broad, my MP who promotes in our local Papers the use of 457's and Seasonal Workers rather than promoting employing locals.
Mr Broad, my MP who refers to Refugees as The Worst of The Worst.
Another careerist and as rabid right wing as you can get.
eie would love him. I see that he won a Nuffield Scholarship.
Why don't you both become Farmers - Orchardists - and invest your life, about $3million and see what you earn without ready and cheap labor.
yes he did.
Leapfrogged from the VFF to Mallee.
There was an anti Wind farm Meeting in Warracknabeal yesterday and what's the bet he had something to do with organising it..
If he wasn't in the House that's where he would've been.
Irony is where one is to be located is on one of his old mate's farm from the VFF.
Not Happy Andrew.
With the AFP investigating just about everything in the Liberal Party its only a matter of time before they ask ScoMo for a top up.
Must be plenty in the Liberal Party who wish Abbott was still boarding with the AFP.
I know...a royal commission into the LNP...I wonder if Dyson is still available?
So Tanya and Terri will be on the ALP Mardis Gras float on Saturday night. Hopefully they have the guts to explain the ALP SSM Policy 2007-2013 to the bystanders throwing glitter.
enough is enough
You be careful with that glitter.
4.12 pm: And there you go, even Adam Bandt knows that Labor MPs are pushing for same sex marriage only for their own personal careers!
Why didn't Labor vote with Adam when they had the chance? Because it wasn't an election year.
@3.57. Bullock is concerned with children not having a mummy and daddy but ok with Shorten's policy on having children in Nauru? Shame his concern for children isn't consistent. Maybe activists should change tactics and make the case that refugee kids are under the care of same sex couples on Nauru.
Bit of ironing by Pyne telling Butler she is playing cheap politics. It was Abbott's cheap politics that got us here which is why he knifed Abbott to support Turnbull.
Irony? But appropriate typo.
Bandt, calling out the homophobes.
enough is enough
shhhh !
Don't let everyone know your position.
Work, Save, Invest zzzzzzz
The Pulse 3:57PM
It must be galling for the Prime Minister of Australia to have to listen to this ACL crap about a child needing 2 opposing gender parents to become a good citizen.
For christs sake someone tell them that Turnbull was bought up by his father !
Will we hear more about the monopoly that the right wing has over their Pal(l) Mal(l)? He's being left Strand-ed and must be feeling he has been sent to Coventry. He may be agile but not Fleet enough of foot to escape them. They have him tied up in pretty knots and a Bow. They put on the Water Works and he crumples.
Sounds like you have a Monopoly on this.
In breaking news Hillary Clinton has won American Samoa. A total of 4 delegates. Don't laugh. Could be handy to know for trivia night.
So Hilary has won American Samoa. I bet the inhabitants didn't know it was on the market. Sounds like what happens in Australia where the land is being sold out from under us. Does that make our government sell-outs?
thanks god bullock's gone
a DLP throwback
I feel cleansed.
Cmon LNP, time to get rid of your right wing rump.
He should never have been preselected.
Hopefully labor are learning about true reform.
Sure appears so.
The uproar over Lisa Singh may have resonated.
Lots of comments now that he has gone. Much like some of the others that have recently thrown in the towel. Hindsight experts.
Pyne calls it "cheap politics" the antics that take place in the chamber. Does he think politicians aren't paid enough? I thought they were paid to make decisions on our behalf.... obviously not
OK so Turnbull and Morrison have this new mantra that the coalition are transitioning the economy. So what is the reality? After nearly 3 years in government all they have done is support mining and dirty energy with a bit of money thrown out to corporate/Chinese farming. They have sought to destroy manufacturing with intent with the car manufacturing industry getting shunted and major losses in defence in Vic and SA. They didn't care because manufacturing is in labor country. So what, eh. Having found themselves in serious trouble in both states now they are trying to make up ground and have even appointed Pine as Industry Minister to try and save his hide in SA. I don't think so folks.
transitioning the economy from a retirement village to a nursing home
I'm yet to hear Turnbull, Morrison or Pyne nominate the industries they're hoping will be driving our new economy.
Yeah gotta laugh, LNP said they wouldn't trust the shipyards in SA to build a canoe...and now without further ado submarines are on the horizon...
3.35 pm: Christopher Pyne is right.
you don't mind if I don't take your word for it Sharron/Sharron?
I agree...more should support SSM.
Pyne is right about Butler using SSM only to gain publicity for herself.
Last night - Bills to release $2.2b pass lower house, not a word today about the growing debt or the financial mismanagement.
After days of wide-ranging debate from all sides of politics, legislation to release an extra $2.2 billion for government spending have passed the lower house.
Two appropriation bills, which allocate spending in addition to the May budget, list spending ranging from half a billion dollars to a few thousand dollars across government.
The bills give the immigration department $447 million to deal with onshore detention, refugee resettlement and asylum-seeker processing and will head to the Senate, where passage is expected.
You won't hear Shorten and Bowen mentioning those "D" words!
Just like Swannie used to avoid them like the plague, Bowen and Shorten are continuing in that ALP tradition of Swannie and thinking if you don't mention them they will go away.
Does Shorten or Bowen have a plan to address the debt and deficit they loaded the country with?.
@andrew All you have to do is go the ALP site and you'll find that they do. Unlike these incompetent fools ho are supposedly running this country at the moment.
3.21 pm: Ms Butler, you don't speak for all Australians, even Labor MPs are jumping ship because of your same sex marriage push!
You mean that one fossil Bullock. Don't let the truth get in the way...
Well they're not jumping ship to the LNP. I got no problem with Ms Butler pushing this. I have a problem with how she can be so pushy for SSM and so blaise about children in detention. Definitely inconsistency in her convictions, which is a sure sign of someone who is in it for their career and seat.
PP - Well, she is Rudd's replacement in that seat - taint by association maybe?
Correct Sharron, only for about 75% of them according to recent polling.
Isn't democracy wonderful, some right wing christians can stand in the way of the will of the people.
@Piped Piper you mean blaise, like Dutton and Turnbull?
I've heard The Greens have developed a new social media drone that hunts down all forms of intelligent life and tries to scare the bejeezus out of it by posting endless horror stories.
Apparently its called the Non-Factinator.
You're safe.
Fancy that, I thought it was called the Labor GSTerminator...wonders never cease - maybe it was a unity thing.
I know, I've got a built-in greenie BS detector Mk 2.
Now that's funny.
Will you be at the Mardi Gra ?
Showing everyone.
Then the LNP has nothing to worry about!
Those on the right are gutless, is there any who have crossed the floor?
Morrison should do some research about how many people negatively gear, and who they are. Obviously most of those sitting behind him do, and opposite him as well. And most of his mates and people he talks to after the Sinday sermon. (Sorry, Sunday- a typo too good to delete). But he seems to think that virtually everybody owns two houses, and negatively gears one.
He may well find that there actually are Australians who do not own two houses. Many don't even own one. Most struggled to pay off one, or like me are still struggling even though I'm retired. Not only is it a straw man argument (he's arguing against wiping negative gearing, but Labor proposes only a partial winding back of future negative gearing), it's likely to appeal only to a small number of people.
What happened to the meek shall inherit the earth, Christians are no longer humble they are money hungry for themselves.
Tony's wink appears to be failing ...
overuse injury
Its now turned into a nervous twitch.
At least we know that he does not background or leak.
That is what a chief of staff is for.
Whatever - it still makes me gag!
@3:37 - Mr Pyne,
The whole LNP approach is treating SSM as a stunt. The plebiscite is nothing but a delaying tactic; Your right wing has indicated they will not support a positive outcome.
The Pulse 3:37PM
I'm not keen on voting on every piece of Legislation.
That's what I pay politicians in Canberra to do.
Pyne is a gornisht !
I hope the good burghers of Sturt vote for Matthew Wright, the surgeon who is standing for NXT.
Pyne says not Parliament, Plebiscite, not Playing Politics...Piffle
I think Pyne just called out Butler's stunt as a "publicity stunt"....totally correct... But, she gets her foto on this site, which is what she wanted.
Paul is a one trick pony when it comes to Terri Butler.
yes of course - all she has ever wanted and worked for is to have her photo on the Pulse site and now it has happened. I expect we will hear of her resignation forthwith
Yes, shame on that MP for being consistent on a topic. Much better she pander to the Cory Bernardi-types of the party room and suppress what they truly believe.
Good to see a photo of her facing the Speaker as opposed to the usual one of her departing the House after getting the boot yet again. The one constant is that her mouth is always pictured open, shouting imprecations
Silly comment
... and what you really really wanted, isn't it Paul.... Paul....
and that's all she wanted.
She is easier on the eye than that Pyne dude, who would you rather look at, ok we know Christopher, to each his/her own
fib - Have you seen her in a Chicken picture lately?
Yay Paul. Regular as clockwork.
If she was on 'mute' permanently that would be great!!
@fiberal and she far smarter than Pyne as well.
With commodities remaining in the doldrums GDP growth for 2015-16 is expected to be no higher than 2.6-2.7%. It is not yet July and you are saying that the year's GDP is 3%. Should we now refer to you as Jesus?
He can't be Jesus, that job has been taken.
How about son of, son of, son of Jesus ?
Pen - it's a bit hard to work out where your confusion is here. The ABS has calculated that as of the December quarter 2015, the Australian annualised growth rate is 3.0%. They even published on their website (links already kindly provided).
If you'd like to argue about methodology, assumptions, seasonal adjustment theories, the impact of commodities, advanced stealth fighter radar-cloaking techniques, or the theories of relativity or evolution, best to take it up with the ABS.
As for Jesus, well sorry, i'm not much of a disciple.
This is not the Govt of innovation.
The word we hear every two minutes.
This is the Govt of improvisation. Improvising all through QT with outlandish waffling comments.
They are the improvisers of policy on the run..
