Stimulus Package voted down by Mr X

[Jovial Monk]

It is not pork barreling this far out from an election, Mantra. The amount is right and there will likely be another package later:- get you Green buddies tostart getting windfarm etc sites 'shovel ready.'

The big part of the debt is the loss of tax revenues from the recession--the stimulus package is just a fleabite on top.

When the world recovers it will take about four years to pay off in total.

[Auzgurl]

Rudd and Swan wouldnt be spending this money if they couldnt pay it back..they are not that stupid. They just arent...!
Turnbull ..vote for him ?...not in a pink fit.

The handouts are a small part mantra...there is a lot right about the rest.

[mantra.]

When the world recovers it will take about four years to pay off in total.

When the world recovers we will no longer own Australia. Not only does the country have insurmountable personal debt - but government debt now as well. I didn't like the way Howard went about paying off government debt - it was too sudden and too hard, but as we are heading into a recession caution has to be used - or maybe we could start printing money like the yanks - that'll look good for about 5 minutes. How much cash is Rudd actually using for infrastructure - about $7 billion.

As far as porkbarrelling goes - no Rudd has timed it badly, but nonetheless it still is. As you say there will probably be another package closer to the election and all those who want immediate gratification will be inclined to vote for the party giving out the most cash.

I'm ashamed of my own generation. They would have to be the most selfish generation in modern history. Not only can't we sustain Howard's handouts - now we've got to contend with Rudd's as well.

Rudd and Swan wouldnt be spending this money if they couldnt pay it back..they are not that stupid. They just arent...!

I wouldn't vote for Turnbull on his own - but if he came up with a decent ecological package involving more initiatives for alternative energy, conservation and environmental protection - I would give the Liberals my preference. And Auzgurl - seriously this package does appear very irresponsible considering that more and more people are becoming unemployed on a daily basis.

[Jovial Monk]

Heh, the Fibs push green issue? Never happen!

It is not the package that is a problem, it is the deficits caused by the recession!

[Auzgurl]

. And Auzgurl - seriously this package does appear very irresponsible considering that more and more people are becoming unemployed on a daily basis.

I hear you mantra..but isnt the whole point of the stimulus to create jobs and protect existing jobs.?

[mantra.]

I hear you mantra..but isnt the whole point of the stimulus to create jobs and protect existing jobs.?

Yes it's supposed to Auzgurl - but I can't see how. The $10 billion at Xmas made little difference to job creation. The Greens and Xenophon - even in the piddly little amounts they managed to wrench out of the government have managed to achieve something for water harvesting, the creation of 10,000 jobs and improved services to the elderly. Just imagine if they had 10 times that amount. This package just seems too rough and hastily put together without any real thought to problems, overspending and rorts.

[Rainbow Moonlight]

http://www.treasurer.gov.au/DisplayDocs ... &DocType=3

[Jovial Monk]

The first bonus package has boosted employment, esp fulltime, this lot will keep that going and the immediate, relatively small infrastructure projects (school halls/labs etc and the local govt stuff) will keep that going when the bigger COAG infrastructure projects will start breaking ground.

A good package, most of the recipients got cruelly way under-compensated for the GST by bloody Howard!

Need to fund a higher dole in the budget: unemployed spend every single cent they get!

[Jovial Monk]

Julia Gillard speaking to the second introduction of the Stimulus Package #2

[Jovial Monk]

And this is Tony Windsor, Indep, speaking.

Have a read of this speech and reflect on the fact that Tony used to belong to the Nuts until their machinations pushed him out. Intelligent independents like that will make big inroads into a now-irrelevant Nuts party.

Will look for minutes of one of the two biggest numbskulls in Parlt, Sen Eric Abetz (trying to) interview Henry, Gruen and other Treasury officials and experts. Hilarious! I bet Henry & Gruen had a good belt of skotch each before continuing to work on written answers for the Senate no-hopers.