It’s clear Australian voters aren’t rational, but do they have to be so blatantly mindless as well? When I say voters, I’m currently referring in this context to the people recently polled by ReachTEL and whose responses contributed to this headline on News.com:
“Voters trust Opposition Leader Tony Abbott most to deliver NDIS, poll reveals”
I had to read this a couple of times before I believed what I was seeing. The figures in the article state that 57% of the poll’s respondents trust Tony Abbott to deliver the NDIS, more so than they trust Julia Gillard. Surely, even someone completely rusted onto the Liberal party, even Peta Credlin, even Gina Rinehart, even Rupert Murdoch, even Alan Jones, even Tony Abbott himself must see the inanity in this poll result. The NDIS is Labor’s policy. It was the work of Bill Shorten, and only with Julia Gillard’s support did it have any hope in hell in getting a name, let alone being successfully implemented. Tony Abbott supported Labor’s NDIS policy after many months of non-commitment, only after it became obvious that if he didn’t, he would be seen as the scrooge we all know him to be. But just because he supported it, does not mean he gives a crap about it. He never raised such a scheme as even an idea when he was in government for many years. And when the policy did finally pass the lower house, much to the joy of the Labor MPs who worked tirelessly to make it happen, Tony Abbott and his team weren’t even there to see it happen. Because they couldn’t bear to be seen celebrating a policy win by the Labor government. A Labor government policy. So on what far off planet do these voters live if they think Abbott would be the better person to deliver a policy that was designed and successfully passed through the Parliament by Gillard’s Labor government?
At this point I’m pretty much ready to say to Australian voters, wake the fuck up. Could you really be so misinformed by the Murdoch, Fairfax and ABC press, so out of touch with the policy platforms of the two major parties, and so ready to hate everything Julia Gillard does, that even when her government successfully implements a policy of huge national significance, you give Abbott the credit?
Perhaps this isn’t just a sign of an electorate that is completely uninterested with the roles played by the Labor Party and the Liberal Party in delivering the landmark NDIS policy. Perhaps it’s a sign of just how disengaged ordinary voters are from, well, political reality.
I guess it’s these same voters who haven’t twigged that the Carbon Price is designed to save them and future generations of their family from the effects of climate change. It’s these same voters who refuse to equate Murdoch’s campaign to bring down the Gillard government with an agenda to destroy the NBN, a technology that puts his Foxtel profits at risk. It’s also these same voters who don’t understand that Gina Rinehart hates the Mining Tax not because she wants to make enough money to keep employing more workers, but because she doesn’t want to pay tax on her super profits. Because she wants to keep the money from the sale of Australia’s resources for herself. These voters are probably willing to support policies that they do understand, such as the Gonski school funding, but they’re still not willing to give Gillard the credit for designing and delivering such policies. Gillard is damned if she does, damned if she doesn’t.
The other truly frustrating part of this whole messed up situation is that Abbott supporters never have anything nice to say about Abbott. They only have bile to spew at Gillard. Ad astra is right, propaganda directed at the Gillard government is spreading hatred throughout the electorate. This hatred is making the electorate crazy. Here’s a challenge for any Abbott supporters who come across this post and decide to make a comment. Please tell us why you support Abbott, without mentioning Labor or Gillard. I dare you.
Media Inequality 
Victoria
I support Tony Abbott because I am confident that under his leadership the nation will be well governed, the budget will be more balanced and most importantly we will have leader who makes commitments that will be kept. You see there is nothing that the voters hate more than being taken for mugs and when we have a government that does that we become very keen to banish them into the political wilderness.
Of course I am not doctrinaire enough to argue that his will be a perfect regime but its heart will be in the right place.
When it comes to the NDIS it is only natural that the voters should have more confidence in Abbott being able to deliver quite simply because he will be in the lodge and oppositions can not actually deliver anything.
There you go no particular hatred for Labor in my comment, Just sadness for all of you party faithful who are losing your religion:
Like the ‘Rolled Gold Medicare guarantee, eh, Iain?
I don’t get the reference gorgeousdunny1
When Health Minister campaigning he gave a “rolled gold cast iron guarantee” of the Medicare safety net. I think probably the 2004 election. It went within 6 weeks of the election. In a later explanation, he said he was not in charge then. He would be now. Taking his word is a big ask.
