Craig Thomson speaks exclusively to @GenGusface about his achievements in the seat of Dobell (NSW) and on whether he’ll run again in the next Federal Election.

The 20 minute podcast touches on many subjects, including the Opposition’s “tainted vote” attack on Thomson, and why this was an attempt to effectively remove the democratic process of allowing him to vote in Parliament on behalf of Dobell.

Other topics raised include the trial by media which endured throughout 2012, and its effect on Thomson personally, and what the motivation within some elements of MSM (mainstream media) were to push the story. Ultimately did the MSM cross moralistic, journalistic, and decency lines?

Thomson’s time at the HSU is touched upon and how it’s been portraid in the media, especially on how anyone working at the HSU was grouped together without looking at the issues being played out by different factions. He is asked whether he would have done things differently if he had his time over again at the HSU.

Finally Thomson discusses the possibility of legal redress and gives a positive message to Australian (and Dobell) voters.

*This sound recording is copyright Craig Thomson – please do not download*

These were the Questions asked:

1.  List your top 3 achievements for Dobel and the central coast?

2. Are you planning to run in the 2013 federal election?

3. Speaking of running,are you going to get tony abbott and chris pyne to bolt like rabbits again in parliament, and were you surprised they ran like scaredy cats?

4. Did you preplan to cross the floor on that day?

5. Speaking of preplanned- how do you feel about the media witchtrial you have endured for years?

6.  What has been the worst aspect of the continued lies and smears by the media? any one particular incident you feel displays where they have crossed the line?

7.  In your words how would you describe your time as Secretary of the HSU, and how has this been misrepresented by the media?

8. What legal redress will you seek for the smears and slander propogated by the media, over your role in the HSU?

9. What would like to say to the people of Australia?

Gusface was so upset by how the media were made aware and whether they were tipped off by persons either in the NSW Police or by the NSW Attorney-General that he Confronted the media and said the following:

Who forewarned them- why they were here and kept asking who told em? One member from the ABC squeaked he was rung at 8am. In addition, another member of the media pack started to try and derail him also asked em why they were ruining journalism- cowardly pack of bullies.

A couple of the Journalists present were taken aback by the spectacle and were seen frantically making some phone calls to their offices, while another person attempted to follow him – More information can be found on his Twitter Timeline:

https://twitter.com/GenGusface

Watch this space – there is a lot MOAR to come:

Meanwhile Peter Wicks at Wixxyleaks has also been covering this sorry saga.

http://wixxyleaks.com/2012/10/24/every-breath-you-take/

Update:

Here is the Sunrise story where they crossed live to Thomsoms’ home and showed footage of the police raiding the home – Considering that it takes a long time to set up a live cross and Seven were there BEFORE the police arrived it begs the question – Were Seven tipped off about the raid ?

I bet you were all wondering how Robert Ovadia just happened to be outside Thommo’s house and managed to get footage of the police raiding the home – especially as a)N The operation was “secret”, and more importantly b: Bateau Bay is not an area which can provide proper broadcast quality pictures.

As you may or may not be aware the media, in particular ABC News 24 nearly always manage to have “Technical Difficulties” when covering live crosses involving the PM and other Govt Ministers, while those involving the Opposition are almost always of perfect broadcast Quality. THis is because TV Stations utulise mobile vans with a small microwave link to send the signal back to the station, or at worst use 4G Wireless Broadband.

Now, these links take some time to set up as it involves raising the boom and sending  test tones and colour bars while the engineers at the studio check to see if the picture and sound are usable, as this video from the US illustrates.

Click here to view the embedded video.

I have since been told that a local freelance contractor who provides outside broadcast facilites was booked 4 days ago to attend Thommo’s address, which one can only assume that Ch 7 were briefed by persons unknown about the impending raid.

This is a most unsettling situation and a possible abuse of legal process.

There is MOAR to come !!!!!!!!!!

 Update – 5.46pm WST 25.10.12:

Remember how there was a 2GB Microphone conveniently at the scene of the Police Raid  ? We now have confirmation that it belonged to 2GB’s resident Police Reporter who was there to hold it for former Taxi Driver and alleged Child Basher Mr.Ray Hadley..

Watch this space for MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then there was this:

Was this a new thing  about Tony’s Media Behaviour  ? Fuck No !!!!!!!

Remember This ?

Well as Tony said to Mark at the time-

SHIT HAPPENS !!!!!!!!!!!

That makes me Fuming – for a very personal reason.