That's what we hear when MT is trying to avoid or deflect the question. He seems to be following the scripture from the book of Abbott these days. I suspect our PM has become little more than a marionette of the Right.
well it sure is rubbish improv
I've heard better at Year 2 concerts
stevek, I saw last week as a defining few days with Labor putting forward a well measured policy on NG. Shorten exhibited much strength of character.
Well the media management team must've had a weekend retreat with Mal and Scotty.
Because all they've done is revert to cheap Abbott politics, improvisation and yet more waffle.
The great scare campaign effect.
Rod, yes like something from primary school.
And yet people entrust them to run the show.
If we are lucky, there might be one sound bite on the evening new. Other than that, the care factor is quite low; except here of course.
Photo 3:02pm Malcolm is looking at trying to untie the knots that the backbench and right wing have got him trussed up in. Shame he can't "trust" those in his own party.
I thought he was checking to see if it was a YSL or an Armani.
Then he realised it was a Dior.
Surely seeing if it is long enough?
ACG, by the look on his face I thought he would be thinking 'of course, only Roberto Cavalli for me'.
Can someone please throw Chris Bowen a flotation device? He is about to disappear below the waves as he thrashes around trying to stay afloat in a sea of confusion and self-inflicted debris.
Coming off the SS Slomo slowly sinking.
What do we do now Captain DD, ummm...errr...ask Captain Stupid if he has any ideas.
Don't you mean Scott M? He seems to have already drowned and requires immediate medical assistance. Bowen is killing it.
Captain "Smith" Morrison
" I know this is not the Titanic.
Nevertheless, Be British"
Seems Abbott and his minions are holding Mals anchor. No flotation device will work there.
Turnbull's ranting scare campaign against NG is what Tony Abbott's scare campaign was to the carbon tax, a daily rant that it will destroy our way of life, they have nothing to say, so what do they do
Trash what the other side proposes relentlessly denouncing it, without any concrete evidence in the desperate hope it scares enough people to vote for this sh!!e
Seriously, Negative Gearing is going to destroy our way of life?
Doubt it, runaway population growth might.
Re: "Mr Abbott said he was "flabbergasted" that the submarine timetable he was working on had blown out by a decade."
Flabbergasted he should be by wasting so much of tax payers money?
Advanced technologies employed in s anti sub warfare (ASW) include exploiting the rapidly increasing computing power of sensors and networks. When coupled to the operational persistence afforded by Sea Basing, such systems will provide pervasive awareness by way of hundreds, even thousands, of small sensing and computing devices in the ocean environment, yielding unprecedented situational awareness and highly detailed pictures. Tremendous fidelity will enable enhanced precision and timeliness in weapons delivery that will translate into increased tactical speed and operational agility as principal characteristics of CONOPS.
Self-aware, autonomous sensor fields coupled with manned and unmanned kill vehicles will shift ASW from "platform-intensive" to "sensor-rich" operations. Sensors and networks will enable effective employment of weapons and platforms to a greater degree than ever before.
Furthermore Russia put a satellite into space last year for the detection and tracking of submarines from space. The project was confirmed years ago by Russian defence industry spokesman Vladimir Boldyrev, of the Kosmonit science and technology centre. He confirmed then that a space satellite module could carry out remote sensing of the sea and "detect submerged submarines."
So the LNP brains trust advocate spending $150 billion on submarines? As if the F35 fiasco wasn't enough stupidity to last ten terms of government?
I agree DoD should cancel the sub and remaining F-35 orders and go for drones instead. The US Navy is considering replacing the F-35 with drones and there are fears that the Russians are developing a drone that hunts F-35s.
greenie armchair generals in furious agreement, all sound and fury, signifying....
The Russkies have probably got schoolkids developing a drone that hunts F-35s.
Has anyone informed the Minister for Magic
Abbott blaming Turnbull for the Subs is a bit rich. Abbott could have given the contract to SA and therefore supported SA and won a lot of goodwill in the community in doing so but he instead chose his ideology over what is best for the country and he tried to award the contract to Japan.
This is a serious question the Liberals are going to have to answer one day very soon. Who do you serve, your ideology or your country? Because so far, all they seem to serve is their failed ideology and they repeatedly make bad decisions for Australia based on this ideology.
Its time to wake up Liberals and start putting your Country and its Workers FIRST! Stop selling out our interests based on your failed ideology.
Your elected to serve the Australian people and your services are not for sale to the highest bidder or donor. Do what is right by your Country and its people First.
They're not listening snapper.
They don't give a damn about workers unless they are foreign or they are at the top end of the food chain.
they don't care for Australia or our future, they care but for themselves.
"your services are not for sale to the highest bidder or donor"
Wow snapper, this is news to me!
Just checked the time on my Rolex.
Must dash, pip pip old thing.
Yeah, it is pretty sad stuff ACG and Fizzy. They will follow their Ideology to the detriment of the Workers and would rather promote an economy based on massive housing debt, in order to make their Property Baron Mates and Donors even more wealthy at the expense of the average Australian.
Apparently, according to the Liberals, people owing a Million Dollars to the bank just to put a roof over their head is a good thing. According to the Liberals, young people being priced out of the market is a good thing. According to the Liberals, an Economy being driven by Mortgage Debt is a good thing.
And why is this a good thing? Because it means their Wealthy mates and donors become even more wealthy, whilst the rest of the population is crushed under massive debt.
This is a Ponzi Scheme. It keeps ticking along because people are forced to borrow more and more just to put a roof over their heads but sooner or later, the cost will get too much and when that happens, the Ponzi scheme collapses. But by that time, all the Liberals mates and donor will have made off like bandits leaving the poor old mum and dad home owners to pick up the pieces.
The Liberals refusal to fix Negative Gearing and Capital Gains is just their way of keeping the Ponzi Scheme alive. They know the problems and they know Labors policy will fix them but they don't care. They just want to squeeze a few more years out of it before it all comes crashing down. The Liberals are not fit to run our economy.
Josh is concerned.
Not concerned enough to meet the representatives from Oman Ama (Qld) who came to see him in Canberra yesterday.
Appears they are not keen on being a dumping ground for nuclear waste.
Josh's concern.
Hope all these "concerned" anti nuclear waste people never have a cancer that requires treatment and will create3 nuclear waste. or in fact a reason to visit any major hospital who currently store their own nuclear waste as they might get contaminated!.
May be the plan to turn down radiotherapy options on the grounds it will create nuclear waste!
PS have these people never heard of making appointments?
Appointment made ..... Josh reneged.
Residents won't have to worry about their farming land making them ill ..... the nuclear remedy will be right there .
Hey !
Turnbull just said that the buyer of a new apartment off the plan would NOT BE ALLOWED to later sell the property to an investor.
Lies don't come much bigger than that in the House.
Unless he really doesn't understand it himself?
Try to keep up, he was talking in the context of negative gearing! Chris Bowen is also struggling to understand as well so you are not alone.
Subdivide Kirribilli House.
There's only 1 family living there .... part time.
Mal and Lucy are not using it.
So must be some squatters there AG.
More Govt waste.
1 million homeless.
4 million part time workers.
Yeah ...... negative gearing is wonderful.
Right up there with the 3% ..... that is actually 0.25 points behind Australia's average growth.
52 mushroom pickers imported from China/Taiwan....
For those that took umbrage with my assessment of Joe Bullock, policy should not be made because of the personal feelings of one person, why would you need to resign your commission because you disagreed on an issue with your party
Just because Joe don't agree with ssm, the country doesn't have to follow suit, if that's his views, fine, but it should not be policy because of it
Just because <insert politician name here> agrees with ssm, the country doesn't have to follow suit, if that's his/her views, fine, but it should not be policy because of it
Spoken like a touch footy coach down 10 - nil at half time.
Turnbull will call the DD for April, he can't afford to let Morrison hand down the Budget.
Re: tram Drivers:
Could we please have a definition of "many" and I don't mean the Mexican Roller Gamer. Is it more than two? The number two that is, because it is definitely not more than 2%.
In a novel twist to the tried and true method of the Oozlum bird, the Government now plans to fix the economy by having property investment fly in ever INCREASING circles until the financial viability of the nation disappears… somewhere.
The rest of the Libs might as well go home, it looks like the Morrison half hour on TV
Even when the PM gets a question, he hand balls it to ScoMo
Oops, he's up again
2:52 - Chris Bowen - it's all very well suggesting Morrison doesn't know how negative gearing works.
But out of interest, could you tell us what the tax free threshold is ?
Can always ask any big corporation...according to apple...about $20Billion.
Cheap shot Hacka. Of course he knew what it is; just couldn't answer on the occasion. Hasn't your mind gone blank on occasions (avoiding the temptation of a cheap shot)?
Comparing apples with oranges again? Fruit salad is overrated.
Vote Mal - pay that one, very good.
Just stuck my head in during a busy day...if that's your best shot @H I might come back later.
I'd like to see some polling from the marginal seats in NSW.
The member for Lindsay has had questions on Monday and Tuesday and appeared on The Drum last night.
That's a lot of exposure, especially now they have yet more new Ministers needing a run in the media.
Well one thing is certain, ScoMo has ruled himself out of becoming a future PM with this debacle of a performance in QT
Not a good look for a leader
Couldn't agree more, fiberal. He's like a very bad ham actor pretending to be the nation's Treasurer.
...it worked against powerless boat people.
He's a prime example of the Peter Principle. He won admirers during his stint at Immigration and Border Control (I wasn't one of them); he was able to show his softer side in SocServ but still liked to carry a stick to poke at the downcast. As Treasurer, he is all over the place and totally unsuited for the job.
Hmm, sounds like someone has had lessons from a certain MP (but not for much longer) Mr. Pyne.
It's very hard not to rant and rave when you confront such gross stupidity on the other side of the House. They don't even understand how their own thought bubble works.
But Scott, just five minutes ago you said buying a new property is a sure fire way to lose money at the turn of a key.
