Now Rudd Pays the Price! (1 Viewer)

[JaredR]

KEVIN RUDD'S main election strategy - to ease pressure on household budgets - has collapsed just six months into his administration with internal squabbling over petrol and the Prime Minister insisting he never pledged to lower fuel prices.

As an invigorated Brendan Nelson declared yesterday that Labor's honeymoon was over , Mr Rudd tried to distance himself from any perception he may have created before the election that Labor could lower the cost of living.

But more bad news arrived when ANZ revised its inflation outlook - and factored in another two interest rate rises this year.

Mr Rudd told Parliament: "The Australian people are sick and tired of irresponsible promises by politicians," referring to John Howard's 2004 election promise to keep interest rates "at record lows".

"Prior to the election, our commitments [on petrol] were absolutely clear-cut, to increase competition policy arrangements for these price arrangements, and we intend to abide by them," Mr Rudd said.

But one of his key policies designed to increase competition, FuelWatch, was undermined yesterday by a damaging leak that revealed his Resources and Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson, opposed the scheme. Labor plans to introduce the price-monitoring scheme nationally in December, claiming it will increase competition and possibly lead to an average price reduction of two cents a litre, as it has in Western Australia.

A letter Mr Ferguson sent to a handful of colleagues during cabinet discussions last month criticised it as an anti-competitive waste of money that would hurt independent retailers and cost "battlers" in western Sydney because it would wipe out discount Tuesdays.

Mr Rudd was outraged at the leak, the most serious of his short government, and Mr Ferguson was forced to state his public support for FuelWatch yesterday. It boosted Dr Nelson as he continued to press Mr Rudd to adopt his proposed cut in petrol excise of five cents a litre.

"I'm running the show now," Dr Nelson said as he shrugged off the reluctance of his predecessor, Mr Howard, to cut fuel excise.

Mr Rudd opposes the excise cut because it will cost $2 billion and says it will be wiped out by a small movement in fuel prices. "A piece of short-term retail politics to get you over the hump of the budget reply," Mr Rudd told Dr Nelson.

Mr Rudd said his tax cuts and family-friendly budget measures would lend a "helping hand" to those struggling with rents, fuel and grocery prices while being economically responsible.

The combination of Dr Nelson's proposed extra spending and budget measures he threatens to block would cost $22 billion over the next four years, which Mr Rudd said would be inflationary and drive up interest rates.

"They are trashing page-by-page and measure-by-measure their economic credibility with their response to the budget."

Mr Rudd again made a veiled threat to call an early election over threats by the Coalition to use its Senate control to block billions in budget measures before July 1.

"It would be on their heads if the Senate chose to block fundamental reform," Mr Rudd told the Labor caucus.

But Dr Nelson told his party room an early poll was winnable if the Coalition showed discipline.

"Labor may choose to go to the polls late next year," he said. "What we do will determine our time in Opposition."

About half a dozen Coalition MPs called for discipline within the leadership group during the meeting. The frontbenchers Chris Pyne, Nick Minchin, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, along with the former foreign minister, Alexander Downer, were accused of adding to the Coalition's problems with indulgent public comments. The deputy leader, Julie Bishop, used an AFL analogy: a game could not be won in the first quarter but it could be lost.

After dedicating every question in Parliament to petrol, the Opposition tried to censure the Government. Mr Rudd amended the motion to force a vote on support for FuelWatch. The Coalition opposed it, indicating it was likely to do the same when the legislation is introduced.

The Coalition's excise cut would save $3 on a 60-litre tank. Mr Rudd has promised to review the GST charged on excise as part of his 18-month tax review. This would save 3.8c a litre, or $2.28 a 60-litre tank. But it would cost the states $1.1 billion, including $400 million for NSW.

The State Treasurer, Michael Costa, said the states would only agree if they were compensated.

Mr Rudd dismissed comparisons with the Opposition embarrassment when Mr Turnbull was exposed as opposing the fuel excise cut.