As some of you are Aware, I am a Spina Bifida sufferer in a wheelchair and the NDIS will benefit me greatly, especially as I have Aging Parents who are still caring for me at home – in addition to having Silver Chain coming in twice a week to help with showering, along with CMAS and CAPS funding for Continence Aids.

As well as that I have 3 Nephews who also have disabilities, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Downs Syndrome – - the latter two are brothers, the former is their Cousin – They are currently receiving some some funding under the State’s Disability  Services Commission, but my Sisters’ who are their Parents are still battling to find Carers to help out.

Ironically one of my sisters’ asked  Colin Barnett to “adopt” her two children – the ones with autism and Downs Syndrome as part of the Developmental Disability Council of WA’s Adopt a Politician Scheme

http://ddc.org.au/page.php?x=adoption.pp

For reasons best known to Mr Barnett, he didn’t take up the offer.

They live in Colin Barnett’s State Seat of Cottesloe, and Julie Bishop’s Federal Seat of Curtin. Both are Ultra Safe as Houses Blue Ribbon Liberal Seats.

Barnett’s refusal to commit State Funds to the Scheme, plus comments from Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey is a most disturbing situation and reflects very poorly on them.

It should be noted that both he and his fellow federal Colleague Julie Bishop both serve in Electorates which have a very large proprtion of People With Disabilites and Facilities which serve their needs.

They include:

Royal Perth Hospital – Shenton Park Campus

Telephone: (+61) 08 9382 7171
Facsimile:  (+61) 08 9382 7351

Postal Address:
6 Selby Street
Shenton Park, Western Australia, 6008

The Quadriplegic Centre & Para-Quad Industries

http://www.paraquadwa.asn.au/index.asp

Lady Lawley College

http://www.redcross.org.au/ladylawleycottage.aspx

Rocky Bay:

http://www.rockybay.org.au/

And that’s the high profile centres.

From Colin Barnett’s Website he states:

As Member for Cottesloe I represent constituents in Claremont, Cottesloe, Mosman Park, Mount Claremont, North Fremantle, Peppermint Grove and Swanbourne.

Colin Banett said the following in April 2012 prior to COAG:

Mr Barnett said there was a good spirit among state and territory governments to co-operate on the NDIS.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/broad-agreement-on-disability-scheme-20120413-1wx1l.html

In fact Colin Barnett does the good local Member by attending functions at both Rocky Bay and Lady Lawley to officiate in opening facilities, and in Lady Lawley’s case hand over a Lotterywest Grant, as illustrated by the pictures below

Lady Lawley Cottage, 16 July 2010
I was pleased to present Sue Hart, Director of Nursing Lady Lawley Cottage with a Lotterywest grant
for $176,350 to contribute to the upgrade of their play facilities.

Lady Lawley Cottage, 16 July 2010

Presenting a signed basketball to Dale, one of the many children at Lady Lawley Cottage who will
enjoy the upgraded playground facilities.

Re-opening of Rocky Bay pool, June 2009

Now even his Federal counterpart , Julie Bishop has been involved in the Campaign for a NDIS as illustrated in the following picture :

Julie Bishop met with local Every Australian Counts campaigners in March. See EAC blog athttp://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/dep/

Lois Gatley, Julie Bishop, Penny Crittall, Ron Crittall, Judy Blyth and Margaret Walsh

The fact that when it came to the crunch, both Colin Barnett and Julie Bishop have effectively given their Electorates of Curtin and Cottesloe the Middle Finger over the NDIS.

But is it over ??

Not by a long shot – you can send a message to both Colin Barnett and Julie Bishop by signing the following Petition:

http://www.communityrun.org/petitions/national-disability-insurance-scheme

Plus you can pledge your support here:

http://everyaustraliancounts.com.au/home/

And you can also send a personal message to Colin Barnett here:

https://australianlabor.wufoo.eu/forms/western-australians-for-an-ndis/

My final word on the matter ?

It may sound Crude, or even offensive:

 Mr Barnett, Don’t be Retarded – Just support the NDIS !!!!!!!

Update- 10.43pm WST 26.7.12:

This Cartoon fron Facebook sums it all up about our “Conservative Friends”

He has battled the Gatekeepers of #OhMike and Nightlife with Tony Delroy to spread the word – often with derision and attack from those who wish to spread the Liberal Line.

This post will be devoted to such calls.

