The Budget

[Elbo]

Mr Costello handed down the budget a few days ago. What are people's opinions on it and the changes they have made? What does everyone think about the 'sending stay at home mothers back to work once the youngest child turns 6' issue?

www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,15244831%255E661,00.html

There's one of the writeups on it.

[Rik]

$6 a week tax saving? Fucking weak... such a token effort, who cares about $6 a week? Surely all that money as well as the surplus, could've been put to better use? How about investing it in some infrastructure, or creating schemes to put Australia on the right track with longterm goals of development.
But instead, it's all about the tax "savings", fighting welfare cheats, and boosting our ANTI TERRAH!!11 expenses.

I wouldn't expect anything less from our government :rolleyes:

[Daver]

$6 a week tax saving? Fucking weak... such a token effort, who cares about $6 a week? Surely all that money as well as the surplus, could've been put to better use? How about investing it in some infrastructure, or creating schemes to put Australia on the right track with longterm goals of development.
But instead, it's all about the tax "savings", fighting welfare cheats, and boosting our ANTI TERRAH!!11 expenses.


I thought that the governement just created a 20 odd billion dollar superannuation fund for public servants?

[Elbo]

This is a brief overview of what the budget brought about:

*Personal income tax cuts worth $21.7 billion over four years, from July 1 2005.
*$1.8 billion in tax cuts for business.
*Abolition of superannuation surcharge for middle and upper income earners, from July 2005.
*Forecast budget surplus for 2005/06 of $8.9 billion.
*Establishment of a future fund to meet unfunded superannuation liabilities.
*Single parents expected to look for work when youngest child turns six, from July 2006.
*$226m for child care, including extra 84,300 outside school hour child care places.
*No disability pension if person is able to work part-time, from July 2006.
*Disabled with musco-skeletal injuries - mainly bad backs - to be obliged to look for part-time or non-manual work.
*Out-of-pocket medical expenses for low income earners to be lifted to $500, up from $300, before government picks up 80 per cent of the tab.
*Concession-card holders' free prescriptions reduced.
*Four-year, $25 million campaign to discourage young from smoking.
*$1,000 bonus payment to 90,000 carers.
*$321 million package for dementia sufferers, including new aged care at home places.
*Extra training places for traditional trades, plus 7,000 more school-based apprenticeships.
*24 new technical colleges for 7,200 year 11 and 12 students.
*Improved protection for Australian diplomatic missions.
*Upgrading military bases, including for joint US exercises.
*Tsunami warning system for Australia and south-west Pacific.
*Ban on tax deductions for cosmetic surgery.
*Struggling symphony orchestras to get extra $25.4 million.

(why does the damn symphony orchestra's need all that cash, when the government could spend it on something useful!)

[GoingDHfast]

I agree with Rik, I think the government needs to look to the future and be proactive with its money instead of facing issues after its too late.

A lot of the shit in there is simply reactive money-throwing. Do we really need a tsunami warning system FFS? When was anyone in aus killed by a tsunami, and is it up to us to protect south asia? And the government has known that there is going to be a skills shortage with blue collar trades for a LONG time, why did they only reintroduce tech schools now? My opinion is that they are too reactive and need to be more foward thinking (eg: figure out what australia is GOOD AT, and focus on that) ... Only my opinion, I dont know much about politics though :o

Oh yeah, anyone have a good idea for WTF we are going to do when the baby boomers retire + live off our taxes? Think I'll move to mexico :D

[Kram]

(eg: figure out what australia is GOOD AT, and focus on that) ...

Well its pretty obvious what we are good at. Rennie, Graves, Kovarik, Hannah, Hill, Atkinson... and on and on and on.

We need more places to ride. Simple as that. And a few more chairlifts. Instead the fucking symphony orchestra gets cashed up. IF the people wanted symphony, then don't you think they'd pay to go see it? That my friends is stupid. Supply and demand should run supreme. No one buying symphony CD's, noone going to the night at the orchestra? Take a hint.

[GoingDHfast]

From an economic point of view putting money into improving entertainment for old people (soon to be the baby boomers) does make sense.. Whatever we can do to keep them healthy and away from the expensive retirement villages :p

That said, I also think they should donate a couple of billion into turning golf courses into mini-whistler DH parks. Arm every old person with a Craftworks (support the locals) and let the fuckers loose. Thats got to be a cheaper way to die than spending 20 years in aged care. :D

[Elbo]

Arm every old person with a Craftworks (support the locals) and let the fuckers loose. Thats got to be a cheaper way to die than spending 20 years in aged care. :D

yes it would be a lot cheaper dieing that way, but what about all the god damn legislation!!!! people these days can't accept that an accident is just that.

[tanlicouz]

The budget sucks for the middle class people, which is safe to say the MAJORITY of people.

It's almost ridiculous that just a few months back, the MEDICARE safety net was pretty much abolished because it wasnt 'sustainable' yet now, the pig-headed costello posts an ENORMOUS profit, ENORMOUS tax cut for the wealthy.Like always, what the liberal government has been doing streching the margin between the rich and the poor.

Certain things should simply not have the funding that is been allocated. Ie the orchastro... um why not give that money to public schools and pump into our health system? :confused:

The truth is, politics isnt really about the greater good of the country but merely a popularity contest. The chances of kim beasly ever being primeminster is slim. He is fat, ugly and has no charisma or repall about him. What the public sees makes an enormous impression and with all that in fighting within the labor ranks, its worst then kindergarten kids.

BUt getting back to the topic, the budget is very appealing because of the blatant tax cuts. Look at it closely, and you wouldnt be able to fathom the reasoning of some of the descisions.