You say that you are confident that under his leadership we will be well governed. Which of his policies or actions gives you that confidence?
How can you have confidence in a man who stated on national TV that you can’t believe anything he says unless it’s written down for him first, and that even when it is written down first, such as the Parliamentary Reform deal HE SIGNED with Labor, Independents and Greens, he just reneges on it, and in going so proved himself that his spoken word AND his written word are worthless?
How can you have confidence in a man who clearly puts his personal ambitions ahead of those of the nation’s? After all, what good does it do the nation by continually talking down the best performing economy in the developed world – an economy which has defied global trends and which has survived the GFC, an economy much envied by many others?
How can you have confidence in a man who had had 8 or 9 positions on climate change and who himself advocated for a Carbon Tax in 2009? A man who declared that the price on carbon would not reduce emissions (emissions are down 8+%), or would cripple the economy (in fact, the impact has been far less than the predicted 0.7%), or would wipe Whyalla from the map (yep, it’s STILL there).
How can you have confidence in a man who fiddled the books at the last election and contrived a phony “excuse” so as not to submit his policy costings to Treasury for proper scrutiny – because they contained an $11 billion black hole?
Most mature, responsible voters understand that no government is ever going to deliver 100% of what we want, nor are we going to agree with 100% if what they say or do.
All governments make mistakes and break promises because circumstances change all of the time. We are part of a global economy after all, and what happens in that global economy affects us here at home.
I will be the first to say that Gillard has disappointed me with some of her decisions and stances, but there is a glaring, stark difference between her and Abbott.
She is willing to sacrifice her own personal ambitions for those of the nation, as evidenced in her fights for for the carbon price, Gonski, NDIS, NBN etc. – all good fights which will benefit this nation.
As opposed to Abbott who has no ideology at all it would appear and flip-flops from one day to the next. In recent days, he was so easily rolled by his party over electoral funding, despite having signed an agreement with the government. He is even being criticised within his own party for so easily caving in. It’s a sure sign of weakness.
Abbott is just saying and doing anything he thinks will get him elected and to hell with ideology!
That does NOT inspire confidence.
I am confident that an Abbott Coalition government will plunge this country into recession, and that they will destroy this nation economically, environmentally and socially.
They have no alternatives, ideas, answers, solutions, policies or vision, just a never ending “Just say No” attitude.
We need more from an alternative government than “Vote for us because we’re not the other guys”.
Le blogeur gai
After six years of Labor and a government that has lurched form one badly managed crisis to the next all I want from a government is a steady pair of hands and I am far from being alone on that score.
I accept that Abbott is fallible and that he can make mistakes, that considered he is still a long way better than anyone Labor can put up.
I reject your assertion that Abbott is putting his personal ambitions first,if anything he is an old fashioned political player who sees leadership as an opportunity to serve the people with humility. Gillard is the one who has put her personal ambition ahead of the nation as is evident by the fact that she is still there despite the loathing of the nation being focused upon her.
Climate change was yesterday’s boogie man and it is all but spent as an issue and to be frank I would much rather have a leader who has deeply considered the matter enough to have changed his mind about how to address the issue than the shrill certainty of the Green religion that we get from Gillard and Milne.
The books were not fiddled.
Sure but with Labor we have had six years of extravagant promises followed by eternally disappointing delivery on just about every thing.
Ok I can appreciate that however a good government gets more things right than they get wrong, something that certainly does not apply to Gillard and Labor. They have got just about everything wrong.
That is an understatement!!!
No all are total failures or as yet not tested by time.
Your confirmation bias is showing 🙄
Your implicit suggestion that being driven by ideology is a good thing is easily demolished as soon as we switch focus to the incumbent and the way that she has clung to the leftist ideology on asylum seekers this has caused the flood of boats and the ever increasing headache for the nation.
If you look into your heart of hearts I’m sure that you won’t find this to be true. To be honest I expect that Abbott’s government will be managerial and rather dull but after six years of Labor excitement that is what the nation needs
Yet they will win in September so you had better get used to the idea!
Oh the irony! Because all that Gillard has left( because she has no record to run on) is the scare campaign about Abbott that is failing miserably!
Labor got a bad start into government because pretty much after they were elected, the GFC occurred, something that you and other Coalition huggers like to sweep under the carpet.