Here he is speaking to John Cleary on ABC Local Radio on Sunday May 7th:

https://www.box.com/s/49cc3889651e8559071e

Here he is on #ohmike:

10th July 2011

https://www.box.com/s/43678e35b39b6121039e

And an earlier appearance on Tony Delroy’s Nightlife.

http://afrankview.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/gus.mp3

And here is Gus’ latest appearance on Delroy from earlier this morning, where he attempts to dispel the media lies regarding Foriegn Aid and Changes to the Parenting Allowance.

https://www.box.com/s/24f1fa2eb2f72f692325

Also here is the famous call where Gus manages to upset Dennis Shanahan of The Australian about how Newspoll is compiled:

https://www.box.com/s/7cfa5ffed5cf8a7939f1

Another Appearance on Delroy by Gus – this time putting Delroy on the Spot re the Cow statement by Graeme Morris

Christopher Pyne has said…..

Sorry, We would REALLY love to tell you – but we can’t – but until we can have a look at Vex :http://www.vexnews.com/2012/04/brisbane-buzzes-was-james-ashby-paid-50000-to-make-his-sexual-harassment-complaint-against-slipper/

GOLDEN BISONs – Australia has the strongest economy in the developed world and it is expected to outperform all comers for at least the next two years, according to the International Monetary Fund. The IMF also forecasts Australia’s unemployment rate to remain low at 5.2 per cent in both 2012 and 2013. READ MORE

1. Interest rate will always be lower under Labor. Neither Howard or Fraser Govts had cash rate below 4.25% in 20 yrs of govt: today cash rate 4.25%. RBA is expected to cut by 0.25% next, if not 0.5%.

2. Jobs, Jobs, Jobs – Over 44,000 jobs created in March with unemployment rate steady at 5.2% for 8 months running Encouragingly, seasonally adjusted full-time employment rose by 15,800 in March 2012, while part-time employment increased by 28,200.The labour force participation rate also increased in March, by 0.2 percentage points to 65.4%.

3. PBS - THE biggest price cuts in the history of the nation’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will hit chemist shelves today, delivering big savings to families.Prices will be slashed on 1000 brands of 60 popular prescription medicines by up to $14 per script.Some of the most widely used medications, including scores of antibiotics, painkillers, antidepressants, cholesterol controllers, laxatives, blood pressure and heart drugs, will fall in price, thanks to a Gillard government move which brings drug costs into line with the market price.A 20-pack of heavy-duty painkiller Panadeine Forte will fall by up to $4.32, a course of antibiotic Augmentin Duo Forte will fall by up to $3.33, a month’s supply of anti-depressant Prozac will fall by a maximum of $3.35, and widely used cholesterol tablets Lopid will fall by up to $7.32 for a 60-pack. READ MORE

4. Skill Training - PM Gillard seals skills deal with States. State and territory leaders have agreed to support the Federal Government’s changes to funding for training skilled workers.The $1.75 billion packag will create 375,000 additional training places will be available over the next five years. READ MORE

5. More Income - On the average the household is taking home over $13,000 a year more – yes, in after tax dollars – than they were just 4 years ago. This clearly is much more than is being eaten away from higher prices for electricity, tobacco or lamb. READ MORE

6. MRRT Extra Super - Labor’s about helping those with most need – The MRRT will increase in superannuation from 9 to 12 per cent.For a 30-year-old on average earnings, these changes mean more than $100,000 extra in the pocket at retirement.From July 1, small businesses – whether they are run by sole traders or through companies, partnerships or trusts – will be able to immediately write off each and every asset they buy worth up to $6500. READ MORE

7. The Carbon Tax will help the punters:

- One million workers will no longer have to pay tax or lodge a tax return under a tripling of the tax-free threshold from $6000 to $18,000.to apply from July 1.

- Families already receiving payments under Family Tax Benefit A will be paid cash bonuses to compensate for the impact of the carbon tax from May 16 to May 29, with a small increase in fortnightly payments to follow.

- Single-income families receiving payments under Family Tax Benefit B will get up to $69 extra, plus up to $300 in additional supplement.

- Pensioners can expect to see their $250 bonuses, known as the Clean Energy Advance, to arrive from May 28 to June 8.

- Self-funded retirees who have a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card will get a $250 cash bonus from next month – or $190 for each member of a couple.

- Students receiving Austudy payments will receive payments over the period June 11 to June 22.

- $300-a-year tax cut for six million Australians earning $80,000 a year or less.

