Alright...
Gambling/Pokies Policiy - She was PM before Wilkie came to her with the idea of the pokies reform. Wilkie's pokie reform was a very extreme idea - yes, it was good, it made sense, but to roll out something so drastic, so quickly (2016) for something that hadn't been tested or proven? To lead Wilkie on like that, and to then say no, was a bit of a bitch move, but her watered down draft bill that the Govt. released a few days after she said no to Wilkie is alot more economically feesable and I believe is currently being tested in Victoria. (Correct if I'm wrong.) The 158 page draft bill can be found
here
My point was the fact that she backflipped, as I said in my post the issue itself didn't bother me all that much. It was her integrity that fell through here.
Same Sex Marriage - Gillard allowed for a concious vote because she new her party was divided on the issue. She's taking what her cabinet and what her backbenchers are saying into account - and isn't going gung-ho 'I'm PM what I say goes!" like Rudd had been.
Heres an artical published 22/2/12 on the issue
Again my issue with this is that the party is backflipping on what it stood for before. Correct me if I am wrong, but the initial stance on same sex marriage in the labour party was them against it. So now when the issue comes up again, the issue is given a conscious vote. If you're going to be that wishy-washy on it, take it to the public and have a referendum.
Carbon Tax - The Carbon tax is a BEAUTIFUL thing. They're taking a small % of the profits that the mining and manufacturing giants are making every year, and injecting those funds directly into green-technology industry, with an estimated 40,000 jobs in that area to be created by 2020. The Treasury's modelling of the tax has shown that the cost of living with go up by a maximum of $9.90 a week, and there have been laws put in place to prevent companies from jacking up prices over a certain limit (2% I think?) simply because they can, using the carbon tax as an excuse. This $9.90 a week will be subsidised by the government @ $11.40 a week in tax cuts to families under $120,000, and singles under $50,000 - so in all must stuggling families will be
better off than they were before the tax. You can see the latest treasury model
here
I'll be happy if it does actually happen that way, truly I will be. However, I remain skeptical that this will happen the way they have planned. Take for example petrol right now. The government subsidies QLD petrol and therefore we should have the cheapest petrol, but somehow the companies still charge more...actually scrap that idea, look from day to day how the prices change. You tell me that given no excuses needed for them to hike those prices that the carbon tax won't allow them to say oh no we uh need to put this up more? We will see. Again for that 2% for other companies, if it happens then great, if not then I guess I get to say I told you so.
Excluding the carbon tax model itself, the idea that Australia needs to do this and that it will actually make any difference is silly. Have a look at what countries send out the most carbon emissions and then come and tell me that it is essential for Australia to bother. One could argue that it takes one to spark change, but again I am skeptical that this will happen and even if the world went green tomorrow, I'm pretty sure most of the damage is done.
Another great policiy in recent days is the new health care reforms. This is another landmark acheivement for the Labor government as its reformed a system from 15 years ago into something that is far more suited to todays economic climate - why give people who can afford eastern suburbs mansions and the latest mercedes benz E-class medicare rebates if they can afford to pay? the money the government is saving is going into funding many desperately needed healthcare centres, etc.
Honestly, I haven't followed the health care reforms although if I recall correctly, the reform was already underway under Rudd.
There are many things Labor has done that I do not agree with - I'm only this pro-government because of a) the good it has done for the country, and b) the alternatives are horrific.
And that is the beauty of politics :) Each to their own view. I'm not saying that everything is bad, I just personally don't trust Julia at all and considering we were in surplus the last time the Libs were in, it's starting to seem like labour probably wasn't the best choice. Since we can't see what the alternative is, I guess that point is moot, but sometimes you just have to wonder!
Whats your stance on the NBN, Triggzy?
Again not something that I have followed closely, but I do agree with the idea in general. If they can roll out fiber to everyone (or you know almost everyone) then that is definitely a good investment. Personally I see the internet as an infrastructure and personally I think it is always good to invest in infrastructure. What do you think of NBN?
Cheers