Nevertheless, they acted and acted fast and the result was that they saved us from the worst effects of the GFC. Economists, Labour organisations, employer groups, the IMF, the OECD, the World Bank, business groups …. in fact just about everyone BUT the Coalition agreed with and applauded the government’s quick and decisive actions.
And let us not forget that the Coalition’s response was pathetic. They opposed the second stimulus package BEFORE it was even tabled in parliament.
And in those days, it was Australia’s answer to Sarah Palin – Julie Bishop – all ambition and no alert – who was Shadow Treasurer. Her answer to the GFC was “We would spend about half as much as Labor”; and the classic “We would give tax cuts to increase tax revenue”. She was invoking the already discredited and failed Reagonomics of the Ronald Reagan era – dubbed “Voodoo economics”. In fact she was so bad at her portfolio, she was forced to give it up before she was removed from it!
And yes, Australia had to go into debt to do it.
But what is conveniently overlooked is that if it hadn’t been for the Howard government, we would not have had to go into debt at all.
In 2008, the Federal Treasury reported that the Howard and Costello government blew $314 billion – NEARLY ONE THIRD OF A TRILLION DOLLARS – (94%) of a $340 billion China/economic boom windfall buying votes with tax cuts, baby bonuses etc. in the 2.5 years from the 2004/5 Budget until 2007.
That’s waste at a rate of $350 million – OVER ONE THIRD OF A BILLION DOLLARS – each and every day for 2.5 years and we don’t have a single thing to show for it!
They claim they paid off $96 billion of Labor debt, but fail to acknowledge that some $50 billion of that debt was inherited by Labor from the previous Fraser/Howard government when Howard was the worst Treasurer in the nation’s history, presiding over double digit inflation, double digit unemployment, and double digit interest rates which peaked at a record 21%.
And to add insult to injury, the Howard government left the incoming Labor government saddled with a $57 billion structural deficit.
Howard’s ploy at each and every election was to run down the coffers so that in the event of a Labor win, they would be denied the funds that they required to fund their election commitments.
And it would be no different under Abbott. Howard is Abbott’s mentor.
Remember: it was Abbott who attempted to bribe Andrew Wilkie with $1 billion for one Tasmanian hospital in order to win his support to form government. If ever there was an indication that Abbott is fiscally irresponsible, then that is it right there.
But then he has a huge black hole to fill:
$11+ billion from his 2010 election coatings;
$48+ billion “Direct Action” black hole;
$70+ billion Budget black hole – announced by Mr Eleventy himself – Joe “Henny Penny” Hockey;
abolition of the MRRT;
abolition of the Carbon Tax;
promised corporate tax cuts;
promised personal tax cuts;
yet STILL no idea about where the money is coming from to fill it, except increasing the dole queue by sacking public servants.
Of course it will be slash and burn and sackings, just like the Cameron government did in the UK. But all it will do is what it did in the UK – put the county into recession.
I wouldn’t trust Abbott and Co with my beer money, let alone a $1 trillion economy.
But if that’s what Australia wants, it will get what it deserves.
But the cost will be enormous and painful.
All for one man’s personal ambition!
Le blogger gai
Sure but thee problem with their reaction was to go into total panic mode and they have not yet managed to get out of it.
Yawn! while some economic stimulus may have been efficacious its clear to everyone that Labor went too far, especially once tehy started to put their stimulus on the national credit card.
With the benefit of hind sight I would say that the opposition was right to oppose in both before and after it was presented to the parliament.
It was then and it remains a question of “bang for our buck” something that Labor have been woeful at achieving.
That is debatable, especially when you consider Labor has failed every measure of economic wisdom.
Utter bollocks!
Putting money back into the pockets of taxpayers sounds good to me.
We had a thriving economy and business sector.
When has Labor EVER managed to pay down accumulated debt? Sadly it seems to be something that you lefties never mange to achieve and you wonder why the public has no confidence in the ALP?
Bollocks!
More crap when you consider that Swan inherited a surplus what will hockey inhert? more debt that we can count.