READ MORE

8. More Jobs, Jobs, Jobs - The latest figures on job vacancies and business confidence suggest sentiment has rebounded in Australian business circles.Official job vacancy figures from the Bureau of Statistics show that employers want to hire more new workers, with job vacancies rising by 0.7 per cent in February, a turnaround on the previous series of declines.The bi-annual survey of the views of more than 400 industry leaders found that confidence levels among mid-sized Australian businesses were climbing, and they were looking to expand by boosting spending and staffing in the next six months after sitting on their cash for the last six months.READ MORE

9. Did they say this? – In 2001, the Queensland vote closely followed a Coalition wipe-out in Western Australia, which prompted obituaries for the Howard government. The Herald Sun’s Andrew Bolt got in a year early and told us Howard was ”the walking dead prime minister, even before the GST puts him out of his misery”. After the WA election, he reminded us of this ”not just to boast” but to underline the certainty of his reasons for declaring ”Howard is gone – barring something truly extraordinary”.

Michelle Grattan reported deep pessimism in Coalition ranks. ”I think the [federal] election’s lost,” said a
Liberal backbencher. ”It’s just a matter of the margin.” The Australian’s Paul Kelly wrote that ”within five short years” of Howard’s 1996 landslide, Labor could win a comfortable majority, supported by six state Labor governments. (Four state Coalition governments had fallen since 1998, with only South Australia to go. Sound familiar?) If the blue-ribbon seat of Ryan fell in a byelection, it would be ”proof that the malaise has corroded the foundations of the Liberal Party”. READ MORE

10. Happiness - Australia ninth happiest country in world – AUSTRALIA is ranked among the world’s top 10 happiest countries, albeit behind New Zealand.(Bugger them Sheeppen Shaggers). The World Happiness Report, released at a United Nations conference, places Australia in ninth position, with Denmark topping the list, followed by Finland, Norway, The Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland. READ MORE

 11. New Car Sales - Australia new vehicle sales hit 22 months high in March – Sales of new motor vehicles in Australia climbed to their highest level in 22 months in March, data showed on Tuesday, a sign consumers still had the confidence to splash out on big ticket items. Government figures showed new vehicle sales rose 4 per cent in March to 89,694 – READ MORE

 12. Currency Deal - RBA signs $30b currency swap pact with China. The Reserve Bank said it had signed a bilateral local currency swap agreement with the People’s Bank of China (PBC).The central bank said the agreement allows for the exchange of local currencies between the two central banks of as much as $30 billion or 200 billion yuan. It is for an initial period of three years and can be activated by either party. READ MORE

13. NBN - Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, who is overseeing the government’s $36 billion national broadband network (NBN) project, has received an award from a New York-based think tank. READ MORE

14. Impacts of the Carbon Price have been highly exaggerated:

- VICTORIANS will pay 8.5 per cent more for their electricity as a result of the carbon price – less than estimated by the federal government – according to research billed as the most thorough investigation of Australia’s climate change laws READ MORE

- The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has today released its draft determination on the proposed average prices that regulated electricity retailers in NSW can charge residential and small business customers from 1 July 2012.The draft decision allows for an average price increase of 16% across NSW. IPART chairman Dr Peter Boxall: NSW electricty price increase pw due to Carbon Price on electricity generators is $1.75 (Integral) $3.25 (EA) $3.66 (CE) READ MORE

- Climate Change Minister Greg Combet says the carbon tax will account for only $6 in every $100 of the average household electricity bill in 2012-13, based on government analysis of the latest report from the Australian Energy Market Commission, which advised the Council of Australian Governments about future price rises. That report said electricity prices would increase by another 37 per cent in the next two years.”The main reason for rising electricity prices is the over $40 billion in investment under way by electricity network businesses in upgrading the network of poles and wires across the country,” Combet tells Inquirer. READ MORE

15. Funding costs of banks are easing, says RBA - THE Reserve Bank has indicated wholesale funding costs of the banks were beginning to ease, despite the banking sector’s claims that elevated costs were continuing to crimp their profit margins. READ MORE

16. Housing – Non performing mortgage loans – % of total outstanding household mortgage loans – Aust 0.5%, Canada 0.5%, UK 2.1%, Spain 2.5%, Ireland 5.8% USA 7.8% (Source IMF)

 101 Economic Fundamental:

1. Unemployment 5.1% (Canada 7.5, EUROZONE Avg 9.3, UK 8.7, USA 8.3, Japan 4.1, NZ 6.6, China 4.1, India 9.4, Brazil 4.7. South Africa 25%, Singapore 1.9, South Korea 3.7)

2. Inflation 2%

3. GDP Growth 3.5% – The Australian economy is now around 7 per cent larger than it was prior to GFC Mark 1. By way of comparison, most developed countries have gone backward.