"Martin's not in the hunt for my job," he told Dr Nelson.

Oh Krudd!

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/05/27/1211654031526.html

 

[chicky_pie]

Rudd has the intelligence of a dung beetle.




Oh...love how Nelson nailed Rudd with the Fuel Watch, also on Parliament live when the opposition would ask Rudd a question, he would never ever give a straight answer, he just goes on and blabs about 'working families, education?' :rofl:

 

[jb_nc]

has brendan nelson condemed bill hensons artwork

because that would make him, like, the worst politician ever.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

turnbull defended it

 

[boris]

wow you fags are so fantastic coz you're picking up that rudd is shit, finally

welcome to like, february 2006.

 

[chicky_pie]

A paedophile in disguise =

Bill Henson is a genius ​

 

[Captain Gh3y]

wow you fags are so fantastic coz you're picking up that rudd is shit, finally

welcome to like, february 2006.

we knew

we're just enjoying his fail

 

[Ubik]

Lowering tax on fuel is a joke of an idea, and everyone knows it. Nelson is a huge embarrassment.

 

[Slidey]

You can go about Rudd fucking up all you want, but the bottom line is the shit was bound to hit the fan no matter who was in power: we've been strong for a while, and now the the rest of the world is fluctuating. Of course Australia will fluctuate too.

Not to mention the horrendous private debt 80% of Australians seem to think it's a good idea to have, making them vulnerable to it in the first place.

 

[banco55]

They should leave petrol prices where they are and cut other taxes. They spend a huge proportion of Australia's GDP every year and they piss billions away every year (both Labour and Liberal). If they wanted the tax cuts to be non-inflationary they could always put them in people's super accounts.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

Obviously there wasn't a great deal he, or the Liberals, could do to "ease pressure on household budgets"

They just had to campaign on it

 

[The_highwayman]

we knew

we're just enjoying his fail

it's like watching a tosser total his fully sick car.

 

[TacoTerrorist]

I'm no political analyst but can't the Government just force petrol companies to lower prices?

 

[circusmind]

I'm no political analyst but can't the Government just force petrol companies to lower prices?

No.

The government should be increasing tax on petrol, if anything. Populism FTL.

 

[JaredR]

I disagree.

Bogans don't drive big cars, they drive old cars with big engines that are less fuel economical. It's the wealthy that drive the SUVs, but at least many are diesel and those that aren't are more fuel economical than the big old commoders featured in the Western suburbs.

I support luxury SUVs and I do not support an increase in taxes on luxury vehicles. People have luxury vehicles for a reason: they work hard.

 

[jb_nc]

I disagree.

Bogans don't drive big cars, they drive old cars with big engines that are less fuel economical. It's the wealthy that drive the SUVs, but at least many are diesel and those that aren't are more fuel economical than the big old commoders featured in the Western suburbs.

I support luxury SUVs and I do not support an increase in taxes on luxury vehicles. People have luxury vehicles for a reason: they work hard.

well work harder and pay more

 

[loz8888]

umm..like Nelson or Howard could do any better! if u wanna bag anyone, it should be Howard! Think of all the mistakes he made;

