http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/9707589/abbott-offers-tax-cuts-to-rally-troops/

Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott has laid out a plan to retake government, promising tax cuts for middle-income families and a "priority attack" on federal debt.

Standing before a sky-blue screen that promised hope, reward and opportunity, Mr Abbott told the Liberals' federal council on Saturday that momentum was swinging the opposition's way as Labor deals with historically low polls.

"Tax cuts are in our DNA," Mr Abbott said.

"At the next election, the coalition will deliver tax cuts that are not just compensation," he said, referring to Labor's planned carbon tax.

Turning to family tax benefits, Mr Abbott declared them "wage justice for families with children".

"The next coalition government will further simplify the family payments system," he said.

While he did not offer details on how far the simplification would go, Mr Abbott did declare it a "policy priority for the coalition" that he would "have more to say about closer to the election".

The need for better urban transport and the improvement of highways on the east coast was also highlighted by Mr Abbott, but he made no promises about what a coalition government would do.

In a lengthy speech, Mr Abbott also referenced policies he took to the 2010 election regarding a so-called green army, the creation of independent boards for schools and hospitals, and a direct-action approach to tackling climate change.

Before Mr Abbott spoke, the opposition's treasury spokesman Joe Hockey delivered a rallying cry to the faithful.

"We have a duty to ensure we do everything we can possibly do to get rid of a bad government," Mr Hockey said.

Earlier in the day, Liberal Party president Alan Stockdale was re-elected by one vote - 57-56 - after a week of infighting over who should hold what is largely a backroom position.

Howard government frontbencher Peter Reith, who was supported by the party's four vice-presidents and NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, lost the vote.

The ballot had highlighted the strife within the party after the four vice-presidents - Alexander Downer, Tom Harley, David Russell and Danielle Blain - sent an open letter to Mr Stockdale, taking issue with his stewardship of the party's finances and stating they had confidence Mr Reith could turn things around.

Mr Reith is a controversial figure who made headlines in the maritime dispute and the "children overboard" scandal.
Just how Mr Stockdale will work with four vice-presidents who openly opposed his re-election remains to be seen



.



http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/9708158/gillard-flags-tax-cuts-in-carbon-tax-compo/

Tax cuts and increased family payments will form part of the federal government's carbon price compensation package, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced.

Speaking at Western Australia's Labor Party conference in Perth, Ms Gillard said plans for the tax cuts and increased household assistance payments would be finalised in coming weeks.

"I really understand that many people are anxious about the impact of a price on carbon," she said.

"I understand they expect to hear from me what that is going to be all about, and I'm going to do that."

Tax cuts and payments would be targeted at "those who need it most", Ms Gillard said.

"I want to make sure that families can make a difference and help tackle climate change," she said.
"We will act fairly, we will not let Australians down."

Maqqa wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 5:06pm:

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/9707589/abbott-offers-tax-cuts-to-rally-troops/ Liberal Party leader Tony Abbott has laid out a plan to retake government, promising tax cuts for middle-income families and a "priority attack" on federal debt. Standing before a sky-blue screen that promised hope, reward and opportunity, Mr Abbott told the Liberals' federal council on Saturday that momentum was swinging the opposition's way as Labor deals with historically low polls. "Tax cuts are in our DNA," Mr Abbott said. "At the next election, the coalition will deliver tax cuts that are not just compensation," he said, referring to Labor's planned carbon tax. Turning to family tax benefits, Mr Abbott declared them "wage justice for families with children". "The next coalition government will further simplify the family payments system," he said. While he did not offer details on how far the simplification would go, Mr Abbott did declare it a "policy priority for the coalition" that he would "have more to say about closer to the election". The need for better urban transport and the improvement of highways on the east coast was also highlighted by Mr Abbott, but he made no promises about what a coalition government would do. In a lengthy speech, Mr Abbott also referenced policies he took to the 2010 election regarding a so-called green army, the creation of independent boards for schools and hospitals, and a direct-action approach to tackling climate change. Before Mr Abbott spoke, the opposition's treasury spokesman Joe Hockey delivered a rallying cry to the faithful. "We have a duty to ensure we do everything we can possibly do to get rid of a bad government," Mr Hockey said. Earlier in the day, Liberal Party president Alan Stockdale was re-elected by one vote - 57-56 - after a week of infighting over who should hold what is largely a backroom position. Howard government frontbencher Peter Reith, who was supported by the party's four vice-presidents and NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, lost the vote. The ballot had highlighted the strife within the party after the four vice-presidents - Alexander Downer, Tom Harley, David Russell and Danielle Blain - sent an open letter to Mr Stockdale, taking issue with his stewardship of the party's finances and stating they had confidence Mr Reith could turn things around. Mr Reith is a controversial figure who made headlines in the maritime dispute and the "children overboard" scandal. Just how Mr Stockdale will work with four vice-presidents who openly opposed his re-election remains to be seen . http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshome/9708158/gillard-flags-tax-cuts-in-carbon-tax-compo/ Tax cuts and increased family payments will form part of the federal government's carbon price compensation package, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced. Speaking at Western Australia's Labor Party conference in Perth, Ms Gillard said plans for the tax cuts and increased household assistance payments would be finalised in coming weeks. "I really understand that many people are anxious about the impact of a price on carbon," she said. "I understand they expect to hear from me what that is going to be all about, and I'm going to do that." Tax cuts and payments would be targeted at "those who need it most", Ms Gillard said. "I want to make sure that families can make a difference and help tackle climate change," she said. "We will act fairly, we will not let Australians down."