4. RBA Interest Rate – 4.25% – RBA Interest rate 4.25%, compared to 6.75% when Howard was voted out.

5. Current Govt Net Debt – 8.9%

6. Total Public Debt – 27% GDP (Canada 81%, EURO 97%, France 99%, Germany 84%, Japan 205%, UK 91%, USA 95%)

7. Trade Surplus $22.4 billion last financial year – easily the biggest surplus in raw terms for the past 40 years
of records compiled by the ABS

8. Sovereign Rating – Australia one of just 15 countries to hold the top AAA Rating from all Agencies

9. Currency – AUD/USD 1.04, AUD/UK 0.68 AUD/Euro 0.82 – The floating of AUD is the single most important economic reform introduced by Labor. It acts as a shock absorber to external economic conditions

10. Australia is in Asia, the growth engine averaging 6% and part of the Asian Century. It’s middle and aspiration class is expected to hit 800 millions by 2020. Double of USA+Europe.

11. NBN – One of the most advanced high speed Internet enabled network in the world. Australia’s first national wide, open access FTTP broadband network with minimum 93% coverage, capable of achieving 1 gigabit per second broadband speeds.

12. Australia is the richest country in the world according to Credit Suisse Research Institute’s most recent
Global Wealth Report, the median wealth of Australians now is well over $200,000, ahead of Switzerland, 4 times USA.

13. Under Coalition spending grew by average of 3.7% per annum, under the current Labor spending growth is
averaging 1.5%

14. More people at work today than any time in our Nation’s history. In Jan 2012, 46,300 new jobs created for the month of which 12,300 full-time jobs and the Unemployment rate is now 5.1% from previous 5.2%

15. Australia net debt is expected to peak only at 8.9% in 2016 (MYEFO) - READ MORE

16. THE Gillard government’s reforms to financial advice will boost the retirement savings of Australian workers by $130 billion over 15 years

17. Retail turnover up 0.3% in January. (0.1% fall in December.) from ABS

18. Inflation measure hits two-year low, inflation gauge shows prices rose 0.1 per cent in February, taking the annual rate to 2 per cent  READ MORE

19. Our economy is up by 7.4 per cent on pre-GFC levels. Canada +3.5% USA & Germany +1%, UK -2.75%, Japan -3% Italy – 4.5% READ MORE

20. Australia’s GDP in 2011 was $1.444 trillion. Will be above $1.5 trillion next year

21. Since 2007 the ratio of net debt to GDP of the leading western economies has grown from 52% to 82%”(a swing of 30%). In Australia, minus 3.8% to 8.9%(a swing of 13%)

22. The 10 year government bond yield is now around 4.0% having recent hit an all time low of 3.65% – it was above 6% in late 2007 when the Coalition was in office

23. The size of government – taken as government spending – will fall from 26.0% of GDP in 2009-10 during GFC to 23.6% of GDP in 2012-13. The Howard government’s average government spending to GDP ratio was 24.2% of GDP.

24. The Tax to GDP ratio will rise from a 30 year low of 20.0% of GDP in 2010-11 and will reach 22.3% of GDP in 2012-13.The Tax to GDP ratio in the last Howard year was 23.7% and the average Tax to GDP ratio under Howard was 23.4% of GDP.

  102. Political Fundamental

1. “ALP best manager of money, history shows” – George Megalogenis READ MORE

2. No interest rise for the 14th consecutive month (last rise was Nov 2010) Vs 10 consecutive rises under

Howard/Costello. The lowest rate, since 1960, of 3% was in April 2009 under Labor. Lowest under Howard 4.25%,
Fraser 7.65%, Gorton 5.7%, McMahon 4.3%). Interest rates will always be lower under Labor.

3. “The Atlantic magazine named Gillard as one of its “2011 brave thinkers” for her resolute strength in pushing through a carbon tax. “Whether you see the move as politically expedient or as a principled course correction, there’s no denying the risk that it entails in a country where climate change is a wildly contentious issue,” writes Geoffrey Gagnon”

4. NEW Treasury analysis finds Mining played minor role during GFC, it says service industries such as retail -
which received a hefty boost from Kevin Rudd’s stimulus package – were crucial in sustaining the economy during its darkest days.

5. Wayne Swan – Treasurer of the Year 2011

6. PM Gillard solved #QANTAS dispute in 36 hrs, Hawke solved the Pilot Dispute in 1 month and Howard solved the Waterfront Dispute in 6 months.