Yep I agree with that 😉 Abbott will pay down debt and achieve a surplus
And Gillard gave us the loathsome “there will be no carbon tax under a government I lead” Carbon tax which more than cancels out any promises taht Abbott was willing to make in 2010
🙄 while I agree with you that the direct action policy is bad (and will hopefully be dropped) the otehr figures are the invention of the Labor spinning group
A tax that collects no revenue will not be missed especially when you consider the admionstration savings to both the mining industry and the government.
Its utterly useless for the environment, it does nothing for our economy that is of any value it will not be missed especially when its cost is removed from our energy bills
Like they will be missed. On the other hand where is Labor’s much promised surplus?
Delivered, in the form of Labor’s carbon tax “compensation” being continued despite the abolition of the vile Carbon tax.
I am not alone in being happy to see useless public servants being shown the door.
In Canberra I expect a down turn but the rest of the country will be fine.
How can you say that in the light of Swan’s repeatedly failing to get any of his budget predictions right during all of his time as treasurer.
Only for minions of the left like you 😀
No only for the sake of the country!
Iain, if you’re going to quite, do so accurately.
Gillard said: “There will be no Carbin Tax under a government I lead BUT I AM DETERMINED TO PUT A PRICE ON CARBON”.
And that’s exactly what she did.
Selective quoting may suit your argument, but it just makes you look like the ignorant fool you are.
You may use a lot of words in your posts, but the are completely devoid of facts or truth, and all you really do is insult others.
The more you post, the more ill-educated and ignorant you sound.
But that’s Coaltiion huggers for you!
@Iain Hall – ROFLMAO! Epic fail there mate! You were supposed to be saying why you support Abbott without mentioning Labor or Gillard – all you did was mention them without saying the names. The idea was for you to say WHY you believe Abbott will do better – that means the positives, not what he WON’T do! I’m sure Rupert appreciates your sheeplike loyalty to the narrative – too bad about your kids…
Le blogeur gai
If you are going to chide me for the way I write please strive for perfection in your own prose 🙂
You reiterate same crappy semantic argument that Labor apologists have been making for the last three years it was a bad and unconvincing argument in 2010 and its worse now.
Pointing out the shortcomings of this government is the antithesis of an insult.
How ironic that you insult me just after complaining about insults
Well we are more optomistic than you Laborites!
chapman
My kids will be much better off when Labor is in the wilderness than they are now with Gillard in the lodge.
Dear Iain Hall. Stupefying to read that you believe Abbott is capable of anything, let alone speak coherently. Deliver on anything? Everything is off the table already. The so called ‘debt’ of the Australian Government is so high, the so called ‘budget crisis’ so extensive that all promises have become ‘non-core’. Maybe Abbott forgot to tell you. When will he confront the Australian people through Q & A or any forum like he does when he calls a news conference & walks away when questions become difficult? Julia Gillard shows courage, fortitude, staying power, wisdom and delivers despite overwhelming opposition from the media including the ABC. Tony has gone quiet on ‘stop the boats’, the ‘carbon tax’ possbily because the electorate have become disinterested in his fear mongering. Not up to the task is Tony, but do you care about the future of this country under his prime Ministership? God forbid such a disaster for the future of Australia.
Ok Robbie
I think that you are letting your own personal ideology colour the way that you see the political landscape we currently inhabit. Now I have clearly pinned my colours to the mast but that does not mean that I am unable to see that the reason that the ALP face such a thrashing is entirely because Gillard and Swan have totally trashed the Labor brand with their maladministration and worse yet their betrayal of just about every undertaking that have given the people. I don’t expect an abbot government to be perfect, heck they have some policies that I think are profoundly wrong (like their direct action climate policy) but on balance they are going to be levels of magnitude better than the current rabble. You see I have children and I care profoundly about the future and were there a dark miracle that saw Labor returned on September 14 THAT would be the disaster.
“…. but on balance that are going to be levels of magnitude better than the current rabble.”
You don’t know that yet you are stating it as if it’s fact.
It’s pure supposition and conjecture.
Its a fair call to suggest that Abbot will be a great deal better than Gillard when you look at the litany of her failures, heck there are not many political leaders who are worse than Gillard. (Christine Milne is the only one I can think of)
@Iain Hall You should have a go at stand-up comedy – you’re a natural!
“I think that you are letting your own personal ideology colour the way that you see the political landscape we currently inhabit”
classic! ROFL!