Where's the money found for these cuts Maqqa?

Quote:

Mr Abbott will hit back in his speech to today's Liberal Party federal council, with a counter offer to voters of ''tax cuts without a carbon tax''. He will promise that, if elected, he will repeal the carbon tax and the associated compensation but introduce broad tax cuts funded by spending cuts and productivity increases, the details of which are yet to be worked out. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/national/leaders-bet-futures-on-rival-tax-cuts-20110624-1gjvm.html#ixzz1QFXZfLUg

What infrustructure will he sell?
What will he privitize?
How can government (of any flavour) continue to give away more and more revenue yet maintain the services we expect?

Did you read that 1st line?

Quote:

Mr Abbott will hit back in his speech to today's Liberal Party federal council, with a counter offer to voters of ''tax cuts without a carbon tax''.

Hit Back?
Counter Offer?
Sounds like Abbott was RESPONDING not INITIATING ;)

Dsmithy70 wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 5:14pm:

What infrustructure will he sell? What will he privitize? How can government (of any flavour) continue to give away more and more revenue yet maintain the services we expect?

Lefties are in no position to ask for details when they won't released their details

But it is clear the LIBs are better economic managers than what Swan will ever hope to be

So I would believe anyone else except Swan

I would be happy if he just rips up the carbon tax and takes back any BS incentive that labor gave out.

Maqqa wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 5:18pm:

Dsmithy70 wrote on Jun 25th, 2011 at 5:14pm: What infrustructure will he sell? What will he privitize? How can government (of any flavour) continue to give away more and more revenue yet maintain the services we expect? Lefties are in no position to ask for details when they won't released their details But it is clear the LIBs are better economic managers than what Swan will ever hope to be So I would believe anyone else except Swan

Ok I'll ignore that the Liberals are now doing the exact thing Labor has been roundly critizied for i.e annoucing policy with no detail (ME2?)

So now your just "better economic managers" than Swan?
I thought the mantra was "better economic managers" full stop :D

This thread is giving everyone good reasons not to vote for Abbott or Gillard   ;D

Quote:

"Tax cuts are in our DNA," Mr Abbott said.

It would be nice if it were true. The total tax burden on the Australian public as a percentage of GDP increased to record levels under Howard. By the end of his reign the Liberals were about handouts and vote buying, not tax cuts.

Its all just the usual popularist dribble

Tax cuts = interest rate increases.
Now..I know no neo con cheer squad member raised an eyebrow while interest rates increased steadily over the last 2 terms of Howards govt everytime he handed out pre election middle class welfare but common sense tells all of us tax cuts are stupid in the long term.
Popularists are idiots  :D

adelcrow wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 6:07pm:

Tax cuts = interest rate increases. Now..I know no neo con cheer squad member raised an eyebrow while interest rates increased steadily over the last 2 terms of Howards govt everytime he handed out pre election middle class welfare but common sense tells all of us tax cuts are stupid in the long term. Popularists are idiots  :D

So we should be giving the likes of you, more of our money and being enslaved for you.

No thanks. You can stick with your gang-green party.

freediver wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 5:57pm:

Quote: "Tax cuts are in our DNA," Mr Abbott said. It would be nice if it were true. The total tax burden on the Australian public as a percentage of GDP increased to record levels under Howard. By the end of his reign the Liberals were about handouts and vote buying, not tax cuts.