7. How good are nations at keeping the promises made at G20 summits? – Australia NO: 1 - READ MORE

8. PM Julia Gillard elected & confirmed as PM with the greatest thumping winning margin in history 71-31 with one supporter away on leave, otherwise it will be 72-31

9. PM Gillard gets A-plus on International Women’s Day – Prime Minister Julia Gillard has been given the tick of approval by an executive leadership expert on International Women’s Day. READ MORE

10. Francis Fukuyama, the doyen of US Conservatives endorsed the #MRRT  READ MORE

11. MP Rob Oakeshott says “this parliament is working and I’m proud of it” – 300 bills passed

 103. Social Fundamental

1. Australian families depending on one breadwinner pay among the lowest amounts of tax in the world and have become better off under the Gillard Government – Natsem

2. The Herald/Lateral Economics Index of Australia’s Wellbeing rose 2.2 per cent in the quarter, outstripping GDP growth of 1 per cent. READ MORE

3. The number of people filling for bankruptcy in Australia has fallen by 16%.

4. Recently released IMF estimates show that Australians are the fifth richest people in the world, behind only
those living in Luxembourg, Qatar, Norway and Switzerland READ MORE

5. AUSTRALIA is second best – almost but not quite the greatest place in which to live, according to the latest
United Nations human development index. Norway pips us by a flared nostril. Australia scores 0.93 on a scale of 0 to 1, where 1 is the highest score possible. At 0.94, Norway’s margin over Australia is close to invisible

6. Ave weekly earning +4.7% in yr to Aug. 10 years of real wage gains.

7. Aust & Holland have the best pension systems in the world followed by Sweden, Swiss, Canada, UK READ MORE

8. Australia top destination for expats globally: HSBC – AUSTRALIA’S image of healthy outdoor living and reputation for a work-life balance has elevated it to the top destination for expatriates globally, according to a worldwide survey by HSBC.

9. THE Gillard government’s reforms to financial advice will boost the retirement savings of Australian workers by $130 billion over 15 years

10. From Mega: Costs of the Paretal Leave Scheme: The total cost of the government scheme is $1.4
billion in 2012-13, covering 126,000 families. The Coalition’s 2010 election policy document put the cost of the
Abbott scheme at $4.3bn in 2012-13. A professional woman on more than $150,000 a year would receive $75,000 from Abbott and nothing from Labor.  READ MORE

11. The Gillard Govt has committed more funding to urban public transport since 2007 than all Govts combined since Federation

12. #MRRT will ensure Australians get more Super from 9% to 12%. FIND OUT MORE

13. NAB chief economist just told insolvency conference media is over blowing carbon tax which only cuts 0.25% off GDP growth and clips 25k jobs

14. We are in Asia. Time to reform to meet Asia challenge, says former World Bank chief James Wolfensohn. March 22, 2012. FORMER World Bank president James Wolfensohn has warned that the world is not prepared for the global power shift from West to East. READ MORE

104. The Future

1. Business investment spending is expected to grow by 15 per cent this year and another 15 per cent next year. – Ross Gittin

2. Australia in good shape if another crisis hits, says IMF – 8/8/11

3. BHP Billiton $80B Olympic Dam copper/uranium/gold mine in South Australia creating 6000 jobs during a decade- long construction phase, 4000 ongoing jobs at the mine and 15,000 indirect jobs.This is despite the Resource Tax

4. The strength of the nation’s markets during the Global Financial Crisis was highlighted by the World Economic Forum, which in 2009 ranked Australia as the world’s second-best financial centre after the UK. Australia was the only country in the top 20 to improve its ranking.With around A$1.7 trillion in assets under management, Australia is the largest funds management market in Asia, and the fourth-largest in the world. Australia has one of the highest levels of managed funds per capita in the world, with total investment fund assets in Australia projected to reach A$7 trillion by 2028.

5. For dealmakers Down Under, 2011 will go down as a vintage year for inbound M&A activity, according to the latest data from Dealogic.So far this year, Australia has attracted a record US$59.9 billion of total inbound deals, already surpassing US$55 billion achieved in the whole of 2010, according to the data provider. READ MORE

6. The figures show September quarter spending on exploration for coal up 12 per cent to a new record high of $227 million, spending on iron ore exploration up 9 per cent to a new record high of $235 million, and spending on onshore petroleum exploration up 33 per cent to a new record high of $249 million.

7. The ABS figures follow Tuesday’s Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics forecast of record energy and minerals export earnings of $206 billion in 2012. If realised, they will boost government revenue, making its forecast surplus easier to attain. The bureau says capital expenditure by resource companies stands at a record high of $232 billion.

8. Bloomberg has done a survey and found that Australia is the 5th best and easiest place in the world to do
business after HK, Netherlands, USA and UK. READ MORE

9. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said Australia is probably the best positioned of the developed countries to handle a further deterioration in the global economy. IMF Asia and Pacific region director Anoop Singh told a media briefing in Washington that the institution supports the Australian government’s plan to return the federal budget to surplus in 2012/13.

