[size=4]A contributor on another forum has posted the following for publication for anyone who wishes to write to the minister responsible for the proposed censorship legislation.

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Parliamentary office

Suite MG70

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Tel: 02 6277 7480

Fax: 02 6273 4154



Ministerial office

Level 4, 4 Treasury Place

Melbourne Vic 3002

Tel: 03 9650 1188

Fax: 03 9650 3251



Electorate office

Suite 1B

494 High St

Epping Vic 3076

Tel: 03 9408 0190

Fax: 03 9408 0194[/size]

Some more figures for comparison.

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Hawke/Keating 1983-1996



Net Government Debt $95.8b

Interest on Government Debt $8.4b

AVG. Mortgage Rates 12.75%

AVG. Real Wage Growth -1.8%

AVG Small Bus. lend rates 8.9%

Unemployment. rate. 8.2%

Long-term Unemployment. 197900

Industrial Disputes, days lost per 1000 employees 193

Australians in work 8.3mln

AVG inflation 5.2%

Tax Burden (&#xof; GDP) 22.3%

Middle tax bracket 34% (to $38k)

Top Tax bracket 47% (to $50K)

Moody’s Rating AA (Downgraded Twice)

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Howard/Costello 1997-2007



Net Government Debt $0

Interest on Government Debt $0

AVG. Mortgage rates 7.25%

AVG. Real wage growth +21.5%

AVG Small Bus. lend rates 8.9%

Unemployment. rate. 4.2%

Long-term Unemployment. 66 700

Industrial disputes, days lost per 1000 employees 59

Australians in work 10.5mlllion

AVG inflation 2.5%

Tax Burden (&#xof; GDP) 20.7%

Middle tax bracket 30% (to $80k)

Top Tax bracket 45% (to $180K)

Moody’s Rating AAA (Upgraded Twice)

[size=3]"The lukewarm response to these measures and others underscore the growing concerns among some in the financial services industry that the Government may be out of step with the sector when it comes to responding to the global financial crisis."



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http://www.theage.com.au/national/banks-cool-on-plan-to-free-up-funds-20081031-5fk9.html

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"Figures released by Battellino show that Australians face a severe shock. After Rudd became ALP leader in late 2006, he launched a crusade against John Howard on the cost-of-living squeeze on families. Would you like to know the facts?



The Reserve Bank says the past five years have been "an extraordinarily favourable period" for household income. Real disposable household income rose on average by 6.1per cent a year, with a cumulative increase over five years of more than 30 per cent, the greatest lift for more than 30 years and "very strong" by world standards.



[color=purple]Even after accounting for higher interest rates, real disposable income rose by more than 25 per cent, the result of higher wages, investment income, tax cuts and low inflation. The benefits were spread "fairly evenly" across all income quintiles, contrary to the propaganda and repeated phony surveys about income inequality. "[/color]

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http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24582552-7583,00.html[/size]

"Households, or should we say working families, as well as retirees are a lot more worried and confused than they were three weeks ago. Rudd's response to their concerns about money frozen in mortgage funds - an offer to let these funds come under the umbrella of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority - [size=4]is about as useful as Marie Antoinette's advice to the starving Paris mob to eat cake. "[/size]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24578188-5013578,00.html

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And this:

We were told last year a Rudd govt's plan to fight greenhouse would cost $1.00 per person per year.

Bfore they even start, they now tell us it will cost average $7.00 a week.



http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24579279-601,00.html