Thing 1 & Thing 2
Chris Bowen & Tony Burke.
Not even the Cat in the Hat can help these two.
So I presume the things are Scomo and Pyne?
Was that a comment or a cryptic crossword clue?
You get more sense from Scomos QT answers.
I thought that guy with the beard looked like Bowen! Wasn't he the guy that was responsible for stuff-up after stuff-up in the RGR years? No wonder he's trying to disguise himself...
What DO those two women who sit behind Turnbull and nod their heads actually DO?
I heard the one that took Thomson's seat of Dobbell actually speak to the House last week. McNamara?
Better at nodding than speaking.
They negatively gear investment properties.
If you ask Tony or Bernardi, the response will probably be;
The ironing.
...must be tram drivers out of parliament?
The Speaker will remove himself under 94a.
Especially when you are paid $1000 per minute for thinking.
Tram drivers using NG, were are they sleeping ScMo, in the tram depot, while others pay them rent
You will notice how Morrison steers clear of mentioning the very rich who NG, those in his own party room, one who has 32 properties NG
Now you can see why they are screaming blue murder about fiddling with NG, and it's sweet all about the moms and dads getting ahead
Can we poll all the tram drivers in this country and see what number negative gear a property.
Apparently, tram drivers are all property moguls.
Scomo and Turnbull are just dribblers.
Do you think the ATO is making up people's occupations now ?
Only poor people negatively gear and as a gubment we are determined to preserve their rorts.
they and doctors and nurses and paramedics must be the only people with jobs.
457s could be a growth industry in those areas.
Invest in 457s, the backbone of the new economy.
No, I do understand we have tram drivers in this country. But I am pretty sure the number of tram drivers in this country would be lucky to number more than 200.
So according to Scomo, all 200 tram drivers are negative gearing a property. Seems reasonable to poll these 200 and get a good account of the number of properties they negative gear wouldn't you think Andrew???
Wonderful sn't it, the India doctor that owns the house in live in mustn't have been counted.
Dirk but the ATO already has the numbers.
So why do we need to poll them?
Mostly to make scomo look stupid.
There is a very good chance that no tram drivers negative gear a house.
If he wants to make statements about something he knows absolutely nothing about, he must expect to get called out. Sorry if I hurt his feelings.
Blue suit, blue shirt, blue tie.
Ciobo dressed to impress for his first Dixer.
I really, really don't like him.
I've never forgotten his comments about JG.
Exactly my thoughts
Does Scott Morrison realise that the nurses, the policemen, the ambulance drivers and tram drivers who don't negatively gear property, are paying for the negative gearing of the nurses, the policemen, the ambulance drivers and tram drivers who do?
He never thinks these things through.
Maybe he should check around Canberra the amount of senior public servants NG.
AFP need to establish a permanent investigation force in parliament house.
Who leaked the White Paper?
Who would be so vengeful that he would bring our National Security down to the level of playing a political game?
What is the punishment for treason?
Hung drawn and quartered...unless you are a man of title...hang on who was it brought back knights and dames?
Malcolm did his best to downplay this, but it is going to become a very very big story.
Only a Treasurer with no idea could equate a new home to a new car when it comes to resale value.
Morrison is a liability.
he gets confused easily, still thinks he is an asset.
Can we have a two-thirds real questions, one-third dixers Question Time? Or all the dixers at the end?
That's the second question in a week that Bowen should have had written by somebody else.
@2.08 - "you don't rush to failure"
Correct Scotty that's why the Government waited two years before installing you as Treasurer.
Especially when you are paid $1000 per minute for thinking.
industry is certainly firing.
457s are "used" here, and skilled Aussies go to New Guinea for work.
Great system your lot put in place and maintain.
52 mushroom pickers on 457 visas have been underpaid.
How many "guest" workers are there in Australia?
As poor as Joe Hockey was as treasurer, and he was poor, ScoMo is making Joe look like an absolute genius
When a man has to resort to tell stories about how great he was in another portfolio, instead of staying on track with his current one,his time is up, next
At least you can listen to MT...OMG Morrison is a horror movie
Scotty's also undertaken a traineeship in waffling. Just has the volume turned up with some facial gymnastics.
Check out the shrill Treasurer, shrieking like a banshee in QT, they have had two and a half years to formulate policy, and what have we got, we are taking our time, to get a policy he states, just how much time do you inept mugs need, one policy, one will do for a start, please, talk about useless
Can't stand listening to the no stop drivvle of Morrison in particular.....verbal diarrhea at its worst and very aggressive. How could any calm reasonable person listen to his style of communicating?
Try again, Hacka
All of the figures cited by me are taken from ABS 1345.0 - Key Economic Indicators, 2016
Your 3% growth is a furphy.
Pen - we're getting into some applied mathematics here, but if you add four quarters of growth together, you get an annual figure.
Pay particular attention to the part where the ABS reports that seasonally adjusted Dec Qtr 2014 to Dec Qtr 2015 growth = 3.0%.
Anything else you need ?
Morrison just demanded to know how the Labor Party could have been discussing its NG/CGT policy for eight months when Shorten had said he had no plans on that front nine and twelve months ago.
Yep, he's bright this one.
.......he did say 18 months if you had been listening!
The word for the day is "Innovation"
Just in case you missed it in QT, innovation, innovation, innovation, I am up to here, in innovation Malcolm
How innovative can they be than spend up to $74.3 billion on a crippled dog called the F35?
And what about all of those military surface ships worth another $100 billion, sitting out there on the mill pond just waiting for an anti-ship missile to appear at hyper speed: Captian look on the hor...boom? Oh dear?
Turnbull and company want to spend a lot of money on targets for missiles.
All those heavy guns and they'll never get to fire a shot in anger.
In that case it will be money well spent.
Pen, why won't your calculator work out the sustainable population of Australia? surely someone with such superior numerical skills can tell us. Maybe start somewhere easy - how about Cocos Island? Fort Denison? just build up the numbers slowly and then add it all up.
1:12pm: "You're not really a member of Parliament until you've been hugged by Warren Entsch."
Damn. So much for all those plans I had of a glittering Parliamentary career.
Good on Russell Broadbent for doing this. The LNP is truly a party that is a broad church. Makes me wonder if anyone in the ALP has the guts to stand up to Shorten and do the same? I don't believe that all ALP MP's and senators besides Parke think sending children to Nauru is a great idea.
Yes good on him Piped. Broadbent was vocal along with Georgio, Troeth, Moylan and Baird under howard on the Refugee issue. He's the only one left.
Re Labor I attended a Refugee forum with Anna Burke as a KN Speaker last year.
She is also retiring as is McTiernan and Parkes.
What does the new economy look like?
What are the industries that will be driving it?
Australian industries:
- pork barrelling
- negative gearing
- gravy train
Check out J Bishop in QT, she looks so strung out, has not slept in a week by the looks of it
Busy admiring Malcolm it drains you.
True, not so fresh.
The Minister for Movie Stars has had a big week, Logies and all.
another plot hatching, it wears out even the most experienced of them all.
She looks OK to me , but you probably think Shorten is a stunner & all labor pollies are beautiful..
she does look badly drawn, I hope she will get erased soon lets the end of the next election and get some beauty sleep in opposition.
Wow, Turnbull has found a spine and is putting Abbott in his place. At last.
Whose spine was it?
Dunno lots of skeletons in the closet at LNPHQ ...eh Dirk.
Well done Joel....hope you are celebrating something else this year....its time ...its been 3 long years!
Poor old Joe Bullock, 60 years old, there are just some older people who are out of touch with modern Australia, there is a lot in the Liberal Party, running the country on personal religious beliefs
Denying others the same rights as they have, because they dance to a different tune
Religion aside, everybody has their own beliefs in one way or another, but you would berate Joe for his age & beliefs at the behest of your own & others of like mind? To do so, you then deny Joe the very same rights that you implore.
Because he isn't a labor sheeple & not a yes sir no sir 3 bags full, good on him for speaking his mind & resigning on his principle.
Zimmerman has a message for those that peddle prejudice, seems there are a lot in his own party room who would take umbrage with that statement, there are about 44 of them
Pen thinks the Australian military just want to take on China. Oh dear Pen, you have no idea do you. If you ever spoke with a Major General or a Brigadier or a Colonel they would tell you that military engagement is not all they do. Go on Pen, tell us what else they do with their ships, planes and land based equipment.
eie - she also seems to think that GDP growth numbers are produced by the Liberal Party. Maybe the internet doesn't work so well in hrba.
Oh you mean expeditions of humanitarian aid? The budget that was slashed? Well I suppose having a multi billion dollar helicopter carrier to ferry tents and water is yet another aspect of LNP waste?
There has been a shift in language on the timing of a normal election in the latter part of the year.
It has gone from Ausgust, September or October to now being July, August or September.
By next week it'll be May, June or July.
Now to get Stan Grant into parliament so we can get some real progress towards proper recognition of our first Australians.
That would be the best thing I've heard all day!
Yes waiting on him too, but mentioned Noel as he's been vocal and proactive for far longer.
He's not the man for the job.
"There should be a law against that."
The lads do protest too much?
1:42 - how very kind of Joel, Jenny, Kelvin and Albo to join in the celebrations of Howard's 20 years.
The class of 1996 eh?
Best go back and review all workplace agreements and enterprise bargaining contracts. No doubt the workers were duded out of $billions.
Hey dude don't call me dude!
Don't call me dude!
we certainly were dudded out of billions in the next 11 years.
One of the major election issues MUST be that the elected government is allowed to govern and be accountable for their decisions....the ALP and fool senators blocking gov't legislation is just wrong for our country.
Will the changes to allow preferential below the line allow non major parties to set up strings of votes or will we have to pick our on way thru and exclude Lib /Nat and green from our even dozen choices
Good old union Joe - Bullock by name, bullock by nature.....