Chapman
Sadly the joke is currently in the Lodge but we conservatives will have the last laugh come September 14
Tony Abbott has now become boring
And politically no longer scoring
We are sick of this jockey
And the blubbering Hockey
From whose lips the bullshit keeps pouring.
I think you hit onto it, Victoria, when you alluded to ‘disengaged ‘ voters. And I believe this is the problem with the flood of polling at this point. It is basically a reaction to media noise, as is stated voting intention. There is not much question that the opposition has won the media wars to this point, aided by having a large proportion onside.
Why I believe it is so is because last year, Essential did some polling on various policies and interviewee preferences. What was astonishing was that the coalition had a lead in health policy. Considering that the coalition hadn’t released any policy and as far as I can tell, hasn’t made any statement on health, while having a spokesman (Dutton) who has been all but invisible … it seems incredible. Presumably potential voters prefer no policy to what is on offer at present. But I am sure that the real answer is that they are reacting to their particular party preference according to the media noise at the moment, not to actual policy.
If the recent Q and A is anything to go by, voters can actually differentiate between what Plibersek and Dutton are saying and make an informed choice.
Oh the surplus, I would like to also remind the Liberal supporters, the Fraser government abolished the Public Health System (Medibank) left 10% unemployment, 11% inflation and left a deficit of $40 billion,. and the name of the treasurer was John Howard.
Tony Abbott was Minister for Health, Minister for age. I am ROFL. He ripped a $1billion from the Health fund and bragged about the $22 billion surplus and yet could not give the old age pensioners an increase in their pension.
Tony has lunch with the Murdoch, New Ltd Editors and some journalist each week. “I wonder what their names are? hmmm
I reckon if everyone stopped buying Murdoch;s New Ltd newspapers for a month oh they would be able to start having the good life or maybe they should stop buying them altogether. ahhh such a relief from crap journalism from the MSM. I stopped buying the Herald Sun and The Australian 3 years now. Gee and I am better for it. oh it is nice not to be brainwashed and I have saved some money.$1,500+.
Agree, whole-heartedly, with you Victoria. I, too, was stunned when I saw that 57%, of those polled, trusted Abbott the most to deliver the NDIS!! What planet do they live on?? It was astounding. Of course there was no in depth reporting re this amazing result, just a ho hum mention of this fact of life. Grr
The haters for the sake of hating will awaken with a mighty bang if Abbott & his backers get their hands on the Treasury keys. Their soft, secure lifestyles will disappear very quickly. Trouble is, we will all suffer, all because of the willingness of the LNP to hand over the country to the very wealthy & their self-interests.
The sneering opportunist Mr Abbott
When something bad happens will grab it
And in order to fool ya
Will blame it on Julia
Please Australia! Wake up to this rabbit.
Victoria, I think you’ve misinterpreted why voters believe Abbott is more likely to deliver the NDIS. The simple reality is that they don’t believe Gillard is capable of finding the funding for it. Her record suggests that.
It’s not a question of “who gets the credit” for introducing the bill, it’s a question of which side is more likely to deliver it AFTER it’s passed into law and, on that score, voters are leaning towards Abbott as being a better manager of the budget.
And before you jump all over me like you did with Iain, let me point out I’m no fan of the coalition. I’m merely pointing out here that you’ve missed the point – that poll merely reflects who the voters want as the next government, rightly or wrongly.
Stop making it up. Who “jumped all over” on poor ol’ Iain?
That’s what I wondered, blindfreddy. Even went back up the page to check. Astroturfing comes to mind.
I’m almost certain that if Gillard walked across Lake Burley Griffin, the media would scream “Gillard Can’t Swim!”
It will be interesting to see all the Abbott-boosting pundits throwing the switch to “excuse mode” after the election when things start to turn out differently from what they imagine.
Meanwhile they have kindly left a mountain of insults and attack strategies for everybody else to use.
So very true, Zathras. Tony Abbott today went back on an iron-clad, WRITTEN & signed agreement with the Government & not one peep from the MSM about “backflips” “untrustworthy” “indecisive” :liar” etc. Talk about double standards.