I'd like to see those numbers freediver

Have your tax cuts and interest rate increases that always follow them..I have no debt and enjoy safe hassle free interest rate increases on my savings.
I just hope the neo cons are not going to squeal like stuck pigs when interest rates increase along with Abbotts (and copycat Julia's) new round of generous middle class welfare
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

adelcrow wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 6:07pm:

Tax cuts = interest rate increases. Now..I know no neo con cheer squad member raised an eyebrow while interest rates increased steadily over the last 2 terms of Howards govt everytime he handed out pre election middle class welfare but common sense tells all of us tax cuts are stupid in the long term. Popularists are idiots  :D

Perhaps you did not notice, but those were not ax cuts, they were handouts.

What is Abbott going to give penisoners same thing as howard gave them in 12 years SFA

Dsmithy70 wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 5:17pm:

Did you read that 1st line? Quote: Mr Abbott will hit back in his speech to today's Liberal Party federal council, with a counter offer to voters of ''tax cuts without a carbon tax''. Hit Back? Counter Offer? Sounds like Abbott was RESPONDING not INITIATING ;)

WORTH REPEATING!  :o :D :D

PlayersPlay wrote on Jun 26^th, 2011 at 1:38am:

Dsmithy70 wrote on Jun 25th, 2011 at 5:17pm: Did you read that 1st line? Quote: Mr Abbott will hit back in his speech to today's Liberal Party federal council, with a counter offer to voters of ''tax cuts without a carbon tax''. Hit Back? Counter Offer? Sounds like Abbott was RESPONDING not INITIATING ;) WORTH REPEATING!  :o :D :D

MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   :-[ MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   ::) ::) MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   :-[ MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   ::) ::) MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   :-[ MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   ::) ::) MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   :-[ MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST....... MAQQA IS A CON ARTIST   ::) ::)  ;D ;D ;D ;D :D

Maqqa wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 5:18pm:

Dsmithy70 wrote on Jun 25th, 2011 at 5:14pm: What infrustructure will he sell? What will he privitize? How can government (of any flavour) continue to give away more and more revenue yet maintain the services we expect? Lefties are in no position to ask for details when they won't released their details But it is clear the LIBs are better economic managers than what Swan will ever hope to be So I would believe anyone else except Swan

WHO CARES: YOU ARE NO ONE!  :D :D

freediver wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 5:57pm:

Quote: "Tax cuts are in our DNA," Mr Abbott said. It would be nice if it were true. The total tax burden on the Australian public as a percentage of GDP increased to record levels under Howard. By the end of his reign the Liberals were about handouts and vote buying, not tax cuts.

LOL

OH, LOLMYLITTLEACORNTOPIECES!!!!   ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) 8-) 8-)

wrote on Jun 25^th, 2011 at 8:00pm:

What is Abbott going to give penisoners same thing as howard gave them in 12 years SFA

ABBOTT WILL GET PEPPERED BY GILLARD: JUST WATCH!!!

SHE IS INSANE WHEN IT COMES TO BOXING, JUST WATCH!

ABBOTT IS GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  8-) 8-) ;)

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/times-up-for-teardown-tony-20110624-1gjiv.html

http://images.smh.com.au/2011/06/25/2452199/Abbott-200x0.jpg
"All opposition and no leader" ... Tony Abbott needs a more positive strategy. Illustration: Rocco Fazzari


Quote:

Time's up for tear-down Tony June 25, 2011 The Opposition Leader's bare-knuckled biffo can take him only so far before a more positive strategy is needed. [...] His angry oppositionism has been highly effective. A prime minister who has only a dubious legitimacy in the public mind has been unable to defend herself against his bare-knuckled biffo. He has put aside any pretence at being an alternative prime minister. His budget in reply ignored the budget. His parliamentary speech to welcome the New Zealand Prime Minister was supposed to be a national act but Abbott mischievously turned it into a political one. He refuses to respond substantively to the actions of the government. He homes in laser-like on the carbon tax and asylum seekers. Instead of positioning himself as an alternative prime minister, he criss-crosses the country on a stunt-a-day campaign to get his eight seconds a night of footage onto the television airwaves. As Gillard works her way through her scripted lines and deploys the spousal prop in a transparent effort to warm up her cold image, Abbott calls for a "people's revolt". She gets increasingly confected and he gets increasingly angry. Abbott the Angry has successfully knocked Gillard down in the public perception. Only 13 per cent of people think that Australia has become "a better place" in the year Gillard has been prime minister, while 51 per cent say it has become "a worse place", according to an Essential Media online poll this week. Yet consider the objective conditions. In the past year, average wages are up by $21 a week, share prices are 5 per cent higher than they were a year ago and unemployment has fallen from 5.2 per cent to 4.9. Visitors from abroad have difficulty understanding exactly why Australian seem so disgruntled. But perhaps the most extraordinary indicator of Abbott's triumph over Gillard in public perception is what he has managed to do with the issue of asylum seekers. Another Essential Media poll asked: "Is the issue of how Australia handles asylum seekers more or less important than issues such as managing the economy, education and health services?" An astonishing 50 per cent said it was as important or more important. This is a gut reaction, not a reasoning one. But this strategy has limits. The people's rejection of Gillard is not an endorsement of Abbott. How could it be? He offers little more than the negation of her. Labor's Anthony Albanese calls him "all opposition and no leader". It is perhaps no coincidence that the people rate them equally when asked which is their preferred prime minister. In the latest Herald-Nielsen poll, Abbott and Gillard both scored 46 per cent. He has dragged her down to his level. There are signs that Abbott's approach may have reached what the great Prussian military strategist Carl von Clausewitz called "the culminating point of victory". All successful generals are tempted to continue with a winning strategy, even when it has outlived its usefulness and needs to be reappraised. "This culminating point in victory is bound to recur in every future war in which the destruction of the enemy cannot be the military aim," Clausewitz wrote. Why can't Abbott aim for the destruction of the enemy? First, because of the fact that he does not control Parliament and cannot force an election to give real-world effect to his dominance in the polls. There is a clear contradiction between Abbott's dominion over the public mood and his impotence in Parliament. This week demonstrated it powerfully. Abbott has managed to turn the Australian public against the idea of a carbon tax. Yet when he tried to force Parliament to call a national plebiscite on the carbon tax, he failed immediately. It was a stunt - the outcome of a plebiscite does not bind a government, and Abbott said he would not be bound by it either. Gillard may be the head of a minority government, but she has so far shown an iron grip on a parliamentary majority. Of the 151 bills that the Gillard government has supported, 151 have passed the House of Representatives. Abbott has successfully blocked nothing, and successfully proposed nothing. As the government proceeds to get its signature initiatives through Parliament, Abbott risks looking increasingly ineffectual, full of empty bluster and with nothing else to offer. This week the national broadband network crossed a serious threshold towards becoming reality. The likelihood is that the carbon tax will, too, in the months ahead. Successive losses in Parliament will expose Abbott and demoralise his troops. Second, because true victory cannot be scored on opinion polls but in a federal election. And to win an election, Abbott will truly need to be an alternative prime minister. If he wants the people to vote "yes" he has to represent something more than...

/contd.


Quote:

Second, because true victory cannot be scored on opinion polls but in a federal election. And to win an election, Abbott will truly need to be an alternative prime minister. If he wants the people to vote "yes" he has to represent something more than "no." Abbott knows this. His speech today to the Liberal Party's federal council will mark the beginning of a more positive program. He will offer a critique of Labor, but also the outline of an alternative program. He will lay out themes of opportunity and incentive, and speak about tax, debt and welfare, in what a Liberal strategist called "part one of a three-part process". First are the principles, to be given body in part two with broad policies, and finally detailed policies in the approach to an election. This is harder than simple negativity, but essential. Barry O'Farrell won power for the Liberals in NSW by playing a so-called "small target" game - concentrating his energies on attacking Labor and offering scant policy alternatives of his own. It is tempting for the federal Liberals to follow his example. But as federal Labor has learnt to its great pain, successful state strategies do not automatically translate to the national level. The stakes are higher, and so are the expectations. Peter Hartcher is the political editor. Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/times-up-for-teardown-tony-20110624-1gjiv.html#ixzz1QLZkiJHh

Hmmnnn....about half of the original article attacked the Gillard Govt's failings - but Abbott's minders need him to pull his head in and heed the extracted bits that fit most with the pertinent title...