The Prime Minister has his own interest rate skeleton in the closet, writes Peter Hartcher.
IN THE cult movie This Is Spinal Tap, a spoof documentary on the life of a failing heavy metal band, the group's guitarist takes us on a tour of his collection of prized musical instruments. After showing off his favourite electric guitar - the one with the flame painted on it - the long-haired, gum-chewing Cockney Nigel Tufnel brings us to his favourite amplifier.
"It's very, very special because if you can see," drawing attention to the calibrations on the knobs on the face of the amplifier, "the numbers all go to 11."
A normal volume knob is marked from zero to 10, but Nigel's favourite goes up to 11. The reporter wants to know if this unique calibration makes the amplifier louder. "Well, it's one louder, isn't it?" Nigel replies triumphantly. "It's not 10. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at 10."
"What we do is if we need that extra push over the cliff … you know what we do?"
Reporter: Put it up to 11.
Nigel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Reporter: Why don't you just make 10 louder and make 10 be the top number, and make that a little louder?
Nigel, looking blank, chews his gum for a long moment before replying defiantly: "These go to 11."
When Parliament resumed on Tuesday, and then again on Wednesday, Labor devoted most of its opportunities in question time to vociferously attacking John Howard for presiding over three increases in official interest rates since the election at which he promised to keep interest rates low.
The Prime Minister responded with the Spinal Tap defence. No matter what Labor said in attacking his record on interest rates, Howard replied that, under Labor, interest rates went to 17 per cent.
On Wednesday, Labor asked Howard about interest rates four times, and each time Howard gave the same answer. He called the peak mortgage rate under Labor in 1989 "the notorious 17 per cent", "the dizzy heights of 17 per cent", and "the bitterly remembered heights of 17 per cent". Say what you like, Howard seemed to be saying with a dogged imperturbability of which Nigel would be proud, but yours went to 17.
So yesterday, Labor's treasury spokesman, Wayne Swan, reminded Howard that interest rates had hit 21 per cent in 1982 under the then Liberal treasurer, John Howard. It was the first time that the Opposition had used this on Howard.
It seemed to disarm Howard. He lost his Spinal Tap defence. At first, he let out a nervous laugh, then he delivered a flailing non-answer. No mention of 17 per cent rates under Labor.


- around 1975, after John Howard was elected as treasurer, interest rates in Australia were one of the highest in the western world.

- the government, led by John Howard, had 13 years to do something about fuel prices and lower the margin on exice tax. did they do it? NO! Now that they are in opposition, they have had this 'amazingly bright idea' that that would be the way to go. Although, most of the shadow ministers dont agree this policy.

 

[JaredR]

umm..like Nelson or Howard could do any better! if u wanna bag anyone, it should be Howard! Think of all the mistakes he made;

The Prime Minister has his own interest rate skeleton in the closet, writes Peter Hartcher.
IN THE cult movie This Is Spinal Tap, a spoof documentary on the life of a failing heavy metal band, the group's guitarist takes us on a tour of his collection of prized musical instruments. After showing off his favourite electric guitar - the one with the flame painted on it - the long-haired, gum-chewing Cockney Nigel Tufnel brings us to his favourite amplifier.
"It's very, very special because if you can see," drawing attention to the calibrations on the knobs on the face of the amplifier, "the numbers all go to 11."
A normal volume knob is marked from zero to 10, but Nigel's favourite goes up to 11. The reporter wants to know if this unique calibration makes the amplifier louder. "Well, it's one louder, isn't it?" Nigel replies triumphantly. "It's not 10. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at 10."
"What we do is if we need that extra push over the cliff … you know what we do?"
Reporter: Put it up to 11.
Nigel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Reporter: Why don't you just make 10 louder and make 10 be the top number, and make that a little louder?
Nigel, looking blank, chews his gum for a long moment before replying defiantly: "These go to 11."
When Parliament resumed on Tuesday, and then again on Wednesday, Labor devoted most of its opportunities in question time to vociferously attacking John Howard for presiding over three increases in official interest rates since the election at which he promised to keep interest rates low.
The Prime Minister responded with the Spinal Tap defence. No matter what Labor said in attacking his record on interest rates, Howard replied that, under Labor, interest rates went to 17 per cent.
On Wednesday, Labor asked Howard about interest rates four times, and each time Howard gave the same answer. He called the peak mortgage rate under Labor in 1989 "the notorious 17 per cent", "the dizzy heights of 17 per cent", and "the bitterly remembered heights of 17 per cent". Say what you like, Howard seemed to be saying with a dogged imperturbability of which Nigel would be proud, but yours went to 17.
So yesterday, Labor's treasury spokesman, Wayne Swan, reminded Howard that interest rates had hit 21 per cent in 1982 under the then Liberal treasurer, John Howard. It was the first time that the Opposition had used this on Howard.
It seemed to disarm Howard. He lost his Spinal Tap defence. At first, he let out a nervous laugh, then he delivered a flailing non-answer. No mention of 17 per cent rates under Labor.