Does the same go for you, Smack?
With a tag like that, very brave to be asking me. Should I strum my reply to the theme from Deliverance? No, please don't squeal...
Good on ole Anthony John, Abbott by name, Abbott by nature.
1.09 Kudos to Scullion for his bipartisan welcome to Pat.
Now Nigel get Magnifico Mal to put Noel in Brough's seat or the Senate and we may get somewhere.
Pen, I've heard the Greens defence white paper includes the relaunch of Starship Enterprise. Can you confirm or deny?
yeah yeah
and the cons are going to promote Cerebus as the latest in unsinkable Naval vessels.
Me thinks that you hear noises that are not there perhaps it is your invisible friend whispering like the wind.
I believe what you are exhibiting is an over-abundance of emotion, Captain einie. I am afraid I cannot help you with this behaviour
Mr Spock
At least I guess they're launching something. The LNP can't even launch a coherent tax review they've been talking about for 3 years now
Explain how one can relaunch something that is figment of imagination? You really are becoming more bizarre by the day, like the LNP all fantasy and substance.
I always thought that a double dissolution was called by the government of the day. As opposed to newspaper journalists that is.
Why didn't the Liberal Party try and recruit Pat Dodson
Because they don't give a damn about the first Australians, sure they go camping for a week with them, but that is window dressing, all for show, especially when the same guy demeans them that living in remote areas, is a life style choice
fiberal and if you recall prior to the glamcamping stunt the Ex went via Broome, home to many "lifestyle choices" including the "lifestyle choice" of one Kerry Stokes. Stokes got the visit, not those in true need.
Pat also hails from Broome, obviously preselecting him not on the radar.
Sarah HY may miss out when voting rules changed? Best news ever....!! Another useless senator can go and get a real job..
"Annual growth up 3%"?
Really how very odd? You best eExplain the latest ABS and Morgan figures
Actual New Capital Expenditure - 17.7%
Dwelling unit approvals - 8.7%
Building approvals - 4.7%
Unemployment rate - 0.4%
Morgan Consumer Confidence – 3 points
Inflation 4.8%
It strikes that you rely on far too much LNP bullshit and not enough on the facts.
Housing is the new economy, nothing else matters.
Pen, just to help you out, the GDP numbers come from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. They're a well known government agency, and not a subsidiary of the Liberal party.
You're welcome :-)
The best way to confuse conservatives is to use facts and logic.
Pen, how many Nuclear Armed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles should Australia have? and where should they be located? how about Cocos Island? Mawson Base? Norfolk Island? Kangaroo Island?
Would you be willing and able to carry the suitcase with the secret codes?
You tell who will sell them to us and then I will tell you how to deploy them? You do realise these things are nuclear do you, Nuffy. What did I tell you last week about a carpet ban on nuclear military technology?
Get grip, Nuffy.
Oh! I see now Shane, it was the senate's fault, then ask yourself why they refused to pass that piece of refuse into legislation
Because they saw it for what it was, a document to lash the poor, those at the lower end of the wage spectrum, exempting the well off/rich from any imposts
12.39, not exactly a look of welcoming warmth there Kev.
Kevin is positively glowering whilst Tony looks distinctly uncomfortable.
Alex always nails it Banjo. However I expect he could've been on long exposure for this pic, for the duration of his speech.
Spot on ACG. Kevin and Tony, the two yesterdays men of the Liberal Party are none too pleased in watching a new up and comer, who may well question their warped view of the world.
I wonder who told him not to mention his sexuality in his speech? Obviously someone who sees it as being an issue inside the party.
Maybe they would be happier if he was locked away in the basement somewhere to avoid them having to answer and uneasy questions.
snapper, yes I wonder.
And yes it's an issue within, a big issue.
There's quite a cluster in that part of the House.
Hacka is pleased the 3% is close to the average.
Then again everything Hacka supports is average.
If you knew anything about world economics you would realise that 3% growth in what was a commodities based economy is much better than most.
Sussan Ley would be happy with 3%. It would a glorious and emphatic win for the people
Why on earth SHOULD Morrison talk about tax when we are heading towards a budget. We are way out of line expecting any details.
When you haven't got much you've got to talk about something, anything.
Ahhh.... ACG!
So that is what they've been doing for two-and-a-half years?
Yes Jump if you say it quick enough it sounds like innovation.
11.48 am: Penny Wong? Why is Labor so worried about a DD election? Isn't that what Labor wanted? A snap election?
Morrison hints at future spending restraint after just announcing a trillion dollars in defence expenditure!!!! That is like telling a teenager that his credit card is maxed out but to just keep any future purchases down a little......... as long as mum and dad keep picking up the tab.
"War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking into the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent."
A Green
I see that Steve H is still in a state of confusion has to what the latest Russian technology is, he thinks the Mig 35 fighter can be compared with the F35?
Shall you tell him or shall I that the T50 has a range 1500 Km at supersonic flight.
Oh and at altitude: Mach 2.3 (2,440 km/h, 1,520 mph)
Supercruise: Mach 1.6 (1,700 km/h, 1,060 mph)
Range: 3,500 km (2,175 mi) subsonic
1,500 km (930 mi) supersonic
Ferry range: 5,500 km (3,420 mi) with one in-flight refuelling
Service ceiling: 20,000 m (65,000 ft)
How will his crippled dog survive?
Well so far the Russians have only managed to build 5 prototypes Pen, and it doesn't look like the Russians intend buying many of your wonder weapons in the future either:
"However in late 2015, Russian Deputy Minister Yuri Borisov announced that the Russian Air Force would only purchase a squadron (18-24 aircraft) of PAK FA fighter jets, and procure additional Sukhoi Su-35 aircraft instead."
So I don't see them being much a problem right now. This is problem with exaggeration Pen, it never quite goes the distance.
In fact once we get out of 'spin' territory the picture isn't so rosy for this one:
"Unfortunately for Russia, its PAK FA, also known as the T-50, is having developmental issues that put its entire premise of being a fifth-generation into question.
This is largely due to a lack of evolutionary technology aboard the plane compared to previous jets that Russia and the US have designed. Indeed, the PAK FA's engines are the same as those aboard Russia's 4++ generation (a bridging generation between fourth and fifth-generation aircraft) Su-35. Additionally, the PAK FA and the Su-35 share many of the same on-board systems.
And even when the PAK FA's systems are different from the Su-35's, the plane's specifications are still not up to true fifth-generation standards."
In fact the Russians themselves don't seem particularly impressed with either the technology or the cost of this wonder weapon Pen:
"Russian specialists familiar with the T-50 programme state that the aircraft will have trouble gaining traction in the Asian market as the on-board systems offer very little fifth-generation technologies despite what is projected to be a considerably higher price tag than the latest Su-35 'Flanker-E', ordered by China and Indonesia."
So according to your logic Steve the low number of T50's produced will remain the same even if tensions increase? I do not think so?
Sounds me like its going to be a squadron of face saving hangar queens buried somewhere east of the Ural mountains.
Mother Russia has let you down badly today comrade. Another tall story tomorrow?
Zimmerman is all class and a great role model for the community. Free to speak about his own life and related matters. If he was an ALP MP he would be muzzled and would be reading the usual ALP script.
You are so biased EIE to be taken seriously...can you acknowledge and accept his criticism of his own party on the lack of action on marriage equality too? Or is that going too far?
Yep its his 1st speech to the chamber alright unfortunately for you & your lot eie it will most likely be his last as well
I wonder how he will be voting in the plebiscite Eie.
The much vaunted plebiscite we are unlikely to ever see.
Of he can vote one way in the plebiscite, another in the house, for that is the con ideology.
I think its sad that the Coalition sole economic Policy is tax cuts. Everything is tax cuts. It reminds me of a League game after the siren and the team losing puts up a high up and under and pray that it comes out there way.
Tax cuts are the liberals equivalent of the Cowboys and JT.
Please there has to be something more than tax cuts
3 year term...less collateral damage by a incompetent 1 term govt.
Still waiting for Swannie's promised surplus
Still waiting for Joe's promised surplus.
What a fun game.
still waiting for Abbott's promised $500 reduction in my power bill.
4 year terms....4 years working out how to con and lie their way back to win the next election!
No, 3 years out of every 3 years is worrying about how they will win the next election and nothing about what they will actually do in govt.....get over it please.
Well Trent Zimmerman could be a breath of fresh air for the Liberals if he comes out in support of Me after giving a nod to the traditional owners. Recognition - tick? ME - tick? I wonder what he thinks of Safe Schools. We shall see. As for 4 team years, you could argue that the year lost to speculation about the next election is result of enthusiasm to get the incumbents out of office asap.
"And, because people seem to want to talk about tax, Mr Morrison calls it a day"
Of course he did. He's not going to fall for that old trick.
Pen, now that the Greens have lurched towards the right, still a way to go mind you but a start is a start - have they worked out what Australia's sustainable population is?
Ask the LNP they are ones increasing artificial population increase by one million every four years? I mean how stupid are they not to understand what the sustainable population is?
Good on you Zimmerman....you need to speak loudly over the likes of Bernadi, Christensen and Abbott.
11.48 am. Another gag - per coms Penny Wong.
Well Gillard and Rudd certainly gaged her on SSM.
Yes, you've mentioned it before.
Whoa, there, slow down, eie, slow down! Your fingers are getting all confused. Take a breath. Visualise a peaceful scene. Maybe even go for a five minute walk. You'll appreciate the break. (As will we all.)
enough is enough
3 quarters of the world gags on the Foreign Minister for Movie Stars.
I know what about a Maxist gag, I'm sure Chairman Jonny would approve...BTW haven't you been seconded to Nato einie?
Who is gagging Mal on SSM, the republic, climate change, NBN......................
Is there an economist on the room???
Maybe the treasurer SHOULD be one.