Here's another take...

http://www.watoday.com.au/business/julia-and-tony-dont-go-taxcut-crazy-before-a-poll-20110625-1gkn6.html


Quote:

Julia and Tony, don't go tax-cut crazy before a poll June 25, 2011 BEWARE of politicians bearing tax cuts: they are mainly interested in what is good for them at the next election, not what is good for the nation as a whole. Desperate politicians have a nasty habit of promising us what their focus groups and interminable polling say we want. What they should be doing is concentrating on delivering what we need instead. There is a very big difference. The H. L. Mencken quote ''nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public'' is normally applied to TV programming, but it also could read no politician became unpopular by underestimating the electorate's love of handouts. It is a little scary that the next federal election could become a repeat of the dreadful 2007 Howard v Rudd competition, with both sides throwing harmful tax cuts at the voters. The danger would be that a victorious Tony Abbott might keep a big tax cut promise at a time when it would hurt rather than help us. Abbott has a political problem with his entirely political crusade against Gillard's carbon tax: if he really did try to unwind the thing, he would also have to unwind the tax cuts Gillard is funding with the carbon tax to compensate lower income households for the tax. He also has much the same political problem with his inane promise to unwind the resources rent tax (RRT) - how to avoid a backlash from businesses receiving a tax cut out of the RRT revenue and individuals who have been promised higher superannuation contributions. (I don't believe for a minute he will unwind it, but we will let that pass.) Tony's answer is to just promise tax cuts anyway, funded out of 'magic pudding' savings and bracket creep, relying on strong economic growth in the next few years courtesy of the commodities and capital expenditure booms. Julia, for equally political reasons, has committed Labor to giving away most of the RRT revenue and only using a minority of it for building the infrastructure we need to achieve sustainable growth. The cuts compensating for the carbon tax are nominally revenue neutral, but there's a strong likelihood of over-compensation and who knows what further wild promises an extremely desperate Labor might make in an election campaign that would be matched by an extremely ambitious coalition. The last time there was such competition, such promises did us more harm that good. Yes, Peter Costello was delivering his much ballyhooed surpluses, but they were a constant and produced no fiscal drag when we needed it - Costello oversaw dud policy in his last few years as Treasurer, forcing the RBA to smash us with interest rate rises. This time in 2008, the RBA's core inflation rate was running away at 4.1 per cent, unemployment was just 4.2 per cent and the headline variable mortgage rate was a whopping 9.45 per cent and about to rise another notch. Instead of again buying votes with tax cuts, we need politicians honest enough to address the looming explosion in health costs and age pensions as well as the need for a much bigger spend on education and infrastructure. The first two are a given, the last two are what's required to afford the former and build an economy that can make the most of the commodities boom and successfully move beyond it.

Notice Julia Gillard's compensation does not include giving anything to those of us in the middle income band of Australia?

So that's benefits removed, cost of living increased through a carbon tax and exempt from receiving compensation to pay it.

Who said Labor hates the middle classes eh?

Someone please fetch some tissues for hicks.

Hawke and the disgusting Keating wiped out the middle class australian....... after a few years it was not worth going to work because you could get more at Centerlink...... this is true!!!

It took Australia a few years to wake up to this fact and it was funny really because when you told a Labor voter that it was the Govts fault, they would reply" I don't know anything about their policies, I just vote for them"

So it was with great speed that Keating was sweept from power....even before the polls had closed in WA.....

You could hear the cheer in NZ.....

We would once again become a worthwhile nation again!!


This will happen again. I just hope I don't have that many years to wait......

buzzanddidj wrote on Jun 26^th, 2011 at 10:45am:

Abbott's tax cuts Sunday, June 26, 2011 Prime Minister Julia Gillard has wasted no time in responding to Tony Abbott's promise of tax cuts, calling it baseless. Referring to the Opposition Leader's promise made at a conference in Canberra, the PM told reporters at a Labor conference in Perth, money doesn't grow on trees - calling on Mr Abbott to explain where he'll take the money from for his promises. Ms Gillard says her government's compensation package will be funded through the carbon tax on Australia's biggest polluters .. and it will be targeted at those who need it most http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopStories/2011/06/26/Gillard_rejects_Abbotts_tax_cuts_630214.html The Opposition Leader was asked on the ABC's 7.30 Report last night about his promise this year not to propose any new taxes, which he reneged on a month later by announcing a levy to fund paid parental leave. Mr Abbott said his scripted remarks could be taken as "gospel truth" but, "in the heat of discussion you go a little bit further" http://www.smh.com.au/national/abbott-put-to-the-sword-over-gospel-truth-gaffe-20100518-vafu.html#ixzz1QL2bhZHq