A follow up to Iian Hall,
Iian believes what Tony says but if people like Iian take what this compulsive liar says then he will believe in what conservatives say no matter how many lies they tell. How could anyone rely on Abbott to be truthful this is a man who believes if he goes to confession he does not have tell the truth. And the truth of that was evident today when he signed and delivered agreement for increased funding this man has the conviction of flea.
You see Iian believes what that lying scoundrel Howard had to say about Iraq and the reasons for war and we now see how life has been so disastrous for the poor people of Iraq.
How can the community get to read the truth when they are fed a diet of lies by Murdoch media Murdoch along with Howard,Blair and Bush should be tried for war crimes.
Australia should have had a royal commission into what was done to invade Iraq and until these people are brought to justice Australia will not escape the stain that this criminal act has left on Australia’s reputation.
Tony Abbott’s verbal diarrhea
Is always made so “Crystal Clear”
Just well the sane folk
Treat him as a joke
Saying, “Tony for PM, no fear!”
Abbott is a piece of shit the fact that people hate Julia is largely the work of Murdoch and co. who orchestrate the campaign well if Australia vote Wabbott in they have only themselves to blame for the inevitable outcome-Work Choices Mark 2 Privatisation of Public Health and Public Education , blanket media monopolies pariah-state status in foreign affairs dehumanisation of refugees/asylum seekers , intrusion of catholicism into the public arena overt govt sponsored racism to come to the for rampant inflation marginilisation of the poor/elderly/middle class wholesale destruction of the environment etc. etc.
What a relief that we have tight gun laws in our country. I am constantly amazed when I read and hear comments like “kill the bitch” and “kick her lying ass” from ordinary everyday working class people you meet in the street. All because Rupert fancies himself as a king-maker and chooses to use his 70% media control to generate hatred of our elected government.
Let’s face it, we have a two party system and 50% of the time we will have a Labor government and the other 50% we’ll have LNP. During LNP we have a budget surplus and an infrastructure deficit. Then Labor gets in and we have a budget deficit and an infrastructure surplus. For myself and my kids and my grand-kids, I’d rather have the infrastructure but that’s just my personal opinion.
But please, stop the hate campaign – with the level of vitriol being directed at our elected representatives, it is only a matter of time before we read a headline about someone taking a gun or strapping a bomb to themselves and taking this hatred to the next level…
Chapman
I actually see far more hate from desperate Labor supporters who are terrified at the prospect of Labor’s demolition in September than I see directed at Labor
All you need to look at is Direct Action, Paid Parental Leave and the NBN to see what a totally incompetent opposition looks like, no vision, no foresight and no empathy for anyone in the community. They blew the start of the mining boom to try and win in 2007 which flowed thought the GFC, they sold our gold reserves for a sixth of their work, and left a huge structural hole in our tax system, and they want the keys to country back again. Frightening indeed, and god help the disabled and those in public schools once Abbott, James Hardie Julie, Pyne and “I draw my inspiration from God” Morrison, whomwill rely on Sloppy Joes forecast if they get elected. We should be afraid!
thx Iain…. u made a half contrived attempt to address the question in the article then spend all ur other post doing exactly what the article says u would…. btw Iain mind telling us your afflilations? i’m a vote on policies type of person and over the years have voted greens/labor and liberal, but unless a snowball earth event kills off everyone in australia but tony abbott. and myself maybe….no even then i would run against him. Julia has done a average job overall… but taking our polictical history average is alot better then most. Tony on the other hand has admitted…publically…multible times…. fraud…..FRAUD…u know LYING!!! he has flipflopped more then someone running in thongs. He is a vile disgusting piece of shit and unworthy of ever running our country. LETS MAKE THIS EASY….http://www.smh.com.au/national/read-my-lying-lips-abbott-admits-you-cant-believe-everything-he-says-20100517-v9ge.html even murdoch couldnt hide this one
i could have used the actual interview i know but i wanted to show that even murdoch ran this story
Stephen
If you want to know about where I stand on politics or life in general check out my own blog (there is a link to it embedded in my user name.
THE LNP
Loathsome Abbott along with his Acolytes
Wants to see the Libs name up in lights
But with loads of Negativity
And not a trace of humility
We’d be ruled by bloodsucking Parasites.
To gain power is Abbott’s great itch
And as PM mollycoddle the rich
But he’ll wake up one morn
And realise he’s the pawn
And will always be Murdoch’s bitch.