Now there's a novel idea
"I'm the treasurer not someone that know economics"
Good Grief
Sir Humphrey: Well obviously I'm not a trained lawyer, or I wouldn't have been in charge of the Legal Unit!
12.30pm The sound of hot air rising.
His seats probably still warm after Joe, the worst treasurer in Australian history.
Brian Owler might have been a better pick for the Labor party then Pat considering we are in a election year and health is one of the key fighting groung.
...excpet this is a WA senate position and Prof Owler is in Sydney. Let's give Pat Dodson a chance, shall we?
The problem with health costs is ever increasing privatisation; all we have to do is look at recent history of costs. Health expenditure in Australia in 2011-12 was approximately $140.2 billion for 23.3 million people, up from $82.9 billion in 2001-02 when the population was 18.9 million. Statistically based on 2001-02 figures one million people cost the health budget $43.96 million, in 2014 it was $60.17 million per million people. While the population has increased by 24.3% health costs increased by 69.1%.
In 2014‐15 the Australian Government health budget was $66.89 billion for 23, 513, 564 population = $2844.74 per head of population. In 2010-11 health cost $130.3 billion for a population of 22, 385 300 = $5820.78 per head of population. Therefore government is now spending 48.86% less on health per head of population while private health costs are increasing.
These figures reveal the true costs of increased privatisation and unsustainable population growth.
Here's a thought Pen,
Index the Medicare funding to the amount of increase gained by private health funds.
that is, if the minister approves a 6% rise, then medicare funding goes up by the same amount (in line with well documented reasons why health care has gone up for private users).
it means there will be huge incentives for the government to keep private increases to an absolute minimum.
Econorat, people won't even pay a few extra bucks to see the doctor. What makes you think they'd pay more for Medicare?
You missed my 'drift'. The government has a budget for public health funding, correct?
It is supposed to increase this funding from consolidated revenue each year, correct?
Well.... simply, if the private health funds ask for a 6% rise, then the government should then increase health budget by 6%, no questions asked.
let's see how keen they would be to see private health care go up then?
"When a government is looking to improve productivity one doesn't look to "increase the GST""
That's not in line with Chairman Jonny and the Maxist Party.
These Liberals would not know the truth if it jumped up and bit them in the face. Morrison claims there are good conditions for First Home Buyers despite home prices as a % of income are now at the highest they have ever been. Home prices use to be around 4 to 5 times the yearly wage and now that has increased to closer to 10 to 11 times the yearly wage so homes are now the LEAST affordable they have ever been.
As for the Liberals claiming how great it is that the Domestic Housing Market is driving the Growth, I think someone needs to point out that this is Growth driver by PERSONAL DEBT. You have an economy that is growing based on Debt. An Economy that is growing because people are required to take out record levels of debt, just to put a roof over their heads. In what universe is that something to be proud of?
Only a Liberal would try to spin this fact and turn it into a positive, whilst doing everything they can to block Labor from fixing the problem.
The Liberals are a reckless Government because they are promoting an economy built on debt, so what happens when the debt gets too large for the average person to service? The economy collapses that's what happens. As with Howard, this Government is building structural problems into the budget whilst blocking Labors attempts to fix them. They need to be stopped before even more damage is done. These Liberals are dangerous and have no idea how to run an economy.
Thanks Snapperhead - I agree with your summation.
Another one of your essays? Pass thanks.
While you're at it, could you please pass the salt?
You obviously didn't pass Houso as you took the time to comment.
Thanks again for adding so much to the debate. We wait with bated breath for your next insightful instalment.
BanjO: Oh, please not while i'm eating.
Good to see that Bill is following Tony Abbott's lead on Aboriginal Matters.
It is a shame though that it is political and not genuine. Where as Abbott was real and genuine!
Malcolm will never be able to do it as it is not in his stratosphere ..
So I wonder how he is gong to react when he sees a very large statue of a Aboriginal elder (Lady) perched in the water at Barangaroo from his Point Piper abode?
Most probably retire in the Cayman Islands with all his Tax benefits!
Wonder what Malcolm
I'm sorry - but what exactly did Abbott do for the aborigines other than talk big and slash their community programs.
But Greens' leader Richard Di Natale says he is confident Senator Hanson-Young will be fine and that the changes are necessary to fix a bad system.
Bad system, is that the same system we have been using for decades?
The one that seemed to have been working for both sides
But all of a sudden the current Government cannot get vile, cruel legislation passed through the senate
And the system needs changing in the hope that the Libs can get control of both houses, to enable them to push through the Abbott and Hockey budget, still lurking in the bowels of the senate
Judging by your vitriolic name, I'm guessing there is little chance of you seeing reason.
That being said, I'll try.
If you think that 0.5% of any primary vote is 'representative' you're on another planet.
Were you one of the 400+ who voted Muir into the Senate ?
You must then agree that someone getting 1.500 votes and being elected a senator is ok...?? That is simply ridiculous and proves the system is broken
Scott, had the ALP kindly left you a surplus after the GFC, then they would also have kindly left you the mother of all recessions. I think they did you a favour.
What a paltry press performance by Scott Morrison.
The extra $150 billion dollars of Liberal Budget Deficits that has been added to The Foreign Debt has pushed the foreign Debt through the magic
Well done !
You can add that to your record spend.
Annual growth of 3% - excellent news !
Better than expectations, better than trend, both Turnbull and Abbott can take some credit.
Is December Qtr the new EOFY?
@Hacka. Judging by the messages below I would have thought the sky was falling in? I remember how our friends use to have a go at Abbott for apparently talking the economy down but are now the same people indulging in the same behaviour they accused Abbott for.
Yes but under the comrades it would have been 300%!
Good we can now return to all our industries...hang on?
Oh Dear what will Mr Short-on policy have to say about that
Yes isn't it....but disposable income has fallen...didn't you see that? We are going backwards...and that's how people actually feel under this lousy govt.
Good news indeed about the growth figure. Credit should properly go to Wayne Swan for not handing the Liberals a massive recession, and the Senate cross bench for knocking back the growth killing measures of Joe's first budget.
If we are changing from a resources to a real estate economy we will be going nowhere...real estate is the non productive sector unless of course new dwellings boom under an ALP NG policy...more construction jobs and hence more growth. You should get excited Hacka.
Piped - as Aussies you'd expect everybody to be delighted at a better-than-expected growth number. It means more jobs, more government revenue, more investment.
SteveH - if you look below apparently Swannie should take the credit according to Gigondas. Seems a bit unfair to Keating and Jim Cairns.
As does the credit for the ever rising debt under this clown party hey??????????
with a burgeoning economy there will obviously be no need for cuts to services with increased tax receipts.
Is that how it works hacka?
Vote Pal: "Good we can now return to all our industries...hang on?"
But, whatever could this mean?
12:05 photo - Alex Ellinghausen - it's a bit rough to take ScoMo's drivers licence photo while he's giving a speech.
No that is for his NSW push bike licence...thanks Mike Baird.
I think it was a mistake of the Greens party establishment and members to elect Di Natale as their leader,
If this senate changes go through it will be the end of any kind of equity and Liberals will have total control like 2005.
Had it been Ludlam or Sarah Hanson Young as greens leader they might not have done the dirty deal with Liberals
I agree. I find his ambition more than a little off-putting
If ETU follows up on their treat and cuts funding to greens then it will be problematicfor them in election year as they are the largest doner to the Greens.
Di Natale should listen to Adam Bandt
Such a move to reform would've needed the support of The Party. The Greens don't do Captains Picks a la knighthoods.
The push for Reform was occurring well before DiNatale's rise to the top.
I think they've been caught off guard though.
But it still comes down to who "we" vote for.
Such a move to reform would've needed the support of The Party. The Greens don't do Captains Picks a la knighthoods.
The push for Reform was occurring well before DiNatale's rise to the top.
I think they've been caught off guard though.
But it still comes down to who "we" vote for.
The ALP propaganda scare campaign in full flow....they support people like Ricky Muir with 1.500 votes being elected a senator...what a JOKE that is...!!
The ALP have obstructed gov't in the senate and are a disgrace.
And the purpose of "The Line" on the ballot paper is... ?
To corral votes into the camps of the cashed up and sponsored at the expense of Independents.
I remind Nick Xenophon that he was elected to the SA Parliament with a primary vote of 2.8% and preferences from others.
Morrison is buttering us up for a real estate lead future. Get rid of those scientists and their Bunsen burners and funny notions about global warming; concrete slabs is the way to go.
It's all ideologically back to front isn't it Morrison.....shame you just can't engineer it isn't it? It's hard to reward the rich and punish the poor in an economic downturn isn't it Morrison?
Yes, it is still possible to punish rich leaners with plum overseas ambassadorships.
Perhaps VMEP all the others along with Bernadi including Abbott could get plum jobs OS....get them out of our earshot? No, on second thoughts Abbott may lose his seat first in a DD election and then us taxpayers don't have to fund his lavish lifestyle in the US.
Not one journalist that I've seen has noted that Abbott was amongst friends in the Joint Party Room meeting yesterday when he gave Turnbull and Morrison their riding instructions.
Take his 44 from the spill, at 20+ from the Nats and he has Turnbull covered maybe 64/59.
Bring back Tone.
Tony just doesn't get it, even if the right wing rump of the Liberal Party love him, love his ideologies, love his aggressive pugilistic manner, most Australian don't. If he becomes PM again, I am picturing Place de la Révolution ...off with his head!!! Although maybe a stake through the heart is the only thing that will save us from Abbott.
Labor or Liberal could not have left a surplus after the GFC....stop the furphies Morrison
About few years back, me mate Johnno sold me a tennis racquet. He'd bought it off his mate for $5. I bought it off Johnno for $10 because I knew I could keep it in the garage for a while and then offload it for a profit, and I did. Sold it to me other mate Frank for $15.
