I doan believe it
Fuel Watch/Food Watch, both Rudd-Swan ideas, have hit the wall, dudded and useless to Rudd's 'working families'.
Who advises Rudd on these phantasies to which he gives reality status as answers to economic stress? Tragically, the man believes his own delusions. Has he admitted Food Watch/Fuel Watch are bad ideas and failures with no practical benefit to anyone? No. Has he apologised to the Australian public that he's wasted millions of dollars of their money on his stupid and fanciful ideas? No. Should we be suprised that he's already showing up as incompetent, and no more than a man obsessed with centre stage presentations? Again, no.
Rudd has not held a parliamentary portfolio. This means he has no idea or experience how to manage a specific portfolio entrusted to him from either the Party leader, Premier or PM. Issues such as organising intelligent, informed and experienced personnel, establishing laiason with appropriate depts, research faculties, and institutions, or managing the portfolio through reviews, public criticism, and much more to make it a success and of benefit to the state or nation. Rudd has no experience in the field.
This is the man who casts his delusional shadow over Australia presenting himself as our leader-PM.
Rudd and his wife are millionaires, so they'll never know economic hardships. Which working family can afford a $5million coastal bungalow? Perhaps with Rudd's continuing absences from Australia, he's lost touch with the local supermarket and the nitty gritty of economic life for Australians. But then, given he has staff for every need, why should he be bothered with daily details like grocery prices and fuel costs? His dream is that we go green and drive hybrid Toyota Camrys. But then, at possibly at well over $40,000 per car, only he and his wife will afford them. But wait, there's more...the tax payer will buy the cars for them, and a fleet of hybrid Camrys for the parliamentarians.
Rudd, a voice for 'working families?' I don't believe it for a minute. Rudd a millionaire with a $5million coastal bungalow. That's the truth to believe.
In Rudd's Australia, there are only working families. What has happened to other Australians: pensioners, single parents, widows/widowers, single workers, defacto partnerships, and the unemployed and homeless? They are never mentioned in Rudd's media games, interviews or policies. They pay taxes, pay the same prices for groceries, fuel, energy services, and for all other goods needed for their lives. But in Rudd's world they don't exist. No pensioner will forget Rudd and Swan's blatant disregard for pensioner needs in the recent Federal Budget. Nor will hard working Mum's forget the kick-in-the-guts with reduced or eliminated child care rebates. The same can be said for apprentices with the abolition of their $1000 rebate for equipment and study costs.
One thing is for sure: Rudd will continue to abdicate his responsibilities as PM, and plan for many more overseas trips, all of them opportunities for grandstanding his ridiculous ideas and visions. He will not be committed to any issue confronting the lives of Australians, except where he can be centre stage. I hope Peter Costello takes on the leadership of the Federal Opposition, and nails this fraud to the garage door, preferably the garage door of his $5million coastal bungalow.
RE the concerns about the Age Pension, later today we will send an enews with a fast link to your local MPs email - we are continuing to send messages to the government about the low rate of the pension - but we need our subscribers to do the same thing - one voice alon will not change anything. We are happy to agitate on this issue, but suggest all those who feel strongly should also contact their local members to add further pressure
regards
Kaye
That is all very well, as long as you don't fall for the [b]single person on a pension only needs a rise and bring the whole pension thing into a dispute between pensioners who either have never married, live alone by choice, or are widowed and those still having a spouse, you are playing the game of governments divide and rule.[/b]
Married rate is $228.40 per week and married age pensioners are people too who have worked and paid in their taxes too - so have paid the levy still on the income tax put there to provide our pensions as this was the way it was when we grew up and went out to work.
The main reason for a rise is the huge increase in the price of food due to Oil speculation - and two people - I can assure you eat twice as much as one - as well as doubling up on everyday needs like clothing, laundry and toilet articles.
[b] We are ALL feeling the pinch[/b]
Married couples are also already discriminated against by the fact that we have to share the Pharmaceutical Allowance - we get $1.45 a week each instead of if single $2.90 a week and that needs to go up quick smart for ALL of us.
The scripts go up every January 1st and also the number before reaching the safety net.
Haven't checked the rent allowances to see if they have gone up but I think probably not so they need to be brought into line particularly since the government has increased the intake of migrants to 300,000 this year which of course will increase the demand for housing which is already in short supply therefore rents up again. Public housing rents should be 20 or 25% of the total income but I hear complaints that this is not so, and that as soon as the pensioner gets a dollar extra up goes the rent by that or more.
Concessions for heating and power need to be increased or put into place for pensioners.
Rebates on council rates are all over the place - WA has the best I understand at 50% but Tasmania is capped by its Labor State Government at $315 and rates have almost doubled particularly on strata titled homes over the last few years.
Together we win - divided we fall is always true particularly when dealing with governments and bureaucracies.