10. Manufacturing activity remained in positive territory in January 2012, according to the latest Australian
Industry Group. Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) is 51.6, readings above 50 indicate an
expansion in activity

11. Trade surplus up $366m in Dec to $1.7b. Total exports second highest monthly level on record at $27.7billion.

12. A SURGE of global demand for Australian government bonds has saved the federal government from issuing at least $10 billion in debt, cutting more than $500 million a year from its future interest bills.

13. The rate for Australian Government 10 year bonds (the “yield”) is at record low 3.75%

14. Amid the global economic turmoil and credit squeeze, Australia remains a gold standard country to invest in, says BHP Billiton boss Marius Kloppers, as BHP Billiton delivered a $US9.941 billion ($A9.23 billion) first-half profit.

15. Reserve Bank of Australia deputy governor Philip Lowe: business investment had jumped about 20 per cent in 2011, and the Reserve Bank expected “double-digit increases in business investment in each of the next couple of years,” he said.

16.  Australia No: 1 – 2012 RANKING OF 25 COUNTRIES FOR MINING INVESTMENT.  READ MORE

17. Hiring intentions have reached their highest level in more than three years as an ANZ report shows the jobs market has posted solid growth for the second consecutive month.  READ MORE

18. New figures show Australia’s resources and energy exports predicted to reach a massive $225 billion in 2016-17 READ MORE

19. Australia leads the OECD pack in GDP forecasts – Mar 8th 2012, 20:24 by The Economist online. READ MORE 

20. The profits-based Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) for iron ore and coal will begin on July 1, 2012, and apply to all new and existing iron ore and coal projects. The Treasury estimates the tax will generate A$3.7 billion in fiscal 2012/13, A$3.8 billion in 2013/14 and A$3.1 billion in 2014/15.

Latest WARTHOGs:

1. Tony Abbott’s great big NANNY TAX – has conceded that the method he proposes to use to pay for his paid parental leave scheme would be a form of tax. Nanny rebate would cost $2b – But according to an analysis by the departments of education and finance, obtained by the Herald, including nannies would cost an extra $1.975 billion over its first four years, prompting the government to claim Mr Abbott could afford his ”thought bubble” only with big cuts to families’ existing childcare payments. READ MORE

2. Peter Costello savaged Tony Abbott on taxing 3300 companies to pay for the PPL scheme:

“Costello says it’s a bad policy that should have set Liberal alarm bells ringing. The idea of increasing tax
should be foreign to the Liberal Party, Costello warned in a newspaper article when Abbott announced the plan.

And he accused the opposition leader of adopting “the Crocodile Dundee approach” to outdo Labor on paid maternity leave. “In this kind of politics, if your opponent has a bad idea you try to outflank it,” Costello wrote. “Your opponent has a mildly bad idea, so you come up with a more extreme one and have a race to the bottom.”  READ MORE: 

3. Axing NBN. Tony Abbott would have to bring NBN on budget if they decide to sell. That would add another $15-20B minimum to the Blackhole

4. Ross Gittin savaged Tony Abbott on his deficits:

Two weeks ago the secretary to the Treasury, Dr Martin Parkinson, dropped a fiscal bombshell that since the global financial crisis, federal tax revenue had fallen by the equivalent of 4 percentage points of gross domestic product [about $60 billion a year, and was not expected to recover to its pre-crisis level for many years to come. The cumulative write-down in revenue against the forward estimates between 2007-08 and 2011-12 has been about $130 billion.

The most obvious (and least consequential) implication of this news is its threat to Julia Gillard’s resolve to
return the budget to surplus next financial year without fail.But Gillard’s problems pale in comparison to Tony
Abbott’s, with his oddly ideological and populist commitment to rescind both Labor’s carbon tax and its mining tax without rescinding all the tax cuts and spending increases the taxes will pay for.

There seems little doubt Abbott’s term in office would either be marked by an orgy of broken promises or be
consumed by agonising over what spending to cut, with eternal lobbying both before and after the fact. Probably a fair bit of both.  READ MORE

Previous WARTHOGs:

1. Axing Carbon tax: $27B
2. Axing Mining tax: $11B
3. Last election promise: $37B
4. PPL $3.3B
5. Indexation of veterans’ pensions: $1.7B
6. Direct Action: $3.2B
7. Abbott’s PPL will hit 3300 companies Vs PM Carbon Tax will ht the top 500 companies only
8. Tony Abbott’s Direct Action climate change plan of sequestering 85 million tonnes of carbon a year in soil by
2020 may fall short by between 30 million and 80 million tonnes of abatement
9. PM Gillard at #QT: Under your scheme the effective price is $62/tonne

1/2/3: ABC – They were leaked to Channel 7 and last night the Opposition’s finance spokesman Andrew Robb all but confirmed the $70 billion figure, by saying “It’s no great piece of investigative journalism. It’s a case of simple arithmetic.”