The other week I was over at Johnno's place and saw that bloody tennis racquet again. Turns out he'd borrowed some money off his dad so he could buy it for $25 off some sheila called Jenny who'd bought it off Frank for $20. Now Johnno's trying to sell me the tennis racquet again, this time for $35. He says I'll easy get $45 for it in a year. Now I'm trying to borrow some money off me dad to buy it again.
It's gone through more hands than a 20 cent piece, that old tennis racquet, but I'm just wondering what's it actually done for the economy?
Ask John Alexander, I believe he is an authority on tennis racquets.
Many politicians are authorities on rackets.
A question or two for Senator Cash:
Why are 52 Chinese and Taiwanese workers on 457 visas working in Australia picking mushrooms?
Is the work highly specialised?
Would no Australian worker be able to manage it?
What is the youth unemployment rate in the area surrounding the factory?
It seems the modern way of business is to bring in people who can't speak English, underpay them and laugh all the way to the bank.
It's the sneaky way to WorkChoices Mark2.
A de unionised workforce on slave wages.
Well well Morrison, no need to cut back govt spending if we are growing so well....tax revenue should increase very nicely.
11.12am - Looks like Butler has a moonlighting job in mind once she's been booted out of Parliament(again)
@Smack. I thought in order to moonlight you need to hold down a job first.
PP - She seems to be multi-talented - get temporarily booted out of Parliament for unruly conduct and imitate a chicken in the meantime - surely a Labor talent - probably need to keep Chicken- Lady away from the Lexicon of Lettuce though....
Let's hope the LNP attempt at engineering power in the senate backfires in a DD election...LOL....ALP win both houses...LOL
OK...so you got the new website to work properly....well done and I like it now :)
To all those conservatives knocking Shorten for nominating Dodson to the senate. Consider this. Turnbull is sitting in his prime ministerial office kicking himself for not thinking of it first but he gets a quiet but stern reminder from behind the drapes that "we don't do that here". He looks around and asks "who are you?" There is a whisper " We are Christians. Not the regular loving and compassionate type but a special cut. You know, the blokes that walked out on the apology and were a no show for the closing the gap speech. You still don't get it do you buster."
Submariner undermining...
"Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said Mr Abbott's remarks "show a breathtaking contempt for the competitive evaluation process".
He added: "And paradoxically, Mr Abbott's unhelpful intervention may lead to France and Germany challenging an outcome where Japan is chosen."
Lowy Institute defence expert Euan Graham voiced a similar concern, writing in a blog post this week that the French and German shipbuilders "might reasonably be expected to raise Mr Abbott's apparent lobbying on behalf of Japan in the event that their bids are rejected".
Bring back Tone!
It is a measure of Abbott's cowardice that he never told the Australian people about his endorsement of the Japs as the builders when PM.
He'd prefer to create thousands of jobs in the Japanese economy rather than in ours.
john howard ran the mean tricky party and that has morphed into the Lying Nasty Party after the input from cardinal Abbott.
Like the catholic church, some hard introspection is needed if it wants to succeed into the future, that is not the past.
Vote Mal Eat Pal, too true!
C'mon Terri, show us a bit more drumstick
Goodbye Greens....so long farewell for doing deals with the devil!
Wave goodbye to Muir, Day & Leyonhjelm.
Yep, goodbye to them too looks like it and hello big parties...ALP. Noone will ever give the 'cant be trusted' LNP into power of the senate ever.
Obviously Dobson is going to tow the party line on gay marriage... I wonder what his views are on it ? Shorten to Dobson "vote how we tell you to vote and you will be ok"...
11.13 I'm very disappointed The Greens aren't pushing for Donor Reform and a Fed ICAC as a trade off for Senate Reform.
Can't do one without the other elephants.
Howard played Meg Lees for a sucker, cleverly deflecting a lot of the anger at the GST among voters towards the Democrats.
And there was Honest John in the media yesterday, insisting the Greens are the beneficiaries of the Senate changes.
He almost said they'd driven the changes and the government was doing them a favour, but he decided not to push his luck.
Didn't hear him @ Too Easy.
Funny how he's just popping up all around the place, they must think Little Johnny is asset rather than a Lying Rodent.
He couldn't even get a gig with the cricket board. Sort of like why we've still got the Ex in the House.
11:33am. Remember The Democrats?
I think Labor have still got a couple of terms left in them....
The Pulse 11:31AM
"The three months run until June 30 which clears the way for a double dissolution election from July 1."
I thought 1 day after the Budget was the last possible date.
And what govt would do that ?
AG. The post budget day is the last to call one, I think?
Hooray !
Another victory for the consumer under privatisation !
Health insurance costs held to a mere 5.6%.
Another paltry rise next year.
At least they're doing better than with the Government Debt which is completely out of hand under the Liberals.
They have increased Government Debt by 75% in 2 and 1/2 years.
Gross Debt $58.273 billion
Gross debt ceiling 75 billion
Gross debt 257.370 billion
Gross debt ceiling 300 billion
Australian government debt does not take into account government funds held in reserve within the Future Fund, which at 30 September 2015 was valued at A$117.83 billion, and the Reserve Bank of Australia (handed to Labor by the Coalition)
I thought thinking was not your strong point sharron
@11:33 – I've already emailed my concerns to the Greens Senators.
I agree with the changes in principle, but now is not the time for them. The cross bench has saved this country from Liberals running rampant, and if we are heading to a DD I'd much prefer the Senate remain as eclectic as possible.
I agree we missed a bullet with the currency crossbenchers.
The Greens whilst pushing for this for a long time have been outfoxed. They should be demanding Donor Reform as part of the Reform. Without Donor Reform only those bankrolled with a huge war chest will ever have the opportunity of being voted in.
And an ICAC to boot.
No money for the public health system, no money for education, no money for pensions/welfare
But they can find 1 trillion over a period for outdated war machines
And Steph asked are the Libs governing for the rich
Well continuing NG, CGT, super rorts, and the rest of deductions the rich get, the only assumption is that they are governing for just the rich
The rest can please themselves
There's something quite catchy about the free range egg issue being followed by the Senate voting reform issue.
Wouldn't want battery Senators now would we.
Has Mathias Cormann worked out that he's Finance Minister yet? He was more than happy to smoke a cigar or two with Hockey but can't distance himself far enough from Morrison. Poor old Scotty Malcolm's prospectus sounded good on paper didn't it.
Matthius has THE most grating voice - I have to switch him off.
Mad As Hell's 'Darius Horsham' provided a perfect parody. Hilarious.
Breakfast at Tiffany's, meanwhile no one has interrupted the $74.3 billion on the F35.
No politician seems to give a hoot about climate change and sea rise although sea inundation of coastal homes will make negative gearing look like the cost of an egg and bacon sandwich.
Basically a bunch of do nothings being paid very handsomely for pretence.
Apparently its a "great time to be an Australian".
How does two men, or two women marrying one another harm/hurt heterosexuals, it does not intrude in their lives, the problem is not with gays, it's with the closed minds of the those objecting to their union
Ask Bernardi et al how this affects them, are they that narrow minded
The only way it affects the likes of Bernadi and Abbott is that society would be changed from a hateful discriminatory position where they can ridicule to one of acceptance and tolerance...they wouldn't be able to spread their hate anymore.
Did you see Panti Bliss on Lateline on Monday night - gosh he was good and spoke eloquently on the need for SSM. Well worth a look.
Wow, just wow. Just tuned in from the RC to see Pat Dodson.
Simply fantastic news for Australia!
Go Pat.
Wots the difference between the 'captains pick' and a PR stunt?
Not a lot.
Abbot gave a knighthood to a Prince
Shorten picked a man of impeccable integrity and intelligence to replace a party heavy
that's a big difference
Well you would know Steve, your hero Abbott, had hundreds of them
SteveH. is flying low today.
Practically no radar signature.
The difference, Steve , is the outcome.
Captains's picks are fine in and of themselves. It's the object that matters. Which one do you think will be most popular with the Australian public - an Australian elder, or an elderly prince in the UK to whom the 'honour' Abbot bestowed is a demotion?
SteveH If you can't see the difference then ????????
One a true Australian who has all our interests and his people's at heart. An Australian who is not part of the party machine, an obvious bit of Party Reform on show.
The other a blue blood who is already weighted down with a chest full of medals for doing not much. The extra title granted against the overwhelming wishes of not just Australians but by many in the Liberal Party itself.
Oh dear!
I apologise for being so cynical AGC, I don't know what came over me, I promise it won't happen again for the next half hour.
Accepted SteveH. How's that portrait coming along?
Painting is an activity most beneficial for contemplating one's demeanour.
Markets are up!
Thanks for asking AGC, all done, I haven't got the mark yet apparently I owe the uni $87 in amenities fees, so I've been 'debarred'.
I'm doing sculpture this semester, in fact I'm working on the first assignment right now, its called 'No Idea', apparently we're not suppose to think about it while we do it, just have a good play.
It's all very post-modern.
SteveH. Good luck with the sculpture, the Govt should give you some inspiration on "No Idea".
Pat Dodson is an impressive looking bloke.
He sure is. And you know what? I think Bronnie has finally been outdone in the sartorial stakes. (Psst, I hope they let him through with those whiskers!)
What did we learn yesterday, or rather who wrote foolishness without realising what they were doing?
Hacka wants more government spending cuts although his yesterday's hero committed to spending over $100 billion on defence projects last year more suited WWII defence strategy.
Nuffy is convinced that western submarine are laying in ambush mode in the depths of Chinese waters, totally oblivious of China's anti-submarine warfare capability.
Steve H is of a mind that comparing the F35 with a western plane designed 40 years ago is the pinnacle test that proves the F35 can take on planes designed in the last five tears. This is despite the F35 is proven to be a crippled dog metaphorically speaking.
Nuffy wants Gazza silenced for good on account that Gazza crowds the Featured Comment.
