Apparently, there’s more to it than reciting “debt and deficit” like a mantra.
Yesterday, in his address to the National Press Club, when he could wean himself off talking about talking to “real Australians” at Rooty Hill and similar places, and after he spent half his speech attacking the government, Tony Abbott intimated that there might also be some sort of reason to vote for the Coalition other than relentless negativism.
On cue, a policy popped out on infrastructure – a confused mishmash of PPPs and savings measures – involving Infrastructure Partnership bonds, which would be issued by private infrastructure partners to raise capital, and investment in which would attract tax rebates and tax concessions for Super funds. It’s confusing, unwieldy and as usual, just meant to make a political point – which if you can cut through the morass, appears to be something along the lines of “there is an alternative to public debt”.
Robert Merkel discussed this announcement in a previous post at LP. There’s also a good deconstruction of this thing at Grog’s Gamut.
Leaving aside whatever can be made of the policy “detail”, I think what’s significant about this plan is that the Coalition really have done next to no genuine policy development, and any putative agenda for a Coalition government is just a product of whatever they think it will take them to win the election.
You can see why Tony Abbott doesn’t want to debate the economy.
It is astounding that the LNP can continue to get away with their claim of being the better economic managers while this is the one area they will not debate.
I heard Andrew Robb being flogged with a limp lettuce leaf by Fran Kelly this morning. He was sounding just a tad shrill at the slightest implication that perhaps the bonds were not such a good idea. I was shouting questions into my radio but unfortunately no response from Robb to my querys and good old Fran let him get away with the drivel.
Must go and buy a new radio now.
“there is an alternative to public debt”.
When the suite of “policies” is the very deliberate and intentional recipe for another bubble and more “public loss, private gain”?
He is trying to gain assent from the business community on the basis of his professed ignorance. Small government works best when dipsticks are running it, it goes beyond even the labor accedence to voodoo economics, to positive valorisation of it.
I wonder if there’s a place for a meta-coalition between the coalistion and the ALP? The ALP will run most of government while the coalition will override them wherever they have policy.
I think it could work really well. Both sides would presumably have to focus on the evils of The Greens, or astroturf a new opposition into existance but apart from that I don’t see a downside. The joy of seeing our joint prime munsters presenting their common views would be enormous. And don’t forget whatsisname who’d become the second deputy prime munster.
Exactly, #3.
We are about to ROBBED by Andrew Joe and Phoney the 3 wreckers.Supported by a commercial accounting group (you know the industry that gave us the GFC) Dog ate my homework? More like WAG the DOG.How stupid do they think we are, Stand up they say as they roll over.
Even Peter van Onelsen in the australian doesn’t believe the Opposition has economic credibility
Yep Doug@6 he reckons “the Coalition’s economic plan for the future just doesn’t stack up.”
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/tony-abbotts-economic-action-plan-doesnt-add-up/story-e6frg9if-1225906538599
Is there a connection between one Perth based Tony Howarth AWB board member ?also director Wesfarmers hence the( coles no rise in groceries claim)and WHK Howarth I smell a rat a lot of them GO to http//cfdmarkets.com.au/market/2010/07dusty-thinking-settles-acros