CHRIS BOWEN THE FEDERAL TREASURER AND THE BUDGET BLOW-OUT

Well here we go again. From the budget brought down in May to now (Aug) the expected deficit in this years budget has almost doubled to over 30 BILLION dollars.
One must ask the following questions.
Was the previous treasurer so inept that he drastically undervalued the expected deficit.
Was an attempt made to hide the true extent of the deficit.
Can anyone truly believe that this is the true depth of the problem that this Labor Government has created.
Why should we, the tax payers, believe anything this Government has to say.
They are, and will, blame anyone and anything for this huge deficit except their own ineptitude. It is only a few weeks ago that they have promised billions in school funding, disability care, scrapping of the carbon tax. All costing billions that they knew the country could not afford. Well we just cannot afford any more un costed, grandiose spending from this government.
PLEASE BE GONE AND SOON

FORMER NSW LABOR MINISTERS COULD FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES

The long running investigation of the actions of these ex Labor Party heavyweights has reached its conclusion. Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald could face lengthy prison sentences if found guilty of corruption.
I think that it is time for all members of the Labor Party that were in power with them in NSW or associated with them in their dealings with Federal Labor should now state clearly and plainly their abhorrence of their acts and to state that they were in no way involved. The great majority of the members of the party are hard working people and politicians that only have the good of NSW and Australia at heart. It would help to clear the air and give the party a chance for renewal.
There has been a suggestion that any proceeds of corrupt behaviour on the part of the men identified in the enquiry should be immediately seized and returned to state revenue. This I think would please the voters of NSW as NO ONE should be seen to benefit from such behaviour.
Again I state that I believe that the great majority of the members of the Labor party are honest and well meaning people but all seeds and roots of this corruption must be identified and dealt with.

FIJI'S RESPONSE TO KEVIN RUDD's PAPUA NEW GUINEA SOLUTION.

It has been reported today that the Government of Fiji has issued a stinging response to Kevin Rudd's solution to the problem of illegal boat arrivals into Australia. This "solution" is to send everyone who arrives he illegally by boat to PNG for processing and settlement. This includes unaccompanied children, minors and families.
The main thrust of Fiji's opposition to this idea is that it would irrevocably change the culture, stability and ethnic mix of the area. There is also the issue of the religious beliefs of most of the asylum seekers: they are predominately Muslim and PNG and the Pacific Islands are Christian states. The Christian belief is actually mentioned in the constitution document of PNG.
The Fiji response, in as many words, calls this policy an irresponsible knee jerk reaction to an Australian problem caused by the Australian Labor Government.
Once again I, and many Australians, are asking for the details of this agreement with PNG.
THE COST? HOW MANY? HOW LONG? WHERE IN PNG (Manus will only hold 600 after work is finished in mid 2014)?

THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR GOVERNMENT AND THE ECONOMY

It has been revealed, just this morning, that the Labor Government have again badly miscalculated their projections regarding the Australian economy. Revenue is $8 Billion lower than they predicted just over two months ago in the May budget. Their prediction of a surplus in 2016-17 is now looking impossible. Many of the Labor members are saying that either there will have to be savage cuts or once again their  surplus predictions will have to be pushed a long way out into the future.
Their, much vaunted Mining Tax, is only bringing in a fraction of the predicted revenue and the changing of the Carbon Tax to an ETS a year earlier has also put a large dent in projected revenue.
So what does this say about the ability of a Labor Government to manage the Australian Economy.
I will leave the answer to that question up to you to decide.
If one just stands back for a moment from political allegiances and looks dispassionately at what Kevin Rudd has done since coming back to power one has to conclude that it has just one aim. His election, at whatever cost, and the shoring up of his position in the future so it would be difficult to challenge him.
This is my opinion....We cannot afford another 3 years of a Labor Government.

THE ROYAL BABY and WHAT IT MEANS TO AUSTRALIANS

To many Australians, such as myself, the birth of a Royal Baby in far of England has little meaning or relevance. In the United Kingdom it can and should be celebrated but here in Australia in this day and age it has very little, if any, impact on our daily lives. Our ties to the 'Old Country' are becoming very tenuous indeed.
Very many Australians now believe that our country should be a republic.
 A very large proportion of our population do not have an English background and indeed many have their origins in other  continents rather than Europe.
Our future security and economic success has absolutely nothing to do with the UK. What happens in Asia and America determines our future.
The concentration of the media outlets here in Australia on the royal birth is overwhelming the areas on which they should be reporting. We have a crucial election looming which could decide the future direction of Australia and this morning 90% of the national news time has been taken up with the appearance of a mother and baby in a foreign country. Where are our priorities????

ASYLUM SEEKER BOAT PEOPLE and KEVIN RUDD's DEAL WITH PNG

There are many questions still to be answered by Kevin Rudd about the Labor Party's latest attempt to stop the influx of illegal boat people to Australia.
1 What is the deal that was offered to PNG as regards financial incentives. In other words what is the cost to Australia in both short and long term.
2 Will families with children or unaccompanied children be sent to Manus Island. If not what will happen to them.
3 Will the people arriving by boat be eligible for a recourse to the Australian legal system. I.E. will they be able to fight their deportation to PNG through our court system.
4 Does PNG and in particular Manus Island have the facilities, medical resources and security in place to handle an influx of foreigners.
5 What is the real view of the local people on Manus Island as this will be crucial to the re-settlement of these boat people.
6 As the PNG mainland is only 4 kms from the nearest Australian territory in the Torres Straight will the Federal Government beef up the border controls in this area.
7 When will Manus Island be ready to take a large influx of so called refugees. The facilities there are hardly coping with the handful of people there now.
8 Does this new system of handling refugees that arrive by boat also apply to the hundreds that arrive by aircraft every week. Also will it apply to the thousands of people here illegally who have overstayed their visas or work permits and who then claim refugee status when apprehended.
9 WHY HAS KEVIN RUDD SO DRASTICALLY CHANGED HIS ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE BOAT PEOPLE JUST BEFORE AN ELECTION. It was Kevin Rudd who willingly dismantled a solution back in 2007/8 that was working. As Amanda Vanstone said this morning it is like a man who has just set fire to your house now offering to hold the hose for you.
10 Be very wary of promises made by Kevin Rudd the king of policy makers on the run.

A PLAN TO RESETTLE ASYLUM SEEKER BOAT PEOPLE IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES

When I first read these headlines this morning I thought someone was having a joke.
However it now appears to be a new policy to be announced soon by the Australian Labor Party.
SO. the boat people keep coming to Australia, we process them at the usual exorbitant cost to the Australian taxpayer then send them to Papua New Guinea or some other place.
Some questions beg to be answered.
Who would accept them and why?
Would Australia have to pay billions of dollars to these countries to bribe them to take these people.
Would they soon become unwelcome in the countries to which they have been sent against their will.
Would they still be able to use our legal systems, (as they do now), to challenge such removal.
This just looks like a revamped Malaysian Solution.
The Labor Party and Kevin Rudd can now promise whatever they like before the election as it is impossible for it to become law before the election and in all likelihood will be voted down in the Senate after the election. The Greens and Coalition will still have the majority in the Senate.