Piper seems to think that war is futile, therefore, to agree to spending on inappropriate defence systems is somehow "anti-defence." And that Pen is defeatist for insisting on more appropriate defence acquisitions.
Mad Max, Fury Road is the new name for the Defence White Paper.
A Country Gal discovered that QT is mundane.
It finically dawned on Snapperhead that Turnbull's plan is to cut services to the poor and use the revenue to fund tax cuts for the rich and is therefore LNP ideology 101.
For Too Easy the sky fell on realising that Turnbull has told us nothing.
A Green is of a mind that Steve H should join defence to take up building canoes.
Pluto wants more immigration to afford more massage parlours.
The observation of the day goes to Steve: "Scott Morrison admits that they are supplementing the Defence budget with taxes that offset rich investors Negative Gearing."
And Rolle the Rolex's' Big Adventure has finally realised that Morrison is worse treasurer than Hockey.
The day started badly for SteveH.
It shows the comments section is working well and obviously demonstrates that most are dedicated supporters of the left not reflected by real poll results showing Shorten % 20% & MT at 60%
That was a no brainer Pen.
Can I get a hear! hear!
Its not my fault you got your "facts" wrong Pen, all I did was point them out.
No need to take it personally, I know I don't.
Oh and one more thing, your big complaint was that the F-35 was short ranged.
Well here's the comparison with the Mig 35
Combat radius: 1,000 km (620 mi)
Combat radius: 614 nmi [628] (1,137 km) on internal fuel
Well who would have guessed that the MIG 35 is even 'shorter', always check your facts first Pen.
"It finically dawned on Snapperhead that Turnbull's plan is to cut services to the poor and use the revenue to fund tax cuts for the rich and is therefore LNP ideology 101."
It's what Snapper says in every single one of his essay length posts and all done using the entire 300 word limit. There's never even a pretense of adding something different to the conversation. I think it's called Conspiracy Theories 101.
No, it's called government budget papers 2014 and 2015
The Liberals are not interested in growing the economy, they're only interested in growing the false economy.
Photo@11:12. I'm sure there is a chicken joke in there somewhere but I don't see Terri Butler wanting to get to the other side.
No, I very much doubt it.
Isn't our politics so much ruffling of feathers, day in, day out?
Ok I'll have a go.
Why did the chicken cross the road.
She didn't, she saw the skulk of foxes on the other side.
If I had a beard like that there'd be a big coffee coloured patch right down the middle of it.
If I had a beard like that as a woman I'd get a job in the circus.
Magnificent beard though.
BTW you can now buy coffee/beer/food beard protector gadgets! lol?
Another Captains and political pick eh Bill!!
Ley is just like Hockey......'go get a better job'...brushoff......'go look for a better deal'...brush off.....there is no better deal ...they are ALL too expensive and of no value in certain cases.
Australians one day will twig like our American friends private health insurance is just for the profit of the insurance companies just ask them.
"I've said this before, I know, but it is interesting to see Labor making a real effort to address the lack of Indigenous representation."
By using Captain's picks to replace long serving senators in the spirit of tokenism.
Senator Bullock is not "long-serving". He came in at the same time as Ricky Muir.
Well look at how well it's worked for the Coalition until recently. The first Captain's pick resulted in a front bench that had only one woman and no indigenous ministers. If he had the means, Abbott would have recruited members of the Royal family.
At least MT has increased the number of women in cabinet and recruited Ken Wyatt as a junior minster.
lol, stevek. Sir Prince Duke Philip for Treasurer.
you would think the right would be best pleased that a union pick was being replaced by an Indigenous person who has long involvement and understanding of the political process. Doesn't matter what side of the political spectrum they believe in, more Indigenous representation in our Parliament has to be a good thing.
Bullock "long serving". As a Shoppie perhaps, as a Senator 2013!
By replacing Joe Bullock who served a whole two years of a six year term? Hardly long serving...
I was referring to Nova Peris, obviously.
That's all it is tokenism. Bugger politics encourage the indigenous into business and self sufficiency that leads to making a real difference
The left have held back indigenous advancement for too long and it's been shameful. The noble savage paradigm that they have trapped our first people's in has been tragic for self empowerment and advancement.
Susan Ley: offering the same advice to private health insurance consumers looking for insurance, and coalition backbenchers looking for a leader - shop around for a better deal.
All this pushing behind the scenes to eliminate negative gearing should read this article as which MP"S have the largest personal involvement.
Are these the laughably-named group the "economic dries" who are trying to protect their negative gearing?
Onya Pat !
Shane is still blaming Labor, you would think after going on 3 years Liberals would have reduced the deficit by some way, but they have increased it, how do you explain that Shane, spending under the Libs is greater than Labor, making your outburst, not only false ,but ridiculous in it's bias
Calm down Fiberal. Problem is the government can't get any thing thru the Senate to try & reduce the budget deficit. Labor & the Greens love spending & can;t bring themselves to cut anything. But don't despair Fiberal, there is hope. An election in July & a majority in the House & Senate for the Coalition will finally allow Mal & Co to get stuck into the massive task of fixing up the Labor mess.
According to late night Tuesday media reports...
New Senate System explained.
Vote Above the Line:
Number a minimum of six (6) boxes in numerical order of preference.
If you number fewer than six (6) boxes or more than that amount, your vote is still valid.
Vote Below the Line:
Number a minimum of twelve (12) boxes in numerical order of preference.
If you number fewer than twelve (12) boxes or more than that amount, your vote is still valid.
@10.45. Surely it's time the Private Health rebate is reviewed otherwise there is no purpose for reform. The rebate increases demand, demand increases claims, claims increase costs. Simple. Government intervention in the private sector creates a false economy by inflating prices through increased demand. Also means more spending if a 30% rebate is applied to higher prices. Or is this another sacred cow that will cheese off the what's in it for me mob?
Agreed, and can I add... Surely it's time negative gearing is reviewed otherwise there is no purpose for reform. NG increases demand, demand increases prices, prices increase debt. Simple. Government intervention in the private sector creates a false economy by inflating prices through increased demand. Also means less revenue if negative gearing is applied to higher prices. Or is this another sacred cow that will cheese off the what's in it for me mob?
And Tony Abbotts at it again.
His mate Sheridan at the Aus is reporting Abbott is "not just disappointed, I'm flabbergasted at this decision" in regards to the Turnbull Defence White Paper regarding the new subs.
Seems Turnbulls plans set Abbotts and Andrews original plans back 10 years.
"It's the biggest decision we face," Mr Abbott said. "It needs to be made swiftly so that we get the new subs from the middle of the next decade.
"This is vital for the defence of the nation, it is vital for our national self-respect, it is vital for our national security."
Nothing like party unity eh ?
So much for the no sniping or undermining "promise" from the backbencher from Warringah.
Turnbull must love seeing these headlines in the Murdoch press.....
Who is Tony Abbott? I seem to remember that name from somewhere.
So that's how you define "national self-respect". I always thought it might be something to do with respect for human rights and promoting sustainable growth with equity.
Wish all right wing conservatives in any party now had the 'moral conviction to resign'....why don't they all have morals like that?
Stephinie, you know the Liberals are governing for the rich, if you weren't quite sure, check the 2014 budget, and I use the word budget loosely, it was more like a millstone around the neck of the poor, introduced to make them poorer, and these fiends said it was fair
And the numbskull Abbott wears it as a badge of honour
That piece of horror should be donated to the museum, so the future population can see just why the Abbott government was reviled
And the senate who rejected it should have their statues erected outside of parliament
The 2014 Budget was Abbott's very own Magna Carta.
10:17am. Not satisfied with logging in Goolengook, Senator Chester is now targeting trees at Parliament House. First tree to go is the one he is trying to push over.
is he lifting or leaning?
How is the Maxist revolution going in the Public school system today? any new littlies signed up to join their grown up Comrades.
enough is enough
Watching the Royal Commission in Rome ..... are you ?
eie - Why not suggest Corey start a "Marxist cultural relativism Watch" on his website, so parents who learn that their children have been turned can register iwth him? Then he can make a speech in the Senate with all the facts and evidence.
Maxists are at least organised. Your lot are a rabble. Who's leader this week?
Max the axe?
Last I heard he was in charge of revenue at Sydney airport parking.
not sure, ask the department of education in your own state; they run the syllabus.
wow on target as usual
einie, don't you just love the 50's?
why can't we all live there ...
"The industrial activities of the Communists prove them to be destructive and disloyal, a fifth column for a potential enemy. Why should Communists do these things? The answer is that Communism is a materialistic doctrine, void of spiritual content. It is not only anti-Christian, but is opposed to all those nobler aspirations which spring from the religious faith of decent people. True, Communism itself has been called, by some, a religion. But it is a religion of hatred; it derives from the darkest recesses of the human mind; it has nothing in common with the Christian gospel of love and brotherhood. If it had, it could not preach the class war or use envy and malice as its characteristic weapons.
In this great and free country of ours we have at least learned that hatred of other men is no instrument of progress but is merely a sign of decadence and despair.
When, therefore, I say to you that the Government is pledged to make war upon Communism I am not talking about an attack upon individuals as such (though we are determined to root out key Communists from key positions), but upon a set of evil ideas which are quite foreign to our civilisation, our traditions, and our faith."
Robert Menzies
Could you give me the page number in "Capital: Critique of Political Economy" that outlines Marxs' analysis of the bullying of gay kids in state schools please? I can then check on how well the schools are going with the theory! Then you could update your mate Bernadi so he's up with the progress as well....quick before he is removed from any influence over the election in the UN.
nuffie what are these MAXISTS of what you speak? Do they follow the manifesto of MAD MAX?
All the boys(now men) never had the education they deserved I weep for them.
@10:02, an irrefutable rule: never trust a man with more than one biro in his shirt pocket.
Wasn't so long ago that it was the man/woman standing in front of a dozen flags.
Hacka and EIE,
You probably missed my last post.
