Sathius005
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2007
- Messages
- 716
- Gender
- Undisclosed
- HSC
- 2008
- Uni Grad
- 2018
Which is a higher priority for the federal government budget
A) welfare
B) defence?
A) welfare
B) defence?
We built our own submarines and they suck and you want us to build our own stealth fighter when we have 0 capability on developing anything on our own? We do not have the economy of scale to commit to such large research projects anyway.Defence has to be one of the most pointless portfolios for a country like Australia...
I find it hard to believe that the federal government is having a whinge about how much money they don't have... but yet, they have the nerve to buy more submarines which are, quite frankly speaking, complete arse compared to some other submarines on the market... there is also the issue of crewing these submarines, Australia can barely crew their present fleet of defective submarines but yet they seem to be spending a shit load more to build more... don't even get me started on the Joint Strike Fighter hahaha!
of course, there has to be some concessions when it comes to defence spending... However, I'm just saying; what they are presently spending money on is complete and utter bullshit... This is then sapping money from other, more vital services back home... for instance, instead of spending billions of dollars on inferior technologies which are built mostly offshore; they can rectify a shortage in manufacturing jobs by making an Australian stealth fighter which will probably be better than the JSF anyway... either that or they can just provide services like universal dental care, a healthcare system that actually works and tend to the issue of an ageing population by upping super to 15%...
I don't know, I stopped playing with toy soldiers and toy guns when I was six... nice to see that the government isn't as mature as I am...
If a politician said they were going to cut a fraction of that $26bil they would be out on their arseI fail to see how $26 Billion AUD annually is quote "NOTHING" unquote... you can do a lot with $26 Billion... like build a broadband network, etc... GDP is different to government revenue also just bare that in mind... the burden is a lot more than 1.8%...
yepyou cant have a country without borders
Yeah because our intervention in East Timor had nothing to do with the Indonesian militia practically commit ethnic genocide.You really think the JSF is that good where you think Australia can't build a better one... I reckon the wright brothers could have built an aircraft that's better than the JSF... the JSF is also crazy expensive for the plane you're getting
I fail to see how $26 Billion AUD annually is quote "NOTHING" unquote... you can do a lot with $26 Billion... like build a broadband network, etc... GDP is different to government revenue also just bare that in mind... the burden is a lot more than 1.8%...
sorry but I fail to see how: going into a country, blowing their shit into the stone age, pissing off a few million people is actually solving the problem of there being terrorism... If anything, it's probably reinforcing many of the convictions that a certain class of people have in relation to western powers...
as for East Timor, never knew that exploiting a country for their natural gas resources is "promoting regional stability"
I did say, there has to be some concessions and there are certain instances where defence spending is necessary... However, I fail to see how Australia's global interventions with the US, et al, are really necessary for a country like Australia...
have you even READ tomorrow when the war began? open your eyesnah indonesia will never attack considering we have a full military protection agreement with the U.S from our ANZUS treaty. also nuclear deterrent.
Not just that, we also have a extremely good relationship with their government as well. Historically our interests and theirs completely align, everything from anti-communist purges under Suharto to the counter-terror work they do too. We pretty much just need a bigger navy so we can adequately defend our borders as well. Threats against our national security won't stem from our neighbors but from people abroad.nah indonesia will never attack considering we have a full military protection agreement with the U.S from our ANZUS treaty. also nuclear deterrent.
Are you fucking stupid?The defense portfolio already suffered deep cuts to funding in the 2012 budget, while welfare expenditure is forecast to increase dramatically with the imposition of the NDIS. So it would seem reasonable to address Australia's growing welfare state before searching for cuts in the defense budget. However, the Government should prioritise cuts to foreign aid/dismantling renewable energy schemes/subsidies.
that the same relationship that helped train Indonesian intelligence in the art of forced disappearances of government dissenters???Not just that, we also have a extremely good relationship with their government as well. Historically our interests and theirs completely align, everything from anti-communist purges under Suharto to the counter-terror work they do too. We pretty much just need a bigger navy so we can adequately defend our borders as well. Threats against our national security won't stem from our neighbors but from people abroad.
Priority wise, government will always spend more on welfare. Look at the US as well, all the money they spend on Social Security, Housing, Medicaid, Medicare etc trumps military by far. Bread and circuses.
Yep same relationship. We taught their secret police in how to make people "disappear" and helped them run torture workshops and what not. You know, fighting communism and what not back in the day was more important than human rights. CIA does their fucked up shit in Latin America, we pull the same in SE Asia.have to kind of agree cutting renewable energy subsidies... not because of those annoying solar panel ads; but because of revenue... with the carbon tax looking like its heading for the graveyard it, ironically, is not looking sustainable to have such a scheme in place without a revenue stream...
don't agree with the foreign aid part... that should actually get increased considering Australia's new temporary UN Security Council appointment... as isildurrrr1 said, we have obligations that any other middle power would (that includes foreign aid)... given that Australia has found itself to be in an elevated position (of being in the security council), I believe it has an obligation to help developing countries and honour human rights obligations that the UN sets out...
that the same relationship that helped train Indonesian intelligence in the art of forced disappearances of government dissenters???