Actually some scrutiny of Abbott's policy in today's paper.
He doesn't stand up to well once past the slogans, but those with half a brain knew that already, & the cheer squad don't care & will scream labor lover at the journalist (although Gratten has been pretty hard on Labor for over 2 years now) but hopefully a few thinking Aussie's who have been toying with the idea it couldn't be worse might have a re-evaluation & hopefully we will see more critical analysis of Liberal policy or lack of.
Abbott's blood oath may become bloody nuisance
TONY Abbott's blood oath to repeal the carbon tax is threatening to cause the opposition some haemorrhaging.
Now he is such short odds to become PM,
the implications of the tax's repeal are being closely scrutinised by businesses - and many are worried.Abbott faces the prospect of being embroiled in an argument over compensation for property rights. He is also accused of creating uncertainty for investment, which could increase the electricity prices he wants to contain.
These complications are apart from the challenge a Coalition government would face in getting the repeal through Parliament. On the worst scenario, that could take a double dissolution and until 2015, just as the tax turned into a trading scheme.
Abbott has warned businesses they shouldn't ''buy forward permits under a tax regime that will be closed down''. The warning is appropriate - he needs to underline the message to companies that he really is serious. He is presumably also trying to fireproof a Coalition government for a future brawl about compensation. The legislation is written in a way that creates property rights, so it is not clear how a legal battle would end up.
But Abbott's advice to avoid forward permits threatens to cost businesses money, because he is telling them not to get the best commercial deal.That makes him vulnerable to criticism if businesses, faced with a combination of uncertainty and higher costs if they don't ''hedge'' by forward buying, put off much-needed investment because they want to be sure how the land lies.
It is claimed the repeal promise could, in the near term, have a perverse effect. The Energy Supply Association of Australia says doubt about the future carbon price will affect generators' investment and have an impact on their ability to offer fixed-price contracts,
which could put up prices for households. Abbott describes the idea that abolishing a tax is going to increase prices as ''nonsense on stilts'', but he'll have to do better than a slick phrase. He will also need to offer detail about his direct action alternative.
Well as we've seen here that will cause no end of umming & arring whilst trying to think up bullsh!t because even the 3 basics cannot be answered
1)Where
2) how many
3) how much
The practical difficulties emerging about ''rollback'' open opportunities for Labor - if it can exploit them. The carbon debate is running strongly in the Coalition's favour in the realm of ''retail'' politics. Its complex issues, throwing up problems for Abbott, are concentrated in the business world. In the general community many voters, attracted to repeal, will close their ears to the negatives - unless Labor can ram them home much better than it does most things.