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85 comments so far Australian politicians with vision, conviction and determination? I would like to see that. I wont hold my breath. Commenter Francis Allen Location Sydney Date and time June 08, 2012, 8:29AM And you certainly won't like their vision if they listen toMichelle Grattan's advice. 1. Putting the GST on food, health and education would increase thecost of living for workers and the unemployed far more than itwould for the rich. Its effects would be to make the GST an evenworse tax - simpler to collect, but worse in every other way. 2. Cutting income and company taxes is also a bad move. Combinedwith the GST expansion, it would take from the poor to give to therich. 3. Putting up the pension age and the superannuation preservationage would be really bad news. The super preservation age is alreadyon its way to 60 and the pension age to 67. Any further and youwill be telling the bulk of the working class to "work tillyou drop". 4. Improving access to child care is a good thing, but Michelle'sstory doesn't go into any detail about how that could be done. I'llbelieve it when I see it. Finally, it's instructive that Michelle Grattan has referred to the1993 "Fightback" election. On election night, as thedefeat sank in, every Liberal they put a microphone in front ofsaid the same thing: "This is the last time we ever go in toan election letting people know what our policies are". Ithink it speaks volumes about her perspective that she'seffectively advocating a government ambushing the electorate withsecret policies. Commenter Greg Platt Location Brunswick Date and time June 08, 2012, 9:31AM And let's get real, shall we? You can't exactly call for leadershipwith fortitude, Michelle, when you line up to castigate the govtfor how they are implementing a carbon price. I haven't seen youwriting articles lately praising the govt for implementing reformin the face of Tony Abbott's incessant scare campaign. You don't think that if either side said "Yeah, it's a greatidea to extend retirement age and broaden the GST acrosseverything" that their opposition wouldn't just run yetanother scare campaign ably facilitated by most of the media? No,you can't so easily disassociate yourself from where we arepolitically these days, Michelle, because the media have helpedcreate this environment that panders to interest groups and dumbsdown debate. Commenter fiz Location Victoria Date and time June 08, 2012, 10:43AM Greg Platt, Absolutely correct. This advice flowing from the Grattan Institutehinges upon milking the workers. Commenter Enough Location Date and time June 08, 2012, 11:11AM Bold reform is one thing, GOOD REFORM is another! Looking at theway Labor has brought about their 'bold reform' makes me wish thatthey didn't touch anything. Their bold reform has results innothing more than mayhem, chaos, hardship & wasted taxes. Agov't needs to deliver well thought out, well planned, wellexecuted & well funded reform. This gov't has not achieved thatin any of their 'bold reforms'. Just look at Labor's bold reform ofchildcare. They've made the costs skyrocket so that most people canno longer afford it. This is not good reform. Commenter mimi Location Date and time June 08, 2012, 11:25AM I retired at the age of 70 after 54 years in the paid workforce.Looks like I should have kept going for another 20. Commenter barfiller Location Date and time June 08, 2012, 11:31AM Agreed Gregg. My comment is derived from my growing contempt forcurrent Australian politics. All the actors on the stage are overacting, over reaching and behaving like hams. Commenter Francis Allen Location Date and time June 08, 2012, 12:04PM fiz, There's nothing wrong with telling the people what you intend to dowith major issues. One of the main problems with the carbon tax isthat Gillard betrayed our trust. Another is that it will notachieve reduction in carbon dioxide production. Third, it is just awealth redistribution scheme. You may like to be deceived and betrayed by your electedrepresentatives, but apparently from the polls not many of yourfellow Australians do. BTW: a carbon price is not necessarily a carbon tax. I think peoplewould be in favour of an ETS (with no artificial price floor) whichLabor under Rudd was too gutless to implement. You had your chanceand blew it. Commenter Rodrigo Location Date and time June 08, 2012, 12:18PM So in 1960, when people were expected to live until 70-71 we had apension age at 65 (so 5 or 6 years in retirement would be anexpectation or typical) Now, life expectancy is 81 (both sourced from world bank figures) So even with the increase suggested to 70, most can expect to livetwice as long in retirement as previsously People are living longer & those that make older years arehealthier (there are issues with obesity, but most of those willdie pre retirement anyway) So, extend the working life & keep some experience As to the GST, if we can't add it to food & health etc (ie zeroexemptions), which is unlikely due to that being a death warrantfor any party that suggests it, you can't have different rates ondifferent items, the whole point of that tax is it is as efficeintas possible - even the rate in Aus makes it easy to calc It doesn't dicriminate on the poor, either bte, the wealthy spend amuch higher % of their income on services that used to be exemptunder the old scheme (& I know people like my mum spend lessgst on their club meal comapred to someone who dines at a 2 or 3hat establishment) Commenter some facts about avg life expectancy Location Date and time June 08, 2012, 12:35PM So we have to get more mums into the work force so we can afford topay for cheap child care for mums getting into the work force. And we have to work longer so we can stop people from spendingtheir superannuation sooner. Too bad if the stockmarket is losing we put in just as fast. Of course exactly who this 'we' is, and what exactly 'we' aregetting out of all of this work is less clear. Commenter SteveH. Location Date and time June 08, 2012, 8:35AM More comments Would you like to comment? You will need Javascript enabled to use our Commenting Feature. I am an expert from ipl-beautyequipment.com, while we provides the quality product, such as China IPL Spare Parts , Fractional CO2 Laser, IPL Equipment,and more.
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