The figure includes $27 billion from dumping the carbon tax, $11 billion from axing the mining tax and $37 billion in promises the Opposition made during last year’s election campaign.The Prime Minister Julia Gillard seized on the $70 billion figure during a forum in Perth last night. – READ MORE

4. Phil Coorey, SMH – He has already alarmed sections of his party with a promised $3.3 billion paid parental leave scheme. – READ MORE

5. Leone Taylor – There was also his promise to provide more generous indexation for veterans’ pensions, which the Coalition costs at $98 million over the first four years and the government $1.7 billion  READ MORE

6. Leone Taylor – The only other spending would be on ”Direct Action” on climate change -

$3.2 billion over four years which most experts believe is woefully insufficient to reach the emissions reductions promised and a ”Green Army” to do conservation good deeds. The Green Army would be a big spending promise if it was to quickly reach its target of 15,000 soldiers, but as it was proposed at the last election it began more the size of a Green Platoon, costing $50 million in the first year and taking at least four years to build up to its full strength. Read more:

7. Sam Maiden: HERE’S a surprising fact about Tony Abbott’s paid parental leave plan that hasn’t attracted much attention: the new levy to pay for the scheme would hit more companies than the carbon tax.Surprised? Consider the numbers. Julia Gillard’s carbon tax will be imposed on about 500 of the nation’s biggest polluters. Abbott’s tax levy would hit an estimated 3300 businesses with a 1.5 per cent levy.Isn’t that a great, big, new tax coincidence, to deploy Abbott’s favourite mantra ? READ MORE:

11. CSIRO research suggests Tony Abbott’s direct action climate change plan of sequestering 85 million tonnes of carbon a year in soil by 2020 may fall short by between 30 million and 80 million tonnes of abatement

READ MORE

So here now is a recent Tony Abbott with John Laws radio interview (2nd April, 2011) where, in his own words, Tony Abbott talks about the Carbon Tax, the GST (and how calls for repelling it by Labor, are somehow different to his calls to repel the CT), his great new tax on companies to fund his Paid Parental Leave policy, and how a “Tax” is not a “Levy” (in Bizarro Universe). All this even when Laws is practically giving him a free run, which begs the question, what would come out of Abbott’s mouth if a real journalist were to do a probing interview with the Man of La Budgies?

Click on each question to hear the audio.

Q1. Will the winding back of the Carbon Tax include the winding back of the tripling of the tax free threshold?

Q2. What about the V Age Pension what are you going to do about that?

Q3. What about Work Choices? Will they be coming back in any form?

Q4. How do we know you will tell the truth in future when you’ve mentioned in the past that we should’t believe you unless it’s in writing – are you going to carry a lot of paper with you?

Q5. What are you going to do about funding the Pacific Highway?

Q6. Will the GST be charged on the Carbon Tax?

Q7. Are you going to throw out the Carbon Tax?

Q8. If you were to purchase a vehicle you pay a percentage on stamp duty and then you pay GST on the accumulated cost which is a tax on a tax, which it is… but you don’t have a retort for it?

Q9. What are you going to do to control the price of fuel?

Q10. What makes him [Tony Abbott] think he’d be a better PM than Julia Gillard?

Q11. Why is it you seem to have a problem with female voters?

Q12. The idea to extend the Child Care Rebate to include nannies, was that simply a way of trying to fine tune the female friendly credentials?

Q13. Some of the figures over the weekend suggest that the cost of your plan would run to something like $500Million a year, that’s $2Billion over 4 years,  I mean, how can we afford that given where the budget is at the moment?

Q14. The PM says your push to unwind the Carbon Tax, it be nothing more than a bit of chest beating, the process to be incredibly hollow, how does that differ from Labor’s plan to roll back the GST?

Q15. Would you be forced to a Double Dissolution election to secure the end of that Carbon Tax?

Q16. Your proposal for Paid Parental Leave, that will be funded by 1% levy on the country’s biggest companies, now, that’s a Great Big Tax?

Q17. It’s very interesting when you talk about a “cut” it’s a tax, when you talk about an “increase” it’s a levy, what’s the difference between a levy and a tax?