349 Words. Canberra Liberal response to the 2011 ACT Budget

Sorry but are we really surprised. Everytime we here this guy, he is talking down the phone, bunkered down somewhere away from everyone. He hardly ever does face to face media anymore because then the public would know who the hell he is. And who is? well, certainly not the next CM of the ACT – once again the ACT is faced with a choice, better the devil you know or vote for a bunch of numpties, Dunne, Hanson etc. Perhaps we could start a new group, where’s Brendan?? The man has seemingly become invisible.

Is the purpose of the new building to reduce future liability by not having to rent the existing buildings?

TVStar said :

So, really, Stanhope is basically dead in 2012 if they could find someone with some basic economic/financial/policy/political savvy?

Chances of that about 15% me thinks.

Don’t forget work ethic.

Pathetic.

I was a NSWelshman for many a year before moving here, and watched the opposition there squander one opportunity after another. They offered the constituency either no policy at all, or policies so lame as to be a joke (We’re going to recruit a billion new nurses and a trillion new policemen in the first five days after the election! No, really!!) They really, truly sat there without a single reasonable policy and just expected NSW to vote for them. Eventually it worked.

I guess that’s giving ACT Liberals new enthusiasm for a bit of hand-sitting. Why work? Just bitch.

So, really, Stanhope is basically dead in 2012 if they could find someone with some basic economic/financial/policy/political savvy?

Chances of that about 15% me thinks.

An example of a better media release, courtesy of the Victorian ALP

BAILLIEU’S FIRST BUDGET FAILS TO DELIVER FOR VICTORIANS

The Baillieu Government’s first State Budget has failed to provide a plan for how they will grow the economy, create jobs or ensure Victorian households have access to the services and infrastructure they will need for the future, Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews said today.

“The Baillieu Government inherited a state which has been a powerhouse of job creation and economic growth,” Mr Andrews said.

“What this Budget shows is the Government has no vision to grow our state to ensure Victorian households have what they need most – a job.

“Mr Baillieu has a responsibility to continue to ensure Victoria leads the nation when it comes to economic growth and job creation. This Budget will do neither.

“There is no plan to create jobs, there is no plan to attract investment to Victoria and there is no plan to ensure the state remains a competitive place to do business.”

“The Government wants us to believe this budget will assist families but the Treasurer did not mention jobs or employment once in his speech.

“Instead the Government’s version of a vision is another review that will involve asking the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission to look at what would make up a reform agenda.

“After 11 years in Opposition it is unbelievable that this Government has turned to a Labor created and Labor appointed Commission to write its reform agenda.”

Mr Andrews said the Budget failed to deliver a plan to improve the services that Victorian households rely on, and there was a large list of broken promises.

“The State Budget was a real chance for Mr Baillieu to explain to Victorians his vision and detailed plan on how he will invest in our hospitals, schools, transport and other important services but instead he has used it as an excuse for why he can’t deliver,” Mr Andrews said.

“This Budget reinforces the fact that Mr Baillieu has no plan and no vision for delivering what Victorian households need.

“Our state is growing and it’s important the Liberal-National Government make sure all Victorians, no matter where they live, have access to good schools, hospitals, roads and transport.

“This State Budget was a chance for them to make the investments that are needed but unfortunately they have failed to do that.”

Shadow Treasurer Tim Holding said the Baillieu Government’s first budget was an embarrassment.

“This Budget flunks the Government’s own tests – the recommendations of the Vertigan report, which are incorporated on page five of Budget Paper number two.

“Net debt is set to rise faster than under Labor, and the Budget surplus will be lower than under Labor.

“In Opposition, the Coalition produced last minute, uncosted promises that were unworkable and in Government they have produced a budget that fails to deliver,” Mr Holding said.

“The Government inherited a AAA-rated budget, with a strong operating surplus over each of the next four years.

“The State Budget was a chance for Mr Baillieu to make up for the inaction of the past five months and explain his vision for our state.

“Instead, he’s been blinded by the smokescreen he created to excuse his broken promises.”

(Attached is a list of some broken or uncosted promises)

The political talk is lazy and stupid but the general thrust of the response is spot on.

The only solution our government has to any fiscal problem seems to be “let’s sell some more land”.

We need to become less reliant on what really should be bonus income for the government.

How long can this continue?

Spin, buzzwords, general negativity without anything specific, or strategic. As usual. Dog-whistle politics, I guess it works or they wouldn’t continue to do it.

So we get a lot of waffle about how tough it is for Families, households, cost of living pressures etc with no real analysis.

I imagine there’s people in their half-million-dollar homes listening to that or reading it and snarling “yeah, we are doing it tough and those politicians are doing NOTHING for us”.

Lazy, lazy, lazy. two days later that’s all they can come up with?

In every other jurisdiction in Australia they engage in open debate on specific measures rather than briefing their mates and keeping the rest under cover.