- around 1975, after John Howard was elected as treasurer, interest rates in Australia were one of the highest in the western world.

- the government, led by John Howard, had 13 years to do something about fuel prices and lower the margin on exice tax. did they do it? NO! Now that they are in opposition, they have had this 'amazingly bright idea' that that would be the way to go. Although, most of the shadow ministers dont agree this policy.

"I can't defend Rudd...so I know...I'll turn it around and put it back on Howard/Costello/Any Liberal"

That is so passe!

 

[chicky_pie]

umm..like Nelson or Howard could do any better! if u wanna bag anyone, it should be Howard! Think of all the mistakes he made;

The Prime Minister has his own interest rate skeleton in the closet, writes Peter Hartcher.
IN THE cult movie This Is Spinal Tap, a spoof documentary on the life of a failing heavy metal band, the group's guitarist takes us on a tour of his collection of prized musical instruments. After showing off his favourite electric guitar - the one with the flame painted on it - the long-haired, gum-chewing Cockney Nigel Tufnel brings us to his favourite amplifier.
"It's very, very special because if you can see," drawing attention to the calibrations on the knobs on the face of the amplifier, "the numbers all go to 11."
A normal volume knob is marked from zero to 10, but Nigel's favourite goes up to 11. The reporter wants to know if this unique calibration makes the amplifier louder. "Well, it's one louder, isn't it?" Nigel replies triumphantly. "It's not 10. You see, most blokes, you know, will be playing at 10."
"What we do is if we need that extra push over the cliff … you know what we do?"
Reporter: Put it up to 11.
Nigel: Eleven. Exactly. One louder.
Reporter: Why don't you just make 10 louder and make 10 be the top number, and make that a little louder?
Nigel, looking blank, chews his gum for a long moment before replying defiantly: "These go to 11."
When Parliament resumed on Tuesday, and then again on Wednesday, Labor devoted most of its opportunities in question time to vociferously attacking John Howard for presiding over three increases in official interest rates since the election at which he promised to keep interest rates low.
The Prime Minister responded with the Spinal Tap defence. No matter what Labor said in attacking his record on interest rates, Howard replied that, under Labor, interest rates went to 17 per cent.
On Wednesday, Labor asked Howard about interest rates four times, and each time Howard gave the same answer. He called the peak mortgage rate under Labor in 1989 "the notorious 17 per cent", "the dizzy heights of 17 per cent", and "the bitterly remembered heights of 17 per cent". Say what you like, Howard seemed to be saying with a dogged imperturbability of which Nigel would be proud, but yours went to 17.
So yesterday, Labor's treasury spokesman, Wayne Swan, reminded Howard that interest rates had hit 21 per cent in 1982 under the then Liberal treasurer, John Howard. It was the first time that the Opposition had used this on Howard.
It seemed to disarm Howard. He lost his Spinal Tap defence. At first, he let out a nervous laugh, then he delivered a flailing non-answer. No mention of 17 per cent rates under Labor.


- around 1975, after John Howard was elected as treasurer, interest rates in Australia were one of the highest in the western world.

- the government, led by John Howard, had 13 years to do something about fuel prices and lower the margin on exice tax. did they do it? NO! Now that they are in opposition, they have had this 'amazingly bright idea' that that would be the way to go. Although, most of the shadow ministers dont agree this policy.

Riiiiiiight, this is coming from the same government that is getting their reputation shitted on so much just 6 months into power, the only thing they're good at is threatening the opposition with a early election LOL.

Rudd lost, ....yet again.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

I am confused... how has Rudd failed exactly?

He got himself elected by convincing people that he would do all these things to help "working families" despite the fact that he doesn't actually have the power to do anything... something that anyone with a basic knowledge of economics should of realised.

I would call that success.