Post by juliar on Feb 16th, 2017 at 12:13pm
This is the sort of thing that will force an election. Mr X grandstanding, trying to feel important, abusing position.
The Senate rabble is like a multiple tug of war with self interested Indeps pulling in all different directions.
Mr X from the Blackouts state holding Australia to ransom!!!
It may take a shock to budge Senate
By AAP 12:18pm February 16, 2017
There's a growing sense within government and its allies in the Senate that it may take a crisis to break the deadlock over getting the federal budget back into the black.
Senate crossbenchers don't doubt Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison's determination to balance the books and shore-up Australia's prized triple-A credit rating.
As a fortnight of parliament wrapped up, Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm told AAP it isn't that the government lacks direction.
"They know what they want to do but they are casting around to get past Nick," he says.
The Nick in question is Nick Xenophon, whose team of three senators hold vital votes in the upper house.
Morrison and Social Services Minister Christian Porter on Monday attempted something of a reset in the government's tactics to get the tick of approval from NXT for an omnibus welfare bill.
However it backfired when the focus of the bill switched from child care subsidies - which benefits from some of the savings - to disability funding.
Morrison's decision to pump the remainder of the bill's savings to the national disability insurance scheme and not into cutting the deficit sent mixed signals about his budget strategy.
But not only that, it unwound what had been a relatively successful week of the prime minister visiting childcare centres and talking up what is seen as a positive reform by the government.
Turnbull's office was not amused.
For his part, Xenophon says he understands the government's concern about the credit rating and the potential fallout from a downgrade.
However he doesn't see why the coalition should rob a struggling Peter to pay a disadvantaged Paul - in terms of taking money from family payments and putting it into disability services.
"If the government doesn't get certain savings then it will be looking at increasing taxes," the South Australian senator says.
"But I have no hesitation in increasing taxes for companies like Facebook and Google, that seem to be doing very well in the Australian environment."
Leyonhjelm, who supports greater budget consolidation and lower taxes, says he was taken aback by the treasurer's decision to spend the welfare savings on the NDIS but understood the massively expensive scheme was under-funded.
He says it will take the US reducing corporate tax rates - which Donald Trump says will draw $2.5 trillion back into his country from offshore - or a downgrade of Australia's credit rating to deliver a cold shower to the Senate over the budget crisis.
"It will require an external factor before there will be a breakthrough but at the moment there is denial about debt and spending. It will embarrass them into saying tough times warrant tough measures."
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen acknowledges the most important national priority for the budget is protecting the triple-A rating.
Labor's message is the Australian community expects any savings to be "fair" and target the top end of town and not the most vulnerable.
Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne counters that Australians also want "sensible government".
"Labor ... is making it almost impossible for us to govern properly in terms of fiscal management unless we spend more money or increase taxes," he argues.
Voters appear to be Labor's side, as the opposition continues to lead the government in national polls.
A recent Essential poll found seven out of 10 voters believe large corporations don't pay enough tax, while low and middle income earners and small businesses needed a tax break.
Even among Liberal voters, 57 per cent believe big businesses should pay more tax.
Business groups warn the government not to go down Labor's proposed path of cutting back capital gains tax concessions, as it could damage confidence.
"The economy is delicately poised," Property Council chief Ken Morrison warns.
As the stalemate rolls on, the government has found itself having to pick apart budget proposals and take piecemeal wins where it can.
But in doing so there's a greater risk of vulnerability to an external shock and all of the political fallout that would bring.
As Bill Clinton's campaign strategist James Carville famously wrote: "(It's) the economy, stupid."
© AAP 2017
Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/02/16/12/19/it-may-take-a-shock-to-budge-senate#dtI4VMuKbRx12KTx.99
The Senate rabble is like a multiple tug of war with self interested Indeps pulling in all different directions.
Mr X from the Blackouts state holding Australia to ransom!!!
It may take a shock to budge Senate
By AAP 12:18pm February 16, 2017
There's a growing sense within government and its allies in the Senate that it may take a crisis to break the deadlock over getting the federal budget back into the black.
Senate crossbenchers don't doubt Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison's determination to balance the books and shore-up Australia's prized triple-A credit rating.
As a fortnight of parliament wrapped up, Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm told AAP it isn't that the government lacks direction.
"They know what they want to do but they are casting around to get past Nick," he says.
The Nick in question is Nick Xenophon, whose team of three senators hold vital votes in the upper house.
Morrison and Social Services Minister Christian Porter on Monday attempted something of a reset in the government's tactics to get the tick of approval from NXT for an omnibus welfare bill.
However it backfired when the focus of the bill switched from child care subsidies - which benefits from some of the savings - to disability funding.
Morrison's decision to pump the remainder of the bill's savings to the national disability insurance scheme and not into cutting the deficit sent mixed signals about his budget strategy.
But not only that, it unwound what had been a relatively successful week of the prime minister visiting childcare centres and talking up what is seen as a positive reform by the government.
Turnbull's office was not amused.
For his part, Xenophon says he understands the government's concern about the credit rating and the potential fallout from a downgrade.
However he doesn't see why the coalition should rob a struggling Peter to pay a disadvantaged Paul - in terms of taking money from family payments and putting it into disability services.
"If the government doesn't get certain savings then it will be looking at increasing taxes," the South Australian senator says.
"But I have no hesitation in increasing taxes for companies like Facebook and Google, that seem to be doing very well in the Australian environment."
Leyonhjelm, who supports greater budget consolidation and lower taxes, says he was taken aback by the treasurer's decision to spend the welfare savings on the NDIS but understood the massively expensive scheme was under-funded.
He says it will take the US reducing corporate tax rates - which Donald Trump says will draw $2.5 trillion back into his country from offshore - or a downgrade of Australia's credit rating to deliver a cold shower to the Senate over the budget crisis.
"It will require an external factor before there will be a breakthrough but at the moment there is denial about debt and spending. It will embarrass them into saying tough times warrant tough measures."
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen acknowledges the most important national priority for the budget is protecting the triple-A rating.
Labor's message is the Australian community expects any savings to be "fair" and target the top end of town and not the most vulnerable.
Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne counters that Australians also want "sensible government".
"Labor ... is making it almost impossible for us to govern properly in terms of fiscal management unless we spend more money or increase taxes," he argues.
Voters appear to be Labor's side, as the opposition continues to lead the government in national polls.
A recent Essential poll found seven out of 10 voters believe large corporations don't pay enough tax, while low and middle income earners and small businesses needed a tax break.
Even among Liberal voters, 57 per cent believe big businesses should pay more tax.
Business groups warn the government not to go down Labor's proposed path of cutting back capital gains tax concessions, as it could damage confidence.
"The economy is delicately poised," Property Council chief Ken Morrison warns.
As the stalemate rolls on, the government has found itself having to pick apart budget proposals and take piecemeal wins where it can.
But in doing so there's a greater risk of vulnerability to an external shock and all of the political fallout that would bring.
As Bill Clinton's campaign strategist James Carville famously wrote: "(It's) the economy, stupid."
© AAP 2017
Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/02/16/12/19/it-may-take-a-shock-to-budge-senate#dtI4VMuKbRx12KTx.99