All of my life I have listened to Liberal Governments telling me that they have or are going to reduce taxes and government spending.
So I have two questions for you.
1. Who was the last Liberal Prime Minister who actually reduced government spending and in what year?
2. Who was the last Liberal Prime Minister to reduce tax as a percentage of GDP?
I am sure that two such close admirers of the Liberal Party will be able to give us all the answers.
Costello is the only Federal treasurer in the Liberal Party's history to hand down a surplus, and he did it in the middle of the greatest mining boom in all of human history, so it hardly qualifies as extraordinary achievement.
Read the budget papers GtG, it's all right there for you.
Too Easy. Costello also sold of Government businesses that were making profits to gain a surplus. Once the Libs sell of all Givernment business they will be stuffed. Costello also in his vote buying phase cost Aus money with baby bonuses and first homebuyers grants.
1. Costello cut income tax each year following the GST whilst increasing the income rates and a raft of ineffective taxes after the introduction of the GST.
2. The first Coalition government budget, the public service was "down-sized", the Commonwealth Employment Service (CES) was privatised, and cuts were made to all departments including with the exception of defence. $8 billion in spending cuts were made over the government's first two budgets.
Now GtG: You need to answer your own questions in terms of RGR.
And sold our gold at basement prices.
I would like to know how:
Dodson has contributed to Closing the Gap. Reduced Indigenous dependence on welfare.
Improved Health and Education.
Improved Housing.
Increased Employment.
Are you asking us to do your research for you?
Carl, don't
einie really needs the practice
The Pulse 10:17AM
If he was fair dinkum he would ties his shoelaces together and make the same offer.
Sussan Ley says a rise in heath insurance is a win for everyone. What planet are they on in Canberra?
More money for Corporate Donors to the Liberal Party.
It;s a win for all shareholders in health insurance corporation.
Isn't that everyone?
When they flogged Medibank there was nothing left to counter private health insurance fee rises - because now they're all in cahoots, every last one of them. The gov feigns surprise.
RE: Senator Bullock's resignation.
Interesting that the ALP cried fowl over the Lib's policy of not allowing a conscience vote a few years back, but now have said they will not allow one themselves? What's that called again? Hypocrisy I believe?
Think it is high time that we followed New Zealand's lead and included the indigenous people of this country in the parliamentary process. There are so many possibilities once we, the people shunt jellyfish Turnbull and his band of conservative do nothing fools.
Honest John has been telling porkies in the media again, and getting away with it as usual, by saying that the case for broadening the base and raising the rate of the GST has been well and truly made.
Not according to Treasury and their report cited by Turnbull just a week or so ago.
Howard couldn't lie straight in bed and he's out and about at the moment reminding us all of his terrible affliction.


text:
Dell Launches 'Plant a Tree for Me' Offset Program
Dell is offering customers the opportunity to offset the emissions associated with the electricity used to power their computers through its Plant a Tree for Me program. Dell is partnering with The Conservation Fund and Carbonfund.org, non-profit organizations that will use the funds to plant trees in sustainably managed forests, absorbing carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere from generated electricity. The company said that 100 percent of the donations received by the Plant a Tree for Me program will be used by partners to facilitate planting trees.
A customer donation of $2 for a notebook and $6 for a desktop will go toward the planting of trees, offsetting the equivalent emissions resulting from the production of electricity used during the average three-year use of a computer.
The program is available now to Dell's U.S. consumer customers making new computer purchases. It will be available to any U.S. consumer for any brand of computer in February and available to global consumers in April.
The reaction to the announcement has been positive, but at least one article is already wondering why Dell isn't paying to plant the trees themselves. (To highlight the difference, yesterday, GreenPrint Technologies, the maker of software designed to eliminate wasteful printing, announced that it will plant one tree for every copy of GreenPrint's Home Edition sold through its Website.) Consumers can go to any number of sites themselves to offset their use of electricity if they wish. Dell is paying the administrative costs to run the tree planting program.
New studies have also questioned whether planting trees is an effective way to fight global warming.
But most consumers will not see any downside to Dell's program – if in fact there is any – and the company's announcement will position it as an environmental leader in the eyes of consumers.
Dell also launched a new Web site, which highlights Dell's environmental responsibility programs. The site contains information on Dell's approach to environmental leadership, links to information on environmental programs and policies found throughout dell.com. The site also contains an "energy counter" that tracks the accumulated energy and carbon savings impact enabled by Energy Smart features on Dell products.
In recent news, Dell completed the rollout of its global recycling policy in December (although that too faced some criticism)and remains the only company in the industry to offer consumers free product recycling, worldwide irrespective of product purchase. Dell has also recently unveiled two PowerEdgeservers that the company says underscores its commitment to environmental responsibility and its goal to design the most energy-efficient products.
Reader Comments
Hey there, thanks for the great article. We just published a story with 18 companies that plant trees for each purchase. https://woodmafia.com.au/updates/companies-plant-a-tree-every-time-buy/ Thanks, Simon
Energy Manager News
- Reach Out to Finance Execs With Data They Understand
- Energy Trust of Oregon Exceeded 2015 Goals
- Mercy Housing, Promise Energy Teaming Up
- 30 Environmental Advocacy Groups Call on NARUC for Holistic Rate-Setting Guidelines
- New York State's Summer of Energy
- Chicago Church Strives for Energy Efficiency
- Small, Medium Size Commercial Building Efficiency Market to Grow
- ERC: Price Benchmark Trends Week Ending June 24, 2016

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Right2Know Campaign has learned that three SABC employees have been suspended for allegedly disagreeing with an instruction not to cover on our peaceful protest against SABC management that took place on Monday. This latest move by management is outrageous! It reaffirms the reason that we protested in the first place – censorship and rampant […]Read more »
Media Freedom & Media Diversity
Media freedom & diversity are two sides of the same coin. With out freedom the media would be the voice of government. Without diversity the media would the voice of dominant economic interests. The Right2Know campaigns for a media that can serve the information and expressions needs of everyone in South Africa.
Right2Know activists will today stand in solidarity with allied organisations at a picket outside ICASA. We will gather from 11:30AM at ICASA, Block C, 164 Katherine Street in Sandton. The regulator's Complaints and Compliance Committee (CCC) will be hearing a formal complaint brought by Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), SOS Support Public Broadcasting Coalition (SOS) and […]Read more »
Today, at 10AM, the Right2Know Campaign together with allied organisations will be protesting outside SABC offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to demand an end to censorship at the public broadcaster and the removal of COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng. The SABC was transformed from propaganda machine of the apartheid state to become a public broadcaster […]Read more »
The Right2Know Campaign is highly dismayed by the SABC's decision not to show footage of people burning public institutions in any of its news bulletins. This is a form of self-censorship and it's unjustifiable. As a national broadcaster, the SABC is mandated to broadcast the realities of everyday South Africans. Protests, violent or otherwise […]Read more »
This week the Right2Know Campaign made submissions to Parliament on the Films & Publications Amendment Bill. This comes after the FPB published final regulations for online content. This briefing note, prepared by R2K's Micah Reddy, unpacks the Bill, and the FPB's new regulations — and the risks they may pose of internet censorship in South […]Read more »


text:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 has leaked
The next instalment in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare series, codenamed Blacksmith, appears to have leaked. This not only confirms the game is in production but also gives away several details.
The leak came from an insider working on the game at Sledgehammer, allegedly, and was detailed by YouTube user DriftOr.
READ: Call of Duty: Ghosts review
Details about Modern Warfare 4 were revealed, oh so slowly, in a 10-minute YouTube video. Note it's not the new game being played in the video. Modern Warfare 4 should be set in around 2020 or 2030, further in the future than any game in the series so far. One of the guns seen was described as a "Titanfall like weapon" because it looked futuristic.
The leaked preview revealed that: "the light seemed to shine properly off metal things and wet things, and was bouncing around"; it seemed like light had a physics engine. The character had a metal wrist band that connected to some sort of PDA-like gadget.
The map was some sort of power plant with large turbines and glass casing, "like something Tom Cruise would have in the movie Oblivion".
DriftOr was the first person to reveal the existence of Call of Duty: Ghosts. While this is a different tipster he's using this time we're inclined to believe this could be true.
You can now play Oculus Rift games on HTC Vive (again)
Fallout: New Vegas comes to Xbox One backwards compatibility, you can finish...
How Xbox One backwards compatibility works: The Xbox 360 games list and more
Steam's summer sale: All the best game deals and hardware discounts
- You can now play Oculus Rift games on HTC Vive (again)
- Fallout: New Vegas comes to Xbox One backwards compatibility, you can finish it at last
- How Xbox One backwards compatibility works: The Xbox 360 games list and more
- Steam's summer sale: All the best game deals and hardware discounts
- Virtual reality needs a defining game, says Batman: Arkham VR publisher
- PlayStation Neo (PS4K) vs Project Scorpio: What's the rumoured difference?
- Best Xbox One games at E3 2016: Gears 4, Forza Horizon 3, ReCore, Sea of Thieves and more
- Best games coming in 2016: All the latest PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, PC and PS VR trailers
- Best PS4 games at E3 2016: God of War, Days Gone, Spider-Man, Horizon: Zero Dawn and more
- Lego Dimensions (2016) preview: Harry Potter, Gremlins and more
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Release date, rumours and everything you need to know
- Best smartphones 2016: The best phones available to buy today
- Microsoft Windows 10 Anniversary Update: New features, release date and everything you need to know
- Now TV Smart Box 4K: Release date, price, specs and everything you need to know
- Sony Xperia X review: Sony in a spin?
- This push-button tracker lets you call and locate your kids in real time
- Always wanted a Bose speaker? Now you can get your kids to build one
- Edit photos like the pros with Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan: 1-year Membership
- HP made an 11-inch Chromebook with a touchscreen display
- It looks like BlackBerry Hamburg won't even be made by BlackBerry anymore